Dawn Thompson » DIP

Project-Based Learning

dawnthompson — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:39:29 +0000

I’d like to include the notes I took at NECC 2008. These notes are from Innovative Project-Based Learning: Strategies from K-College. Presented by Christy G. Keeler, Ph.D. and Heather B. Rampton, M.Ed.
at the National Educational Computing Conference, San Antonio 2008

For sample activities, you may visit Keeler’s blog at http://keelerthoughts.blogspot.com.

What’s PBL

Students learn content while constructing an artifact. Our job is to teach content and 21st century skills. We should be content focused and artifact driven.

Content 80% Artifact 20% I

I’m not sure where I heard this breakdown, but it makes sense. We’ve said from the beginning that technology is a tool for teaching our content.

Strategies:

Video

adapting literature
research-based video reports
audio
Day in the Life Journal Memoirs

Blogs

journaling
daily homework
eportfolio space

Digital Photography

scavenger hunt
Flickr
movie poster

Page Layout Software

book review
tri-fold brochures

Common Applications

virtual museums, educationalvirtualmuseums@blogspot.com
game shows, jc-schools.net/tutorials/ppt-games
slideshow-based games

Taking a DIP

dawnthompson — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:16:31 +0000

How can our school produce graduates who have mastered the basic competencies of language, reading, mathematics, science, and social studies; developed an artistic sensibility, and utilized digital technology? How can we produce independent, lifelong learners who will be responsible, productive members of the global world? How can we make students accountable for their education? How can we teach students to know and do? How can we teach our students to analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and create?

The answer: DIP

The Digital Immersion Project (DIP) is an innovative idea created by AHS teachers for our students and teachers. DIP will provide educational hardware, software, curriculum, assessment, professional development, and technical support to our school.

After receiving $129,000 in grant money, we bought Tablet PC’s and LCD projectors for our core classrooms. This year, teachers from the departments of language arts, mathematics, science, and social sciences will participate, using digital technology to incorporate project-based learning as a method of teaching our graduation exam objectives and state courses of study. In December and May we will host an open house/tech fair to showcase the projects to the parents and community.

As we enter this brave new world, we will become participants and creators. We will embrace Daniel Pink’s notion of a “whole new mind,” incorporating design, story, play, meaning, empathy, and humor. We will break out of our bubbles and join the flat world of the future.

This project is about more than technology, grants, and project-based learning. It’s about building relationships and hope. DIP will reach all students, grades 9-12, regardless of ability level or socio-economic background. As success in learning builds confidence and self esteem, we hope our students will have happy and prosperous futures.

Bienvenue a Mon Blog!

dawnthompson — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:03:21 +0000

Welcome to my blog. I teach high school English and French. I look forward to using this blog as a means of communicating with my students, parents, community members, and fellow teachers this year.

If we want to control the future, we must create it! Author unknown