Standards Focused 21 st Century Skilled Project Based Learning

1. Standards Focused21st Century SkilledProject Based Learning Tristan de Frondeville & Thom MarkhamDes Moines, IowaJune 8-11, 2009

2. WHY?

3. Agenda Day 1 Overview of Project Based Learning The PBL Challenge: Relevance, Skills and Standards Crafting a Driving Question Including 21st Century Skills PBL Methods Team Planning: Developing a project idea Day 2 Assessment and Performance Exhibitions Team Planning: Refining the project Project Management Tools Using a project rubric and tuning protocol for critique and discussion

4. PBL and youth development Youth needs Resilient behaviors/internal assets Protective factors Safety Love Belonging Respect Mastery Challenge Power Meaning Cooperation Empathy Problem-solving Self-efficacy Self-awareness Goals and aspirations Caring relationships High expectations Meaningful participation Improved health, social, academic and culturally appreciative outcomes www.WestEd.org/hks

5. Foci for Change • Create a culture of care and accountability • 9th grade programs, personalized methods • Offer relevant and engaging instruction • PBL plus active instruction and contextual teaching • Teach 21st century skills • Communication; teams; self-management • Change assessment systems • skills rubrics; portfolios • More professionalism in staff • PLC’s; critical friends

6. “doing projects” Continuum of Practice

7. “yeah, but …” • It’s not standards-based • My students aren’t ready • I don’t have time and support • I can’t use traditional teaching tools • It’s loud and messy • No individual accountability • I can’t cover all required material/standards

8. The Design Principles Begin with the end in mind Manage the process Craft the Driving Question Map the project Plan the Assessment

9. Planning backwards • Who is the audience for the work? • What products will students create? • How will you assess the student work? • How should activities be organized?

10. Squeezing the Balloon Standards Power Standards Driving QuestionRelevance Final Product Performance of What to Whom?

11. Teaching the whole person… Skills 1 –2 life skills Content 2 – 3 standards Personal Strengths 1 Habit of Mind/EQ

12. Redefining Rigor • Construction of knowledge • Disciplined inquiry • Build on prior knowledge • In-depth understanding • Elaborated communication. • Value beyond school Fred Newmann, 1998 Authentic Achievement

13. Skills/Competencies • Communication • Independent Learning • Working with and Leading Others • Managing projects and problem solving • Managing information • Applying number skills

14. Habits of Mind • Persisting • Managing Impulsivity • Listening with Understanding and Empathy • Thinking about Thinking • Striving for Accuracy • Questioning and Posing Problems • Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations • Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and Precision • Gathering Data through all Senses • Creating, Imagining, Innovating • Responding with Wonderment and Awe • Taking Responsible Risks • Finding Humor • Thinking Interdependently • Remaining Open to Continuous Learning Source – Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick in The Habits of Mind

15. Why teach both skills and habits of mind? Communication and collaboration requireempathy and the habit of listening Task management requiresself management Problem solving requiresinnovation/creativity Life requiresflexibility

17. Keys to effective projects • Use a Design Process • Establish the ‘conditions’ for PBL • Plan simultaneous outcomes • Use a Driving Question to focus the problem solving process • Deepen the content • Map backwards to plan learning activities • Create performance assessments • Use a management structure • Review and critique with colleagues and students

18. Include: State and national content standards. School-wide or District outcomes. Literacy Think about: Coverage vs. “uncoverage.” The “power” standards: What are they and how do you teach them? How many? Content/standards

19. Coverage Inch high, mile wide Harder to include quality concepts and difficult vocabulary Depth Can use the vocabulary and concepts developed in depth at other times Coverage vs. Depth

20. What works for teachers… • Content mastery • Youth-friendly • A feel for ‘inquiry’ • Modeling • Planning and design skills • A willingness to balance care and accountability

21. What works for students… • An explanation of ‘why PBL’ • Progressive training (frontloaded) • A sense of partnership and community • Clarity of outcomes and performance measures • A ‘deep’ management structure • Support and leadership from the teacher

22. The lighthouse for the Project: A Powerful Driving Question Focused • Concrete • Requires core knowledge to answer • Consistent with standards and curriculum Inspiring • Provocative • Open-ended • Authentic

23. A driving question is ... • Open-ended • Authentic • Concrete • Relevant and rigorous • Requires core knowledge to answer • Provocative • Requires 21st Century Skills complete • Communication • Collaboration • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving • Design tip: A project can be shaped by a challenge statement, an investigation, a community issue or student interest

24. Refining a dq What is a safety shed? How can we design and build a cost-effective, fireproof safety shed that can be used in all high schools in the district?

25. Refining a dq What kind of scientist would I like to be? What elements of my personality are suited for a career as a scientist?

26. Refining a dq How do I build a bird house? How do I become a craftsman?

27. Refining a dq How did the novel ‘Night’ deepenyour understanding of the Holocaust? How do we avoid genocide in the 21st Century?

28. Refining a dq Can science be used to solve crimes? Would you trust your guilt or innocence to science?

29. The Refining protocol Squeeze the Balloon DQ – Final Product – Standards Use the DQ Refinining Protocol Make it ‘zing’!

30. Scope of project

31. Web-based resources • www.pblassociates.com & www.thommarkham.com • www.bie.org • www.pbl-online.org • http://collaboratory.nunet.net/cwebdocs/index.html • www.imsa.org • www.glef.org … On-line project libraries • http://projects.hightechhigh.org/ • http://www.pbl-online.org/ • http://pathways.ohiorc.org/ • http://www.envisionprojects.org/cs/envision/print/docs/750 • http://www.wested.org/pblnet/exemplary_projects.html • http://virtualschoolhouse.visionlink.org/projects.htm

32. Best practices • Provide assessment criteria from the start • Timely feedback • Create rich descriptors for criteria for your rubrics • Provide exemplars • Capture process as well as product (work folders) • Standardize your rubrics • Encourage grade challenges • Weight later performances (process skills such as 21C)

33. Use multiple methods • Daily • Homework • Weekly • Quiz • Early milestone • Journal • Self-reflection • Informal assessment • Mid-project milestone • Essay • Artistic product • End of project • Exhibition • Oral presentation • Defense • Exam

34. A critical balance Formative Group Tasks Self & Peer Evaluation Balanced Assessment Process Focused (21st Century Skills) Content Focused Teacher Evaluation Individual Assignments Summative

35. Using rubrics • Allow for more authentic assessment • Provide a tool for precise feedback • Increase fairness while decreasing grading time • Reduce quibbling over grades • Acknowledge subjectivity of grading • Checklists vs. rubrics – there is a big difference • Disaggregating data

36. What works… • Anchoring rubrics using powerful, positive, and understandable language • School wide rubrics for core skills • Rubrics tied to grading/points system • Rubrics that require content mastery and demonstrated skills • Rubrics with ‘breakthrough’ category

37. Managing your project… • Task lists • Daily goal sheets/briefs • Time sheets • Reflections in journals or problem logs • Debrief with team leaders • Have groups report out to whole

38. Graphic overview – A 2 week project Day 0 DQ Standards Student products Entry event Critical friends Day 0.5 Groups Rubrics Calendars Resources Exemplars Days 1-13 Teach Learn Scaffold Assess Experience Days 14-15 Present Reflect Assess Collaborate Debrief Design & Planning Instruction & Assessment

39. Planning – Day 0 • Review of Power Standards • Writing and Refining the Driving Question • Writing and Refining the Project • Describing Student Products • Creating an Engaging Entry Event • Participating in Critical Friends/Tuning Protocol

40. Planning – Day 0.5 • Creating Assessments (Rubrics) • Designing Scaffolded Assignments and Experiences • Collecting Resources and Scheduling Facilities/Equipment • Creating Groups • Creating Project Calendars • Creating Packets • Creating/Collecting Exemplars • Creating a Presentation Schedule (arranging panel?) • Creating a Reward System (bonuses, extra credit, etc.)

41. Implementing – Day 1.0 • Unleash Entry Event • Create Need-to-Know List • Announce Groups/Presentation Schedules Students begin to…. • Hold Initial Group Meetings • Write Group Contracts • Write Preliminary Task Lists • Complete Individual Activity Logs • Begin Research and reading • Compete for topics (when appropriate)

42. Implementing – Days 1.0 - 13.0 As needed: • Whole Class Instruction Special Work Groups • Homework Lecture • Labs Films • Reading Quizzes • Guest Speakers Field Trips • Rough Drafts Final Task Lists • Storyboards Practice Presentations • Reflective Essays Activities

43. Presentations – Days 14 and 15 • Oral Presentations Followed by Individual Response • Public Demonstration of Student Understanding • Public Demonstration of Student Work Followed by… • Structured Reflection • Peer Collaboration Scoring • Assignment of Bonuses/Rewards • Project Debriefs • Preview of Next Project?

44. Plan for evaluation and reflection • Evidence shows robust correlation between reflection and retention. • Using a cycle of inquiry helps to prepare for the next project and develop an inquiry-based classroom. • The methods: whole class debrief; fishbowl; survey; self-report.

45. Reflect on process and outcomes • Student performance. • Student engagement. • Clarity of instructions. • Clarity of process. • Clarity of evaluation. (Reeves, 1999)

46. The Project Rubric

47. The tuning protocol • Group A presents, outlining vision, project activities, and assessments. Other groups listen without responding or questioning. (7 minutes) • Audience asks clarifying questions. (5 minutes) • Audience discusses project among themselves and offers warm feedback. Group A takes notes and does not respond. (5 minutes). “I Like …” • Audience discusses project among themselves and offers cool (not cruel) feedback. Group A takes notes and does not respond. (5 minutes). “I Wonder if …” • Group A responds and engages in open conversation with audience members. (4 minutes)

48. PBL Associates Tristan de Frondevilletristan@pblassociates.com415.962.1505 www.pblassociates.com

49. PBL for the 21st century