Project-Based Learning Institute - August 31st & September 1, 2010 - Court Square

Dan Cordon, Assistant Director, Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center

● Icebreaker - “What’s in a Name?” and “Our Proudest Classroom Moments”● PBL: How can I juggle all the elements of quality projects?● SuperBall Video - Managing a classroom is like controlling 100,000 superballs going

down the street in San Francisco. ● By the end of PBL 101, you will have started planning a project by:

○ Understanding ?Main Course? PBL○ Generating a Project Idea○ Refining a Driving Question○ Balancing Assessment Strategies○ Gathering Tips for Managing Projects

● Buck Institute for Education - BIE.org - Starter Kit● My Story - High School Teacher at full scholarship Alternative Residence Private

High School (Eagle Rock School and Professional development Center) in Colorado exclusively for HS drop-outs - http://www.eaglerockschool.org/home/index.asp

○ All project-based ○ Minimum 6 trimesters - graduate when they demonstrate mastery in core courses○ Value Driven 8 themes - 5 expectations - 10 commitments

● Individual Integrity● Intellectual Discipline● Physical Fitness● Spiritual Development● Aesthetic Expression

● Developing an expanding knowledge base● Communicating effectively● Creating and making healthy life choices● Participating as an engaged global citizen● Providing leadership for justice

● Live in respectful harmony with others● Develop mind, body, and spirit● Learn to communicate in speech and writing● Serve the Eagle Rock and other communities● Become a steward of the planet● Make healthy personal choices● Find, nurture and develop the artist within● Increase capacity to exercise leadership for justice● Practice citizenship and democratic living● Devise an enduring moral and ethical code

Think Share What Skills MUST students have to survive?

● Creative Thinking● Critical Thinking● Responsibility● Self-Starter● Bi-Literate/Bi-Cultural● Cross Cultural Understanding● Socially Adept● Inquisitive● Organized● Better Studying Skills● Problem Solvers

Research - see bie.org/research What is Project - Base learning?“The belief that all genuine education comes about through experience does not mean that all experiences are genuinely or equally educative.” - John Dewey “My Project” California - The Mission

The 22nd Mission Project - Seven Elements of PBL

1. Driving Question or Challenge2. Need to Know - Why are you working on this project? Are they hungry to figure out a

question? The passion in the “Need to Know” drives authentic learning.3. Inquiry and Innovation - Inquiry= asking questions; Innovation4. 21st Century Skills - working with others - may be replicated in the real world5. Student Voice & Choice - 6. Feedback & Revision - Peer Assessment & Personal Review7. Publicly presented products - outside evaluators review products - makes it more

authentic. Authentic Projects - videos - MediaSavesTheBeach.com techhightech

Think Share

Revolution or Evolution: Would PBL be an evolution of your teaching, or a revoution? Or do you do it already? could you modify some of your current activities or projects so they have the 7 essential features of PBL?Comments

● How do we create projects that cover content that is tested?● How do we assess projects?● Organizing thoughts before they write their projects

ABCD (Asset-Based Community Development) Principles & Goals

● Everyone has gifts● For ABCD to work, everyone must give gits● Identifies and mobilizes the assets of individuals, especially those who are marginalized

(students)● Builds relationships among community members, especially those that are mutually

supportive● Gives students more roles and power in schools; students help lead efforts

Personal Assets

● Hand: Make a list of all those things you can do with your hands● Head: Make a list of all those things you are good at with your brain● Heart: Make a list of all those things you are passionate about● Human: Make a list of important relationship in your neighborhood, community and

beyond - people you can ask to get things done. Five Minute ActivityGo to a new person in your group and ask them what their gifts are. Take note and share Individual Reflection - 10 minute activity

1. What are your gifts? What are your talents? What do you love to do? Come up with at least 7 capabilities.

a. Gifts: scribing, listening/condensing/summarizing, problem-solving, implementing projects, designing curriculum projects

b. Talents: technology, language, writing, analysis, broader thinkingc. Love to Do: read, write, daydream,

2. What are questions that inspire you about your school? What are the questions that this year will be answered?

a. Inspired:

b. Questions for This Year:3. What are your dreams and aspirations about PBL at your schools? What do you most

often daydream about in regards to your work here? Complete this sentence at least 5 times: “It would be so great if I could...”

a. Dreams/Aspirations about PBL at my school:b. Daydreams:c. It would be so great if I could ...

Why Have A Driving Question?For Students

● Guides project work● Creates Interest and/or the feeling of challenge● Remind them “Why We’re Doing This Today”

For Teachers

● Criteria for evaluating your driving question

● Will my students understand it? and find it intriguing?● Is it open-ended and does it require a complex answer?● To answer it, will my students need to learn important content and skills?● Does it focus on an authentic issue, problem or challenge?

Refining a Driving Question Watch this video. What do your notice about the process of refining a Driving Question?

TipsFrom too big to manageableFrom too general to more concrete and localizedFrom “sounds like a teacher” to learner-friendly

To Dos

● generate a project idea● refine a driving question● determine culminating products

PBL Project Overview Template - See bie.org/tools - Useful Downloads AssessmentTraditional Assessment balanced with 21st Century Skills

21st Century Skills Assessment

Critical Thinking Journal, test questions & performance tasks

Collaboration

Think Share Feedback & Revision - Critique Protocols - by Peers

● Be kind● Be specific● Be helpful

Culture of Critique: What lessons did the video teach about using feedback & revision to

create higher quality products. Critical Friends Tuning Protocol

Presenters Presentation: project title & idea, driving question, culminating products. Entry events and any concerns you’d like feedback about.

7 minutes

Everyone Clarification: Audience asks short clarifying questions 3 minutes

Audience Good Stuff: Audience shares what they liked about the project Wondering Stuff: Audience shares their concerns and questions for consideration. Next Stuff: Audience shares ideas about resources and ways to enhance the project

4 minutes 4 minutes 4 minutes

Presenters Reflection: Individual/Goal reflects on current thinking based on feedback/next steps

3 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Day Two - September 1, 2010 Video: “Herding Cats”

Structuring Teams: Allow students to choose who will be on their team - VOICE & CHOICE

Think ShareClassroom Culture: What was the role of the teacher and the students? What behaviors promoted a culture of inquiry and independence?

Entry Events: The first activity to form a team

● Field Trip● Guest Speaker● Film, Video, Website● Simulation or Activity● Provocative Reading● Startling Statistics● Puzzling Problem● Piece of Rea or Mock Correspondence● Song, Poem, Art● Lively Discussion● Word Wall - negative and positive words that mean ...; followed by personal reflection

Think ShareLaunch the Inquiry: What struck you about the Entry Event (word wall with reflection) and the students’ response? How would this event initiate inquiry?

● Students were comfortable with the teacher and shared words that were risky.● The event was set up as a game that became very serious at the end.

First Day

● Entry Event● Create Need to Know List● Project Teams announced● Discussion of expectations for teamwork● First team meeting; team-building activity, contract, initial task list

Project Packet

● Team Roster● Project Calendar● Rubric & Assessments● Checklist of Requirements● Templates for contracts, lists, etc.

● Presentation/Exhibition Schedule● Resource List

Formative Assessment - Kitty Karrier Project Requirements - produced varying quality projects

● low cost materials● no metal parts● fit underneath seat on a plan● open & close access● comfortable & Breathable● rigid structure

Check List versus Rubric - Rubrics are preferable

● create rubric with students● rubric eliminates questions on how they will be assessed on their projects● See rubistar for rubric template

Last Day

● self and peer assessment● project debrief and celebration

Teaming Tips

● Teacher decides teams (or manages the process)● Four is best● Usually heterogeneous● “Slacker hardball”

○ All slackers on the same team - sometimes works○ Includes a “firing” clause in the contract

”You’re Fired” - Advice from some teachersTeaming Issues

● Dealing with Absenteeism○ contract can help○ review in advance

Meet with Team Representatives● Who is assigned to each role?● What’s going on in this team? If you could wave a magic wand over this team, what

would you fix?

”The Usual Suspects” - Line-UpEnsure individual accountability

● structure tasks so each team member contributes● journal entries, status reports on who did what, self-assessment/peer assessment -

check for alignment● Each team member must be prepared to present the entire presentation alone● Each member must be able to say what the other member’s role was● Check-Ins: speak 45 seconds on the status of the project

100 Campbell Soup Cans by Andy WarholAvoid death by repetitive presentations

● Careful planning● Sleeping audience - have them execute a rubric of the presentations