Celebrating its tenth anniversary in New York City, Virtual Enterprises (VE) represents a well-established approach to teaching high school students about business through task-oriented and hands-on coursework. VE students, with the assistance of a course instructor and businesses mentors, oversee a virtual corporation, enabling them to learn about careers, develop interpersonal and organizational skills, and use technology, as well as develop an in-depth knowledge of one particular type of business.

Participation in Virtual Enterprises is believed to benefit students on a range of outcomes, including career preparation, college planning and readiness, and academic achievement. Yet, it has been increasingly recognized that educational programs should undergo rigorous research to demonstrate effectiveness, so that resources may be invested accordingly. Hence, the Institute on Education and the Economy (IEE), in collaboration with Virtual Enterprises staff, is conducting a pilot study to begin to document and measure the presumed outcomes.

The pilot phase of the research entailed the selection of 10 VE programs in New York City, visits to these programs to explore content, and an end-of-the-year student survey. The survey asked students to compare the program with their other, non-VE courses and programs, and describe what they see as the unique benefits to their participation. The researchers also explored data the program already collects, such as a pre- and post-test and individual firm reports. A report was completed in September 2007, yielding a deep description of the program features, with suggestive conclusions on the relative effectiveness of the various aspects of the program, for example technology use, financial knowledge, and teamwork. Additional research that will use a comparison group of students to better measure the influence of the program is a possibility for the future.

Report available from IEE:

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Hughes, K. and Golann, J.W.(September 2007). When the Virtual Becomes Real: Student Learning in the Virtual Enterprises Program. New York: Institute on Education and the Economy, Teachers College, Columbia University.

Visit the Institute on Education and the Economy (IEE) web site at http://www.tc.columbia.edu/iee/.