Business & Technology
| Site: | Learn@VCS |
| Course: | VCHS Course Catalog |
| Book: | Business & Technology |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Saturday, May 18, 2024, 4:01 AM |
Department Overview
DESCRIPTION OF EXCELLENCE
The Business and Technology department's program is designed to create academic opportunities for students to develop their 21st century skill grounded in Biblical principles. Intentional in developing critical thinkers, students develop their God-given leadership skills to become change makers in the field of business, technology, engineering, and communications.
DISTINCTIVE EXPERIENCE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Building upon the foundational learning in core subjects in business, technology, engineering, and communications, our students extend their learning to the next level through real world applications and hands-on/project based learning through co-curricular programs. The programs include the President's Business Challenge, DECA, Quest Incubator, and Speech and Debate.
Visit our BEI program page for more information.
Department Map
BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY COURSES
This map is a general planning tool, intended to show the course and typical student tracks. Students may deviate from the map and should consult with counselors and teachers to find the best classes to meet their academic and spiritual goals. Courses offered may vary from year to year.
BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTIONS
All of our course descriptions are found online: vcs.net/hscoursecatalog.
Business Courses
Business
Personal Finance & Stewardship
This course provides students the skills needed to avoid debt like the plague, budget with intention, invest, and build & steward wealth. Biblical tools and knowledge will be taught through teacher lectures, videos, class discussions, team projects, homework assignments and tests. All these ways of teaching a student will help them learn and bring this curriculum to life in their everyday financial decisions. This class will change the financial future of students and set them on a path to win with money.
In this course, emphasis is placed on the four major units. Savings and budgeting will provide an introduction to personal finance, outline components for financial planning, understand the evolution of America’s dependence on credit, develop strategies for managing money and discussing financial issues and identifying your financial strengths and weaknesses by identifying your money personality.
This course is also a DECA approved course.
| Course Number | 0901 |
| Grade Level | 9,10,11,12 |
| Pre-Requisite | None |
| Application and/or Audition Date | None |
| Credits | 10 |
| VCHS Graduation Credit | Elective |
| UC Approval | Yes Area G (General Elective-Interdisciplinary) |
| Fees | $75 Curriculum Fee |
Business Fundamentals
This course provides students the skills needed to effectively organize, develop, and manage a business. They will understand how the market economy and ownership leads to wealth creation. Students will learn not only the skills necessary to become a successful businessperson but also the attitudes, characteristics, and techniques needed to succeed. Personal financial literacy will be explored to help them meet their financial goals in life. Students will build analytical skills through solving complex problems and making sound decisions in order to produce a viable business.In this course, emphasis is placed on the functions of business management: organization, management, finance, marketing, distribution, promotion, and selling. Additional topics to be covered include the government's role in a business, the assessment of personal skills, the components of the free enterprise system and its place in the global economy, human relations and interpersonal skills, career planning, the importance of business ethics, and the role quality and service play in business.
This course is also a DECA approved course.
| Course Number |
0909 |
| Grade Level | 9,10,11,12 |
| Pre-Requisite | None |
| Application and/or Audition Date | None |
| Credits | 10 |
| VCHS Graduation Credit | Elective |
| UC Approval | Yes Area G (General Elective-Interdisciplinary) |
| Fees | $25 |
Entrepreneurship (H)
What are the key factors in the process of creating a company? What fundamental knowledge and skillset do entrepreneurs need to develop to turn an idea into a business opportunity? The Entrepreneurship Honors course provides students in grades 10-12 the ability to go through the process of planning and development to launch their own startup during this yearlong, project-based course. Students will build upon the lessons and skills learned in the Business Fundamentals course and work through the process from ideation to product development. Students will interact with top industry leaders in Silicon Valley through personal mentoring as they go through the process from concept to launch. As part of this course, all students will have the opportunity to participate in the President’s Business Challenge. The President’s Business Challenge gives students an opportunity to work through the process of creating a startup idea and earning the opportunity to pitch their idea in front of venture capitalist at Radar Partners in Palo Alto. For more information on the President’s Business Challenge, go to: bei@vcs.net.Students will use a variety of curriculum such as the Entrepreneurship, the Practice and Mindset by Professor Heidi Neck at Babson College and/or the Disciplined Entrepreneurship developed by Professor Bill Aulet at the MIT Center for Entrepreneurship and go through the 24 steps to take their startup idea from inception to implementation. They will gain valuable experience in teamwork and collaboration as they learn to problem solve and develop innovative business solutions that are viable, profitable, scalable, and sustainable. The end product will be a formal pitch deck including identification of their problem/opportunity, solution/product, TAM (total addressable market), go-to-market strategy, pro forma income statements, product brochure, and mock prototype.
Additional Expectations: As with other advanced academic courses, students can expect two to three hours of homework per week. There are also 3 mandatory events outside of the classroom, these include the Mentorship Kickoff event, BEI showcase, and semi-final/final rounds of the President’s Business Challenge.
This course is also a DECA-approved course.
| Course Number | 0903 |
| Grade Level | 10,11,12 |
| Pre-Requisite | Business Fundamentals. |
| Application and/or Audition Date | None |
| Credits | 10 |
| VCHS Graduation Credit | Elective |
| UC Approval | Yes Area G (General Elective-Interdisciplinary) |
| Fees | $200 Course & Program Fee |
Social Innovation
This course introduces the concepts of innovation and impact in the social sector and teaches students to apply an entrepreneurial mindset to create sustainable solutions that address social needs in our community and beyond. We will explore what makes social enterprises unique, as well as various financial and corporate structures they might take, including for-profit, nonprofit, B-corp and hybrid structures that entrepreneurs are creating around the world. Through experiential learning, students will be exposed to social innovation. Students will use projects and both local and international case studies to discover the mindsets and skills that drive real-world change. As a final project, students will identify a social problem and apply their learnings to assess and provide creative solutions by researching, planning, developing, and proposing at least one sustainable solution that would benefit the community served by a specific nonprofit. Students will learn about and implement the following tools in their work: ethnographic research, human-centered design/design thinking, rapid prototyping, high and low-tech experimentation, and pathways for scaling solutions.
By the end of this course, the successful student will be able to demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills to analyze and evaluate qualitative data to develop and implement solutions. Students will also develop effective communication and collaboration skills by working individually and in groups, and will discuss, write about and present solutions. Equally important to success in this class will be the ability to practice humility, open-mindedness and concern for others.
This course is also a DECA approved course.
| Course Number | 0725 |
| Grade Level | 10,11,12 |
| Pre-Requisite | Completion brief questionnaire (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1j3fTYVqlGerURsbRnafuwsO9XNAPoE2PtdVWJwWGtXM/edit#settings) and one of the following courses: Personal Finance, Business Fundamentals, Service Learning Missions, or Service Learning Outreach OR completion of the questionnaire with counselor recommendation |
| Application and/or Audition Date | None |
| Credits | 10 |
| VCHS Graduation Credit | Elective |
| UC Approval | Yes Area G (General Elective-Interdisciplinary) |
| Fees | $25 |
Computer Science Courses
Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Science (Code HS)
This course introduces students to computer programming and the steps required to build applications that will solve problems and automate tasks. Many assignments will require thinking through processes and building flow diagrams. These will then be used as a blueprint for writing code. Python will be taught as the entry point for learning programming. Concepts will include decision processing, array handling, and the use of various types of data. Students with any level of computer programming experience, including none at all, are encouraged take this course before taking AP Computer Science Principles and/or AP Computer Science A. This class utilizes an online curriculum for delivery of content.
| Course Number | 0759 |
| Grade Level | 9,10,11,12 |
| Pre-Requisite | Grade of B or better in Algebra I |
| Application and/or Audition Date | None |
| Credits | 10 |
| VCHS Graduation Credit | Elective |
| UC Approval | Yes-Area G (General Elective-Math-CompSci) |
| Fees | $75 Curriculum Fee |
AP Computer Science Principles (Code HS)
| Course Number | 0758 |
| Grade Level | 9,10,11,12 |
| Pre-Requisite | Prior exposure to computer programming is helpful but not needed to succeed in this course. Students should also have a strong background in mathematics. Recommended pre-requisites: Introduction to Computer Programming and Algebra 2 (taken previously or concurrent). |
| Application and/or Audition Date | None |
| Credits | 10 |
| VCHS Graduation Credit | Elective |
| UC Approval | Yes- Area D (Science) |
| Fees | $75 Curriculum Fee, AP Exam Fee |
AP Computer Science A (Code HS)
This course covers basic and advanced topics of Java programming—including types, methods, conditionals, strings, and objects—in preparation for the AP Computer Science A exam. Students design and implement solutions to problems by writing, running, and debugging computer programs using algorithms and data structures. Students also recognize the ethical and social implications of computer use.
Additional Expectations: As with other advanced academic courses, students can expect two to three hours of homework per week, including programming assignments. This class utilizes an online curriculum for delivery of content for an additional $75 fee.
| Course Number | 0756 |
| Grade Level | 9,10,11,12 |
| Pre-Requisite | Prior exposure to computer programming is needed to succeed in this course. Recommended prerequisites: Introduction to Computer Programming or AP Computer Science Principles. |
| Credits | 10 |
| VCHS Graduation Credit | Elective |
| UC Approval | Yes Area C (Mathematics-Computer Science) |
| Fees | $75 Curriculum Fee, AP Exam Fee |
Fundamentals of Cybersecurity (Code HS)
As our world becomes increasingly dependent on technology, cybersecurity is a topic of growing importance. It is crucial that companies and individuals take precautions to protect themselves from the growing threat of cyber attacks. This course prepares students with crucial skills to be responsible citizens in a digital future.
Fundamentals of Cybersecurity is designed for students with some exposure to computer science. Students will learn foundational cybersecurity topics including networking fundamentals, software security, system administration and the basics of cryptography and programming, all through the CodeHS web-based platform. The entirely web-based curriculum is made up of a series of learning modules that cover the fundamentals of cybersecurity. Each module is made up of short video tutorials, example programs, quizzes, simulations, programming exercises, and free response prompts. This is not a coding intensive course, but students will learn basic SQL and JavaScript, and will utilize basic HTML and JavaScript within specific contexts while being provided with support within those contexts.
Note: Enrollment in this course will be limited, and students who have previously taken AP Computer Science courses will be given priority. VCHS anticipates offering Fundementals of Cyber Security every other year; the department expects this course to alternate with Mobile Apps.
| Course Number | 0726 |
| Grade Level | 10,11,12 |
| Pre-Requisite | Completion of any previous VCHS Computer Science course |
| Application and/or Audition Date | None |
| Credits | 10 |
| VCHS Graduation Credit | Elective |
| UC Approval | Yes-Area D (Science) |
| Fees | $75 Curriculum Fee |
iPad Technical Support Internship
Interns are on the front lines of student iPad support and are expected to help students with their use and application of iOS settings, iOS productivity and creativity Apps, file and data management, digital learning workflow, and common student functions such as communication, planning and organization, eReading, note taking, and Internet research. Students are trained in customer service and communication skills, troubleshooting skills, and escalating student help requests to the next point of support when necessary.
Additional Expectations: Interns also participate in a approximately 3-5 VCS events during the school year, including registration day, Junior High LOST Night, and a teacher in-service.
| Course Number | 0716 |
| Grade Level | 9,10,11,12 |
| Pre-Requisite | Instructor Approval |
| Application and/or Audition Date | None |
| Credits | 10 |
| VCHS Graduation Credit | Elective |
| UC Approval | No |
| Fees | None |
Engineering Courses
Engineering
PLTW: Introduction to Engineering Design
This course exposes students to the design process, research, and analysis used in engineering. Students learn about global and human impacts and how to use the standards and technical documentation of engineering to address those impacts. Students also learn about the importance of teamwork and clear communication when using engineering solutions. Students use 3D solid modeling design software to help them formulate solutions to proposed problems. The skills taught culminate in an ability to effectively document work and communicate solutions to peers and members of the professional community.
*Though internal honors credit is given, the UC does not calculate an honors grade point for this course. Other colleges may assign honors credit.
| Course Number | 0730 |
| Grade Level | 9,10,11,12 |
| Pre-Requisite | Grade of B or better in Algebra I |
| Application and/or Audition Date | None |
| Credits | 10 |
| VCHS Graduation Credit | Elective |
| UC Approval | Yes Area D (Science - Engineering) |
| Fees | $150 Course Fee |
PLTW: Principles of Engineering
This course is for students who are serious about pursuing a possible future in engineering. This survey course exposes students to major concepts they will encounter in a post-secondary engineering course. This survey introduces mechanisms, energy sources, electronic circuits, thermodynamics, statics, material properties, structural design, control systems, and kinematics.
Students employ engineering and scientific concepts to solve design problems. Students develop problem-solving skills, document their work, and communicate solutions to peers and members of the professional community.
| Course Number | 0731 |
| Grade Level | 10,11,12 |
| Pre-Requisite | Grade C or higher in Intro to Engineering Design |
| Application and/or Audition Date | None |
| Credits | 10 |
| VCHS Graduation Credit | Elective |
| UC Approval | Yes Area D (Science - Engineering) |
| Fees | $150 Course Fee |