These learning outcomes are derived from New York State’s learning standards, the New Technology Foundation, Tech Valley High School’s strategic operating plan and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. The focus of learning at Tech Valley High School is on helping students achieve the following outcomes:

Collaboration: Students collaborate with their peers in project teams and with community partners in implementing the projects. They engage in group discussions, support their peers, communicate effectively and demonstrate interpersonal skills. They also make productive contributions to the group and maintain respect for peer and community partners.

Information literacy: Students locate, gather and evaluate information from diverse sources including print, interviews, numerical data, works of art and other media. They learn to differentiate between reliable and misleading data sources.

Critical thinking: Students develop and use critical and systems thinking skills to solve problems. When confronted with real-life challenges, they pose questions, process information, understand and apply concepts, and develop solutions.

Innovation: Students generate new ideas when they address problems, demonstrate the entrepreneurial values of creativity and intellectual curiosity, take intellectual risks and are continually adapting.

Communication: Students express ideas and views and communicate with reason and confidence. They present and defend their work through oral, written, mathematical, graphic and artistic forms to demonstrate awareness of audiences and purpose. They engage in discourse and exchange ideas and information through effective dialogue with classmates, faculty, parents and community partners.

Citizenship: Students demonstrate an understanding of the interdependent global community and have cross-cultural skills, including proficiency in non-English languages, awareness of other cultures and experience working with people from diverse backgrounds. They understand the rights and responsibilities of citizenship including an ethically based sense of social responsibility. In addition, they understand social, political, economic and environmental context and implications of civic decisions.

Content literacy: Students master the core content at the commencement level as required by New York State. They understand the interconnectedness of the content in the disciplines.

Technology literacy: Students design, construct, use and evaluate appropriate technology. They are technologically literate and integrate technology seamlessly into their learning, and they have an awareness and understanding of the region’s emerging technologies.

Self direction: Students are self-directed lifelong learners who are accountable for their choices and take responsibility for their learning. They set goals, create and implement personal learning plans. In addition, they demonstrate the ability to manage resources, adapt to changing circumstances and make personal choices for the benefit of themselves and others.