CCC Online Learning Environment: Courses

The Scratch course develops academic and computer programming skills through the completion of a computer game design project. The comprehensive, standards-based project includes computer programming, computer animation, multimedia, and technical writing. Students use Scratch, a free computer programming software developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to help young people develop 21st century learning skills. Scratch is a new programming language that makes it easy to create interactive stories, animations, and games, and share those creations on the Internet. Through the creation of Scratch games, students learn important mathematical and computational skills, while also gaining a deeper understanding of the process of computer game design.

The Digital Media and Movie Making (DM3) course develops and enhances the academic (Language Arts & Science), creative thinking, digital media literacy, and film making skills of Connecticut high school students, while increasing their knowledge of film making careers through the completion of a digital film project. The comprehensive, standards-based project includes research, story development, script writing, computer-assisted design, computer animation, digital audio, digital photography, and digital video production. Students organize movie production teams and assume positions on the team to complete their digital film project. This comprehensive instructional strategy mirrors digital media and film industry project work and results in the development of valuable film industry production and management skills.

The E-Commerce Entrepreneurship (ECE) course introduces students to the world of e-commerce and develops academic skills, creative thinking, and problem solving through the completion of a comprehensive e-commerce business project. Students and teachers set up, develop, and maintain a fully functioning online store. As part of their coursework, students and teachers participate in synchronous and asynchronous online technical seminars and virtual conferences facilitated by content experts, high school teachers, and technology professionals.

The Information Technology Research & Development course (ITRD) develops academic skills, communication skills, creative thinking, and problem solving through the completion of a comprehensive IT Research and Development (R&D) project. Students act as members of a design team and utilize a variety of communication technologies and multimedia software to research, design, develop, and present a viable solution to a comprehensive challenge. Students form a mock technology company and assume roles in the company to complete activities needed to develop a solution. Patent research and intellectual property management are integral components of the R&D project. This comprehensive instructional strategy mirrors IT industry R&D and IT project engineering work that results in multiple solutions and the development of valuable high-tech engineering and business management skills.