ECC Portfolios: Using Project Based Learning to Teach the ECC Greg Aikens Cobb County School District October 23, 2015

Session Outline Purpose ECC Assessment What is PBL? Combining PBL and Portfolios

Purpose To provide quality program planning and instruction in the Expanded Core Curriculum by combining Project Based Learning (PBL) and student portfolios.

Assessment Quality instruction is rooted in quality assessment. The three annual assessments for students who are blind and visually impaired are: Functional Vision Assessment Learning Media Assessment Expanded Core Curriculum Assessment See The Essential Assessment Rubric Project at http://earubric.com/

Tools for ECC Assessment ECC Needs Screening Tool (http://earubric.com/expanded_core_curriculum_needs_screening_tool.html) Guides the conversation. Tailor tool to each student. Identify 2 to 3 critical areas of the ECC for instruction. EVALS Kit from TSBVI (http://www.tsbvi.edu/curriculum-a-publications/3/1030-evals-evaluating-visually-impaired-studentss) Drill down in areas of critical need to identify needed skills. Other resources?

After Quality Assessment Several target skills are identified. May or may not be related. May only require a small amount of instruction.

Portfolios can… Target a variety of skills. Include assignments of varying length. Document growth and progress. Be measured using a rubric.

Sample Portfolio Goal Goal: Greg will improve his skills in the areas of social interaction, self-determination, and assistive technology as part of instruction in the Expanded Core Curriculum during the current IEP year. Objective: Greg will complete at least 6 ECC portfolio activities, scoring either a 3 or 4 on at least 50% of activities, as measured by a teacher-made rubric.

Portfolios + PBL Using Project Based Learning to design portfolios makes them a more powerful teaching tool.

What is PBL? “…a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge.” The Buck Institute http://bie.org/about/what_pbl

Essential Elements of PBL Key knowledge, understanding, and success skills Challenging problem or question (meaningful) Sustained inquiry Authenticity Student voice and choice Reflection Critique and revision Public product The Buck Institute http://bie.org/about/what_pbl

PBL Supports ECC Knowledge and success skills = ECC skills Self-determination: critical thinking, problem solving, choice making, self-evaluation, self-efficacy Career Ed: authentic problems and tools, critique and revision Assistive Technology: real world tools, public products Etc.

What Does it Look Like? Identify target skills through assessment. Design portfolio of projects (with student input) Create rubrics for each project. Teach and evaluate.

Sample Activity Cooking without looking – The student will research and learn how to make a food item of her choice. The final product could include sharing the food she makes with others or making a cooking video to demonstrate her skills. The final product should be accompanied by a personal reflection on her experiences and the new skills she learned.

Target Multiple Skills The main knowledge – Cooking (Independent Living) Self-determination skills – Decision making, reflection, self-evaluation Technology skills – researching recipes, final product

Sample Rubric 4: Student makes food, final product demonstrates at least 3 adaptive cooking skills, reflection discusses new learning and what the student still wants to learn. 3: Student makes food, final product demonstrates 1 or 2 adaptive cooking skills, reflection discusses new learning or skills the student still wants to learn. 2: Student makes food but does not complete a final product or reflection. 1: Student does not make food.

Things to Remember Students will need learning in a variety of areas to complete most projects. Opportunity to cover many areas of the ECC at once. Students have a voice but teacher guides learning. Make the driving question relevant but manageable. Include interaction with peers or adults in the project. Encourage creativity in designing a final product.

Final Products Written report or article Create a children’s book Text or video blog Presentation One-person play How-to guide Plan an event Or anything else that demonstrates student knowledge.

IEP Considerations Bring a list of portfolio activities to the meeting. Leave blank spaces on the portfolio to add activities during the year. Bring a rubric for each activity to the meeting.

What kind of students? Students with VI only Students receiving daily service Students receiving service twice a month Students with multiple disabilities

Your Ideas Are you already using similar practices to teach the ECC? Are PBL and portfolios something that might work for your students? Are there barriers?

Contact Info Greg Aikens Cobb County School District Work email: gregory.aikens@cobbk12.org Personal email: gpaikens@gmail.com

Acknowledgements My thanks to Rachel Schles, Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, VA for introducing me to the idea of Project Based Learning and portfolios. Rachel also shared handouts to be used for this session.

Resources For more info on Project Based Learning, visit the Buck Institute for Education (http://bie.org/). For more information on assessing for the ECC, visit the Essential Assessment Rubric Project (http://earubric.com/).