Assessment

//I think we will find that assessment will fuse with the objectives and syllabus pages, which is why I renamed this page which was previously called "proposal."//

What will this class look like?
Students choose their own guiding topic: They should choose something that can serve as their muse and their teacher. They should choose something they love.

Examples: Environment: • Farming/Food • Energy • Pollution • Climate Change Science/Technology: • Bio Fuels • Genetic Engineering Economy Health Art: • writing • Painting • Architecture Music: Social Issues

How will students learn?
Read, write and research. Reading requirements: 3-4 books 7-10 articles (print and Web) Interview an expert in the subject (sometimes teachers will be experts)

As a whole class, students can read anything, but we should choose something that honors the principle of the project.

A class exploration into what creative thinking is and the various ways people are creative seems good. (Creative thinking is a valued ability in the 21st century).

How do they show what they are learning along the way?
A blog is a perfect way to write to learn and to show that the student is engaged and making progress. We will need to create benchmarks and a way to keep students honestly on track for success. How we determine grades in English 12 will be creative on our part.

Use Google sites to create a portable website to serve as a portfolio and springboard for the final presentation. A Google account, with email is also invaluable.
 * Google email
 * Google wave

What is the final result?
A product of some kind and a presentation to a public panel explaining it.

The report is oral, but needs some visual or otherwise concrete product (such as playing a piece of music the student has written). Products will depend entirely on the student, his/her subject and his/her creativity. A student studying writing may write a play or short story. A student studying energy may design an energy saving mass transit system or something.

The public panel consists of one parent, one administrator, one expert in the field (the one he/she interviewed), one teacher in any subject area and a few invited peers. This presentation part of the year does take a lot of time and organization but it is critical to an authentic assessment tool. It also looms over the entire year giving students an end goal that goes beyond the grade.

How is work assessed/graded?
Benchmarks are graded by classroom teacher. Some self evaluation seems appropriate as well. In our original SP proposal, the public panel gave evaluations. I like that idea as well. There is definitely a high stakes aspect of this project, but as it can be adapted to all skill levels, everyone should and can be successful.

However, those who simply refuse? That may be an issue. We'd need to sell our students on the relevance of such an undertaking for their future.

Questions for Reflection

 * 1) What have you learned? Write five "I have learned" statements.
 * 2) Why does it matter that you have learned all of this?
 * 3) What can you do with what you have learned?
 * 4) How will what you have learned benefit others? Be specific about the ways.
 * 5) What have you learned about yourself?
 * 6) Where will you take this process next?
 * 7) What do you still wish to learn that you do not yet understand?
 * 8) What do you wish you had done differently in this process?
 * 9) What are you most pleased with or happy about (either the process of learning or the resulting product). Explain why.
 * 10) Please add anything else that will help us understand your experience this year.