High-Quality Elementary and Secondary School Content

Alliance members Open School BC Ltd. and Odyssey Learning Systems Inc. provide the widest selection of top quality Elementary and Secondary (academic and technical/vocational) educational materials suitable for independent study, distance education and blended learning models. Courses are modular, self-directed, professionally designed and teacher-tested. They meet British Columbia Ministry of Education and other Canadian provincial standards, and can be adapted to meet curriculum requirements anywhere.

There are over 100 print courses and over 50 online courses. Many of these come with resources such as texts, CD-ROMs, video, and audiotapes. Course subject areas include: Accounting, Agriculture, Applied Computer Skills, Art, Biology, Business Education, Career and Personal Planning, Chemistry, Communications, Drafting, Drama/Film/TV, Earth Science, Economics, English, Entrepreneurship, Family Studies, Forestry, Home Economics, Information Technology, Journalism, Languages (French, Spanish, German), Law, Mathematics (including University Preparatory), Native Studies, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Science and Social Studies.

Through its Nautikos™ learning and content management system, Odyssey is able to deliver their own and Open School’s courses in four different formats or types, and via four delivery methods, providing maximum adaptability to available infrastructure and learning context.

The four course types are:

• Paper-based Courses (ratio of one computer to tens or hundreds of learners): Appropriate for “low tech” or remote learning environments, including traditional classroom settings or learning centres. Nautikos™ provides curriculum organization and learner tracking; generates tests and class assignments; and links and tracks any physical resource (text, print, digital, video, audio, kit, etc.). Instructors are freed from many administrative tasks and can spend more one-on-one time with learners.
• CD-ROM (ratio of one computer to one learner): Appropriate for many home, school or corporate contexts. Courses can be bundled with the Nautikos™ Learner module for CD-ROM delivery in a “plug and play” fashion.
• Online (ratio of one computer to one learner): Appropriate for distance education and other Internet-based individualized learning contexts. Nautikos™ organizes, links and tracks the use of any course or digital resource such as documents, video, audio, activities, URL, etc.
• Computer Managed Learning (CML) (ratio of one computer to up to eight learners): Appropriate and cost-effective for “flexible timetable” needs within a school, alternative education, adult basic education and learning centres serving diverse populations. Nautikos™ manages a multitude of online AND on-site resources. Resources can be linked to individual learner styles or levels. Learners can take tests online or off-line, and share computer use.