Virtual Classroom Training
Virtual classroom is synchronous learning, meaning instructors and students are gathering at the same time and online place (i.e. Google Classroom, Zoom, etc.) and interacting in real-time.
Online classroom is asynchronous learning, meaning students are accessing materials individually at their own pace. Online is a separate licensing process for driving schools and not applicable to all programs.
Brick-and-mortar driving schools have the option to provide virtual classrooms. The following information will address how to become approved to provide virtual classrooms, FAQs, and Class D instructor training assistance.
Proposal Guidelines
Your enterprise needs to obtain pre-approval to teach classes virtually. In order to do so, please submit a proposal to the Driver Training Program Office addressing the following:
- The virtual classroom platform and version being used;
- The mandatory hours of instruction are provided (including breaks);
- The curriculum, as set forth in the applicable rules, is covered entirely;
- Each student shall have access to materials used to supplement the content (i.e. videos, handouts, quizzes, PowerPoint presentations, etc.);
- The hours of video and media are covered, as per the applicable rules;
- Interaction between the student and instructor shall be readily available;
- The final exam shall be proctored and provided under the guidance of a licensed driver training instructor, as stated in the program's applicable rules;
- Instructor shall be able to supervise the students and ensure each student has attended the mandatory training;
- Attendance is documented as required by the rules (i.e. classroom rosters, student footprints, etc.);
- The location of where the instructor(s) will hold the virtual class, as required by rule (i.e. school office, school’s classroom, etc.).
Student Training FAQs
What is the purpose of virtual classrooms?
Virtual classrooms provide accessibility and flexibility to how the classroom portion of a driver training program is offered. It allows driving schools to provide education during times where everyone cannot physically be in the same place.
Are we required to offer virtual classrooms?
No, this is a business decision.
How do we become approved to offer virtual classrooms?
By submitting a proposal to the Driver Training Program Office. Please visit the Proposal Guidelines tab to access the requirements.
What is a student footprint?
This is where a system tracks the student’s activity within an online or virtual platform.
What is the purpose of a student footprint?
Student footprints track the login and logout times of students. This supplements the required forms for your program and proves how long a student was in your virtual class.
How are student footprints accessed?
Every virtual classroom platform (i.e. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, etc.) has a Pro/Advanced version. The Pro/Advanced versions will be able to provide the student footprint, which can be used in support of your required student forms.
What happens if a student is kicked out of the class (i.e. technology issues)?
Your school should have a policy on this. Every student has to complete the full mandated hours of instruction. If they are kicked off for just one minute, they need that one minute of instruction made up. If this should happen, the student’s footprint will reflect how long a student was logged out. It is up to the school if the student stays over, or makes the time up in another class.
What can be used in lieu of a student signature on the Classroom Roster?
The student footprint report from the virtual classroom platform or screenshots of who is in attendance.
What if a student’s login is different than their own name? (i.e. parent’s name, a username, etc.)
The roster needs to reflect the login name so the information matches.
Instructor Training FAQs
Is this to train instructors on the content or on how to teach virtually? Or both?
The training provided in the virtual environment is the same as the training mandated in the instructor training documentation. The instructor trainee observes, co-instructs, and teaches a session while being assessed. The school providing the training shall be responsible for assessing and signing off on the training.
Who performs the assessment; our training manager or the home school training manager?
The training manager of the school providing the virtual training will assess and sign off on the assessment.
Would the other school write a lesson plan for the classroom for us under our direction and training or would the home school teach them how to write a lesson plan?
Writing a lesson plan is not mandatory for the training as defined in the documentation of new instructor training.
What training manager signs off on the lesson plan?
The signature of a training manager is not required on a lesson plan.
How would we sign off on that on the training documentation?
The same form, DTO 0118 is used and initialed by the person providing the training.
Are we allowed to charge a fee for instructor training?
That is your business decision.
Do we have to do the in-car training as well for other school instructors?
Not unless they are your instructor trainees.
Do we have the option to do the training for our instructors only?
Yes
How many instructors can be trained at once?
For a school to train instructor trainees, they shall follow the requirements for a number of trainees for a session:
- Multiple trainees may observe a competent instructor teaching a session;
- A maximum of four (4) trainees may observe a co-instructed class with only a maximum of two (2) trainees co-instructing
Our training involves visual slides that we provide to the students; would the instructor be responsible in receiving their workbook from our office? We also provide worksheets/quizzes within the workbook.
Any and all resources, training guides, access, etc. needed to successfully train the instructor shall be provided to them.
As a team we choose our dates for the next D class to be offered, how should we communicate our class dates to ensure other candidates know about the training?
Your method of communicating the dates and times is your decision.
Will we need to put their names on the student rosters as documentation that they received the training?
Per the training program requirements, the instructor trainee shall be included on the rosters.
Can probationary instructors be assessed using the virtual classroom?
The assessment portion of the probationary license cannot be completed at another school, even virtually. Per the rules, the probationary instructor may only be associated with one school. Teaching for another school does not comply with this rule.
Class D Schools
Instructor candidates can be trained via virtual classrooms for the classroom portion of their training. Instructor candidates have always been able to be trained at other driving schools (i.e. not the driving school the candidate is working for). While this has not been a popular way for new instructors to be trained in the past, the utilization of virtual classrooms have opened this option up for more opportunities. Driving schools may train instructor candidates from other schools using their virtual classroom.
The following list includes class D schools who have volunteered to assist other schools with training instructor candidates in their virtual classroom.
The Driving School, 513-523-7001
P.O. Box 582 Oxford, OH
Butler County
drivebetterohio@aol.com
Capabilities, 419-394-0003
124 South Front St. St. Mary's, OH
Auglaize County
karen.blumhorst@capabilitiesinc.biz
AAAA International Driving School, 513-931-2000
1172 W. Galbraith Rd STE 101 Cincinnati, OH
Hamilton County
aaaaintl1@aol.com
Driving Schools of Ohio, 855-634-9255
1225 N. Main St. Canton, OH
Stark County
tomk@schwartzdrive.com
Bick’s Driving School of E. Cincinnati, 513-722-1119
6756 Goshen Rd Goshen, OH
Clermont County
tomk@schwartzdrive.com
Schwartz Driving School of Ohio, 614-882-4235
5965 Westerville Rd. Westerville, OH
Franklin County
tomk@schwartzdrive.com
Suburban Driving School, 440-729-4360
8440 Mayfield Rd. Suite A Chesterland, OH
Geauga County
tomk@schwartzdrive.com
Schuler & Sons, Prestige Driving Academy, 614-933-3170
68 N. High St, New Albnay, OH
Franklin County
dgshu71@gmail.com
Henley’s Driver Training, 330-345-5698
1398 Old Columbus Rd. Wooster, OH
Wayne County
jhenley@neo.rr.com
D&D Driving School, 937-294-7206
3125 Wilmington Pike Kettering, OH
Montgomery County
spostigo@aol.com
TWP Driving Academy, 614-948-2305
2999 E. Dublin Granville Rd. Ste. 301 Columbus, OH
Franklin County
driving@twpacademy.com
Public Safety Driving School, 216-288-9315
24889 Aurora Rd. Bedford Heights, OH
Cuyahoga County
management@greaterishepublishing.com
Bee Driving School of Indian Springs, 513-887-9838
3991-G Hamilton Middletown Hamilton, OH
Hamilton County
beedrivingschool@fusenet.com