EdWeek Teacher Blog Cites VE as an Effective Project-Based Learning Experience

By November 22, 2017 Blog, News

“The real world skills that VE promotes for students are essential for modern learning.”

Education Week Teacher recently published an article on their website about how VE effectively helps students learn real-world skills in a hands-on, applicable way. It features West Hempstead High School’s VE firms, ‘At Your Service‘ and ‘A Helping Hand,’ includes interviews from the students and their VE coordinator, and highlights their recent activities – such as how At Your Service placed in the top ten percent nationally in the Elevator Pitch Competition.

Link to Full Article: “Virtual Enterprise Makes Business Learning Real”

Why VE Works So Well

“The beauty of VE is the idea that students learn by doing. Although VE takes place in school, students are involved in a global business simulation. VE is a project-based, collaborative environment and focuses on other skills such as communication, creativity, and critical thinking. All classes should be steeped in these ideas. We have seen students thrive in this type of learning environment.”

– Dan Rehman, the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction in West Hempstead Union Free Schools

What VE Does for Students

“This CTE program embraces a philosophy of student empowerment that nurtures necessary skills and engages each learner in an authentic way.”

“We worked very hard on how we wanted to paint the picture of our firm through our pitch and seeing that our message was received and honored means the world to us. This experience really taught me that if you are resilient in your work, you will be successful. Everyone who was a part of the filming, editing and taping of this pitch got a glimpse of what it really looks like to make a legitimate elevator pitch. It also gives us better ways of managing our time.”

– Sidney Hoffman, At Your Service CEO, regarding the Elevator Pitch Competition

Project-Based Learning Can Be Implemented in Every Classroom

“Virtual Enterprise is evidence that real-world, project-based learning promotes student engagement and quality learning experiences. These practices can be implemented in every classroom, at every level and every content area where appropriate, so long as there is support in place to ensure the successful launch of that implementation.”

“As we continue to grow our programs so that students get more project-based learning experiences throughout their school days, we are speaking to the students and determining their interests as a jumping off point. Next, [we will] work with the teachers to develop course descriptions and administrators to construct a budget. Once approved, a curriculum can be created which could then be implemented and revised as needed.”

– Dan Rehman, the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction in West Hempstead Union Free Schools

By Sonja Visser