You can find the Focused Topics courses in the Focused Topics tab at the top of your Progress section. The VLS currently offers tracking and certification for three of our Focused Topics: “Supporting Children with Challenging Behaviors”, “Sexual Development & Behavior in Children and Youth” and “Trauma-Informed Care in Child Care Settings”. After a trainer has enrolled you in one of these courses, your progress through the course will be reflected in your Progress page
After completing each Focused Topic lesson and correcting answering the Demonstrate questions, you are able to immediately move on to the next lesson. You are not required to Request Review of each separate lesson as with our Foundational courses.
In order to obtain a certificate for a Focused Topic course, you will have to complete an End of Course Assessment. The EOCAs will be available for you to take immediately after completing all of the course lessons, including each lesson’s Demonstrate quiz. You can find the EOCA in the Demonstrate section after completing all of your lessons, or in your Progress page
Focused Topics courses are either VLS Assessed, with an End of Course Assessment (EOCA) containing only multiple-choice questions that are automatically evaluated by the Virtual Lab School system, or TCS Assessed, with an EOCA containing a combination of multiple-choice and short answer questions that must be reviewed and certified by your program’s Training & Curriculum Specialist or Program Manager. When the EOCA is VLS Assessed, the course is automatically certified after successful completion of the EOCA.
Within the currently enrollable Focused Topics courses, all EOCAs for Direct Care users are VLS Assessed, except for the Supporting Children with Challenging Behaviors course which is TCS Assessed.The EOCA for the Supporting Children with Challenging Behaviors course includes both multiple-choice and short answers questions. This EOCA will need to be submitted to your trainer for review and approval.
The EOCAs for the Sexual Development & Behavior in Children and Youth and Trauma-Informed Care in Child Care Settings courses are multiple choice only. If completed successfully, your course will be automatically certified. You have three attempts at demonstrating Mastery of the course before the EOCA is locked. If your EOCA is locked, please ask your trainer to review your previous attempts and unlock your EOCA.