Project Based Learning: Explained.

Why do Project Based Learning (PBL)? The connection to lives of teachers, students, and workplace is a needed understanding. This video by the Buck Institute for Education does a great job making that important connection.

Learning through Risk-taking

The iNet Conference has been more than inspiring, it provides thought-provoking ideas for where we need and can go if learning is the driving force. Examples shared from throughout the world, time and again, prove that success happens when students have an active role in unit design, curriculum feedback, ending technolog embargos, and how they develop and demonstrate "their" learning.

• Bethnal Green Technology College (London)
• Bay House School & 6th Form (Gosport)
• Ken Stimpson Community School (Peterborough)
• Al Asayel School (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
• Barry Island Primary School (Wales)
• The Way Program (United States)
• Asia Society (United States)
• New Tech Network Schools (United States)
• High Tech High Campuses (United States)
• Buck Institute for Education (United States)

"When you’re in the hardest time you invest the most in being innovative." Dr. William Skilling, Oxford Community Schools --quote from iNet Conference 2011.

A Tale of 2 Views: What should education become

I'm attending the iNet Conference in East Lansing Michigan. With a strong international presence, the focus is one exploring and networking on ways for innovations in transforming education for developing students for a global society/economy. There is tremendous dialog around what educators around the world are thinking and doing to advance student learning within this present, and not based on the 19th/20th century model that remains a dominant presence.

The morning had intriguing presentations, followed by Q&A, by Dr. Yong Zhao, Professor of Education at the University of Oregon, and Robert A. Compton, a venture capitalist who develops documentaries on such social issues as countries ranked high in student international tests--2 Million Minutes (trailer, pt.1 & pt.2) and The Finland Phenomenon.

Dr. Yong Zhao talked about "Student as Entrepreneur"(pdf). His premise is posing the question: how do we as a society maintain innovation and creativity by engaging students in such practices? Educators need to begin with the student's drive and build curricular (standards) experiences around their learning focus. Students are viewed as equal players in a collaborative journey for learning.
Some examples would be Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, and Inquiry. Whatever the approach, Zhao's ideas resonated for me in what he emphasized as key components for learning experiences:

1. Identify Problem/Need
2. Develop Solutions/Products
3. Market Solutions/Products

Units that include these steps as a framework for how students learn and express understanding, then the "what" (ie. standards) will have greater meaning and therefore long laster retention.

Robert A. Compton talked about what top countries for education have in common: China, India, Finland, Korea. These countries are rated the highest based on international testing. Whatever you might think about standardized testing, Robert explored what do these countries have in common:

• Culture
• Curriculum
• Credentials in teachers

Robert purports that a society gets what it celebrates. The top 4 countries revere academics, while the US highly value sports. Here's how Robert breaks down the comparison between the top 4 and the US, in terms of overt and subtle messages:

4 top countries
National View: Academic Achievement is greatly recognized
Local Communities: Scholars are stars, and are known by their local population
School focus: Learning is the purpose based on core curriculum
Family aspiration: Each generation excees previous

US
National View: Athletics, entertainment, education, college prep in this order are recognized
Local Communities: Scholars are barely noticed. Opening a local newspaper would reveal that athletics carry greater presence than the academic teams.
School focus: Sports, socializing, learning (perhaps grade-base not content), clubs, work, volunteering
Family aspiration: Mixed messages

Robert Compton presents much data to digest for their important implications. His solution is that the US needs to design a curriculum where the adults drive what students should learn, eliminating any input by students, because as students, what can they possibly contribute? Curriculum could be more focused (not tighter). Excluding students in the process has been in practice since the dawn of "modern" education (19th and 20th century educational system). This is the very system that Robert criticizes (and Yong). So to follow Robert's suggestion appears to continue using the same system, with small and/or big tweaks. This suggestion reminds me on Mike Schmoker's argument that education should roll back to the 1950s where education is 90% lecture and rhetoric.

Makes me think about the adage: What's the definition for insanity? Continue doing the same thing and expect a different result. Should we continue to mandate an industrial education system to a global-based society which is shown by many thinkers including Thomas Friedman, author of The World is Flat.

I don't want to diminish Compton's observations about what societies value. His observations needs to be critically reviewed as we take a hard look at our societies and ourselves in regards to education.

In the end, if we want a student, graduating from a K-12 career with 21st century skills that enable them to work independently and with others effectively, then how do ensure that those experiences are embedded into their learning career? The solutions may be somewhere in between these two viewpoints, and must include the involvement of the students.

Articles about school systems in other countries

• How to close the achievement gap 08/16/10
• How nations get the top educations systems in the world 11/19/10

edReformer: Why Standards-Based Gradebooks & What Next?

edReformer: Why Standards-Based Gradebooks & What Next?

by Andrew Miller

Here's a thoughtful commentary about the benefits of Standards-Based Gradebook. Along with the insights, I'd add that standards-based assessments open up productive dialog among educators about learning targets, and how to provide instruction that helps students get there. That conversation can lead to one of Andrew Miller's cautions for preservation--Creativity and Innovative teaching and learning.

Change's a Coming...Are you watching?

We are in the midst of change in action. Print to ePub. I'm not ready to say that books on shelves will become obsolete. Actually, books will become expensive collector's items with short print runs. But that's a discussion for another time.

The point is that with the growing market of ePublishing, more unknown authors are self-publishing and getting known. With smart phones, tablets, iPod (touch), and other similar media with Book apps, consumers have many options for taking their books with them. Authors are getting known based on the ratings (following) they receive. Cost has dropped to $3.99 or less, making an unknown author an appealing risk to consumers. Meanwhile, traditional print publishers try, with little success, to hold the epub cost to that of a paperback or oversize trade paperback ($7.99 to $14.99).

JA Konrath has an interesting view that is becoming mainstream (not quite yet).

A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: A Response to Richard Curtis

After reading his thoughts do a check on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other online outlet. Check out the ePub section and make your own judgement. Just know that we're living in the midst of a change where what was once considered fringe is becoming mainstream, like how politicians use rock music (formerly anti-establishment) as campaign anthems.

What in education might be having the same effect? Look around...Change's a coming!

Life Long Learner

Read any mission statement for a school improvement plan or sometimes posted in the main hallway, there is usually some reference to developing a love for learning in the students. If you can't get a copy, or don't see the mission statement, ask any educator what do they want their students to develop when they graduate from the school or district. Included in their list will be a hope for students to become life long learners.

This hope and dream is an important expectation, a blessing, which when happens, leads to the prospect of an interesting and fulfilling life long endeavor. Scientists have shown that when learning occurs, adult brains grow dendrites. I've experience a natural high when I have an epiphany from some area of study, or seeing something in a different light from a conversation or conference. Don't you recall similar experiences?

So to truly help students develop a desire and drive for life long learning, we need to first inspire ourselves to practice the same, and share our experiences with students. Teaching is challenging and time consuming. Improving teaching craft requires a constant drive to learn more.

The result is...

What's Best 4 All.

Happy New Years.

How well does your data drive your decision making? Three elements for continuous improvement - News Archive -Pawley Lean Institute

How well does your data drive your decision making? Three elements for continuous improvement - News Archive -Pawley Lean Institute

This is an interesting article to consider regarding avoiding data rich, information poor scenarios. That is to say that often we have plenty of data, from assessments to demographics, as a small portion of the plate. The challenge is how best to organize the information so that it's useful for informing our decisions in the classroom, building-wide initiatives, and district direction.

Important, Timely, and Sufficient are the guide posts this author uses. How well do you use these guidelines in your respective work? What other considerations are there?