ProjectBased Learning: How High School Librarians Impact School Reform

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Project-Based LearningHow High School
Librarians Impact School Reform

• (Draft Version)
• 2007 AASL Conference
• Reno, Nevada

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Our team

• Carolyn Kirio
• Cybrarian, Kapolei High
• Sandy Yamamoto
• Cybrarian, Kapolei High
• Violet Harada
• Professor, University of Hawaii

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Our essential questions

• Whats happening in our high schools?
• Where does Project Based Learning (PBL) fit?
• Whats the role of the school librarian in PBL?
• Whats involved in planning for PBL?
• What does PBL look like in practice?

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Whats happening in our high schools?
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The silent epidemic

• One-third of students do not graduate on time
• Nearly half of African, Hispanic, and Native
  Americans never complete high school

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What kids have to say

• School is BORING
• Theres no connection with my life
• Theres no challenge
• I want to DO stuff
• Nobody really cares

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What employers have to say

• Workers must--
• Think critically and solve problems
• Apply information technology skills
• Communicate effectively
• Work collaboratively
• Practice work ethics

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How schools are responding

• Small learning communities
• Academies
• Block scheduling
• Interdisciplinary teams

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Where does Project-Based Learning (PBL) fit?
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Major features of PBL

• Connects school learning with life and work
  skills
• Focuses on real-world issues and problems
• Invites in-depth investigations
• Fosters collaborative relationships

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Major features of PBL

• Produces tangible results
• Communicates with real audiences
• Blends disciplines
• Uses technology for research and production
• Builds student ownership

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Major features of PBL

• Works well in academies and small learning
  communities
• Allows for differentiating and personalizing
  learning situations
• Leverages talents of a team approach to
  curriculum planning and delivery

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PBL reflects current research

• Students perform better when learning provides
  for--
• Analysis, synthesis, evaluation of information
• Collaborative problem solving
• Choice and self-regulation

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PBL in practice at Kapolei High
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Kapolei community

• Located on Oahu, Hawaii
• A planned community
• Projected as a Second City for Oahu
• Government offices
• Industries
• Retail businesses
• Residential housing

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Kapolei High School

• Opened in July 2000
• 2,300 students (2007 figures)
• Diverse student population
• Range in socio-economic status
• Various cultural and linguistic backgrounds
• 158 faculty members

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Learning environment

• Project-based learning
• Small learning communities
• Alternative programs for at-risk youth

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Learning environment cont.

• Teacher teams and academies
• 9th/10th grades (Language Arts, Science, Social
  Studies)
• 11th/12th grades (Varied based on academy focus)
• 7 academies
• Business, Fine Arts, Graphics, Health, Human
  Services, Learning Center for Applied Technology,
  Professional Sciences

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Hats we wear as LMS

• Teaching partners
• Team members
• Information specialists

• Facilitators
• Mediators

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Preparing for implementation

• Start small start early
• Collaborate with a willing partner
• Develop clear understanding of roles
• Establish learning goals
• Form connections across disciplines
• Flag potentially useful resources
• Identify where information literacy can be
  incorporated

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10 steps in planning

• Identify key student outcomes and content
  standards to be addressed
• Brainstorm project ideas that deal with issues
  and topics that will motivate thinking and
  student interest
• Decide on a project that targets the outcomes and
  standards identified
• Identify prior skills and knowledge students must
  have for this project
• Develop the essential or overarching question for
  the project

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10 steps cont.

• 6. Determine criteria to assess the final
  project or performance
• 7. Develop tools to perform the assessment
• 8. Identify key benchmarks in the project
  where you plan to conduct periodic progress
  checks
• 9. Outline the project include a time line
  and the activities
• 10. Identify and agree on the teams roles and
  responsibilities in the project

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Evaluating the project

• The 4Rs

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Rigor

• Articulate clear and high expectations
• Address standards
• Establish goals, outcomes
• Focus on essential and driving questions
• Emphasize higher-order thinking
• Require demonstration of mastery

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Relevance

• Focus on real-world issues or problems
• Connect to community concerns
• Apply skills to real-world experiences
• Incorporate hands-on active learning
• Utilize technology

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Relationships

• Encourage adult connections on and off campus
• Allow time for teacher to student communication
• Promote student to student interaction
• Cultivate environment for team work

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Reflection

• Foster self-assessment
• Promote self-regulation
• Monitor student progress through checkpoints
• Encourage peer critiquing
• Allow for teacher comments
• Incorporate community feedback

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Putting it into practice

• Project Mighty Machines
• Content Areas
• Physical Science, Math, Language Arts, Social
  Studies
• Grade 9
• Duration 1 quarter

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Project description

• Conflict in the Persian Gulf has raised the
  price of oil and, therefore, gasoline. Students
  research different modes of transportation
  focusing on how these vehicles are powered. They
  apply knowledge gathered through research,
  physical science, and math to design and create a
  model vehicle run by gas-alternative means.

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Rigor

• Language Arts
• use of spoken, written, and visual language
• skills to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and
  appreciate texts
• Social Studies
• global connections

• Physical Science
• environment
• force and motion
• Math
• measurements
• numbers and operations

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Rigor cont.

• Goals
• Understand the need to develop gas alternative
  vehicles
• Investigate the concepts of force, motion, and
  gravity
• Experiment with different designs for maximum
  aerodynamics

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Rigor cont.

• Driving questions
• How must people change their practices in using
  fossil fuels?
• How does the design for a vehicle impact its use
  of fuel?
• Product or performance
• Design and create a model that uses an
  alternative source of fuel power
• Compete in the Mighty Machine races. Test the
  aerodynamic design for performance and power.

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Relevance

• Increase in gas prices
• Impact on pocketbook
• Test of your knowledge and skills in math and
  science by designing and creating a model
  gas-alternative vehicle

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Relationships

• Work in small teams
• Confer informal and formally with teachers
• Solicit assistance from local mechanical
  engineers and mechanics

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Reflection

• Checkpoints throughout research and design stages
  to gauge student progress
• Brief self-reflections on progress and next steps
  
• Peer evaluation during presentations
• Teacher feedback during informal conferences

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Management tips

• Utilize common planning times
• Meet before and after school
• Communicate via email and phone
• Identify teaching roles and responsibilities
• Establish a time line

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Samples of Kapolei projects
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How PBL impacts the librarys role in reform

• The librarys program has become a major element
  in the schools curriculum
• Information literacy skills are the binding
  thread across different subject areas
• There is an increased need for resources beyond
  the classroom and school
• Librarians are seen as curriculum partners and
  leaders in the school

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Wrapping up
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LMS as connector

• Big picture possesses an overview of all
  programs
• Conceptual coherence helps connect ideas through
  overarching themes
• Information networks links students and teachers
  with resources beyond the school

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LMS as integrator

• Multidisciplinary merge helps teams negotiate a
  balance among different disciplines involved in a
  project
• Information fluency builds information and
  inquiry skills as central to successful projects

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LMS as curriculum leader

• Works proactively in key curriculum initiatives
• Initiates the formation of teams around themes
  and problems
• Coordinates and facilitates planning meetings
• Co-teaches and co-reflects

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ALOHA Thank you for joining us!