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Apple Distinguished Educators and Challenge Based Learning
= = =How do you take your elementary school on a journey through challenge based learning?=   =The Big Idea:=

Personalized Learning

=Essential Question:=

Utilizing challenge based learning to improve personalized learning in the elementary classroom.

=The Challenge:=

How do you take your elementary school on a journey through challenge based learning?

=Guiding Questions:=

Students:

 * How do you make the learning meaningful and appropriate?
 * How do we make the learning relevant and attainable?
 * How do we make the shift to kids taking ownership of their learning vs. teachers directing?How do we help students know how they learn best?How do we help students learn to work with groups?

Teachers:

 * How do you encourage parents to support the CBL process?
 * How do you make the learning meaningful and appropriate?
 * How do we make the learning relevant and attainable?
 * What professional development is needed?
 * How do teachers facilitate the CBL process?
 * How do we meet standards across multiple subjects? Do we need to?
 * How do we modify/use the CBL structure and still satisfy state/local standards/mandates?What are some of the supports that teachers would need in order to do challenge based learning with teachers?

Administrators:

 * How do we help teachers see that there IS time?
 * How do we explain that this can meet the same goals as the traditional teaching to both teachers and the community? Helping teachers understand this isn't in //addition// to everything they're already doing but rather is used //instead// of some of the traditional teaching methods. What professional development is needed?
 * Where do we gather data that CBL works in the elementary school? How do we disseminate the CBL data to other teachers?

Logistics:

 * How do you attain 24/7 access for students?
 * How can CBL survive on a 6/5 (school day)?
 * What resources do we need to get them started?
 * What hardware is needed?What software is needed?

=Guiding Activities=
 * Review CBL pilot program data
 * Interview elementary teachers already using CBL
 * Develop a structure for implementation and support at primary and intermediate grades
 * Interview students about personalized learning.Interview teachers who have implemented challenge based learning projects. Exploring ways to help students understand how they learn best.Explore ways to help parents understand the personalized learning process.
 * Search for a model at the high school level in order to use as a framework and adapt Yes, and perhaps Challenge Based Learning needs to be piloted in elementary schools so that data can be gathered.
 * Look at CBL draft guide. Decide if it needs to be worded differently or changed for K-6.
 * What are the reality tv shows that give people challenges?

=Guiding Resources=
 * Seeds UES/UCLA & Pac Bell 21st Century Literacies: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/21stcent/information.html
 * http://www.nmc.org/pdf/Challenge-Based-Learning.pdf
 * http://challengebasedlearning.com//

=Solutions=
 * Modify the CBL draft guide to address needs specific to an elementary setting, including developmentally appropriate examples.
 * Create a wiki for ongoing collaboration.

=Assessment=