Virtual High School (VHS) Global Consortium will be offering two International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme courses, available to students from IB World Schools, beginning September 2008. VHS will offer Economics standard level (SL) and Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS) higher level (HL). Both courses will be taught over two years and are offered in English only.

This initiative forms part of the Diploma Programme Online project that seeks to both support delivery in existing IB World Schools and also reach out to completely new communities of students that cannot physically attend an IB World School. For general questions about the Diploma Programme Online project please contact dp.online@ibo.org.

VHS is a non-profit organization that teaches online courses to high school students around the world and was involved in the successful online trial of Economics SL which concluded in May 2006.

Student Registration - NOW OPEN!
Go to IB Registration to enroll in Virtual High School IB courses. If you have questions or need additional information, please email or call 978.897.1900.

A combined total of 75 student places are available for the two courses. Enrollment is limited to 5 students per IB World School in each individual course to ensure participating students gain a more international online classroom experience.

VHS is responsible for all enrollments and coordination with interested schools and students. For more information about this opportunity please contact Warren Clarke - email wclarke at goVHS.org or tel +1 978 897 1900.

Courses
The Diploma Programme Economics SL course provides students with a core knowledge of economics and also incorporates elements of history, geography, psychology, sociology, political studies and other related fields of study. It involves the systematic and critical study of economic theories and relates those theories to real-world examples. The course also considers how economic theory is to be applied in an international context and explores how some developing countries are dealing with growth.

The Diploma Programme Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS) HL course involves the study and evaluation of the impact of information technology on individuals and society. It explores the advantages and disadvantages of the use of digitized information at the local and global level. ITGS provides a framework for the student to make informed judgments and decisions about the use of information technology within social contexts.

Each course will be taught over two years and is offered in English only.

Tuition
Tuition for each course is $1900 for the two years, payable upon enrollment. Tuition includes course materials. If a student withdraws within the first three weeks of the course commencing, 75% of the tuition fee will be returned.

Participation Requirements
Students are expected to actively participate through online discussions, team projects, group activities, submission of weekly assignments, and all required internal and external assessments. Students are required to take the IB examinations in May 2010.

Monitoring of Student Progress
VHS will electronically provide student current grade averages every two weeks, as well as term, semester and course grades to the school’s primary point of contact identified on the student enrollment form.

For IB World Schools enrolling 3 or more students, VHS will provide free Site Coordinator training to the school’s primary point of contact identified on the student enrollment form. The Site Coordinator is the VHS on-site liaison for students and VHS teacher and staff, and will have access to the VHS online grading system to review their students’ performance. Site Coordinator training is entirely online and is 4 weeks in duration, and is eligible for two graduate credits from Plymouth State University. Please email or call 978.450.0509 for details on Site Coordinator training.