How activity focused are we?

I just finished developing a project based lesson for a group of teachers to use as an example. My brain hurts.

I decided to take a break when I finished and do some mundane, zero-thinking tasks and then come back to the lesson to review before finishing it up. While I was reflecting on the lesson, a few realizations hit me like a ton of bricks.

First, I was thinking how good it was for me to stay in the practice of creating lessons like this. I've been telling teachers for a long time that PBL is the way to go. For our students, it can make the difference between learning to remember and learning to get by. The process of developing one start to finish (without anyone to collaborate with - my own fault) is not an easy task. Do I think it's worth it? Absolutely. I've seen it first hand with my own students.

Yes, it is time consuming, but again, I will say that I do think this time spent developing PBL units is worth it. It's a pay off in the long run, and if we were to take the amount of time I'd plan in two weeks and add it all up, it would probably be the same amount. I like to use the phrase "uncovering information, ideas, and innovation" rather than "covering curriculum" when describing a true PBL unit.

Another thing I realized is how important it is for us to develop our own units rather than finding existing ones to use. When we're first starting out, I do think it's OK to try one someone else has made first just to get our feet wet. Some great PBL units can be found here, on the resources from the Buck Institute. I've said before, it's easier to follow a recipe when you're learning to cook. Once you get comfortable in the kitchen, you can begin putting your own twist on things.

But here's the biggest reason we should look at developing our own lessons. My process of developing a true PBL lesson reminded me of a time that my science curriculum consisted of science kits rather than science textbooks. The science kits were good. I liked that my students were using hands on projects and reflecting on their learning with blogs. What I didn't realize at the time is that those science kits were developed around the idea of an overarching concept, like motion, design, growth, change. Instead, I said we were working on the "car kit," or the "plant kit."

I had become stuck on the activities that are part of the learning process. And so my teaching became isolated to the events of making a car that would move, planting plants that would grow, and finding what phase the moon was in, rather than recognizing how movement is in effect all around us, how growth is present in our lives, and what cycles we are part of.

This was another piece about teaching with fidelity to me, a self-reflective piece of fidelity. In all that I do and all that I teach, I need to reflect back and see how I'm framing the learning around concepts rather than the activities that are a part of it. The conceptual framing is the glue that puts the entire unit together.

If we design our learning around a conceptual theme (such as with true PBL), we can go deeper in our instruction. Knowledge gained will not be isolated to one particular event, but built around a mature understanding of the impacts and results of that knowledge. When we design lessons like this, we avoid the activity trap. Just activity is not engagement, it's busy-ness.  And unfortunately, this is how I approached my science kits.

So what have I learned from this, especially if I'm saying that it's a fidelity piece? One thing is to look critically at what we're teaching to find that conceptual theme. If when talking about our most exciting lessons, we focus on the process or the tasks the students are involved in, then it's activity focused. That doesn't mean that the concept is nonexistent, it just means that we, as the teachers, are looking more at what our kids are doing rather than what level their understanding is. That's what I mean when I say it's a process of covering, rather than uncovering, curriculum. I so wish I'd had this "aha!" moment years ago when I was introduced to the science kits I would use in my classroom.

I hope this also models how important the reflection process is. Unfortunately, I can't go back to my students and reteach those lessons to frame them around concepts instead of activities. I can, however, through this experience, recognize if I catch myself doing that again. And at the same time, serve as an example to take learning deeper.

Because "just activities" are not enough.

Changing the Mold for Professional Development

When working with school districts around the state, I'm hearing a common element. They have little time for professional development. With new initiatives, evaluation models, and the development of new learning standards, we need to get creative in how PD is provided.

Step 1 in finding ways we could offer PD and meet the needs of teachers better is research. Both a web search and search on Pinterest turn up memes like this:

This is a little bit sad. I mean, I'm as big a fan of Office Space as the next guy, and I did laugh at this when I saw it; that's not the sad part.  It's not sad that teachers don't like to sit and get information, because every teacher I know is looking for new ways to reach students. The sad part is that we're hearing things like "differentiated instruction," "hands-on," "rigor," "relevance,""genius hour," etc., and when providing PD, we're not modeling that.

If our teachers know how to make a meme and post it online, they obviously don't need to sit through a workshop that will start at the basics of technology use and work up to more advanced use. They probably even already know how to use that meme in their instruction, I mean, they're already using it appropriately when they (inappropriately) mock the delivery of professional development.

We need a change of how PD is offered and delivered. Here's some ways we can do this.

1. Online facilitation and flipped PD.

easel.ly

Honestly, when we have options of attending both K-12 schools and universities that are entirely online, when there is a wealth of information that can be shared through YouTube, and when MOOCs are available from some of the most respected universities in the country, why aren't we providing training online? I've had excellent results in flipping PD and have also held very rich learning experiences in online formats. Let's think outside of the box. PD doesn't have to look the way it always has before.
Here is a link to the Innovation Academy, online offerings available to any teacher starting the first of every month.

2. EdCamp approach.

I am a huge fan of EdCamps. I enjoy that I can choose what interests me and also just talk with other professionals about how things are working in their districts. This can work in schools, too, without going to an EdCamp. If you're an administrator, and you haven't attended an EdCamp, go to one so you can see what it's about. Often, our experiences shape what PD we provide, so participating in an EdCamp is important to understand the "unstructure" before planning one in your district. Here is a list of EdCamps that will take place this school year. Oh, did I mention that they are free?

3. Allow teachers to make a personal learning goal and determine what professional development they will need to achieve that goal. 

As a lead learner for educational technology integration, I have created the following tool for teachers to utilize when gauging teaching practices. 

Using a tool such as this, teachers can determine strengths and make goals for areas in which they feel they need improvement. Putting the goal in the teachers' hands allows them to own it, which provides motivation. There are a wealth of opportunities for learning available - everything from book studies, to partnering with a mentor and "expert" teacher that can model best practices.

4. Allow teachers to choose what they want to learn about.

A few years ago, I had the great opportunity to share my professional development plan for a district with the Marzano Research Lab. The feedback I received scared me. They said I had a good list of items I wanted to cover, but it was my list of items. The teachers had no ownership on what they were learning, it was all being fed to them from a limited menu. 

I had to step outside my comfort zone and do what I had been asking teachers to do. Give my students choice. 

Best. Advice. Ever. It was a two year program, and in one year, we had covered everything that was on my list. I was able to combine learning experiences instead of teach in isolation, provide the "just in time" experiences, and added to our idea generations when the group heard about something new. For example, a few participants started hearing about the flipped classroom and asked for training on how to incorporate that in their classrooms. That wasn't even on my radar when I made the PDP. Another added benefit was that I had to stay up to date in recent advances in order to provide training. It was a great experience and transformed how I both develop and provide PD for the last three years.

5. Embed PD with instructional coaches or lead learners.

This could be with instructional coaches or with the lead learner model, using model teachers to demonstrate best practices and meet with teachers during plan times on individual goals. The big benefit of this is that it takes away the "one day wonder" approach of PD, which only works about 10-15% of the time, and creates a sustained learning journey through coaching, scaffolding, and support that evidences up to 95% effectiveness. (Joyce and Showers, 2002)

So let's change the mold that comes to mind when we provide PD. Let's use these ideas so that our teachers feel like this:

eSourcing - The How

In a recent post, I gave the why of eSourcing your curriculum. In case you are not familiar with the idea, it is developing a project based curriculum using multiple resources, including videos, websites, books, and other applications.

The first step in creating a classroom focused on eSources is to identify a unit to begin with. From looking at the standards you need to meet with that unit, consider the learning activities students will be involved in. You need to ask the question, "How does a ____________ (scientist, mathematician, journalist, writer, etc.) use this skill in real life?" Not only will looking through that lens help you identify what resources you need, but it also will help you to create a unit that engages students in critical thinking and project based learning. Write the answer to that question on a Post It note, and stick it somewhere you will see constantly while you're preparing the unit. Maybe it's to the side of your monitor or on your desk; it doesn't matter. It will provide you with focus so that you don't start chasing rabbit holes during development.

Keep in mind that this needs to be a true project based experience for students, and I recommend following the 8 Essential Elements of PBL. The Buck Institute announced earlier this year their quest to bring together PBL units for a Gold Standard PBL, which would be vetted by BIE and would provide great examples. Keep your eyes on this.

The next thing you'll do is a Google search. It depends on what grade level you teach, but regardless, there's information out there. Here's a list of sites that I think are beneficial when you're trying to provide students with a list of vetted resources.

Expert Space
BBC Bitesize
Scholastic Storia
PBS
National Geographic (Kids - Elementary) (Secondary)
Time For Kids

I could go on. And on. And on. So instead, here's a link to my eSourcing bookmarks. The content found on these sites will represent the in depth research your students will participate in. In depth research is going to take the place of the teacher delivering information to the students, and instead, students will research and find the information to apply to the concept of the unit of study.

You will have to scaffold the research so the students aren't out there in the wild west. Think about what information they need to bring back after their research. Maybe as a class (or individually), students will brainstorm questions they need answers to that will drive their research. Another good idea is for students to research from the role of a real life profession or responsibility that goes along with the unit of study. For example, if students are researching the water cycle and water conservation, have them research from varying roles of farmers, parks and recreation directors, and water purification engineers.

Next, you'll need a content repository. Think about where you can house the information you're finding. Depending on how scaled the initiative is, you might need anything from a bookmarking site to a purchased curriculum manager. I would recommend iCyte to all, regardless of how large your initiative is. To give you a quick summary, iCyte takes a picture of a website and stores it in your account. No longer will you visit a site today and find it's gone tomorrow if you cyte it.

Now, for an individual unit, you will go back to the planning stage and think again about how professionals use this information in the real world. From there, develop the PBL unit according to the article listed above.

If you are looking at full scale, whole site change with an eSourced curriculum, there are other things to keep in mind.

1. Communicate, communicate, communicate. You have to share this information with parents, teachers, administrators, and the community. It's different. Most of us didn't learn this way, therefore, most of us will only know school as it existed for us. Be prepared - moving to a curriculum that focuses on PBL will be different for kids, and some (namely the kids that are good at school) will balk. Remember, school doesn't work for some kids. That's one big reason to use PBL. 
2. Check your network. Every time you find a resource you want to use, you need to check it on network from both the teacher and student side. If you find information that is blocked by filters and you feel it is important to open it, be sure to follow your district's procedure for doing so. Most network administrators are very open to unblocking sites upon request.
3. Be prepared that some resources might need to be purchased. Expert Space, for example (linked above), is a great tool for science and social studies classes. It has a small annual fee and students will have to be given accounts. Gizmos from Explore Learning are also a great tool purchased through subscription.
4. As with anything in education, tweak, change, and repeat. Most teachers don't teach the exact same lesson year after year without making adjustments to it. Because with eSources, you're using the most up to date resources available, you'll definitely need to be prepared to follow suit in this area.

The most important thing to remember about eSourcing is that it truly has to occur in a project based environment to make a difference. Often, we change resources, we change tools, but we fail to change the delivery of our instruction. If you are interested in learning how to develop a project based curriculum, check out these online courses that will take you start to finish to develop a unit you can use in your classroom this semester. From there, you can continue to build your curriculum over time.

A quote I love is from Robert Marzano - "Teachers must move beyond 'teaching content,' to teaching students how to learn - that is, find and evaluate content, connect with prior knowledge, and use that knowledge to solve authentic problems."  Using eSources with project based learning can help us achieve just that.