Journal+Article%20Personal%20Story%20and%20Transition


 * Transition:** Goals as a class, Framework of CBL – essential question, Context for upcoming personal stories relating to specific alternatives

As teachers we are constantly being challenged with “one more thing” being put on our plate to accomplish and it often seems like an uphill battle in the struggle to teach effectively and prepare our students for standardized tests. Not everything has to be a battle. Often our own outlook and ability to recognize the possibilities that are available to us can be our best asset. Through the careful review of W. James Popham’s “The Truth About Testing, An Educator’s Call to Action” and an extensive study focused on Challenge-based Learning (CBL) and Digital Alternatives to Test Preparation we have discovered that there is a way to prepare our students with 21st century skills and meet the demands of high stakes testing.

Our process of discovery began by utilizing the CBL Framework. We focused our ideas on the idea of creating authentic forms of assessment that would develop the essential 21st century skills of communication, teamwork, creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving that our students must develop in order to succeed in our modern, non-industrial based society. Our essential question, the driving challenge behind our research, was to discover what digital alternatives to test preparation exist that meet the requirements of accountability and promote meaningful student learning.

Our digital native students live in a world of social networking, computer games, and advanced technology that is changing at an incredible rate. Part of our goal was to discover ways to tap into the technological strengths of our students and use their digital knowledge as a means to develop 21st century skills and increased achievement. The fact that all of us were coming from different content areas and teaching experiences served as an asset to our understanding and development of this design and brought something unique and significant to the outcome of our research.


 * Jenn’s Story**

As the teacher of a middle school thematic program I am frequently challenged with the goals of achieving high academic standards in my classroom in an innovative and collaborative way. My co-teaching partner and I designed the program to provide an experience for students in which creativity, collaboration, and out of the box thinking are the core components of learning and common place in the culture of our classroom. It is this ever-evolving goal that has driven me to explore other assessment alternatives within the challenge-based learning framework. Through my research of CBL and digital alternatives to assessment I discovered that a seamless weave of these two approaches supports a cohesive connection between the achievement of high academic standards, development of essential 21st century skills, and utilization of modern technology that ultimately results in significant and successful learning experiences for students.

In my quest to provide meaningful and fulfilling experiences for my students I always look to find real world examples of teachers that are using the methods that I wish to employ and have found success. I find it crucial to try to connect with these teachers and models so as to discover what works and what doesn’t; no model on it’s own is foolproof. Throughout my research I have found several examples that weave the CBL approach with digital alternatives in a successful way. One example that I found to be an outstanding model was created by High Tech High School in San Diego, California. This project called “Bio-diversity on the Bay” clearly follows the challenge-based approach, highly integrates technology, and results in publishable assessments as a summation. The bio-diversity project challenged students to research, observe, and collaborate in the field. The focus was on assessing invasive species in San Diego Bay. Students researched using molecular techniques to identify species generated over 100 DNA barcodes - many species were sequenced for the first time by students involved in the study. The work was supported by US Navy Southwest, Port of San Diego, USGS, Regional Occupational Program, and Life Technologies. After extensive study, dissection of specimens, and research about the intricacy of bio-diversity as well as the effects that humans have on the balance of eco-systems in the San Diego area, the students published their work in the form of a video broadcast. The experiences and notable connection to 21st century skills in this example made clear to me why it is essential to utilize a digital, challenge based approach to assessment in my classroom. The real life experiences that are provided for students in this framework clearly correlate successful preparation for students to succeed in this 21st century world that we live in and the future that awaits them.