20 Reflective Questions To Help Students Respond To Common Core Texts. Critical Assessment Ideas from PBL World. I had a great time at the PBL World Conference in so many ways: as a presenter, as a panelist, as a listener, as a collaborator, and even as the subject of art. (Now, that is something I would never, ever have guessed!) Everyone took away his or her own ideas for implementing PBL projects, but one theme I noticed throughout the entire conference was assessment. Assessment remains a challenge for many of us who do PBL, but I left the conference feeling more confident not only in the assessment practices I have done, but also in generally accepted best practices.
Here are some of my big takeaways: Assess 21st Century Skills There were many "deep-dive" sessions on teaching and assessing 21st century skills, from critical thinking to creativity and innovation. Assess Process and Product It is crucial to assess not only the product of a PBL project, but also the process along the way. Authentic Assessment Embed Standardized Assessments Presentation poster from 2013 PBL World Conference. FreeBIEs.
Common Core State Standards. 5 Mobile Apps To Help Teachers & Students Adapt To The Common Core Standards. 5 Mobile Apps To Help Teachers & Students Adapt To The Common Core Standards It’s easier to get where we are going if we are all working off the same map. At least that’s the premise behind Common Core, a detailed K-12 curriculum intended to implement a uniform set of academic standards among learners nationwide. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia have already adopted the curriculum, according to the Common Core State Standards Initiative.
Virginia, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, Alaska and Puerto Rico have not yet adopted the Common Core. Common Core Praise & Criticism Proponents say the shared curriculum helps teachers focus their classroom instruction with particular goals and outcomes in mind. Critics, however, have voiced concerns over a possible “one-size fits all” approach to learning. In general, though, Common Core has drawn praise from both educators and industry leaders. 1. The Common Core is more than just a broad outline of educational objectives. 2. 3. 4. 5.