Imagine two business people, half a world apart, meeting in a virtual world. Virtual reality goggles allow them to see each other in three-dimensional space, headsets let them hear in stereophonic sound, and a haptic body suit that fills with thousands of air bubbles simulates the pressure of a handshake or the exchange of documents. Read more
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St. John's-Kilmarnock School, in Waterloo, offers enriched educational programming for students from JK – Grade 12 through its accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. Its average class size is 17.
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McDonald International Academy offers programs for grades 9 to 12 with 2 locations in the heart of Toronto. Its average class size is 10 to 20 students.
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College Prep International, a traditional private school in Montreal, offers English instruction with partial French immersion, for grades five to twelve. Its average class size range from 12 to 18 Students. On line learning available under special circumstances.
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Bond Academy is a private, co-educational, non-denominational independent school with students from Montessori Casa to Grade 12.
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Oakville's SMLS continues to be a premier independent school for girls Preschool to Graduating Year since 1891. "Millie" graduates take on the world with confidence and the knowledge that they can do anything.
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Balanced Academics, Arts, Athletics & Character Development. We value best practices & evidenced based approaches. University preparatory & 21st Century Tech Rich & Future Proof school. Enriched and rigorous curriculum.
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Located in Toronto, The Bishop Strachan School is Canada's oldest independent JK to Grade 12 day and boarding school for girls, welcoming students from Toronto and around the world.
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Innunco Academy offers credit course approved by Ontario Ministry of Education. Students can complete their prerequisite courses in advance or enroll in an upgrade course to improve grades.
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Elmwood School is Ottawa's pre-eminent school for girls from JK to Grade 12. Our high academic standards, small class sizes and safe, supportive environment ensure that each girl is inspired to reach her full potential.
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St. Jude's Academy is an IB World School that offers programs from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 in Mississauga. A university preparatory school with a focus on student life, average class size is 16 to 18 students.
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Acadecap International School ( Académie de la Capitale), an IB school, offers bilingual and/or English programmes from Pre-K to Grade 12. Students thrive in a culture of academic excellence and real-life learning.
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Greenwood College School in Toronto offers programs for Grades 7 through 12. Its average class size is 15 to 19 students.
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An independent school that offers an individualized self-directed learning approach for tomorrow's leaders. Bursary programs available to qualified applicants. JK to Grade 12, Alberta Curriculum.
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At Rosseau Lake College, teachers work with each student to develop a personalized curricular approach that will enhance their academic competence. One hundred percent of our graduates receive post-secondary admission.
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At The Westside Schools students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 gain a solid foundation for their future. Every student is known, cared about, and understood by Westside’s dedicated and passionate teachers.
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OAT is a high school in Toronto specializing in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Full credit courses, Booster programs and Reach Ahead programs designed to give students the support they need to excel.
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Lycée Français de Toronto is a French school that offers programs from nursery to grade 12. Its average class size is 17 students.
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Now offered online, the PK – Grade 6 program is a visible expression of the philosophy embodied in Ledson's books, Raising Brighter Children and Teach Your Child to Read in Just 10 Minutes a Day.
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TIA offers a wide range of educational programs such as High School courses, ESL, TOEFL/IELTS/AP Prep., Tutoring, Summer & Night School with a flexible admission schedule for both Canadian and International students.
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Blyth Academy Yorkville is a private high school for Grade 9-12 students, located in the heart of downtown Toronto, moments away from some of Toronto’s most exciting cultural and entertainment venues.
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Online credited high school education. The staff at Tapply Binet College are specialists in their discipline. Together, the team strives to balance academics in a caring and supportive environment.
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At Glenn Arbour Academy, we believe that “We Can Make A Difference” in the life of every student who walks through our doors.
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Inspected, accredited High School with campuses in Toronto and Chatham-Kent, offer high school credit courses in small classes and online, leading to High School Diploma. Our 5 acres Chatham Campus is a boarding school.
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Blyth Academy Mississauga is a flourishing private middle and high school housed in unique heritage buildings. We focus on personalized education, very small class sizes, and experiential learning.
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Blyth Academy Burlington, located in Village Square in the heart of downtown Burlington, offers not only our outstanding Grades 9–12 program but also a middle years program and facilities for students in Grades 5–8.
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Burlington Royal Arts Academy offers private arts-academic secondary school programming for Grades 9-12. Small class sizes, arts focused programming with outstanding faculty and industry professionals.
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Everest Academy is an Independent Co-ed Day and Boarding School for Grades 1-12 & PG in Thornhill. At Everest the Learning is Built Around Each Student. The staff to student ratio is 8:1 and the average class size is 14.
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Blyth Academy Online is a private school for Grades 9 to 12. We offer over 160+ affordable course which can be accessed 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
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Our campus located in midtown Toronto provides the warmth and community of a neighbourhood school. We are a short distance from our partners at the Royal Ontario Museum and Outward Bound at the Evergreen Brickworks.
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Northmount School offers an enriched curriculum in Catholic education from junior kindergarten to grade eight in Toronto. Its average class size is eight to 15 students.
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Blyth Academy Whitby is a private school for Grade 6-12 students, conveniently located for students across the Durham Region.
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Ontario Virtual School is an Ontario Government approved credit-granting institution offering high school level courses for Grades 9-12 in an interactive online format. Students can start anytime with 24/7 access.
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Blyth Academy Downsview Park offers outstanding education coupled with unique opportunities for student-athletes to engage in sports-specific and fitness training throughout their regular school day.
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Toronto eSchool is both an online high school and a tutoring centre offering grade 9 to 12 credit courses to local and international students on a part-time or full-time basis. Special needs students are welcomed!
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St. Michael's College School offers students in Grades 7-12 an enriched, Catholic, liberal arts education complemented by a diverse co-curricular programme.
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RSGC is an urban day school that combines academic excellence with a stimulating and supportive environment. Our mission is to challenge and inspire each boy to become the best version of himself.
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Canada eSchool, a private secondary school in Hamilton, Ontario, has an enrollment of over 1300 students and costs starting at $529.
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Hanson International Academy is a private high school in Toronto established in 2001. It offers Ontario curriculum of grade 9 through 12 focusing on preparing the students for admission to the top Canadian universities.
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Astolot Educational Centre is a day school with grades 1 to 12 in Ottawa, Ontario. Classroom teacher-student ratios are 1 to 10. Students have the ability to reach their full potential with Astolot programming.
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De La Salle College is a Catholic, co-educational, university preparatory school in Toronto from grade five to 12, with average class sizes of 22 students and tuition at $14,575.
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Cambridge International Academy offers an enriched curriculum from grades seven to twelve in Downtown Ajax. Central to the school’s philosophy is the belief that all students are capable of success.
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We focus on personalized education, very small class sizes, and experiential learning. Our London campus is conveniently located in historic Ignatia Hall on the banks of the Thames.
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The Giles School prepares age 2 to grade 8 students to be "WORLD READY", learning about culture through language and industry. Small class sizes support this strong French Immersion and Introductory French Program.
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AVRO Academy is an alternative high school in Toronto for grades 9 to 12. Students earn credits while developing skills that best prepares them for post secondary education. We focus on student strength!
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Blyth Academy Etobicoke, located in Toronto's west end, focuses on personalized education, small class sizes, and experiential learning.
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At Blyth Academy Waterloo we are building an active and dynamic school community. We offer not only our outstanding Grades 9–12 program but also a middle school program and facilities for students in Grades 7–8.
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Since 1861, The Sacred Heart School of Montreal, the city’s only all girls English Catholic high school, has been graduating exceptional leaders. We offer grades 7 to 12, day school and boarding.
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North Point School for Boys is a Kindergarten to Grade 10 independent school in which curious and energetic boys are challenged and motivated, developing into young men of integrity with a genuine love of learning.
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Blyth Academy Ottawa focuses on personalized education, very small class sizes, and experiential learning for Grades 7-12. Big experience in a small school!
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Founded on the science of neuroplasticity, Arrowsmith Program provides students with the skills necessary to overcome their learning disabilities and transform their academic, cognitive, emotional and social lives.
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Blyth Academy Thornhill, located 30 minutes from downtown Toronto, focuses on personalized education, small class sizes, and experiential learning.
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Virtual High School has been a trusted leader in online secondary education since 2001. We help over 8,000 students springboard to success each year with fully online, self-paced courses and unparalleled student support.
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St. Andrew's College offers programs from grades 5 to 12 in Aurora. Its average class size is 17 students.
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SMRC is a coed day and boarding high school in French Canada with a warm & relaxed natural campus, modern rooms, enrichment & support, technology enhanced classrooms & labs, 8 cultural & sports programs, 20+ activities
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Shawnigan Lake School is the largest boarding school in Canada. Located in Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island, we offer a comprehensive program to 500 young men and women in grades 8-12.
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This may sound like science fiction, but such technology has arrived in the digital realm of the Internet, and signs point to this media becoming widely accessible in the coming years. According to a recent study, U.S. sales of virtual goods, a broadly defined category that includes software and digital services, have increased fourfold over the past two years and are expected to top $1.6 billion (U.S.) in 2010. (The global market is expected to hit $5.5 billion.)
One of these virtual products is Second Life, freely downloadable software that incorporates a rich array of virtual reality components, providing users with an enhanced sense of immersion or "realism." Using a three-dimensional digital environment, real-life individuals explore and interact using a customized avatar or animated 3-D body. What distinguishes this world from other virtual reality applications is that Second Life is user-defined; real people buy virtual land from Linden Labs, which created Second Life, and use their avatars to build their own simulated reality.
Many simulations mimic real life; others seem to come straight out of Alice in Wonderland. Once "in-world," players can use the search tool to find other virtual worlds for their avatar to teleport between, including Mayan ruins, modern Paris and even Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
As an educational tool, Second Life's versatility in allowing students to use abstract knowledge within a simulated context increases the chance of gaining knowledge through "active" opportunities, so is conducive to long-term learning. While more gifted learners may interpret abstract concepts readily from text, the addition of speech, music, pictures, video, simulated kinesthetics and interpersonal situations appeals to a wider range of learning styles. For example, a math student learning the Pythagoras theorem could calculate and create shapes with precise measurements, using this information to build a virtual pyramid. The student could then integrate a history lesson, using graphics and sound to enhance the realism, providing other virtual visitors with a guided tour through the tombs. Such a cross-disciplinary approach would enrich a student's conceptual network, providing a multitude of neural avenues to retrieve information, further improving long-term recall.
With such a vast array of environments to visit and create, Second Life provides educators with a new approach to hands-on learning; students can conduct virtual surgeries, manipulate virtual molecules, visit planets or travel back in time and interact with historical characters within the context of a foregone civilization. The possibilities are limited only by one's imagination. Second Life also has the look and feel of a video game, so appeals to students who are highly motivated to learn within this environment.
Worldwide, well-recognized universities and colleges have been creating virtual campuses to complement classroom learning. In England, medical students at London's Imperial College can now train using a fully equipped virtual hospital in which they interact with and diagnose patients, order X-rays and perform virtual surgeries. The University of Texas is incorporating all of its 16 campuses in creating the world's largest undergraduate virtual learning environment. Other institutions found in Second Life include Princeton University, Harvard University, the University of Western Ontario and the International Society for Technology in Education.
With an average of 750,000 users logging close to 4 billion hours monthly and spending $600 million (U.S.) in 2009, Second Life has become a world within a world. Its economy is very real, sporting its own currency–Linden dollars–that can be cashed out into U.S. dollars. It is an environment in which residents can explore, travel, socialize, be entertained, build and learn. However, because Second Life has a "rated R" factor and includes participants from across the globe, some with quirky idiosyncrasies, it is inappropriate for students under 18.
To minimize the risks inherent within the adult world of Second Life, Linden Labs launched Teen Second Life in early 2005, creating a virtual environment for teenagers under age 17. Teachers who seek access to Teen Second Life with their students must first submit to a background check by Interpol, their police department or Ascertain, a private company that conducts screening and investigation reports. Upon approval, a teacher's "adult world" avatar is transferred to the teen world, where it is clearly identified as adult. When a teenager turns 18, their avatar is automatically transferred out of the teen world into the adult version of Second Life.
Recently, Lower Canada College (LCC) in Montreal, Quebec, explored the educational possibilities of Teen Second Life. Interestingly, due to the game's tighter restrictions, the virtual environment evolved differently from that of the adult world. Many collaborative projects evolved between schools with shared academic objectives, and some schools joined their islands together to form larger continents. For example, Global Kids, a group committed to working with inner-city urban youth, uses virtual reality to educate students about foreign policy issues and international relations.
Skoolaborate is another collaborative project on Teen Second Life with a rapidly growing membership, with participating schools developing projects accessible to all residents, thus forming a global campus. Established by Westley Field, the director of online learning at MLC School in Sydney, Australia, the Skoolaborate community began three years ago with six schools. It has since expanded to 45 schools and educational organizations, with the participation of up to 150 teachers and 4,000 students. Skoolaborate is only accessible to students and teachers from member schools, providing an additional layer of security.
What is particularly appealing about Skoolaborate is that it was conceived with the intent of providing students and teachers with an exceptional complement of online support tools and learning resources. When a school develops a virtual reality project, it also builds an array of online training tools that are readily accessible to all residents. Given Lower Canada College's research and development in online learning, Skoolaborate provided us with an ideal venue in which to learn and share with other schools.
Last spring, LCC students began a project that promoted the learning of French. Required to read a French novella, students then rewrote several short scenes to be performed theatrically in Teen Second Life. Students built elaborate sets, acquired costumes and designed props. Other students, as part of a virtual audience, observed the performance, which was recorded and posted on the Internet. Though relatively simple, this first attempt was fun and fascinating for students. This year, LCC drama teacher Natasha Hart will join French teacher Mona Chidiac and me to enhance the performances and facilitate the production of custom-designed costumes and virtual sets.
The academic and social learning opportunities available in a virtual world such as Teen Second Life are numerous and often unexpected. For Westley Field, watching somewhat reclusive students become social butterflies in a virtual world, using their avatar's anonymity to overcome some of their social fears, has been remarkable. Academically, students' ability to design, measure, build, collaborate and then walk through their creations with friends from around the globe is another of the extraordinary learning opportunities. Rarely would you expect to hear a Teen Second Life student say, "But sir, when will I ever use these math concepts in the real world?" The conception and design of virtual reality projects provides students with many opportunities to apply abstract concepts. For those 80 per cent of students whose strength is not primarily linguistic, but rather visual-spatial, kinesthetic, logical, musical, interpersonal or intrapersonal, the richness of cues available in a virtual world provides a venue that evens the playing field for all learning styles and interests.
The step to Grade 9 is widely seen as unique, and it is. That said, the move to middle school is important, too. Perhaps even more so. [Read more]
