Special Report / Twenty-First-Century Skills for the Whole Child

Effective virtual schools and online learning should promote

• Global awareness: Students can easily work with individuals from all over the world. For example, the Michigan Virtual High School offers an online Chinese language course taught by a qualified native speaker. The course is designed around four components: an e-textbook, a group problem-solving project, Internet protocol (IP)-based audio conferencing and discussion, and a group writing project.
• Self-directed learning: Virtual schools empower students to make flexible, individual choices on the basis of their interests and schedules. At Florida Virtual School, students choose the length of their study program, which can be shorter or longer than the traditional 36-week school year. Students may choose when and where they complete their assignments, but they must deliver an end product by a given date. The report points out that this approach is similar to many business environments today, “where telecommuting and virtual offices are a reality, but accountability and quality expectations for the end product remain high.”
• Information and communications technology literacy: Students learn 21st-century technology skills as they collaborate and communicate online. They become adept at using applications common to today's business environment, such as Web-based conferencing, project management tools, and digital media and communications tools.
• Problem-solving skills: Virtual schools focus on competency-based learning models that engage students in collaborative practices. In Florida Virtual School, students study geometry by learning real-world architectural skills. After familiarizing themselves with plans and blueprints, students draw the façade of a house and learn about such terms as slope and pitch as they relate to local buildings.
• Time management and personal responsibility: Students learn self-discipline as they manage their time and responsibilities online.

The report suggests that online courses must not only teach 21st-century skills but also include these skills as outcomes to assess. Virtual Schools and 21st Century Skills is available at www.nacol.org/docs/VSand21stCenturySkillsFINALPaper.pdf.