Fall 2006 Leading Change

Unique Online Course Addresses Career Development in a Global Economy

by Greg Marks, Special Projects Manager, Michigan Virtual University

Greg Marks, Special Projects Manager, MVU

Simply put: global competition is impacting job opportunities and shifting the base of Michigan’s economy. For some, these changes are a threat. However, for many, the growing global economy offers great opportunities—and the educational community is the key to success. The new Michigan Merit Curriculum requires completion of one online course or an online experience in order to receive a high school diploma. This is a key impetus for a new course, which is being made available without charge to all Michigan schools. Online education offers an effective approach to learning and is increasingly integral to many jobs. Online learning will be a basic part of how many of our graduates work and learn in the future.

The new online course titled “Career Forward,” available in late October 2006 to all Michigan high school students, will help students find positive, realistic education and career pathways. The Michigan Department of Education and Michigan Virtual University (MVU) are collaborating in the development of this course, with funding provided by Microsoft, through the Partners in Learning program. Additional support for online delivery has been provided by Blackboard®.

“Career Forward” encourages students to take charge of their own future. To yield that result, MVU’s learning objectives require students to:

Understand the broad characteristics of taking charge of their career path.
Be motivated to take charge of that path.
Be aware of key tools and methods for pursuing a career path and refining it over time.

As a complement to a base of career planning materials, “Career Forward” includes lessons in personal budgeting, entrepreneurship, and the changes impacting the global economy (see box below). The time spent in this core course consists of approximately 20 sessions, including the online learning session. Students are engaged in personal reflection, writing, and interacting with other students as well as with their local teacher.

There is considerable flexibility in how a school might offer this course. Training and support for local educators will be available and each school may run the course to fit its local curriculum, with a local teacher in charge. The course may be offered after school for informal learning, with minimal or no teacher involvement; it may be offered as a regular course; it may be incorporated within an existing course or used as the basis for a new, semester-length course. This flexibility makes it possible for each school to adjust the delivery to best fit local needs and interests. Ideally, schools will use a blended approach that includes a mix of online sessions and classroom-based activities.

“Career Forward” engages students by addressing relevant issues in an emotionally relevant way, while utilizing the sort of multimedia delivery that ninth-grade students—the target audience—often experience at home.

This course will help all students better understand the crucial importance of their education, including the new graduation requirements, and help improve their motivation and choices in high school. The importance of students being well prepared to deal with the challenges and opportunities of the global economy is the driving force behind this course.

For more information, contact: careerforward@mivu.org.

The course is structured in four parts, each helping the student answer a challenging question:

What am I going to do with my life?
The factors that go into such choices are reviewed, including tips on who can provide guidance and information. An interactive “what if” section covers desired lifestyle and budget, linked to career choices.
What is the world of work like?
The workdays of several typical people are explored, as is the topic of how careers change during life. A major section on the implications of the global economy is presented.
What will I need to succeed?
This is about skill, experience, and motivation, gained through education and elsewhere. A major section helps the student recognize whether they may want to be their own boss as a career option.
What’s next for me?
Exploration of career choices is a core topic, including keeping alternatives open. An interactive career-planning tool, Mydreamexplorer, is used to help with exploration and with completion of each student’s Educational Development Plan (see Glossary).