Competency-Based Education and Its Application in Rhode Island

1. Conference dial-in number: (712) 432-0075 Participant access code: 343808 Competency-Based Education and Its Application in Rhode Island February 13, 2014

2. Northeast Networks Group New Hampshire

3. Statewide Afterschool Networks Statewide afterschool networks foster partnerships and policies to develop, support and sustain high-quality afterschool and expanded learning opportunities for children and youth. Working with a broad range of stakeholder groups, including state policymakers and local leaders in education, youth development, juvenile justice, childcare, health and workforce development, statewide afterschool networks develop systems to support academic, social, emotional and physical outcomes for youth.

4. Webinar Agenda • Kim Carter • Competency-Based Education • Karen Barbosa • ELO Woonsocket: How it Works for Us • Q&A

5. Competency Based Learning Kim Carter, Q.E.D. Foundation kcarter@QEDfoundation.org

6. What is a Master?

9. What is Mastery? Mastery is the consistently successful application of a set of knowledge (facts), skills (processes), and behaviors (actions) to complex problems and novel situations. 

10. In order to achieve Mastery, students must be able to demonstrateProficiencythrough a preponderance of evidence of attainment of the required competencies in and/or across content areas.

11. Competenciesare the knowledge, skills, and/or behaviors students must master in a specific content or performance area. 

12. Competency Education Students advance upon accomplishing proficiency. Competencies include explicit, measurable, transferable learning objectives that empower students. Assessment is meaningful and a positive learning experience for students. Students receive timely, differentiated support based on their individual learning needs. Learning outcomes emphasize competencies that include application and creation of knowledge, along with the development of important skills and dispositions

13. Community BasedGroup Experiences School BasedGroup Experiences Relationships Rigor Engage students by Address competencies through Relevance providing rich experiences guiding essential questions explored in through meaningfulcontexts that authentic context supported by develop students’competence and confidence content and skill development as measured byobservation and feedback evaluated through learning assessments

14. Apply Graduation standards are the levels of mastery necessary for transition to adult life Developed and practiced within contexts Applied in personally meaningful ways

15. Community Garden Biology Where does food come from? Where does it go? Local Farmers/Food Pantry Greenhouse • The local need for help with a community garden inspired this E.L.O., where students explored ecosystems, cellular structures, nutritional, energy, water and nitrogen cycles. After designing their plots, students also decided where to donate a portion of their produce, following up on the life of local food.

16. Geogami Geometry Glass Artist Can Math BE Art? Origami • This E.L.O. leveraged a relationship with a stained-glass artist who helped the students create “mathematically correct artwork.” The final project was in glass, with design work done in origami, exploring trigonometric functions, polygons and polyhedra.

17. Museum Studies English + History How does immigration impact the community? Cultural Museum Curate an exhibit • Students act as historians and museum curators as they learn from and eventually contribute to a local cultural museum. They do primary research in the larger community, conducting interviews, and gathering artifacts in order to design exhibits that represent various immigrant populations.

18. Document Meaning making Impact Challenges and triumphs (successes) Feedback loops – iterations (met/not yet)

20. http://mc2school.wikispaces.com/Habits

21. Habits

22. Habit Habits

23. Defend Portfolios Presentations of learning Authentic audiences

28. What does it take to get really good at something?

29. Kim Carter Q.E.D. Foundation kcarter@QEDfoundation.org

30. ELO Woonsocket How it works for us

31. THE BASICS Who: 1 - Student(s); any grade, any ability 2 – Industry Mentor 3 – Teacher of Record ELO Office All volunteer; no stipends What: Student Centered Project Where: On Campus or Off Site Why: Credit Recovery, Portfolio Pieces, Demonstration of Proficiency, Life & Work Experience, Recommendations When: After school or on weekends Takes, on average, 3-4 weeks to get projects working at full mode Projects are completed, based on backward planning - students have as long as the project requires How: Proficiency Based, not Time Based; Project Planning 101

32. JUST SOME OF OUR MENTORS

33. Learning Goals are determined by Student and Industry Mentor • As aligned to Industry Standards • Educational Standards are applied whenever possible • Learning Activities are determined by Student and Industry Mentor • With input from Teacher of Record • Students are evaluated based on 4 rubrics: • Reflection • Research • Product • Presentation • Student(s) present in front of panel; “defend” learning • Panel includes: Industry Mentor, Teacher of Record, ELO Office, Guidance, Administration, and other key participants • Teacher of Record includes feedback from all panelists to inform final grade ASSESSMENT

34. PROJECT TYPES • Individual • Self-Seeking or Recommended • Group • Student Driven or Mentor/Teacher Driven • Hybrid

35. Projects : Individual examples • Language Instruction – Jacob; student taught in a Spanish Class • Conservation Biology – Nick; data collection & field work on geese mitigation • Technology– Abby; assisting district in developing a blogging policy • Engineering – Kathryn; designing and building tools to use in OT • Health Careers– Autumn; radiology • Music– Patrick ; techno music, writing and producing • Physical Education– Krystina; training for and running a 5K/documentary • Art– Bethania; using Art as a means for social change

36. Projects : Group examples • Student Generated • Law Enforcement – 5 students; in partnership with the WPD • Help 4 Animals – 2 students; creating an instructional video on how to properly care for and interact with animals • Green Team – 2 students; improving recycling and energy efficiency at the HS • Teacher Generated • Global Citizens – 8 students; ethnography study w/ a 3 week trip to Rwanda • We reached out • URI Pharmacy – 8 students; narcotics study • They Reached Out • RISD– 12 students; Project Open Door

37. Projects : HYBRID example • ESL Classes – students earned portfolio pieces not otherwise available in their class; while helping the teacher to meet her SLO goals • Period 3 – Advanced Class • Various theater groups in RI will take turns instructing students, weekly, on basics of play writing and stage performance. Students will take this knowledge and apply to their version of a Shakespeare play they are reading. Each section will then be performed and filmed, creating their own “movie” of the play. • Period 5 – Beginner Class • Working with a local performance group, students will flesh out their own cultural story which they will then turn into a children’s book. A digital version of the story will be created with voice recordings; stories will be presented to ELLs at the elementary school.

38. Q&A • Kim Carter • Executive Director, Q.E.D. Foundation • Karen Barbosa • Director, ELO Woonsocket

39. Closing Information • Northeast Networks Group Webinar Series • Thursday, March 20, 11:30-12:30pm “Linking After School and Summer Programs” • Questions or for more information • Visit our website: www.afterschoolri.org • Email • Michelle Un michelle.un@afterschoolri.org • Karen Barbosa kbarbosa@woonsocketschools.com • Kim Carter kcarter@qedfoundation.org