(Courtesy/Pixbyay) 

Several students have already begun their Global Online Academy courses, an ongoing program established in 2014, that offers students a range of classes that are featured beyond the traditional school day. GOA offers interactive learning opportunities on a competency-based learning model.

GOA allows students to explore niche subjects and to collaborate with students worldwide. Spanning over 140 schools in 30 countries, GOA’s courses are highly interactive. Co-Site Director, Ms. Carmichael, says these classes “follow a hybrid model, with the majority of course work completed asynchronously along with some synchronous instructor and peer meetings.

Throughout the semester, instructors assess students’ progress with course-specific projects tied to each competency, with the goal of students applying these skills beyond their courses. For example, GOA’s Medical Problem Solving 1 equips students with communication skills, teamwork, synthesis, and specificity. 

As many GOA students and instructors are internationally located, students are constantly interacting with people from different cultures and backgrounds. For example, Carmichael says a current student taking GOA’s Personal Finance class, “has an instructor based in Japan and has recently worked on group assignments with students located in Vietnam and Spain.” Students are both enriching and forming new relationships with those beyond the Academy community. 

Currently, 15 students are enrolled in GOA courses.

All rising 10th -12th students are eligible to apply and can expect to be asked to consider the GOA courses of their interest, along with their academic and extracurricular schedules. Students are also required to explain why they believe they are best suited for a GOA course, followed by A GOA committee that meets in the spring to make the final decision.