Current Project Work-Student Choice!

Monday 3/7/11 we are starting our next round of PBL work and the topic focus is student choice!

The facilitators have worked with the students all year using various levels of support following a gradual release model. It is now time to release the learning into the students' hands and give them the freedom to choose what they want to learn about.

Each student has covered all of the required standards either through the OHpedia project or earlier projects. This next round of projects will focus on topics of their own interest and once projects are complete the student will be responsible for going back to see what standards they have covered.

We are excited to see what things the students will be working on when given the freedom to choose what they learn about!

Current Project Work-Very Structured PBL

The World is our Classroom

This year we have fluctuated between structured PBL and Student Choice PBL. Although both facilitators prefer student driven PBL work we felt the need to do one structured PBL with all the students. We felt this way for several reasons:

• We want to help the students create a data base (OHpedia) that will allow them to show evidence of covering the state standards.

• We want to have a data base that is a living document to be used as a platform for future research.We envision this database to be something other OH students and other students around the world can add to and use as a reference for further PBL work.

• We feel the need to have a document to present to our parents to show that our students have covered the standards.

• We are collecting data for one facilitator's dissertation and a more structured PBL allows for the process to be more transparent. This allows for the researcher to see more clearly what happens throughout the PBL process.

• We want to do this because we feel like once the students "show" the world that they have covered the state standards that they will finally be totally free to engage in PBL work without the constraints of having to cover the required standards. This one PBL will take care of all their standards.

• In a nutshell doing this structured PBL allows us to have the freedom to do more student interest driven projects for the rest of the year while at the same time providing a resource for future projects. It is a win-win!!!
  

Older Inquiry Group

Essential question: How do students know what state standards they are expected to learn and are they able to demonstrate knowledge of the standards by applying their knowledge and reflecting on it?

Scenario with an issue: You are a group of students and you need to create a data bank of information based on what the state of Florida tells you that you need to know at the end of American History or MS Science. You must think like a historian (historian: present multiple perspectives looking at reliability of sources, evidence, assumptions, definitions and bias/slant of info gathered) or a scientist(scientist: present multiple perspectives looking at reliability of sources, evidence, assumptions, definitions ,bias/slant of info gathered as well as participate in the scientific process) to create an OHpedia database of information. Your task:

• Make a professional blog to document your work.

• With your classmates design a rubric for the OHpedia entries.

• Make a project plan for your work.
  

• Identify an expert in the area of the standard you are working on to peer review your work.

• Research your standard by gathering information from reliable and valid sources.

• Based on the rubric create an OHpedia entry for your standard.

• Share your entry to your previously identified expert and our OH social studies outside facilitator to be reviewed.

• Change your entry based on any advice given from the expert and facilitator reviews.
  

• Publish your entry to the OHpedia wiki.

• Plan and create a formal lesson online module for your classmates on your standard. One requirement will be for there to be an online quiz at the completion of your module. Your classmates must know the material well enough to pass your quiz with an 80% or above.

• Finally, map out project work for the rest of the semester based on your interest from something that was included in the OHpedia (or maybe not)
  

Younger Inquiry Group (not participating in OHpedia):

Essential question: Why is there little if any recycling going on in Rosemary Beach?

Scenario with an issue: As a student group we have heard you ask the essential question many times and now it is time to do some thing about it. Your task:

• Research different recycling programs in the counties around the state of Florida (be sure to include Walton and Bay county).

• Survey local restaurants/business about their current recycling practice.

• Skype another group of students with questions about how their county/school recycles.

• Contact an expert to see what is important to include in the development of a recycling program.

• Based on your research, expert input and what the current local businesses are doing create a plan for recycling in Rosemary beach.

• Send the plan to an expert for feedback.

• Revise plan based on expert feedback.
  

• Present the plan to the the Rosemary Beach town council.