DoD Virtual Lab School Implementation Questions and Answers Question Should we still issue a Navy completion certificate after a staff member completes all 15 modules? If a staff member tests out of or challenges the VLS courses, will the VLS site still issue them a track-level certificate? Can staff members start working on a CDA prior to finishing a VLS track? What VLS courses are seasonal staff required to complete? Answer ** November 2017 UPDATES** All staff members who complete 15 VLS courses, regardless of whether they are all in the same track, should receive a Navy completion certificate. The completion of the 15 courses meets the requirement for completion of DoD-approved competency based initial training. An updated template of a Navy completion certificate has been uploaded to the e-library at https://elibrary.cnic-n9portal.net/documentlibrary/?id=738. Programs may use this version or may develop one locally to use. No the VLS site will only generate a track level certificate to a user who has fully completed all 15 courses in a track. Staff members who successfully test out of or challenge a track should be issued the Navy completion certificate. Yes, and it is recommended to do so. As time and staffing, permits, trainers are encouraged to work with staff members who do not have a CDA or degree to concurrently work on their CDA portfolio as they work through the VLS courses so that as they finish the VLS courses, they can be ready to apply for the CDA. As staff members finish courses, they can go ahead and write Competency Statements for the CDA portfolio while the material is still fresh. This also will allow them to do additional reflection on the course and how they will be implemented the concepts in the program. For more specific requirements regarding the CDA portfolio, please visit www.cdacouncil.org. Seasonal staff members, like any staff member, are required to complete the Child Abuse Identification and Reporting and Child Abuse Prevention courses within 60 days of hire. After completion of the Child Abuse courses, seasonal staff should continue to pursue completion of the VLS courses, beginning with Guidance, then Safe Environments, then Healthy Environments. However, a seasonal staff member may be unable to complete additional courses beyond Child Abuse during one season (i.e., summer). If the staff member returns for another season, it is expected that they would pick back up where they left off, so that these courses would be complete after six months of seasonal employment had accumulated over time (not six calendar months). 1
Can I enroll Program Leads in the Manager or Trainer tracks as continued professional development? Are contractors required to complete the VLS Child Abuse courses? If a staff member successfully tests out of or challenges a VLS track, how should this be documented in CYMS? Should the hours be the same as a staff member who has completed all the required activities? Are there any rubrics for scoring the VLS tests? Right now, Trainers are using different methods/standards to pass/fail staff. I think we need more consistency to ensure fair implementation amongst the training team. Program Leads should not be officially given the role of Manager or Training and Curriculum Specialist within the VLS system. This is because this level of access would permit them to see all staff members information at the installation, which is not an appropriate level of access for a Program Lead. However, if a Trainer wishes to assign material to a Program Lead from the MGT or TCS track as continued professional development (or to meet annual training requirements), this can be accomplished by having the Lead complete material in these courses without having it tracked. Any user who is logged in can access any available tracks by logging in, clicking Learn, then clicking on the desired track, and then the desired lesson. Using material from the MGT and TCS tracks for professional development for leads is encouraged, as much of the material covers coaching and reflection and would be beneficial and meaningful for the professional development of Program Leads. No. At this time, contractors are not required to complete any courses within the VLS. However, the Trainer may choose to use material from the VLS to meet Contractor initial and annual training requirements. If a staff member successfully tests out of a VLS course, this course should still be logged into CYMS using the appropriate VLS course code. The number of clock hours should be adjusted to just the amount of hours listed in the coaching/competency assessment column on the VLS Direct Care Clock Hours document (for example, if a staff member successful tests out of Safe Environments, he or she receives 4 clock hours). In the Comments box, the Trainer should indicate that the staff member completed the course by testing out or challenging it. Each Knowledge Assessment has a corresponding list of Suggested Answers that can be accessed by accessing the staff roster, clicking on View Profile next to a staff member, clicking on View Progress Details, clicking on a course that staff member is enrolled in, clicking on Assessments, and clicking on End Of Course Assessment: Suggested Answers. These suggested answers are meant to provide a common ground of understanding for Trainers to use when evaluating Knowledge Assessments. The suggested answers are not meant to be comprehensive or cover all possible acceptable answers a staff member may give. In addition to the Suggested Answers, trainers are expected to use both their knowledge as a professional with a background in Early Childhood Education as well as their knowledge of the VLS courses to evaluate whether a staff member s 2
What should I do if a VLS user at my installation leaves the installation? If a staff member transfers to my installation and already has a VLS account, how can I get the account transferred to my installation? Can you change a staff member s email? Are coaches and other volunteers required to fully complete the VLS Child Abuse courses? In the Safety Course, the daily checklist provided does not match what is in the E-Library. Is the form in the VLS going to change with the revised version from the E-Library? Also, the VLS First Aid Kit checklist does not match what is in the answer meets the intent of the question. If a members of an installation s Training Team find that they do not have a common understanding of a concept on a Knowledge Assessment, they should meet as a group to ensure that they are in agreement on their understanding of what an appropriate answer is. The new format of the Knowledge Assessment is not meant to have specifically right/wrong answers, but rather is meant to allow a staff member to demonstrate understanding, which cannot be determined by closed questions. You should deactivate the account of any VLS user who is no longer at your installation. This can be done by clicking on My Staff Roster, then User Management, then Deactivate/Remove User. Once an account is deactivated, the user will still be able to log in to see progress and print certificates, but they will no longer be able to complete courses for credit or track their progress. You can add the staff member to your staff roster by clicking My Staff Roster, then Add Existing User, and searching for the user by their VLS email address or name. If a staff member is from another branch of service (Marines, for example), you must email support@virtuallabschool.org to initiate the transfer. Yes. You can change your own email address or the email address of any user at a program to which you have access by clicking Edit Account Details on the user s account details page. An exception to the Navy CYP Virtual Lab School Training Policy for volunteers has been granted. Volunteers, to include YSF Coaches, are no longer required to complete the VLS Child Abuse Courses. Volunteers are still required to receive child abuse awareness training and Training Specialist should continue to use their current methods for ensuring Volunteers are fully trained on this requirement. If a Training Specialist would still like to utilize VLS to support this requirement, we are recommending that Lesson 1- Child Abuse Prevention and Lesson 3- Child Abuse Identification and Reporting in the most applicable VLS track be used. This will require at least one hour of a volunteer's time and may still be too much of a time commitment. If there is a form on the E-Library, then it takes precedence over what is in the VLS. For the most part, the VLS has been written in a way that it can be applicable across all the service branches, and the ones on VLS are examples, which is why the VLS so often says to refer to your trainer or coach for service specific guidance. With 3
ELibrary and the OPNAV INST 1700.9E, chapter 19-14. Is it going to be updated/changed in the VLS or is the inspection requirement list going to change? regard to the first aid kit, the requirements listed in the OPNAV (which are what is on the list on the E-Library) are still the minimum requirements. If a program includes the additional items listed in the VLS, it would still receive credit on an inspection because the minimum items required in the OPNAV are present. Is there a zip file with assessments for T&Cs or do we need to print each assessment from the individual course? Using the new VLS system, what is the process for staff members who are approved to test out? Have the observation requirements for staff members changed? A cross-reference review is in progress of all forms that are available on VLS and comparing them with what we are currently using to see where things can be updated or standardized. A zip file of all course assessments, activities, resources, and assessments is available by clicking on a staff member s progress, selecting a course, selecting Course Resources, and clicking on the Resources zip file. **June 2017 Updates** Staff members who have been approved to test out are still required to read all material in each course for their assigned track, as well as complete knowledge and competency assessments. For these staff members, trainers should create a VLS account for them and assign them to the appropriate track. The staff member should log-in, read all applicable information in each course, and notify the trainer when he or she is ready to take the knowledge assessment. After reviewing the staff member s completed knowledge assessment and conducting observations for the staff member s competency assessment, the trainer must be confident in the staff member s knowledge of the material and mastery of the required skills for each course. If the trainer is not confident in the staff member s knowledge and skill mastery in the course, the trainer must assign the course to the staff member, and the staff member will be required to complete all activities required for the course, have them approved by the trainer, and re-take the knowledge assessment. The trainer must then review the knowledge assessment again and observe for the competencies for the assigned course in order to ensure mastery. No staff member, regardless of previous education, is approved to test out of the Child Abuse courses. Observation requirements have not changed. Observations that are conducted to complete the competency assessment for each VLS course can be used to meet staff member observation requirements. 4
Does coaching a staff member as he or she completes VLS courses count as the quarterly coaching requirement? Do VLS courses count toward a CDA renewal? Which VLS courses does a direct care staff member have to complete to advance from entry to intermediate? Which track should direct care staff complete who are assigned to a 24/7 center? If a Trainer is coaching a staff member while working on his or her track (including meeting with a staff member to discuss assignments and set goals, and meeting with staff members to discuss knowledge and competency assessments), this VLS track coaching meets quarterly coaching requirements. During an inspection, trainers should be prepared to show documentation that they are meeting with staff members and coaching them as they are moving through their VLS tracks. Trainers should maintain a completed Trainer s Guide for each course, the course knowledge assessment, and the course competency assessment as documentation of coaching for inspection purposes. The Trainer s Guide for each Direct Care track and course can be found in Lesson One of each course in the T&C Track. After a staff member completes a VLS track, the Trainer should begin quarterly coaching with that staff member. The VLS courses have been approved to count towards the professional development requirements for an initial CDA credential. If a staff member has been assigned VLS lessons as part of ongoing annual or supplemental training requirements, these should be logged in CYMS, with the amount of.5 clock hours per lesson. This training can be counted toward overall training hour requirements for a CDA renewal. However, trainers should be aware that if VLS courses were counted toward the initial certification, repeating VLS courses or lessons cannot count towards the hours for a renewal CDA. For more specific requirements for CDA renewal training hours, trainers should review the CDA website at www.cdacouncil.org. Direct care staff members are required to complete the VLS courses on the same topics that were required previously to advance from entry to intermediate. These courses are Child Abuse: Identification & Reporting, Child Abuse: Prevention, Safe Environments, Healthy Environments, and Positive Guidance. These courses should be completed first by all direct care staff members. After completing these five courses, trainers can assign courses to direct care staff members in any order deemed appropriate by the Trainer. Direct care staff members who are assigned to a 24/7 center currently complete the Caring for Children in Family Child Care modules. Until the Family Child Care VLS Courses have been released, 24/7 direct care staff members will continue to complete modules using Caring for Children in Family Child Care. Additional guidance will be provided to trainers who work with CDH providers and 24/7 centers when the VLS FCC courses are released. 5
If a staff member works with both School-Age Care and Youth, which track/modules should the staff member complete? Does completion of the VLS Child Abuse courses meet all orientation requirements for Child Abuse training? Do direct care staff members have to complete the knowledge assessment for each course closed book? Do direct care staff members still need to achieve a score of 80% in order to pass the knowledge assessment? Do I have to create a VLS account for my teen hires to complete Child Abuse courses? I have a staff member who has completed several VLS courses in the Infant/Toddler track but has now switched to the Preschool track because she is working in preschool now. Does she have to re-do those courses in the Preschool track? If the direct care staff member spends a majority of his/her time working with a particular program, the staff member should complete the track/modules associated with that program. For example, if 60% of a staff member s time is spend working with SAC, he/she should complete the VLS SAC track. If the direct care staff member s time is evenly split between SAC and Youth, the Trainer should work with the Program Director(s) to determine the track/module assignment that best meets both the staff member s and program s needs. No the VLS Child Abuse courses replace the former DoD Child Abuse modules. Programs are still required to meet all training requirements outlined in the CAPER operating manuals. Staff members may refer to the VLS course while completing knowledge assessments if they choose. Because the new Knowledge Assessments focus on interpretation and application of the material in the course, staff members will need to have a mastery of the information contained in each course beyond what can be easily looked up on the VLS site. The new Knowledge Assessments are no longer scored. Trainers are expected to review the staff member s completed Knowledge Assessment for each course and verify that the staff member has a thorough understand of the concepts in each lesson. If the trainer is not confident in the staff member s understanding of the material after reviewing the completed Knowledge Assessment, the trainer should refer the staff member back to the course for additional review prior to having the staff member revisit the Knowledge Assessment. Any staff member who is required to complete any VLS courses should have an account created for them. Teen hires who work for CYP are only required to complete Child Abuse courses, but they should have an account created for them so their progress through the Child Abuse courses can be tracked. No. The staff member should pick up with completing the remaining courses in the Preschool track until she has completed courses in the 15 topic areas to meet the requirement to move to Target level. After all 15 courses have been completed, the staff member must then go back into the Preschool courses that have not been completed and just complete the lessons listed on the crosswalk document. The crosswalk document for each course can be found in the Course Resources section. Items that are completed from the crosswalk document 6
Will a user receive a track-level certificate after completing all 15 courses? What if the trainer has been trained and the trainer transfers to an installation that hasn't received the VLS training yet? Can the Trainer then beginning using the program at the new site? What roles will we assign our PDI staff members to? For the PDI members focusing on the Training and Curriculum track, can we get them access as a TCS to VLS? Are we given an account log in prior to attending the 2 day training? Training expectations state that for VLS completion for 24/7 employees they should continue to use the Navy Standardized Training Modules, but according to the policy letter it states the following: should be logged in CYMS as Additional Training or Annual Training, as applicable. If a user completes all 15 courses in a track, the system will issue a track-level certificate. If the user completes 15 courses, but they are not all in the same track, the system will not issue a completion certificate. T **February 2017 Updates** An installation is not authorized to implement the VLS until the region has attended the VLS training. Region staff and Installation CYP Directors are trained as the system is rolled out, so they would not be prepared to support implementation of the system until that time. PDI staff can be assigned any role in the system that is appropriate to their assigned duties. If they are being assigned a Training and Curriculum Specialist or Program Manager Role, the Installation CYP Director would add them as a user the same way they would other trainers and directors and assign the appropriate role at that time. HQ staff will create accounts for Regional staff and Installation CYP Directors before each region attends training during the roll out. The Installation CYP Director will be responsible for creating all trainer accounts prior to them attending the VLS training. Upon completion of the roll out, the region will be required to establish accounts for new Installation CYP Directors. The information from the webinar is correct. The requirements within the policy letter was developed when we thought the FCC Track would be out sooner, but since it will be later in the year, 24/7 employees are required to continue to use the FCC paper modules as they are applicable to multi-age care. 24/7 employees may be assigned to any VLS track for completion, after working with the trainer and manager to determine the program s need. Our installation has already attended a face to face training on VLS, and our managers, T&C's, and direct care staff currently on modules have already been added to the roster. Does our 90 days begin as of Thursday January 12, 2017? If the CYMS codes will be changed to VLS codes will there be a special code for an employee who has transferred from another installation or branch with completed modules? All programs who have completed the 2016 training sessions are required to be fully implemented by April 12, 2017. Programs can implement sooner if they are prepared to do so there is no requirement to wait a full 90 days. All CYMS codes will remain in the system for at least the next two years to ensure all programs have transitioned to the VLS platform and are implementing the new courses. 7
Can the knowledge and competency assessments be scanned into CYMS and have that count as retaining them without having to keep the paper versions? Will the installation receive more laptops to work on the courses for VLS? After completion of the VLS courses for the first six months which you listed are Child Abuse Identification and Reporting, Positive and Safe does our entry level direct care staff qualify for intermediate pay? Can VLS courses count as college courses? Will these trainings be available in multiple languages? Will we be able to delete duplicate accounts? Can a user complete 2 courses? Will there be a track for administrative support staff? Knowledge and competency assessments can be scanned into CYMs for programs who have scanning ability. At this time, there is no plan to increase the number of laptops for the installations. The VLS courses can also be completed on a tablet. Employees are qualified at the intermediate target level when a combination of experience and education/training has been met. If an employee already has six months of experience working with children and/or youth and has completed Child Abuse, Positive Guidance and Safety, then the employee is qualified at the intermediate level. If the employee does not have the six months of experience but completes these courses, the employee would not be qualified at the intermediate level until he/she obtains the six months of experience. Directors/Trainers should track experience to ensure employees are progressively moved within the pay band when appropriate and the combination of experience and training has been met. CYP staff who complete VLS coursework that has been approved and certified by the Trainer will be able to count their VLS course completion as credit hours towards the online Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Development and Education at Ohio State University. For more information, staff members would need to contact Ohio State University about applying these credits towards a degree program. Some resources on the VLS are available in both English and Spanish, but at this time there is no plan to have all tracks or courses be available in other languages. If a staff member was mistakenly entered twice, then the Trainer should contact support@virtuallabschool.org to request that one of the accounts be deleted. CYP Professionals are required to complete all courses within their assigned track. For example, a direct care staff member working with infants will be required to complete all 15 courses in the Infant/Toddler track. If this direct care staff member wishes to complete a second track (i.e., SAC track), he or she can do that. However, assisting a CYP Professional with completing a second track cannot supersede the trainer s responsibility to CYP Professionals with completing their primary track. There is no current plan to release a track for support staff. 8
Can individuals on the management track take coursework from the trainer track after completing the management track? What is an "applicable degree" for those CY-II who only need to test out? Please specify. Are the trainings available to public identical to the ones that appear in a direct care staff member's training courses? Please elaborate on employees who are hired at CYI and CYII who have to complete courses in 18 months. Are youth program site supervisors included under the management staff? For staff who are currently working toward their CDA and have completed their modules, can trainers authorize the staff access to the VLS modules for support with the functional area and competency reflection/goal? CYP Professionals can review courses from any track by clicking on Learn at the top of the VLS site. The system will only track the course progress of an individual if he or she is officially enrolled in the track. CYP employees who are hired at full performance level are eligible to test out of coursework. Staff members are hired at full performance level if they have a CDA, MSA, or an Associate s degree or higher in Early Childhood, Elementary Education, Youth Recreation, Physical Education, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Youth Development, Psychology, Social Work, Home Economics with an emphasis in Human Development, or other degree as appropriate. Human Resources will determine at the time of hire whether an employee is hired at a full performance level. There are only small differences within the public and service specific tracks of the VLS. In some courses, a statement will appear at the top on the public site that says, This lesson may have content specific to certain audiences. Differences between audience views may be subtle or non-existent. When that statement appears, the CYP Professional can choose how to view the course, with one of the options being Navy. Additionally, users on the public site cannot submit work for approval to a trainer or track their progress, although all the content is the same. Direct Care employees who are hired at entry level (CYI) have 24 months to complete their assigned track. Direct Care employees who are hired at the intermediate or full performance level have 18 months to complete or fully test out of their assigned track. Trainers and managers have one year to complete their tracks. Yes, any site supervisor should be entered in the system as a program manager and is expected to complete the VLS Management Track. Any CYP Professional can be given access to the site. If a trainer determines that a staff member who has already completed modules needs to complete or refer to VLS coursework, the staff member can either use the public site or the trainer can create a log-in for them so the trainer can track any progress they make. 9