Transformative Project Based Learning

York County School Division teachers recently participated in a three day Project Based Learning workshop with the Buck Institute for Education (BIE).  This video highlights their exemplary efforts towards planning Transformative Project Based Learning exeperiences for their students. 

During the workshop, teachers identified significant content, created an entry event and driving question, and developed a project plan.  Additionally, teachers participated in the Critical Friends Protocol in order to share their project designs and receive valuable feedback from their colleagues.

Transformative Project Based Learning provides opportunities for students to do work in which they:

• Master the content and skills of the curriculum,
• Make a difference locally, nationally and/or globally,
• Feel a sense of  ownership, and
• Develop 21st century skills.

The following examples highlight the authentic, purposeful learning occuring through such projects in the York County School Division. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Field Trip 2.0: Creating Digital Content in the Field

York County School Division (YCSD) teachers met at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, VA on April 29, 2014, where they completed their fourth and final training session with YCSD and Discovery Education professional development specialists regarding strategies for creating and sharing digital content. 

As a result of a unique professional development partnership between YCSD and Discovery Education, the cohort members developed lessons in which students master the content and skills of the curriculum by creating digital video content and posting their work to a global audience.

Using the theme of environmental stewardship at the Virginia Living Museum, teachers representing kindergarten through high school participated in a professional development, field trip experience.  Working in collaborative groups, the teachers collected original digital content, downloaded content from Discovery Education, and created instructional cross-curricular Boards using Discovery Education's Board Builder platform. 

(Screenshot examples of two Boards created by YCSD teachers on April 29, 2014.  The Boards are posted to Discovery Education's Board Builder platform.)

Teachers contributed to their group's Board by making sure that it reflected specific subject matter (i.e., a math teacher may have created content on the Board that showed graphically how rising
pollutants corresponds inversely to declining amphibian populations).  


During the training, teachers also explored opportunities to replicate their experience as they plan field trips in which students create digital content at locations such as the Virginia Living Museum and then share their work with a global audience.  Rather than simply touring a museum's exhibits during a field trip, the students will have a great sense of purpose if the vist and digital content creation is connected to the teachers intended learning outcome and real-world issues. 

Examples of real-world, purposeful work might include topics such as designing a better lobster trap to save the turtle population, or influencing legislators to promote environmental stewardship.  Field trip experiences in which students master the content and skills of the curriculum by creating digital content that will be viewed by thousands, or possibly millions, can certainly have a positive impact on student engagement and achievement. 

Skype: Taking Students Far Beyond the Reach of the School Bus

York County School Division (YCSD) teachers met at the Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg, VA on December 5, 2013, where they completed their sixth and final training session with YCSD   professional development specialists regarding strategies for delivering original digital video content to a global audience. 

 YCSD teachers ranging from kindergarten through high school, in preparation for this final session, developed lessons connecting cross-curricular topics such as math, science, and English to real world applications used at the Jamestown Settlement in 1607.  Teachers then posted their lessons to the Skype in the classroom website, providing classrooms around the world with an opportunity to participate during the December 5^th event.

The teachers delivered these live lessons through Skype to classrooms across North America from the Fort, Powhatan Village, and the Ships located at the Jamestown Settlement.  Topics that were addressed on December 5^th during the live Skype lessons included; the impact of weather on travel, early navigational tools and mathematics used to reach the Virginia coast, ship buoyancy, methods of archeology, freshwater issues, life comparisons of then and now, colloquialisms, exchange of technologies, and cultural traditions. 

During the lesson delivery, participating students learned from the teachers while stepping back to 1607 within the Jamestown Village, James Fort and Ships docked along the James River.  The students were able to view artifacts and ask questions to the expert Jamestown Settlement interpreters. 

Over 500 students from schools in Virginia, Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, Missouri and Canada were able to visit the Jamestown Settlement through the virtual field trip.  Skype is a powerful vehicle for taking students to wonderful learning destinations that are far beyond the reach of a school bus. 

In addition to providing participating classrooms with an engaging learning experience from the Jamestown Settlement, YCSD teachers expanded their professional network for future collaboration and the exchange of information.  Future collaboration with this network may include opportunities for YCSD teachers and students to learn as they visit significant sites around the world through Skype and future Skype in the classroom connections.