1. Course topics: Global Competition, Personal Finance, Entrepreneurship, Career Preparation, Online Learning Course Location: http://nroc.careerforward.org/http://nroc.careerforward.org/ Course video overview: http://www.mivhs.org/Careers/CareerForward/CareerForwardTrailer/tabid/395/Default.aspxhttp://www.mivhs.org/Careers/CareerForward/CareerForwardTrailer/tabid/395/Default.aspx Student/teacher video: http://www.microsoft.com/education/uspil/http://www.microsoft.com/education/uspil/ Microsoft US Partners in Learning contact: Allyson Knox, Academic Program Manager allyknox@microsoft.comallyknox@microsoft.com Professional development opportunities contact: Jamey Fitzpatrick, President, Michigan Virtual University jfitz@mivu.orgjfitz@mivu.org CareerForward Grade Level:Middle and high school Prerequisites:None Course Style:Blended, teacher facilitated; 4 to 6 weeks in length; 20 hour-long online sessions Price:No cost Availability:Now Technology Requirements: The CareerForward course was designed to deliver high-quality multimedia content efficiently to students using Adobe Flash®, which is now installed on over 95% of personal computers with access to the Internet. Due to imbedded audio files, students and teachers need a multimedia computer with headphones, and access to the internet, or your school's local installation of CareerForward. The most recent version of Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari is recommended. Flash must be installed to access the multimedia components and Adobe Reader® is needed to access imbedded documents. Career Preparation in a Global Economy Todays students wrestle with a lot of questions about their future: What am I going to do with my life? That is the world of work like? What will I need to succeed? With CareerForwardCareer Preparation in a Global Economy, a free online curriculum, middle and high school students gain the skills they need to take charge of their career path amid the uncertainties of the current global economy. Help students explore their career options, prepare for the global marketplace, and take charge of their future. This award-winning program created in partnership with state of Michigan Department of Education and Michigan Virtual University introduces students to the worldwide economic shifts taking place and highlights how young people can be more entrepreneurial as they look to the future. Using the Challenge Cycle, a five-step process of personal reflection and group discussion, students have the opportunity to assess their career interests, explore their professional options, and create an educational development plan. Students who complete the CareerForward course will better understand the importance of their education and be motivated to make smart choices in high school and college. Blended Instruction Traditional classroom teachers are in the drivers-seat with CareerForward. They can "blend" the online resources found in the course into their face-to-face instruction to meet specific content or instructional needs. Examples: teachers can show CareerForwards case video clips or facilitate group discussions generated by CareerForward interactive tools or implement a particular face-to-face recommended activity. The course uses personal reflection and activities to provide each student with an independent exploration of the possibilities of their future and the creation of an Educational Development Plan (EDP).