How can we improve student engagement?

Memories of Projects Past | Alfred Solis

The first time I met Larry Bock (shown above), he was pitching to our high school to participate in the first annual science festival in San Diego.  He was bringing together the science community and K-12 schools.  Part of the "pitch" was his hope to showcase a hands-on project that could be exhibited in an "Aids quilt type" fashion at the culminating event at Balboa Park.  He believed in Project Based Learning.  Before he left, I showed him student exemplars of gift boxes that were turned into electronic board games inspired by the childhood game Operation.  I've done that project for the last 4 years, so I had a handle on all the costs to potentially scale it up.  Next thing you know, Larry roped me into helping him.  He has that effect on people :-)

Operation Balboa was a go!  Basically, the human body was divided into about 200 gift box sized sections by students from 13 participating middle & high schools from 5 different school districts.  They created high resolution (anatomically detailed) "Operation" style games.

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT?

Teacher Autonomy.  The interesting (and crazy) thing about the project was the autonomy given to the science teachers.  After giving them a half-day hands-on workshop, we wouldn't see them until the day of the festival, which was 4 months later.  It was up to them during that time to design and execute a project that not only taught significant content, but also engaged their students.

Student Voice & Choice.  We did visit one classroom before the festival to video a teacher and her students to help market the festival on KPBS.  We seriously only hoped that a few of the boxes were done and somewhat presentable, so we were totally blown away when we saw the high level of creativity and quality of ALL boxes.  The teacher guided the students through the creative process to make something that was unique and important to them.  The students were eager to have you play their games, so they could talk what they did.

Public Audience.  The walls of the classroom were covered with projects that students have done in the past, so we asked one of them why this was any different.  She simply said, "We get to bring them to Balboa Park."  The students were engaged (aka working their tails off) because this was the first time their work was going to be displayed in public to an authentic audience.  And oh boy did they show up.  

Larry got permits for a projected 12,000 attendees to experience the science booths and performances with Operation Balboa at the heart (pun intended).  Over 50,000 people showed up from all over the county and the state.

Kids of all ages couldn't resist the buzzing & the learning.  After the success of the San Diego Festival, Larry went on vacation, but not for long.  Nearly 6 months later, I read an article about President Obama talking about a Science Fair/Festival at Washington D.C.  So I text messaged Larry and asked him if Obama was talking about him.  Larry texted back, "I think he is."

I looked at the picture with the article and saw Larry having a Forrest Gump moment with Obama.  CRAZY!  Kudos and congratulations to my good friend Larry Bock because this weekend is going to the inaugural USA Science & Engineering Festival.  Obama kicked off the event and he actually gives advice on how to help with student engagement.

They are projecting 1,000,000 people to attend.  ONE MILLION!!!  Now that's an audience!

Blogger-in-Training,

Alfred Solis

Director of New Media

How do you feel about technology in PBL?

RESEARCH NOTES | Jason Ravitz

The upcoming presentation at Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) will be the last hurrah for this technology and PBL paper. I've chopped it down to the bare essentials and I hope you will take a look this paper and tell me what you think. After this it's to the presses or to the junk pile, so you can make a difference by letting me know!

For almost two decades people have been studying how the Internet and new technologies can help teaching and learning. Since landing at BIE I've been able to focus on project based learning with occasional forays into technology, such as working on PBL-Online.org, advising friends at Project Foundry or helping evaluate the Envision Schools Project Exchange. Now that Alfred has joined us, BIE is exploring even more technology ideas, including this blog....thanks, Alfred!

Today I'm not interested in any particular technology use, but overall patterns of teacher technology use and PBL. There is something about teachers who use the Internet that results in them being more successful in implementing this kind of teaching. I'm not sure if it's the Internet use, though, or something about the teachers.

Findings from Riel & Becker (2008), suggest it is "teacher leaders" within the professional who are most likely to use the Internet and to teach in constructivist ways like PBL. So technology may help with PBL, but it probably will not impact teachers who are not involved in developing innovative practices.

Think about this blog. Only certain, self-selected people will read this. If you are here, you are interested, and resourceful! For many others, this blog, and the topics of PBL and technology reform are not even on the radar.

So the question becomes, "With more and more people using the Internet these days, and more Internet access in schools and homes, should we expect continued growth in PBL use?"

I know, I know. New technologies are not a solution in themselves. There are a lot of other changes going on in recruitment of teachers, structuring the classroom and curriculum, and creating collaborative, sustaining cultures in small schools and reform models.

Other findings from our national survey show other issues related to successful PBL implementation. But, what the current paper suggests is that technology seems to playing a facilitating role, at least more often than not.

WHICH CAME FIRST FOR YOU, PBL OR TECHNOLOGY?



How are you using technology to support PBL or how are you using PBL to integrate new technologies?  What has been your experience?  I'd be really interested in any thoughts.

Maybe it doesn't matter which came first -- just don't drop the egg!

Jason Ravitz
Director of Research

How did I start my very first project?

MEMORIES OF PROJECTS PAST | Alfred Solis

The hiring process at High Tech High involved teaching a hands-on lesson and getting interviewed by select students and staff.  It was definitely a surreal experience for me that ended with this sobering conversation with Ben Daley.

Ben:  [smiles] So what do you think?

Alfred:  [blank stare] So let me get this straight...you want me to teach 9th grade math & physics...I don't need to use a textbook...and I could do whatever I want?

Ben:  [smiles] Yeah.

Alfred: Well [smiles back] I better get to work! 

High Tech High definitely stuck to their principle of Teacher as Designer.  I was not only a first year teacher, but I was also a first year PBL teacher embarking on my first project. YIKES!!!

How did I start my very first project?  Well, I...

1.  Replicated An Existing Project.  This is Nesting Bird in Palm, a public art sculpture designed by Marina Zeldin, that I just happened to see while commuting to work.  It was one of many sculptures of the Urban Tree program done by the Port of San Diego.  It was inspiring.  It was perfect.

2.  Stuck With What I Knew.  I came from the business consulting industry, so just played the part of a project manager who wanted his team [my students] to design small-scale models of a public art sculpture that showcased mathematics.  The students used a master action plan that followed a simple project cycle to help manage and monitor their progress.

3.  Customized the Deliverables & Requirements.  During my research of the Urban Trees, I found out that the artists went through the same design process.  They had a proposal (or project) sheet with the original requirements that included wind load calculations.  I added math requirements of my own, while the wind load calculations also allowed me to integrate the physics.

4.  Documented Everything Online.  I called the Port of San Diego to find out the judging criteria during for selection.  They were surprised when they saw my digital portfolio, H Tree H, that I modified their Urban Tree program for education.  Then something amazing happened...

5.  Took Them on a Field Trip.   They invited our class to see 200 artist submissions currently at their office.  What timing!  We started the project with a field trip! Wait!  Did I just say we went on a field trip at the beginning of a project?  What happened to, If you don't finish your homework, then you're not going on the field trip?  Going to the Port of San Diego was one of the main reasons my first project went so well.  My students couldn't stop asking questions after seeing what was expected of them.  An Entry Event launches the inquiry for a project.

6.  Made the Student Work Public.  The students were definitely more engaged when they knew someone was going to give them feedback.  We put pictures of their work on digital portfolios [it would have been nice to critique them asynchronously online].  We invited the staff to a gallery walk where they voted for their top 6 and commented on the models.  The Port of San Diego Judges visited the school and choose their favorite from the 6.  Jeanette & Elise were chosen to present their Spinning Tops at a board meeting where 150 people just happened to be attending.

I couldn't have asked for a better start for my PBL career.  However, there was definitely a lot of room for improvement.  My friend Blair Hatch told me once, "You never do a project until the second time."  Perhaps the second time around could have went like this...

During the following summer we did try to build it to full scale, but working with a 15 foot pole with a 6 inch diameter proved to be another major hurdle. It's like raising the obelisk.  We realized it's one thing to make a small model, but the logistics get tricky.  I did eventually get a chance to go big with another project.

Remember, there are no bad projects, only good lessons :-)

Blogger-in-Training,

Alfred Solis

Director of New Media

What keeps PBL teachers going?

STUDENT VOICE | Alfred Solis

There are no valedictorians at High Tech High.  All students have the opportunity to speak during the graduation.  In 2006, graduating senior John Horn gave a graduation speech that everyone couldn't stop talking about for years to come.  He graciously gave me a copy before he left.  These are his words...

NOTE: Every link goes to a different "Easter Egg" on HTH.

GRADUATION SPEECH | John Horn HTH Class of 2006

On the first day of school as a freshman I walked in our building and thought I was inside an airport.  The fact that an airplane goes over every ten minutes began reinforcing this notion.  I found many like myself bound for destinations and in line for tickets to the college of their dreams.

While I waited in line for my departure I met people from all over the world, Americans, Germans, Filipinos, Mexicans, Vietnamese, Iranians, Croatians, and the list goes on.  I didn’t know anyone in line with me, so I attempted a conversation.  Before I knew it I had learned everyone’s name, where they were from, and where they were going.

There had been a weather delay and so we met some of the pilots and flight attendants.  They taught us of all the places they’ve been and flights they had flown, through project-based learning.  While we were waiting many of our flight plans had been canceled and Chris White our flight director [Director of College Admissions] rerouted us, telling us not to panic.

It has only felt like hours since we first arrived here and yet many of us grew tired of the food court and gift shop and began eyeing our flight paths anxious to leave.  Now as we all must go to our own terminals for our departure we think about the strangers in line with us.  They are no longer strangers, they are all characters, with names, families, and personas attached to them.

We have waived off friends and family before but now that we are being waved off we see how attached we have become to the pilots and their hands on approach to teaching us.  Some of us may be sharing the same flight and some of us may be venturing solo.  Many of us won’t know where were going until we get there.   I’m not even sure where this analogy is going. [Crowd couldn't stop laughing]

When writing this I realized that this is what High Tech High is all about.  We have enough freedom to do things that get us excited and take a risk at being creative. This is the emphasis that has rubbed off on all of us. 

Thanks to Gary Jacobs and Larry Rosenstock we have this creative freedom to scuba dive and create bio-diesel cars in Chemistry, apply Math through rock climbing, publish a world renown field guide in Biology, Submit movies to film festivals for Art Credit, Compete in robot competitions for Engineering, and share poetry at local venues in Literature. 

Many of us have saved precious time by finding our calling though these projects and internships, and will use that time to follow them.  I will miss all my fellow passengers, High Tech High class of 2006, but thanks to all of these excellent pilots and flight attendants who work long hours and get very little sleep, the only thing I won’t be missing, …. is my flight. [Crowd couldn't stop smiling]

Thank you John for refueling our jets :-)  Come on!  I couldn't resist ;-P [Readers start to booo]


Blogger-in-Training,

Alfred Solis
Director of New Media

What is meaningful PBL?

VIDEO OF THE WEEK | Alfred Solis

As educators with the Buck Institute for Education, we provide professional development to help schools set up a sustained program of in-depth Project-Based Learning throughout a district, network, or state. In our work with teachers, we have identified seven essential elements of meaningful projects.

My colleagues John Larmer and John Mergendoller were recently published in ASCD's Educational Leadership magazine. The article goes over (in context) the Seven Essentials for Project-Based Learning, which are what every good project needs.

1. A Need to Know
2. A Driving Question
3. Student Voice and Choice
4. 21st Century Skills
5. Inquiry and Innovation
6. Feedback and Revision
7. A Publicly Presented Product

If you want to look at each element by considering what the fictional Ms. McIntyre could have done to create a meaningful project instead of handing out prepared packets, then please visit:

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP: Seven Essentials for Project-Based Learning

The hypothetical project described in the ASCD article was inspired by a real project, "Media Saves the Beach," carried out by the students of Humanities teacher, Randy Scherer, and Biology teacher, Brandon Davidson at High Tech High. The following video highlights the first year the project was completed.

For a student reflection about the project, visit HTH Unboxed: A Journal of Adult Learning in Schools.

Reflecting after a project is also a key element to Project Based Learning. BIE has free downloads available for Student & Teacher Reflection Post-Project Work.

A lot of our PBL community have also downloaded the Project Essentials Checklist, which could be used for a quick evaluation of a project's design, to see if it includes all the essential elements of meaningful PBL.

Watch the Media Saves the Beach video along with the checklist for some "in-house" professional development at a staff meeting ;-) This is a great way for your staff to start defining what is "meaningful" PBL to them.

Educational choices should be just as diverse as the population they serve. PBL will be different for everyone. PBL should be different for everyone. But all good projects like all great teaching have commonality. We understand that learning how to fish is the goal, but the Seven Essential Elements help to determine what fish to catch...or throw back :-)

Blogger-in-Training,

Alfred Solis

Director of New Media

How long should my projects be?

FUN FRIDAY | Alfred Solis

Before you take the students through a high-stakes, high-stress project project cycle, it's nice to do some low-stakes, fun team building activities for them to get to know each.  The activity I'm going to share with you is called Back Talk.  All team building should lead to some teachable moment(s).  There is a wonderful teachable moment for teachers at the end of this blog regarding, "How long should my projects be?"

This activity is done in groups of 2.  I have my wonderful colleagues Theresa Rowland & David Ross volunteering some valuable Friday work time to demonstrate Back Talk.  This bonding moment is my gift to them :-)

The facilitator has an image (digital or hand drawn) that the groups will be drawing.  I have a set of images on a powerpoint.  Make sure they don't see the image before you start.

With their back to a projector screen, computer monitor, or flip chart, one team member has a piece of paper and a pencil waiting to draw.  Theresa starts off with her back to the monitor.  She didn't try to cheat and look behind at the image.  I've had students look at reflections off the windows across the room.  Sneaky sneaky.

The other team member is facing the image and waiting to tell them what to draw.  No pointing or "air" drawing."  David waits anxiously and even says, "I'll close my eyes until you say start."  What a model student!

The facilitator sets up a timer for the first drawing.  How much time you give them depends on your drawing and the participants.  I give 90 seconds for my first slide.

Let's watch them in action...START!

What do you think of their drawing compared to the slide?

Now it's David's turn to draw the second slide, but this time I only give them 45 seconds.  Oh no!  Pressure is mounting!  Fun Friday just got serious :-)

What do you think of their drawing compared to the slide?

At the end of the activity it's great to have them reflect about the process.  Theresa has a great comment at the end of the video.  When I do Back Talk with students we discuss communication and collaboration, but when I do this with teachers at a workshop I add a...


TEACHABLE MOMENT

Theresa and David had half the time to do the second drawing.  They went from 90 seconds to 45.  As you could see the drawing is actually better than the first.  So remember this...

Start off with a short project that goes through the project cycle.  This let's you to work out your process, while the students get used to projects and your style.  Even a 3-4 day project, Mutants Revealed, could have all the Essential Elements of PBL while covering Significant Content.  Use the lessons learned for the next "higher-stakes" project.  It is also critical that the first/short project is successful.  The PBL Starter Kit has a Tip from the Classroom to Celebrate Successes!

Set a project timeline and stick to it.  If I tell my students that we have 2 weeks to finish, then we have to figure out how to do it in 2 weeks.  Do not extend your deadlines because the next thing you know that 2 week project just became a 6 week monster.  Turn the shorter timeline into a challenge.


Leonardo da Vinci sent me a text message once and it read, "Masterpieces are never finished, only abandoned."  Leo (he let's me call him that) had a deadline just like everyone else.  The only difference was instead of an iPhone Timer, someone stood by an hourglass waiting to say, "STOP!"


Blogger-in-Training,

Alfred Solis
Director of New Media

How to start a PBL movement?

VIDEO OF THE WEEK | Alfred Solis

At the start of this week, John Mergendoller, our Executive Director & Resident Banjo Player at BIE, sent out this video via email.  When I first started watching this video of "the shirtless dancing guy", I thought it was joke.  But the video ended up starting a great conversation amongst the staff.

Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy

NOTE: The transcript by Derek Sivers is available at http://sivers.org/ff

Here are a few highlighted reactions from our staff along with recent serendipitous emails.

It suggests that it may be important to get one or two good projects in a school, that people can be encouraged to join/follow/support/celebrate together...rather than a dozen isolated projects. 

Everyone cannot be a leader, so encouraging one or two in a school could be a good strategy -- or at least finding a way to establish leaders who can be followed.

 Email reaction from Jason Ravitz, Director of Research & Jazz Musician

 Right before Jason's email, I sent an email to our staff about...

TED TALK: Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action.  Simon Sinek has a simple but powerful model for inspirational leadership all starting with a golden circle and the question "Why?" His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright brothers -- and as a counterpoint Tivo, which (until a recent court victory that tripled its stock price) appeared to be struggling.

Simon Sinek mentions Everett Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations and highlights the tipping point at 15-18% for Mass Market Success.  First followers (or Early Adopters) are the majority that get a movement moving.

During our professional development, we stress to administrators the importance of supporting those first teachers (or first followers) trying to do PBL in the schools .  We also use the term "first followers" when it comes to the states that will hopefully join PBL innovators like West Virginia DOE, our biggest client.

Today an email newsletter (that I subscribe to) sent out Google Apps available to New York schools.  This is amazing news because Oregon was the first one (the innovator) to implement Google Apps statewide.  The Early Adopters were Iowa and Colorado and now followed by New York.  This is a great start for a technology-use movement.  You might be wondering, what does this have to do with PBL?  I'm glad you asked :-) Research has shown that technology using teachers were more likely to use PBL too.  More technology-use, hopefully more PBL!

This video is soooooo cool.  I'm going to start using it when I do my PBL introduction to administrators.

Staff meeting reaction from David Ross, Director of Professional Development & Speed Reader Extraordinaire

Administrators are always asking how they could "start" or support a PBL movement in their school/district.  One way to help movement or keep momentum is to get barriers out of the way.  Administrators at a Project-Based Learning Institute in Indiana discussed barriers and thoughts & ideas to deal with them.  Mark Raffler just emailed me his Wiki, PBL Network, that graciously captured those conversations.  Great timing!

Alfred: It makes you wonder who is the administrator in this video?
-  The shirtless dancing guy
-  The first followers
-  Someone in the crowd telling others to join[I stole this from Jason]
John L: The administrator could also be...
-  The band playing the music
-  The people throwing the event
It also makes you wonder who is BIE in this scenario?  More importantly, do you want to get some Thai food for lunch?
Alfred: I'll drive!

My hallway conversation with John Larmer, Director of Product Development & Restaurant Enthusiast

What do you all think out there?  Who is the administrator?  And who is going to be our Innovator to help get some First Followers on this blog? ;-)


Blogger-in-Training,

Alfred Solis
Director of New Media & Owner of Only Black Shirts

How do you come up with these project ideas?

MEMORIES OF PROJECTS PAST | Alfred Solis

During my time at High Tech High, I was one of the ambitious or "crazy" ones that did 7-8 projects a year.  You could see highlights of my projects at alfredsolis.com.  When it comes to Project Based Learning, the most popular question that visitors  in my classroom or participants at my workshops would ask is, "How do you come up with these project ideas?" I would show them something like this...

I would go through the Engineering Design Process which starts with defining my problem and leads me to the pros and cons of different ideas (or solutions) before making my decision.  One of the most important steps was doing a mental inventory (or research) of all that I had which included my students (or customers).  If I wanted to teach, let's say, forces and linear equations and all I had were a handful of rubber bands, a ruler, and some duct tape, then that was my starting point (or source of inspiration) to Macgyver some project idea whether I liked it or not (See Eggstreme Sports).  This "nebulas" style might resonate with you, but most folks want to follow some step-by-step guide.

I was happy to be faced with yet another challenge, but it meant more sleepless in-the-flow nights putting together this interactive powerpoint that attempts to organize "the storm" going through my brain when developing a project.  It has helpful tips and things to consider for Content, Resources, Budget, Process, Product, etc.  It's pretty cool because you have the freedom to choose your starting point.  So technically it's not a step-by-step, but more of a click-and-choose :-)

I also included some pearls of wisdom from my friend & mentor Rob Riordan and master teacher Ron Berger.  My good friend Alfonso Lebrum from Instituto Thomas Jefferson translated an older version of the guide into Spanish, Desarrollo de Un Proyecto. Gracias Alfonso!

THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

NOTE: Make sure you view it in slideshow mode.

You could also use this Project Development Form to help you with your "inventory."

After you take note of all have, it's easy to be discouraged with all that you don't have.  Just remember, the key to success is to use unlimited creativity with a limited amount of resources.

Part of me wanted this to be some living document where folks could keep adding to it, but now I only hope that the structure of the guide & document could help with the germination of "living" projects.

I know there are more popular and battle-tested Project Planning Forms and PBL Starter Kits out there, but I think this is the little powerpoint that could...help :-)


Blogger-in-Training,

Alfred Solis
Director of New Media