Project Evaluation
_
Determining
the success of the project
Success of the project will be determined by the level of engagement of students in the investigation; growth in students’ ability to ask and refine questions; debate ideas; make predictions; design plans, collect andanalyze data; draw conclusions; and create a product to communicate their ideas and findings to others. Other factors for determining success will be whether students have learned the curriculum as stated in the standards; learned how to utilize technology, work with community members, and work effectively as a team.
Assessment of student learning
Ongoing assessment will be woven into the project providing descriptive feedback and will utilize a range of methods, including peer and self-evaluation.
At the end of the project, student teams will present to an audience of community experts, parents, and peers. They will be assessed on their knowledge and product, as well as work habits and thinking skills. Existing or newly developed rubrics will define how well students perform at four performance levels from advanced to novice. Profiles will describe students as they apply knowledge and skills defined in benchmarks for Collaboration, Productivity, Critical & Creative Thinking, Digital Storytelling, and Research.
Future plans for expansion, continuation, replication, sharing
Sharing – This project will be a part of the Missoula County Public Schools 21st Century Initiative. Through the MCPS commitment to transform its schools and programs to better meet the needs of 21st century teachers and students, the project will be an “early adopter” example of place-based teaching and learning. To that end, there will be a venue to share this project with the district’s K-12 teachers.
Continuation and Expansion – The project is an inquiry-based alternative to the existing 3rd grade unit on Missoula history. The curriculum will be published and disseminated to the school district’s 3rd grade teachers, potentially reaching the district’s 525 3rd graders.
Replication – The essence of this project is student-led historical research focusing on the stories of a group of people joined by a common bond that they were children during a particular time in history. The process described in this project can be replicated across place and time and implemented across grade levels.
Success of the project will be determined by the level of engagement of students in the investigation; growth in students’ ability to ask and refine questions; debate ideas; make predictions; design plans, collect andanalyze data; draw conclusions; and create a product to communicate their ideas and findings to others. Other factors for determining success will be whether students have learned the curriculum as stated in the standards; learned how to utilize technology, work with community members, and work effectively as a team.
Assessment of student learning
Ongoing assessment will be woven into the project providing descriptive feedback and will utilize a range of methods, including peer and self-evaluation.
At the end of the project, student teams will present to an audience of community experts, parents, and peers. They will be assessed on their knowledge and product, as well as work habits and thinking skills. Existing or newly developed rubrics will define how well students perform at four performance levels from advanced to novice. Profiles will describe students as they apply knowledge and skills defined in benchmarks for Collaboration, Productivity, Critical & Creative Thinking, Digital Storytelling, and Research.
Future plans for expansion, continuation, replication, sharing
Sharing – This project will be a part of the Missoula County Public Schools 21st Century Initiative. Through the MCPS commitment to transform its schools and programs to better meet the needs of 21st century teachers and students, the project will be an “early adopter” example of place-based teaching and learning. To that end, there will be a venue to share this project with the district’s K-12 teachers.
Continuation and Expansion – The project is an inquiry-based alternative to the existing 3rd grade unit on Missoula history. The curriculum will be published and disseminated to the school district’s 3rd grade teachers, potentially reaching the district’s 525 3rd graders.
Replication – The essence of this project is student-led historical research focusing on the stories of a group of people joined by a common bond that they were children during a particular time in history. The process described in this project can be replicated across place and time and implemented across grade levels.