Math Leadership Institute Project Based Learning – Day 2 Mary M. & Robert M. Capraro Jennifer Whitfield

Finalize PBLs

Finalize PLBs Get together with the other groups that did the same PBL. Share your final presentation/trial with the other group.

Showcase

Showcase Break into where there is a representative from each PBL in a group.

Showcase In these groups of 3, travel around to each of the PBLs and share briefly what you did in your groups. Then discuss the following questions (15 min @ each PBL): What is the information I have to tell someone else who is going to lead this workshop? What was my biggest “ah ha” moment? What was my biggest disappointment?

Break

Math TEKS & PBL

A Well Defined Outcome and an Ill-Defined Task

The “Heart and Soul” The well-defined outcome has three components The deliverable - what students will give you at the end The constraints-or limitations that keep the project within boundaries The learning students will own when they are finished (focus on the verb)

Why Do We Have a WDO? Provides guidance Supports intrinsic motivation Supports autonomy Builds links to prior knowledge through an applied task Integrates various content areas to create a product Gives students to ability to know when they have reached the goal

Lets Talk About an IDT The ill-defined task is NOT A dearth of teaching A guessing game for students An excuse for poor or under-planning instruction Flying by the seat of your pants The ill-defined task IS Harder to plan for Requires more thought about structure Required the preparation of teaching materials to meet all the goals Guides the rest of the lesson design Is integrally linked to both summative and formative assessment.

Why the Ill-Defined Task? Allows students to determine their own path they will take to the product Fosters group responsibility Builds teamwork skills Improves communication among and between students Provides student accountability Addresses 21st Century Skills

Remember: Nothing Happens Without Quality Instruction Writing a Well-defined Outcome and Ill-defined Task are necessary… ….but not sufficient to achieve all the educational benefits. You must build in explicit teaching, modeling, and positive reinforcing behaviors into your lesson plan

How do I write my Well-defined outcome? Tell a story. Don’t use a state level objective It is all about the VERB. It is all about the final PRODUCT. Use everyday language so your students are likely to understand. Include content specific vocabulary they will learn or should know. Clearly describe what will be created or developed.

Verbs: The Good and the Bad Examples of ambiguous verbs: Understand Know Examples of explicit verbs Compute Measure Show Communicate Explain Describe Illustrate

Understand Students will understand pi. Students will understand the relationship of circumference and diameter.

Compute Students will be able to compute pi as a ratio based on their data table by measuring the diameter and circumference of 14 different circular and/ or round objects.

Edit the WDO and IDT Each group will use geometric constructions and assembly techniques to create the tallest self-standing structure. They should also use authentic measurement strategies to evaluate their own and their peers’ constructions choosing the materials provided within 25 minutes. To complete the project your structure must be transported to the measuring stand and be free standing at the time it is set. Once the structure is placed on the judging stand it will be judged based on the greatest distance from the first contact with the judging stand to its tallest vertical point.

Critique the attempt What is deliverable? What are the constraints? What will the students give or turn in at the end? What is the evidence of learning? What are the constraints? What are the conditions? How many are there? What limits exist? How will the deliverable be judged? What is the learning? What should students’ deliverable show? What is the relationship between the deliverable and learning? Did they use major content specified in the WDO-IDT?

Writing your WDO and Ill-Defined Task What do you need to include? The learning students will own when they are finished (focus on the verb). The deliverable what students will give you at the end. The constraints or limitations that keep the project within boundaries.

Do WDO-IDT Activity

Write WDO-IDT for TEKS

Writing WDO-IDT Use the TEKS item analysis we investigated earlier. Choose a grade level. Write a WDO-IDT that would address some of the TEKS discussed.

Post Assessment and Debrief

Discussion on Implementation Tie back to initial questions

Questions?