Class 16: 10/20/11-Legacy Cycle Project

Agenda:

1. Brief View of the Road Ahead
2. Legacy Cycle Groups
3. Krajcik, McNeill, and Reiser

Dr. Petrosino began class by going over the agenda for the day. The road ahead includes starting on our Legacy cycle projects within groups (which are to be discussed later in the class) and doing more extensive reading on PBI. As we finish the semester, we will also be reading critiques and counterarguments to PBI; this is important so that we can continue to improve the PBI method and compare the benefits of various teaching methods.

Dr. Petrosino then began giving us information about our Legacy cycle projects that are due in approximately a month. Individuals may choose to work alone if preferred. Otherwise, groups should have two to three members. It is not required that all members of a group be of the same discipline (e.g. a chemist and a mathematician may create an lesson together). In addition, lessons could be on any subject desired (within the secondary and middle school scope). There is a curriculum model provided in the reading which is useful for thinking about the legacy project. Feedback and revision is important in PBI but we will not have sufficient time for that. Therefore, we may redesign an older legacy cycle from the web page if desired.

Dr. Petrosino then began a lecture on the reading of Krajcik, McNeill, and Reiser. This reading is assigned for us to read by October 27^th, 2011 (one week), but Dr. Petrosino decided that he would give a previewing lecture on the reading.

There is a constant tension between the state and federal government on the debate as to who has power over education. The states feel they hold the ultimate power on their state’s education since they provide the funding for it. In terms of curriculum and instruction, the state writes the curriculum and teachers must be certified through the state.

Standards tell us what to teach but not how to teach it. With numerous standards and limited time, we tend to go back to direct instruction in order to cover anything.

How do we move from content standards to learning goals? The reading discusses this and common Design Issues with curriculum. The Atlas of Scientific Literacy is very helpful to see how content is related to better plan and explain the sequence/structure used in the classroom.

Each day in PBI a different student takes responsibility for blogging about what goes on in class. Today’s blog is brought to you by Cassandra.