 | myBlueprint Education Planner |
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In previous years, I relied on a free online program called Career Matters to encourage grade 8 students to think about career options and the high school courses required to get them there. This was a great resource that allowed students to make sense of the elective, mandatory and pre-requisite courses that lie waiting for them when they enter high school. Regrettably it went off line last year. Coincidentally (or not!), that same year, a site called myBlueprint Education Planner came online (http://www.myblueprint.ca). While it's not a free service, it seems reasonably priced. I was able to set up an account for the NED Program for about $300, which will accommodate about 200 students. Unlike Career Matters, which listed all courses in Ontario, MyBlueprint is able to group schools into cohorts (usually school boards). This allows individual schools and school boards to provide their students with a specific list of the courses that they offer. In turn, their students can use this website to plan a path through a particular high school. Here’s what I’m wondering about: When it comes time to choose a high school, grade 8 studentsin northern FN communities have a handful of choices (KiHS, Pelican Falls, Dennis Franklin Cromarty…). What if there was a myBlueprint cohort for these schools? Students in First Nation elementary schools could then use this service to check their course options. Teachers could also use the service as part of their classroom instruction (i.e. career planning). Moreover, registration costs could be pretty cheap (they seem open to negotiation). Anyway, this looks like a good program that I think will add good value to the courses I’m working with… just wanted to throw out this idea in case it (or a spin off idea) resonates with anyone. Thanks, Fernando |