Jenn's+Persuasive+Essay+Project+Notes

Focus points: Where to begin? and Questions that teachers reading the essay may want to have addressed?

1- CBL and PBL >
 * Are there differences between CBL and PBL and what are they?
 * [|Project-Based Learning for the 21st Century.pdf]
 * Link from Jamie
 * Reinventing Project Based Learning Notes
 * CBL Notes
 * Conclusion:
 * What steps to I need to take to design appropriate and successful CBL lessons?
 * Careful Selection:
 * What areas of my curriculum can I begin to design CBL lessons for without being overwhelmed by the process?


 * Feedback - time for dialogue and continous feedback is essential
 * venues for feedback: journals, peer edits, social networking, wiki, gaming component...
 * community partnerships for real world experiences


 * In what ways am I already using CBL in my classroom and how can I expand upon, embellish, or fine tune those lessons?
 * What important aspects of CBL/PBL do I need to be versed on in order for my first CBL lesson to get off to a good start?
 * What works and what doesn't? - from those using it
 * [|What is PBL and What does it look like?]
 * How does CBL/PBL help meet the standard and assessment review requirements from my administration?
 * [|PBL Antidote to the Standards and Testing Regime.pdf]
 * Why should I use this?
 * Reeves Framework
 * Student engagement factor
 * 21st Century skills:
 * Innovation, Creativity, problem solving
 * KIDS WANT TO PRODUCE = product oriented

2 - Alternative Assessment
 * What types of alternative assessments are available?
 * Gaming as a form of assessment - James Gee (see 7/14 video)
 * What examples can I find that have already been used as models?
 * How do I create a culture in my classroom (as well as among my administrators and students' parents) that establishes a comfort zone among my students with non traditional forms of assessment?
 * What are the steps to determining what really needs a grade vs. what needs an alternate assessment, or both?
 * Quantification? - necessary or not

3 - Technology Component
 * How do I make sure that technology ( which students love to work with) is a key component of the CBL process, a driving force if you will, without being a distration or detraction from the CBL goal, but rather a necessary means to a well designed end product.
 * I want to explore: class wiki, simulations, tagging, ning
 * [|Project Based Learning with Simulation.pdf]
 * Social Networking
 * Gaming
 * James Gee Video notes


 * What steps do I need to take to work with and set up the technology components ahead of time so that I am prepared to serve as a guide to my students who are using some of this for the first time?
 * What limitations and general knowledge do I need to know about the technology before I drop it into my curriculum?
 * don't worry about not being the expert it's an advantage to model the learning process


 * How do I plan lessons so that there is enough time for students who do not have access to technology at home so that they can be as successful as my students that do have the tech. available to them?

4 - Other
 * What skills do I want my students to gain from the CBL and technology focused approach?
 * How do I manage the daily requirements of designing and implementing effective CBL lessons, appropriately incorporating new technology, and providing daily/bi-daily feedback to a group of 56 students?
 * Groupings are a major part of my daily routine and collaborative approach, this must be a consideration in the design for my classroom
 * [|Heterogeneity and Project Based Learning.pdf]

5 - Suggested Resources to take a look at in order to begin draft >
 * internet: articles, videos, sound bites, etc.
 * Buck Institute
 * PBL research
 * journals/Reeves
 * see pdf's under questions


 * MEDU thesis on the topic?
 * experiences from those who have tried these ideas
 * PBL books that Randy suggested

6 - What to do?
 * answer the questions:
 * What exactly do I want to persuade other educators to do? (this may change radically)
 * incorporate more challenge based/project based learning into their classrooms as opposed to the teach to the test approach
 * use technology as an essential medium to achieve the above goal
 * How should the essay be presented to others?
 * should include multimedia since technology is the focus
 * less traditional essay approach to demonstrate the multi media alternatives to those that I am trying to persuade
 * begin with compelling questions - ex.


 * begin researching and post
 * secure answers to questions and note them on wiki page


 * (see where that goes and continue developing the project)
 * begin drafting essay
 * peer edits
 * final draft