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| ... the rLab, 2013. |
After a six-month sabbatical, I've decided it's time to move on to new challenges and to pursue promoting personalized learning plans and technology innovation in different venues.
We did some groundbreaking work here in this lab from 2005 to 2013. Work that, as it turns out, was a pioneering effort in blended learning, personalized learning plans, and project-based education in Vermont and abroad.
Here's a view below under the rLab (aka Tech Research) hood... the innovation, and the challenges to traditional school systems and to me personally.
Work in the Lab over these nine years was individualized toward the needs of each student on how they approach learning at this time in their lives, and how that vision can evolve into the future. Each student created a personalized learning project here by choosing a project of their interest. Students pursued learning in 81 different categories and over 1000 projects. Some worked solo, some in pairs, and some even in small groups.
There were a lot of interdisciplinary elements we 'spiraled' into this work.
We used the technology itself as a lens to explore the world, their place in it, and the goals of learning how to learn, or as I often said to students on the Lab, to "find out what makes you tick." What were students good at? What were their pitfalls in learning, their Achilles heel? How can those strengths be built upon? How can those struggles be analyzed and conquered?
'Blended learning,' or my thoughts on 'Spiral Curriculum' (J. Bruner) stemmed out of these key areas:
Improvement: Demonstrate that you are seeking strategies and resources to move your thinking and skill forward in the following areas below. Students identified their current skill levels as part of this and debated/collaborated (and sometimes argued) how to articulate these goals to move forward in building their own rubrics toward improvement. Without a doubt, this encouraged self-awareness and improvement.
- Pursuing a project of your interest with interdisciplinary elements.
- Ideation/Design Thinking
- Project Management: Learning to move ideas, curiosities, and problems forward
- Collaboration/Consultation/Communication skills (seeking help/ideas/mentorship)
- Leadership
- Writing skill
- Research
- Graphic and Digital Design
- Personal voice
- For projects: Interdisciplinary thinking/learning: math, science, humanities, history, etc.
There are two other assessment areas, perhaps overarching, we discussed, too:
- Building self-confidence
- Learning how to learn
We explored three large class topics to introduce 'project-based education,' and collaboration: How technology has impacted the news, healthcare, and education. There's some soul searching involved in those topics, and potential for great philosophical and ethical debates - all relevant to the world now and into their future. Students were actively encouraged and prompted to debate these topics with their families and in class with each other. Guest speakers were introduced through video chat as well. Along the way, we built up folks research and collaboration skills, proficiencies in the tools we used, and presentation and public speaking skills. It also helped people look at the potential of technology, and the pitfalls.
We had a series of smaller activities that reinforced certain aspects of this 'blended learning' approach. One example was our 'impromptu speeches' that helped develop research, prototyping, collaboration, and public speaking skills (and promoted self-confidence!). These speeches also exposed students to new things, new people, and helped them make connections to the richness of the world... so they told me. Students picked a random topic out of a box, had three to five minutes to research, and conjure a short and engaging speech. We discussed and recapped the research process, the prep/design cycle, framing up a speech, and introducing 'character' - how to present to engage, and ideas to engage an audience.
Then we got to the salt of the course where students were asked to choose their own projects to explore. That's where things got interesting.
Topic choice is a healthy practice and I've always thought it's one too rarely explored, especially in high schools, especially back in 2005. Students are often conditioned in traditional models in education to be great at being told what to do and how to do it. The rLab courses were placed philosophically and very intentionally far on the other side of that more traditional educational spectrum.
Students pursued over 1000 individualized/self-designed projects here in nine years, covering an incredibly diverse array of topics. Focusing efforts on topic choice led to 55% female enrollment in 'tech classes' here in the Lab. Learning along with them was challenging and exhilarating at the same time. As a mentor to all these threads, I learned exponentially faster than at any time in my life.
Each student project had to last a minimum of three weeks. It was a sufficient time frame to figure out if you liked what you were working on. It allowed some immersion, some tests to overcome some initial obstacles and to make some connections. Students often did one or two projects per semester, mostly one. Many projects extended over multiple semesters and even years. One student took the course five times during their high school career.
I always thought, as these digital tools we use constantly increase our ability to communicate, then we must work on increasing collaboration and communication skills. Within those motions and in our media study, many explored how technology was impacting their lives, their learning and friendships. We discussed algorithms that were leading what we see, how that may influence our perceptions how that trend will increase in the future - and what the ills societally it could lead to on that path. We actively discussed how to find the truth' in the news and the importance of viewing multiple sources. On the better side, Students were also asked to connect via social media in the field of study and with community consultants as part of their projects, professionals outside the school, who could help drive all this learning forward. Over 3000 professionals outside the school became mentors. We built a database of those people over time which made it easier for new students to make connections.
This was key: A transformation idea sparked by MIT OpenCourseWare... I chose to have students archive all their project growth, struggles, and contacts within them for their peers to build from and upon. If students chose a topic of study that had been done before they could use the work of their peers to move further. Seeing and hearing about the struggles other peers had in learning can pretty powerful. The good, bad, and ugly of every project could be used by peers to build upon. One project that took, say, 15 weeks the first time was used by a new student... who covered that same ground in 10. The next time 8. Almost every project went further each time as people built off their peers work. Students, so they told me, found immense value in this practice. Game changer, no doubt.
To understand their own learning, students made inquiries into cognitive psychology (the 'isms', behaviorism - get some directions, cognitivism - understand thinking on complex problems, constructivism - doing and design thinking, and 'connectivism' - working with others, teaming and exploring collaboration and mentorships) and then how you use these tools and insights at hand and resources available to carve a path into the future.
We explored and debated Gardner- Multiple Intelligences; Bruner- Spiral Curriculum; Reggio Emilia Children early childhood education - art focus, hands-on, and inquiry-based; Science Leadership Academy - Assessment and PBL; High Tech High - PBL; Bolman and Deal - Project Management; (and) MIT OpenCourseWare - Archiving and shared knowledge philosophies were all huge influences explored in this the rLab discourse.
For many students, it was the first time they looked at how they learned and could pursue something they were interested in. It was the first time many had not been told specifically 'what to do.' For some, learning how to learn and why they felt the way they do about education was the most important mission and ultimately the most rewarding. There's a phrase that floats out there I've always liked... "good learning is messy." I agree. Inquiry-based learning is most often the focus outside of school, and it takes practice.
Then came the challenges to the course structure, school, and personal struggles.
Assessing so many individual projects and students individualized growth curves within them within them was a challenge... but I learned the chops to keep it moving and to provide individualized feedback. I experimented with spreadsheets, grade books, wikis, Google Docs, and eventually, a CRM system was the answer. Each student was challenged individually to make strides in their self-motivation, develop interdisciplinary learning ties, how they learned, their struggles, approached their work and to keep building something meaningful, document it, archive it, and develop it into a professional blog/website of some sort. Managing over 100 independent projects and learning plans within them each semester took... some trial and error, and I made a few mistakes. I botched grade entries for two students in the volume aka wrong entry on the wrong line. The reception to that error was, to say the least, surprisingly severe in administration. The school used narrative comments and frequently. In combination, each narrative run I wrote over 30 pages of feedback in total. Often 250-500 words per students for those who needed very focused feedback was common. Parents and students loved it. The writing style created challenges to the overall report card length I was told. Discussions started brewing about why some teachers wrote more than others and what was being written as in generic vs analytical comments across the school. The solution that was presented - was for me to cut back on the amount of feedback I gave.
Then traditional structures of 'school' began to kick back.
Another system challenge: An essential element in the lab overall, as we developed systems and assignments in each course, I asked students to challenge them / revise them with me each semester. We all learned from one another. Like the top of the blog says here... "a self-organizing system." We wrapped up all presentations in the rLab 'before' exams. To prep for the final exam itself, students were asked to evaluate the course, the opportunities we explored, and refine and/or create proposals for new assignments. The feedback was thoughtful and led to incredible changes. I'd keep evidence of how assignments were refined each year to show students that their ideas made a difference. This exam practice in the rLab met with a significant amount of resistance internally from some teachers as "unfair" because I wasn't issuing 'traditional' exams. Debates on the topic evolved, practices of other teachers on how they approached exams came forward, and this debate, fortunately, moved forward.
Another topic of debate about the Lab was 'personal days' I gave students as part of their work. The rationale... it's a project-based class, and helping students learn to plan, schedule, calendar, and prioritize is a core function. I issued and tracked three personal days per student per course to take as they needed to study other things with one exception: guest speaker days were mandatory participation. In a personalized learning construct, I felt these personal days made a lot of sense. If a student had an incredibly important test next period, if they were involved in a demanding after-school activity and needed some extra homework time, feedback on a paper, take some time and do the work you need to do, you could plan these days accordingly. It promoted long-range planning, communication, and overall, relieved stress. Students reported they valued these personal days immensely and so did parents/guardians in discussions. In my own research, a lot of teachers made this part of their courses but didn't advertise and track it openly as I did. It was a strategy I used in the lab over seven years and surfaced as a controversial discussion in the school during the last two in regard to traditional class expectations, 'why', and 'noise it generates' in other areas of the school.
Another system challenge: An essential element in the lab overall, as we developed systems and assignments in each course, I asked students to challenge them / revise them with me each semester. We all learned from one another. Like the top of the blog says here... "a self-organizing system." We wrapped up all presentations in the rLab 'before' exams. To prep for the final exam itself, students were asked to evaluate the course, the opportunities we explored, and refine and/or create proposals for new assignments. The feedback was thoughtful and led to incredible changes. I'd keep evidence of how assignments were refined each year to show students that their ideas made a difference. This exam practice in the rLab met with a significant amount of resistance internally from some teachers as "unfair" because I wasn't issuing 'traditional' exams. Debates on the topic evolved, practices of other teachers on how they approached exams came forward, and this debate, fortunately, moved forward.
Another topic of debate about the Lab was 'personal days' I gave students as part of their work. The rationale... it's a project-based class, and helping students learn to plan, schedule, calendar, and prioritize is a core function. I issued and tracked three personal days per student per course to take as they needed to study other things with one exception: guest speaker days were mandatory participation. In a personalized learning construct, I felt these personal days made a lot of sense. If a student had an incredibly important test next period, if they were involved in a demanding after-school activity and needed some extra homework time, feedback on a paper, take some time and do the work you need to do, you could plan these days accordingly. It promoted long-range planning, communication, and overall, relieved stress. Students reported they valued these personal days immensely and so did parents/guardians in discussions. In my own research, a lot of teachers made this part of their courses but didn't advertise and track it openly as I did. It was a strategy I used in the lab over seven years and surfaced as a controversial discussion in the school during the last two in regard to traditional class expectations, 'why', and 'noise it generates' in other areas of the school.
Of course, this interdisciplinary focus created challenges to regular constructs of academia: Traditional course restrictions and complaints that I was 'teaching/mentoring out of my 'subject area' surfaced from some academic departments. Students desire to take on a subject self-paced and with professional mentors created enrollment issues for other departments. Over time, some students were not allowed to take on a subject in the Lab as an extension of work in another department. That decision proved debilitating in many ways, unfortunately. Students became locked in in some department to the traditional course offering in a particular time slot - and it's traditional absence of self-paced learning.
Another item that surfaced was 'when' students entered a Lab course. On many occasions, as students were struggling in other classes, I was asked to enter/enroll students, sometimes as late as 3/4 of the way through the semester or year or even later. On one occasions I was asked to enroll a student and give them 'a project' with two weeks left in the semester - when we were actively involved in final presentations. It presented incredible challenges in course flow with this workload. As bookkeeping and narrative assessment goes and ramping up project-based skills... this also proved an immense challenge as it increased in frequency. I was too accommodating with it all in hindsight - an effort to help students, but to enable the school to dump students failing other courses in at the last minute.
Then, complaints, according to administration, started to come in about some teachers who were coming into the Lab during their prep time to look at student projects and help them in their subject area with ideas / as mentors. "Out of contract hours" and "over the maximum number of student" discussions started.
In all, these were timely and a necessary debates and issues in education, especially on the impact personalized learning plans can have, and one that continues to evolve globally I hope.
In all, these were timely and a necessary debates and issues in education, especially on the impact personalized learning plans can have, and one that continues to evolve globally I hope.
Growth work continued.
Here's a link to some of these proposals which led to some great educational growth here at this school and many others. The Lab work also played an important part in the philosophical growth at the school to be much more student-centric with technology.
Perhaps our largest class project, one that resulted from a discussion where students wanted to propose changes to the master schedule, was the 'Student for a Day' (11-minute video documentary short). Teachers became 'students for a day' and explored the schedule from the student perspective. This class project was viewed over 100,000 times and featured in many other blogs and journals like Dangerously Irrelevant, and MindShift. I've lost track of how many schools and individuals inquired about this project and how many we've passed the notes toward. It's well over 100 at this point, and that's encouraging. I've always felt that debate and exploration are essential to avoid stagnation and the train ride of 'business as usual,' especially in education. This project drove thoughtful changes to the schools master schedule (a couple years later), and also promoted these discussions in other places across the country.
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| The BG Light |
Other courses in the rLab? e-Design was a popular graphic design course I designed with students that had students build design skills with their pictures and challenging design projects projects. We learned how to learn through the use of Photoshop, Gimp, and digital photography, research, and address digital archiving now and in the future. I readily promoted students to help other students who had 'figured something out.' This practice promoted peers to learn from each other, build confidence and skill to do so, and get to know their peers better. Building design skills, and addressing the challenge of building their own websites to highlight their personal voice, developing art skills, and interests was key.
Another course, 'Social Media: Senior Seminar,' was a course designed by two students in an rLab project and promoted to the administration for approval. The course helped students explore the challenges emerging in the news, social media, and learning to communicate more effectively. Guest speakers were brought in on a wide variety of topics to help students build interviewing skills and to make professional connections.
The Hardware and Networking course featured a Student Help Desk, building skills to manage home networks, security, devices, mobile phones, operating systems, and did equipment refurbs for students and families in need also was highly successful.
Another course, 'Social Media: Senior Seminar,' was a course designed by two students in an rLab project and promoted to the administration for approval. The course helped students explore the challenges emerging in the news, social media, and learning to communicate more effectively. Guest speakers were brought in on a wide variety of topics to help students build interviewing skills and to make professional connections.
The Hardware and Networking course featured a Student Help Desk, building skills to manage home networks, security, devices, mobile phones, operating systems, and did equipment refurbs for students and families in need also was highly successful.
Our discussions on how technology was shifting education and media revealed continued opportunities for students to look at 'school.' Student project threads kept expanding. Many students continued interest in researching and drafting proposals to improve things at the school including increased interest in revising technology access and equipment, food service dietary and quality changes, and continued inquiries into school schedule changes. More faculty came forward to take part in the next 'Student for a Day' project we were planning.
As I was preparing for my faculty nominated sabbatical, a six-month jaunt around the world to look at innovation in education and also what fosters and prohibits such innovation... the Head of School invited me in for a meeting "to discuss the sabbatical." Since there'd been no discussion on the subject since the award, I was excited to share more of the evolving details on the trip, locations and programs I was headed to see.
The meeting was... something I didn't expect.
"You invite too much student inquiry into the educational process."
I thought it was a joke at first. Turns out it wasn't.
Discussions, I was told, were underway to "eliminate the Tech Research class and its student driven inquiry." My teaching style, mentoring and inquiry driven was called into question because I was "not directly leading instruction." The Lab motion was "causing too many problems in the school." Suddenly, in this meeting, the use of 'student personal days' was being harshly ridiculed - even though the practice had been in place since 2005. The grading mistake mentioned earlier, placing two student grades in the wrong entry slot, was suddenly a large issue again. I was told my work with one student who entered the Lab with two weeks left in the semester, during full project presentations and the scheduled student course review during the exam was "insufficient." My "professionalism" was called into character by "involving student inquiry into school function."
I attempted to reply and was reminded again, "this is not a discussion."
The "new vision" explained to me in that meeting was "to move 'tech' back to a more traditional curriculum." The decision was made to move to a scripted learning environment for kids with online lessons to follow in just a few 'tech' subject areas.
There are, of course, a lot of things I could say here. 'Blindsided' is one. But, it all comes down to one item: Sadly, as many things go in education, even though projects and motion had been approved, celebrated, replicated by others and rewarded internally by offering me such a progressive sabbatical... there was no discussion. No negotiating. Just harsh judgement from one traditionally minded administrator who never spoke to me about the methodology of the Lab, the purpose, never asked for adjustments... or cared to learn. Yes, this was all from the same administrator who approved and heralded the Student for a Day project. I was also informed, should I choose to come back, there would be "no further projects of that nature. Too many parents and students are asking questions about core school functions. Professional adults at the school set programs and initiatives and students follow them."
One sided conversations are just that... ill informed. Odd... teaching student inquiry and then falling victim to a one sided evaluators discussion.
So... perplexed, I was headed out on a six-month sabbatical while the celebrated program we'd built was on the verge of being dismantled. To say I was heartbroken would be an understatement. I was already planning to move toward more interdisciplinary work in the Lab, expanding resources, building a proposal for a new fabrication lab and integrated projects with other departments and other innovative explorations with student mentors globally.
I had no interest in designing a 'scripted learning program' for limited subjects.
It was time to move on.
So, that said, here's to looking back on some more of the great work in the Lab...
We hosted 49 visitors in the Lab from other schools. It was great to hear that many visitors have built upon our assignments, proposals, and spirit of inquiry to make shifts at their own schools. Making the work enduring and having an impact on other schools in this fashion is something I'm proud students here were a part of. This work here informed what became the Winooski iLab, Mt Abraham Horizons Program, and, with visits from legislators and VT Dept of Ed officials, also informed Vermont legislation called Act 77 - Flexible Pathways so I'm told.
It's my hope that the notes here, evolutions, innovations, and student accomplishments help schools and districts on their path to plps, interdisciplinary learning, and the challenges and opportunities they bring.
In all, it was a great ride, and one in so many ways I'm going to miss.
Innovative programs can be fragile, especially when leadership changes occur with nearly polar opposite philosophies.
After having these concepts of interdisciplinary learning reinforced on my sabbatical, and some soul searching, I know it's time to move on. Hey, I have to do something with all that sabbatical research, right? Helping other schools explore the potential in this work is my goal. I decided a couple days ago to take a position at Burlington High School and District in Vermont in Technology Integration and to participate in the Partnership for Change Initiative, Statewide development work, and to dive into more consulting and Adjunct teaching opportunities. I'm setting my sights on new innovation positions in education, and community development.
We'll see where it all leads.
My sincere thanks to the incredible students I've worked with here, to Burr and Burton, Wendy and Barry Rowland, so many peers, the project consultants - the experts called on by the students in their project work, visitors to the Lab, and the incredibly supportive communities here. I'm truly privileged to carry so many lasting friendships into the future.
As with all teachers, it's great to see your students go on and pursue their passions. Something I wished I'd tracked here more diligently is how many students pursued their project choice into a profession. I've lost count how many success stories there truly are as a result of this work.
It likely wraps up over 20 years as a head coach in High School Baseball as well, the last six years here at Burr and Burton. It's time to watch and participate in my own children's athletics for the coming years. Assembling the help of many, we helped rebuild the youth programs in the town, repaired the relationship between the school and the town toward upkeep of the shared facility, built new training infrastructure, grinded out the most wins in school history over a six-year period - so I'm told, and evolved the program into making the State finals three times in the last six years. I had a lot of fun with a lot of great people doing this work.
(coaching update added here in 2014)
As with all teachers, it's great to see your students go on and pursue their passions. Something I wished I'd tracked here more diligently is how many students pursued their project choice into a profession. I've lost count how many success stories there truly are as a result of this work.
It likely wraps up over 20 years as a head coach in High School Baseball as well, the last six years here at Burr and Burton. It's time to watch and participate in my own children's athletics for the coming years. Assembling the help of many, we helped rebuild the youth programs in the town, repaired the relationship between the school and the town toward upkeep of the shared facility, built new training infrastructure, grinded out the most wins in school history over a six-year period - so I'm told, and evolved the program into making the State finals three times in the last six years. I had a lot of fun with a lot of great people doing this work.
(coaching update added here in 2014)
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| rLab (II) 8/2005 - 8/2013 |
I like this picture of the rLab above... a little rough around the edges, minimalist, modern, a super-hero cutout, student-designed diverse workspaces... truly a self-organizing system that constantly evolved based on student feedback and design (as it's always said on the top of the blog here since we started). We rocked a lot of projects there - and kept it minimalist and modern neat.
We made the whole process transparent day-to-day here on this blog over eight years and readily gave the assignments, rubrics, and scaffolding away to many. I'll continue to do so as people request materials. It's been amazing to see how many people and schools have visited this lab over these eight years and then adopted personalized learning plans, and set up programs based on these ideas. I've lost track of how many schools have told us our class proposals have helped them in their journeys as well. We took the motto at the top of the lab seriously... 'A self-organizing system.' Students were empowered to learn how to learn, to make connections to their passions, and inspire change. Students publishing real work to a live audience… we win.
It's tough to close up shop sometimes... but it's also exciting. If I always preached "keep moving forward," to students, I guess I had to heed the same advice.
We made the whole process transparent day-to-day here on this blog over eight years and readily gave the assignments, rubrics, and scaffolding away to many. I'll continue to do so as people request materials. It's been amazing to see how many people and schools have visited this lab over these eight years and then adopted personalized learning plans, and set up programs based on these ideas. I've lost track of how many schools have told us our class proposals have helped them in their journeys as well. We took the motto at the top of the lab seriously... 'A self-organizing system.' Students were empowered to learn how to learn, to make connections to their passions, and inspire change. Students publishing real work to a live audience… we win.
It's tough to close up shop sometimes... but it's also exciting. If I always preached "keep moving forward," to students, I guess I had to heed the same advice.
So keep learning, achieve new levels of collaboration, and please do keep in touch. I'm easy to find on the web ; )
If you want to talk about building opportunities like these or others, let me know! I love exploring and helping others build and explore these innovative personalized learning lab constructs and how they can help schools evolve systems. Sharing the good, bad, and ugly of it all has immense value. It was a learning process for all involved. It pushed the boundaries of traditional school and systems in thought-provoking ways. Pursuing more consulting opportunities to help build these ideas and promote growth in other places in these areas is one of my goals.
On to new and exciting challenges and to develop this work further in more places.
To all the students and peers who dove in here to explore something different... we did something incredible and I hope, sincerely, that it helped you build your future.
Thanks for tuning in,
I always did love the iconic sign-off from the late CBS News Anchor Walter Cronkite. I always felt it was a fitting way to end the day and time here that now moves into history...
"And that's the way it is," the close of my role in the rLab at BBA, Friday, August, 23rd, 2013...
On to new and exciting challenges and to develop this work further in more places.
To all the students and peers who dove in here to explore something different... we did something incredible and I hope, sincerely, that it helped you build your future.
Thanks for tuning in,
