Personalized
Students are able to explore their interests, talents, and passions, making learning fun and engaging. Learning through experiences expands horizons and opens students to a world filled with learning opportunities.
Flexible
With anytime, anywhere learning, students can learn at their own pace and in the setting that makes the most sense for their preferred style of learning.
Efficient
Students can weave multiple competencies from the entire VLACS catalog into their unique experiences to accomplish academic goals efficiently and in line with their vision. This will depend on the experience, and how many competencies you wish to earn. It may take about four weeks to complete an experience that satisfies a single competency or 32-36 weeks to master the competencies for a full credit (~8 competencies).
Relevant
Students gain experience in real-world settings and connect with an expert in the field with the support and guidance of a VLACS Instructor.
How It Works
- Design
Students develop and refine ideas for experiences that are connected to their academic competencies.
- Learn
Students document what they are learning during their internship, travel or other independent study with the guidance of a professional. VLACS instructors support them throughout the experience.
- Assess
Students demonstrate what they have learned and participate in a discussion-based assessment with their VLACS instructor. The learn and assess phases will occur as needed throughout their experience until the competency is achieved.
Case Study
A student interned at a private restaurant chain based in her community. The restaurant’s owner wanted to expand advertising via the web and social media. The student helped design a social media marketing campaign and helped build a new website. She contacted a number of marketing firms and website designers to learn more about marketing and web development. By the end of her internship, the restaurant not only had a new website but also a thriving social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This student was able to master several competencies that included persuasive writing and HTML5 coding.
Attend a virtual open house
We offer regular online open house webinars where VLACS staff members provide parents and students with an overview of our programs and answer questions about online learning.