Worcester South High Online Courses John Clayton

VHS Background Created in 1996 –A non-profit collaborative of 180 high schools offering 100+ online courses to 2200 students each semester –Started by the Concord Consortium & Hudson Public Schools – Purpose –To develop Internet-based online courses for high school students.

Academic Benefits Broadened AP course selection –15 AP courses available to students Increased AP participation –Students are attracted to online education –Online courses provide schedule flexibility Improved AP test scores –Pre-AP courses will help prepare South HS students for AP courses Prepares students for the future

VHS Operation at South HS Two South HS teachers each teach one VHS course each semester South HS places 50 students in VHS – Spring 2004 – 25 pre-AP and elective seats – 2004, 2005, 2006 – 50 Pre-AP, AP and elective seats VHS students are supervised –Weekly status and supervised work with Site Coordinator –Students also work independently VHS students have South HS computer access

Personnel Site Coordinator – John Clayton –Responsible for VHS program management Recruiting, qualifying, supporting, and monitoring students Liaison to guidance and parents Teachers –John Clayton, AP Physics –Kellie Moulin, AP Calculus Department Liaisons – Janelle Person - Guidance – Nancy Riley – Administration / grade reporting – John Reed - Computer technical support

VHS Course Quality Teachers –85 percent hold master's degrees or higher –Average 16 years teaching experience –Meet NCLB requirements, certified in discipline Course Content –Independently reviewed –NCAA Accredited Student Achievement –95% Course Completion Rate –81% AP Test Pass Rate (3 or greater) Used by 65 Massachusetts high schools –Algonquin, Hudson, Marlboro, Shrewsbury, …

VHS Course Details VHS Courses are Interactive –Online interaction via Web classroom discussion area Student to student, student to teacher, public and private –Class is accessible via the Internet VHS Courses are Asynchronous –Teachers and students live in different time zones –Students can access class at any time –Students must participate at least 3 days each week

Students logon to VHS at

A course has several web areas.

Lessons have clear objectives and assignments.

Students communicate using discussion groups.

VHS Pre-AP and AP Courses Biology Calculus AB Calculus BC Chemistry Computer Science A Economics English Language & Composition English Literature & Composition Environmental Science French Physics B Physics C Spanish Statistics US History

VHS Elective Courses (on a space-available basis) Arts – American Popular Music – Art and the Internet – Art History – Caribbean Art History – History and Pop Music – History of Photography – Music Composition and Arranging – Music Listening and Critique Business – Business and Personal Law – Entrepreneurship: Starting Your Own Business – International Business – Marketing and the Internet – Personal Investing – Personal Finance – Pre-AP Statistics – Statistics and Business Quality Management

Elective Courses – cont’d Foreign Language – German Cyber Adventure – Writing in Spanish Language Arts – 20 th Century Women Authors – Academic Writing – African American Literature – American Poetry – Around the World in 80 Days – Creative Writing – English Literary Foundations – Folklore and Literature – Hearts of Darkness – Love in Literature – Literature of Charles Dickens Language Arts – Cont’d – Mystery & Science Fiction – Mythology – Poetry Writing – Science Fiction Short Story – Satire Through the Ages – Screenwriting Fundamentals – Shakespeare in Films – Short Story Writing – To Kill a Mockingbird – Unconventional Authors – Western Cultural Humanities – Writing and Telecommunications – Young Adult Literature

Elective Courses – cont’d Life Skills/Health – Career Awareness – Employability Skills – Parenting in the 21st Century – Perspectives in Health – Project Sail Math – Calculus for Business – College Math – Number Theory – Reasoning and Logic – Statistics and Business Quality Management Science – Agriscience Applications – Anatomy & Physiology – Astronomy – Basic Chemistry – Bioethics Symposium – Biotechnology – DNA Technology – Environmental Chemistry – Environmental Science – Epidemics – Evolution – Genes and Disease – Geology of your State

Elective Courses – cont’d Science – cont’d – Integrated Physics – Intro to Astronomy – Intro to the Human Body – Meteorology – Nuclear Physics: Science& Society – Preveterinary Medicine Social Studies – American Foreign Policy – American History – Classical Greek History Constitutional Law – Cultural Anthropology Social Studies – cont’d – Current World Issues – Democracy in America? – Eastern and Western Thought – Family and the Law – European Film and Literature – History: Same As It Never Was – Intro to Psychology – Intro to Sociology – Intro to the United Nations – Lewis and Clark's Expedition – Literature & Cultural Identity – Practical Law – Service-Learning

Elective Courses – cont’d Social Studies – cont’d – Sports and Society – The Holocaust – The Pacific War: – The Power of Modern Media – The US Life-Saving Service – The Vietnam War Technology – Access Database Design – Flash MX Animation – Java Programming – Desktop Publishing – IB Information Technology – Visual Basic Programming – Multimedia Technology – Web Design