Successful Pilot Projects

Part of the discussion about the next steps forward for Billings Public Schools has revolved around the idea of pilot projects.  Pilots are educational interventions in part of a school (for example, one wing or hallway) that include all desired elements for a 21st century school– redesign of the physical space, professional development, curriculum revisioning, and so on.  This allows the community to try out ideas and understand how they work within their schools before beginning to reform entire school buildings.

Here is a video about a successful pilot project done by FNI:

“Anatomy of a Project” on Edutopia

One of the obstacles many teachers see to Project-Based Learning is knowing how to design a good project for students to get engaged.  At Learning Gate, students are the ones who drive that process.  At other schools, teachers have a more direct hand in developing projects for their students.

Education resource website Edutopia has a collection of videos called “Anatomy of a Project” in which educators lay out all the elements of projects that they facilitate in their schools. These are great resources to help teachers brainstorm ideas and plan for Project-Based Learning in their own classrooms.

Click here to watch!

The Road to Trust

One of Billings own community members shared this article with us and we think that it is very important to share with you all.  The article, The Road to Trust by Deborah Meier, discusses how to create a trusting, open, supportive community that works in harmony with school officials, board members and other professionals:

Click this link to read the full article:   The Road To Trust

At the Best Practices Workshop that was facilitated by FNI on September 20th, many community members commented that there was a lack of unity and a lack of long term vision and planning.  Several community members agreed that the district and school board should assist in creating an unified school community by engaging all stakeholders in decision making.

The article starts to raise some questions that can be helpful for us all to evaluate and discuss, such as:  How can a community work together on a common goal of educating and raising children to be self-sufficient, caring and strong citizens within their community?  How can a community put aside differences and find ways to build consensus – and then ultimately a VISION for the future of their schools and educational values for the children?  How can a community start to move forward together to create a safe place for their children to grow and explore knowing that they are respected and valued?

How can the Billings community – who has already started this process – continue to build upon their good work and strong values to become an exceptional place for their students and teachers – and also the whole community?  

Case Study: A School that Embraces Project Based Learning

This school in Lutz, Florida has embraced Project-Based Learning in their school.  At the beginning of each semester, the students choose their topics that they want to focus on and have to submit proposals to their advisors.  The students and advisors work together to make sure that a wide variety of skills and competencies will be developed.  A time line is establish and a final goal and output is set.  Students work independently and also collaborate with other students that are working on similar subject areas.  Additionally, the students will look for “experts” within their community outside of school that will contribute knowledge and expertise.

Lessons from Finland

West Virginia learns Finland’s ‘most honorable profession’: Teacher

Great article about how a West Virginia district turned their district around by looking to what Finland did to turn theirs around.  Teachers are truly valued as PROFESSIONALS and are celebrated as such and held accountable as such.  What can we all learn from Finland?  How do we make changes that will truly make a difference?

Visioning Wrap-Up

Here are the highlights from the Visioning wrap-up meeting between FNI and the BPS Visioning Team.

 

Billings Career Center: 21st Century Learning in Action

As Billings works to envision the future of education for its students, it’s important to recognize what already exists and works in the community.

The Billings Career Center has provided part-time, alternative educational experiences to high school students in Billings since the 1970’s.  While many perceive that the center exists to simply provide vocational training to students, in fact it is a prime example of 21st century learning for students of all levels and interests.

Much of what goes on at the Career Center is project-based learning.  Students engage in collaborative, interdisciplinary projects.  For example, each year students taking classes in construction, engineering, and interior design (among other disciplines) team up with the Home Builders Association of Billing to build a house in their local community.  While these students have learned practical skills relating to carpentry, plumbing, and so on, they also learn math, science, language, and communication skills in a context that is both meaningful and challenging.

The Career Center has programs that appeal to many different interests and skills.  Students can compete in robotics competitions– an activity that is both highly challenging and extremely engaging for many students. Others have become immersed in an Marine Ecosystem program that challenges students to work on projects relating to biomimicry design, ecology, chemistry, physics, and engineering– all focused around a salt water aquarium students built in one of the Career Center’s labs.

What is ultimately impressive about the Career Center is that it offers students a 21st century learning experience.  Classes offer a much wider variety of learning modalities than the standard lecture-format class that most high school students see throughout their day.  Learning is given a wider goal than to simply ace the test or finish the homework: the skills students learn are applied to real projects in the classroom and in the community.  Career Center students walk away with more than a high school diploma or college credits, they leave knowing how to use the knowledge and skills they’ve gained.

Learn more about what the Career Center has to offer by checking out their website.

Learning to Change-Changing to Learn

Excellent video done by the Pearson Foundation and the Consortium for School Networking about the state of education in today’s world.  The video previewed in Singapore during the Pearson International 2008 Conference on Science & Mathematics hosted by the CCSSO and the Pearson Foundation, the video features insightful commentary from the following international educators and education technology thought leaders:

• Deborah Baker, Superintendent, Leroy CSD, NY
• Greg Black, CEO, education.au limited, Australia
• Chris Dede, Professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Julie Evans, CEO, Project Tomorrow
• Karen Greenwood Henke, Writer and Consultant, Nimble Press & CoSN Board Member
• Stephen Heppell, CEO, Heppell.Net Ltd., UK
• Keith Krueger, CEO, CoSN
• Ken Kay, President, Partnership for 21st Century Skills, e-Luminate Group
• Cheryl Lemke, CEO, Metiri Group
• Barbara S. Nielson, Former South Carolina State Superintendent of Education
• Susan Patrick, CEO, NACOL (North American Council for Online Learning)
• Daniel Pink, Author, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future
• Greg Whitby, Director of Schools, Catholic Education Office, Diocese of Parramatta, Australia
• Young Zhao, University Distinguished Professor and Executive Director, Confucius Institute, College of Education, Michigan State University

What is Project Based Learning?

Since Project Based Learning seems to be a top winner, we thought we would provide a great video done by the folks at Edutopia about it.  Enjoy!

20 Learning Modalities – Survey Results

We have identified 20 Learning Modalities (and there may be more!) that the physical school must support:

1.  Independent Study
2.  Peer Tutoring
3.  Team Collaboration
4.  One-on-One learning with a teacher
5.  Lecture format – Teacher directed
6.   Project-based learning
7.  Technology with mobile computers
8.  Distance learning
9.  Internet-based research
10.  Student presentation
11.  Performance-based learning
12.  Seminar-style instruction
13.  Inter-disciplinary learning
14.  Naturalist learning
15.  Social/emotional/spiritual learning
16.  Art-based learning
17.  Storytelling
18.  Design-based learning
19.  Team teaching/learning
20.  Play-based learning

During our Focus Group Sessions with the students, teachers, parents, and community members, we asked “Of these 20 Learning Modalities, which are your top 3 preferred modes of learning?”  The results are in and the responses are very interesting!  The participants from the student focus group chose Team Collaboration, Project Based Learning and Play Based Learning as their top choices.  The teacher agreed that Team Collaboration and Project Based Learning were more preferable and also added Naturalist Learning.  The parents also agreed that Project Based Learning was at the top of their list, along with Team Teaching/Learning.  And the community members agreed an overwhelming 86% that Project Based Learning was a priority, along with Student Presentation and Interdisciplinary Learning.

Click image below to see the 20 Modalities Survey results from the four Focus Groups: