1. Exploring India’s Diversity through Geography Christine Size November 19, 2009 Exploring India’s Diversity through Geography Christine Size November 19, 2009

2. Table of contents The Advent School Throughlines Understanding Goals and Performances of Understanding Targets of Difficulty/Technology Readings Dilemmas The Advent School Throughlines Understanding Goals and Performances of Understanding Targets of Difficulty/Technology Readings Dilemmas

3. The Advent School, Boston MA * Independent; founded in 1961 * Thematic Instruction * 175 Students * 2 teachers/class 5th grade: Immigration, Industrial Revolution, India Content is familiar, TfU framework is new The Advent School, Boston MA * Independent; founded in 1961 * Thematic Instruction * 175 Students * 2 teachers/class 5th grade: Immigration, Industrial Revolution, India Content is familiar, TfU framework is new

4. Throughlines Respect for Diversity Geography of India Effects of geography on a population Using technology to make learning visible Advent’s 5th grade throughlines: Promoting human dignity, economic justice, peaceful solutions Respect for Diversity Geography of India Effects of geography on a population Using technology to make learning visible Advent’s 5th grade throughlines: Promoting human dignity, economic justice, peaceful solutions

5. Performances Understanding of Goals Understanding Identifying geography Creating a Map Significance of geography India’s land area Effects of geography Effect of geography on culture Making learning visible Technology project Identifying geography Creating a Map Significance of geography India’s land area Effects of geography Effect of geography on culture Making learning visible Technology project

6. Culminating Project Technology Project: After initial investigations of effects of geography Choose project: PowerPoint/Report One area/aspect of culture Rubric guides work & ongoing assessments (peer & teacher) Presentation component Technology Project: After initial investigations of effects of geography Choose project: PowerPoint/Report One area/aspect of culture Rubric guides work & ongoing assessments (peer & teacher) Presentation component

7. Targets Use of of Difficulty Technology TEchnology Diverse class of 18; social and Web creation/outlining on academic issues make group work Inspiration difficult Understanding content of India Ongoing peer assessment on within cultural context computer with rubric Independent work: sharing PowerPoint presentation; technology resources slides of sub-topics tech strengths/weaknesses Communicating with students Diverse class of 18; social and Web creation/outlining on academic issues make group work Inspiration difficult Understanding content of India Ongoing peer assessment on within cultural context computer with rubric Independent work: sharing PowerPoint presentation; technology resources slides of sub-topics tech strengths/weaknesses Communicating with students in India

8. Informed by Readings “All education proceeds by the participation of the individual.” (Dewey, 1929) “Project-based learning activities often begin with online research as a first step. Unless there is an intentional outcome, researching is a meaningless activity.” Technology is an intellectual partner for helping learners to articulate and represent what they know and for reflecting on what they have learned and how they have learned it. (Jonassen et al, 2008) Helping learners embrace a more incremental perspective enables them to view learning as a process and regard themselves as capable of advancing their own learning through effort, practice, and revision. Ongoing assessments that are conducted in relation to public criteria and that generate constructive recommendations directly support the development of understanding in several ways. (Wiske, 2005) The most important long-term outcome of instruction may be the students' increased capabilities to learn more easily and effectively in the future, both because of the knowledge and skill they have acquired and because they have mastered more learning processes. (Joyce et al, 2009) Four perspectives on the design of learning environments—the degree to which they are student centered, knowledge centered, assessment centered, and community centered—are important in designing these environments. (Bransford et al, 1999) “All education proceeds by the participation of the individual.” (Dewey, 1929) “Project-based learning activities often begin with online research as a first step. Unless there is an intentional outcome, researching is a meaningless activity.” Technology is an intellectual partner for helping learners to articulate and represent what they know and for reflecting on what they have learned and how they have learned it. (Jonassen et al, 2008) Helping learners embrace a more incremental perspective enables them to view learning as a process and regard themselves as capable of advancing their own learning through effort, practice, and revision. Ongoing assessments that are conducted in relation to public criteria and that generate constructive recommendations directly support the development of understanding in several ways. (Wiske, 2005) The most important long-term outcome of instruction may be the students' increased capabilities to learn more easily and effectively in the future, both because of the knowledge and skill they have acquired and because they have mastered more learning processes. (Joyce et al, 2009) Four perspectives on the design of learning environments—the degree to which they are student centered, knowledge centered, assessment centered, and community centered—are important in designing these environments. (Bransford et al, 1999)

9. Puzzles/dilemmas Range of learners; independent work: how to challenge fast students while trying to support students with less skills Encourage helpful peer assessment How to encourage knowledge construction and not reproduction from sources (Jonassen et al, 2008) Range of learners; independent work: how to challenge fast students while trying to support students with less skills Encourage helpful peer assessment How to encourage knowledge construction and not reproduction from sources (Jonassen et al, 2008)

10. Thank you! Thanks to Stone, Shane, Janhvi, Dianne, Neil, Alexandra, The Advent School, and wonderful classmates!