COM 0349.736 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

J Nei 2007 ,_(~~~eGcaae, Connections Intermediate Level Project Based Learning Action Reseazch Plan The object of this plan is to assess the degree, to which Connections Public Charter School has historically incorporated interdisciplinary projects into its curriculum, how successful they may have been, student reaction to this approach, and how intermediate grades can more fully embrace this educational approach as a theme for the future. The History of Interdisciplinary Projects at Connections The idea of project based learning had been a topic of interest and discussion for some time at Connection's Public Charter School. Initially the idea of project based learning was proposed as a goal for the high school. The thought was that a purely project based curriculum was a desirable goal that would incorporate content standazds from all disciplines, allowing individual students the opportunity to pursue topics of interest to them. Under the supervision of a teacher/mentor and input from all content area teachers, the student's work would undergo periodic reviews with each teacher making suggestions as to how they might best meet the requirements of necessary Hawaii State Content Standards. A review of the literature regarding this concept and a visit to Kihei Charter High School on Maui where they have developed project based Teaming through all grade levels encouraged us that this approach was an innovative and desirable educational foal to pursue. N v, The idea of a project based curriculum in the intermediate grades was a concept that had not been as vigorously pursued. It was a something that had been talked about bilt' hadn't been formulated or shaped into a plan. We knew that project based learning asv proposed for the high school wasn't as applicable to the middle grades, but it still had elements that we felt were desirable and could be incorporated.