1. Why Assignments Matter in Career-Technical Classrooms
Advanced Career
Why Assignments Matter in Career-Technical Classrooms
Gene Bottoms
Senior Vice President
Southern Regional Education Board
Work:
Cell:
Southern Regional
Education Board
Wednesday 830 am ACTE 2013

2. What do you see in this picture?
A picture of a bridge left standing after a storm hit one of the Caribbean Islands.
The storm changed the course of the river.
Two years were spent trying to redirect the river back under the bridge.
Do we often focus educational policy on the world as we desire it to be?
As you look at the following data slides, do we need to modify the educational and work bridge?
Wednesday 830 am ACTE 2013

3. The best case for relooking at assignments in career-technical classrooms is to look at what happens to young men.
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4. Failure to Launch Declining employment Stagnant earnings
Delayed career launch
Declining employment
Stagnant earnings
Educational Deficits
Decline of school-based learn-and-earn programs reduce the number of high schools participating in planned worked study.
Declining employment opportunities for men in high paying blue collar jobs and new opportunities require a different set of skills.
International competition created a flat world and flat earnings for traditional jobs.
Males did not adjust to the new workplace requirements.
Source: Failure to Launch; Anthony P. Carnevale, Andrew R. Hanson, Artem Gulish, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University, 2013
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5. 1980
2010
In 1980, men reached the median wage at age 26. In 2010 men reached median wage at age 30.
Source: Failure to Launch; Anthony P. Carnevale, Andrew R. Hanson, Artem Gulish, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University, 2013
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6. In 1980, 80 percent of the males were participating in the labor force
In 1980, 80 percent of the males were participating in the labor force. By 2010, participant rates of young men working full time dropped to 65 percent.
Source: Failure to Launch; Anthony P. Carnevale, Andrew R. Hanson, Artem Gulish, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University, 2013

7. Source: Failure to Launch; Anthony P. Carnevale, Andrew R
Source: Failure to Launch; Anthony P. Carnevale, Andrew R. Hanson, Artem Gulish, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University, 2013
Over the past 30 years, young men’s earning have declined relative to average wage growth. Between 1980 and 1990, young men earned 85 cents for each dollars of the average wage; by 2011, they earned 58 cents on the dollar.
In 1981, the annual wage gap between young and prime-age workers was $13,000; by 2008, the gap increased to 46 percent to $19,000.

8. The full- and part-time employment rate of 25 to 29 year-old men fell from 94 percent to 85 percent between 2000 and 2012.
The age group’s rate of full-time employment fell even more, from 80 percent to 65 percent — a drop more than twice the decline experienced by women in the same age group. (a 15 percent decline for men versus a 6 percent decline for women)
Source: Failure to Launch; Anthony P. Carnevale, Andrew R. Hanson, Artem Gulish, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University, 2013
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9. The percentage of young men employed in STEM and managerial/professional office between 1980 and 2010 remained consistent.
The percentages of young men employed in food and personal service occupations grew from 10 percent in 1980 to 18 percent in 2010.
Further, the percentages of young men employed in sales/office support grew from 16 percent to 23 percent between 1980 and 2010.
In 1980, 54 percent of the young men were employed in blue collar occupations. By 2010, this had dropped to 36 percent.
Many of the men in blue collar occupations, were left without the informational and learning skills necessary to adapt to the new opportunities.
Source: Failure to Launch; Anthony P. Carnevale, Andrew R. Hanson, Artem Gulish, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University, 2013
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10. It was in the 1980s that the number of 18 to 24-year old young women began to exceed the number of males enrolled in postsecondary studies. Young women’s postsecondary enrollment and attainment have been growing faster than young men since the early 1980s, and, in the early 1990s, young women surpassed young men in postsecondary enrollment. Since then, the gender enrollment gap has grown even wider.
As the long-term structural economic shift took place, some postsecondary education and training became necessary to secure access to high-paying occupations, particularly in the managerial/professional office, STEM and health care professionals/technical fields.
It appears that women were in pursuit of these opportunities at a greater rate than were young men.
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11. Source: Failure to Launch; Anthony P. Carnevale, Andrew R
Source: Failure to Launch; Anthony P. Carnevale, Andrew R. Hanson, Artem Gulish, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University, 2013
In 1980, 24 percent of the young men completed a bachelor’s degree between the ages of 25 and 29 years old. By 2010, that had increased to 28 percent.
In contrast, 21 percent of the women in 1980, completed a BA degree and by 2010 that had grown to 36 percent.
Young men have made less progress in educational attainment relative to women over the past three decades.
Young men with a BA or higher increased by four percentage points between 1980 and 2010 — from 24 percent to 28 percent.
The share of young women with a BA degree or higher increased from 21 percent in 1980 to 36 percent in 2010.Young women have been more responsive — relative to men — to labor market signals about the increasing value of postsecondary education.

12. Source: Failure to Launch; Anthony P. Carnevale, Andrew R
Source: Failure to Launch; Anthony P. Carnevale, Andrew R. Hanson, Artem Gulish, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University, 2013
Just a comparison, the unemployment rate for young adults under 25 years old in the U. S. is 16.2 percent. In Germany, it is 7.7 percent. The German apprenticeship system accounted for much of this difference. A system that we are not likely to adapt in this country. Early on, German youth get opportunities to participate in the labor force through a formal training system.
While U. S. youth participation in original work study programs has been declining.

13. Surveys: Employers have too few and too many qualified workers
Advanced Career
Surveys: Employers have too few and too many qualified workers
A recent survey from the Society for Human Resources Management shows that 66 percent of firms that are hiring have trouble finding workers for specific positions — up from 52 percent in 2011 to 60 percent in 2013
A headline in a recent U. S. News and World Report article, states today’s quandary. Employers have too few and too many qualified workers.
A recent survey from the Society for Human Resources Management shows that 66 percent of firms that are hiring are having trouble finding workers for specific positions — up from 52 percent in 2011 to 60 percent in 2013.
In other words, a lot of qualified people are applying, but they do not have the technical skills sets needed for the jobs that are available.
Source: U. S. News and World Report.com/news/articles, 03/28/13
Southern Regional
Education Board
Wednesday 830 am ACTE 2013

14. Advanced Career
Recovery Uneven
The U. S. job recovery is proceeding on two separate tracks — with the young, less educated and unemployed seeing hardly any rebound.
This November 12 Wall Street Journal article points out the continuing quandary. Job recovery is proceeding on two separate tracks, with the young, less-educated and unemployed seeing hardly any rebounds.
Source: The Wall Street Journal November 12, 2013
Southern Regional
Education Board
Wednesday 830 am ACTE 2013

15. Changes Since October 2010 in the Number of Jobs in Select Industries, in Thousands
Where are today’s jobs?
From this recent chart in the November 12 Wall Street Journal, since October 2010, over one million jobs have been filled in the accommodation and food service industry. These are jobs that pay between $10 and $20 per hour — 31,200.
The next largest group of jobs was in administrative, waste service with almost one million jobs. These paid between $10 and $20 per hour — 31,200.
Again, almost one million jobs are added in the health care, social assistance industry paying $20 to $30 — 52,000 — per hour; while the retail trades added about 800,000 new jobs paying between $10 and $20 per hour — 31,200.
About 700,000 jobs were added in the professional, technical services area, and these jobs paid $30 to $40 per hour — 72,000.
Almost 600,000 jobs were added in the temporary help services area paying between $10 and $20 per hour — 31,000.
Between the durable goods manufacturing and manufacturing, there were roughly 800,000 jobs added paying between $20 and $30 per hour — 52,000.
In the construction and wholesale trades there were roughly 700,000 jobs added paying between $20 and $30 per hour.
Financial Services added about 200,000 jobs paying $20 to $30 per hour — 52,000.
Management of companies added less than 200,000 jobs paying between $30 and $40 per hour — 72,000.
Of all the new jobs added since 2010, roughly 3.4 million were in the $10 to $20 per hour range. Yet these jobs are being filled by older folks, retirees and others — 31,200 avg.
Roughly 3.4 million are in jobs paying $20 to $40 per hour and most of these require either college preparation or some specialized training beyond high school — 52,000 to 72,000 avg.
One half will require bachelor degrees or advanced training.
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Source: The Wall Street Journal, November 12, 2013

16. Getting Serious About Preparing Students for Middle-Skill Jobs
Advanced Career
Getting Serious About Preparing Students for Middle-Skill Jobs
47% of all new job openings from 2010 to 2020 will fall into the middle-skill range
Source: Harvard Business Review, 2012/12, Who Can Fix the “Middle Skills” Gap?
Many employers struggle to fill certain types of vacancies, especially for so-called middle-skill jobs. In computer technology, nursing high-skill manufacturing, and other fields – that require postsecondary technical education, training, and in some cases, advanced degrees.
Southern Regional
Education Board
Wednesday 830 am ACTE 2013

17. Advanced Career
Breaking Out of the Low-Skill Trap Percentage of Jobs Requiring Some PSE
Today
2020
U. S.
59%
66%
+7%
Anthony P. Carnevale, Nicole Smith, July 2012
Do you prepare for the jobs you want or the jobs you have?
Do you prepare youth for the jobs available with the foundational skills necessary to grow into higher-skill jobs as low-skill jobs phase out?
Southern Regional
Education Board
Wednesday 830 am ACTE 2013

18. Why is there declining access for young men in the 21st century?
Southern Regional
Education Board
Wednesday 830 am ACTE 2013

19. America Education’s Missing Middle
Middle jobs
Optional robust pathways
Counseling for careers
Work-based learning
Challenging assignments
Quality CT
Rising workplace requirements for middle-skill jobs
Learning how to use technology and software to complete projects
Building partnership to prepare students for middle-skill jobs
Source: Failure to Launch; Anthony P. Carnevale, Andrew R. Hanson, Artem Gulish, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University, 2013
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20. Employer Response to Current Offerings at CT Centers
Advanced Career
Employer Response to Current Offerings at CT Centers
What’s wrong with manufacturing programs at CT Centers — machine tool, industrial maintenance, computerized manufacturing, metal fabrication?
Do not employ graduates because:
Technology is old.
They lack skills to manage automated technology.
They lack foundational learning skills.
They lack trouble-shooting/problem-solving skills.
They lack digital skills.
They lack team skills.
When a manufacturer was recently asked about current manufacturing programs at the local CT Center, the response included many reasons why graduates of the program were not hired:
Technology is old.
They lack skills to manage automated technology.
They lack foundational learning skills.
They lack trouble-shooting/problem-solving skills.
They lack digital skills.
Oftentimes, we try to move the flow of water back under the bridge by reestablishing the old 1970 model of Voc Ed by teaching procedural skills rather than changing the nature of CT curriculum and instruction to develop problem-solving, foundational learning skills — research, applied mathematics, literacy —project management team work. The new workplace requires that old programs be re-tooled and repurposed, teachers retrained and programs be developed in line with the merging labor market opportunities that will require continued learning at the postsecondary level.
We cannot met the needs of most employers with the old traditional approach to CT by preparing students to follow a set or procedures. We need persons who can analyze the problem and can determine what needs to be done.
This requires a shift from procedural-based instruction to authentic project- and problem-based instruction that engages students to apply a blend of technical, academic, thinking and soft skills to complete.
This will require the core foundational literacy skills to read, interpret and comprehend the technical materials , an understanding of the mathematical applications required to complete assignments, and the use of digital technology and software to complete assignments.
Southern Regional
Education Board
Wednesday 830 am ACTE 2013

21. What should we do about it?
Southern Regional
Education Board
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22. Opportunities Optional Pathways Challenging Assignments
What are possible strands to add to this bridge that will connect high school youth to work opportunities and to postsecondary studies?
Link the college-ready pathway with a strong career focus.
Develop a new pathway that combines a college-ready and career-ready pathway that ties together Advanced Career studies with a college-preparatory core with some math and science options. These options would be driven by the nature of the career field.
The third optional pathway would take those existing career and technical programs for which there are jobs and prepare teachers to refocus student assignments around authentic work-related projects that will require students to use foundational learning skills of literacy and math to learn and apply digital technology and software, to research technical manuals, to develop a work plan, to evaluate work and redo if necessary..
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23. What will be the impact of challenging assignments?
Of students reporting having challenging assignments in CT courses in 2010 and 2012, 15 to 20 percent more students met reading, math and science college-readiness goals when compared with a matched sample of students who did not have such a CT experience.
Unfortunately, only about one-third of CT students experienced robust assignments. This is a clear indication of the need to develop and enhance CT courses that are intellectually demanding and taught by teachers who know how to support students in completing challenging assignments that require productive struggle.
States need to support the adoption and development of more AP-like CT courses with the curriculum products, training and assessment that will ensure quality and scalability from one school to another and that results in higher high school graduation rates and readiness for both college and careers for more students.
Source: HSTW Assessment
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24. No Rigorous CT (Matched Sample)
What do challenging CT assignments look like? Indicators Used to Define Robust Assignments
Had Rigorous CT
No Rigorous CT (Matched Sample)
n = 7980
1. Develop a logical argument for your solution to a problem or project.
70%
13%
2. Make inferences from information provided to develop a solution for a problem or project. 77 15
3. Use math to solve complex problems related to my CT area. 70 19
4. Apply academic knowledge and skills to my CT area. 90 33
Source: HSTW Assessment
Note: No Rigorous CT is demographically matched to Had Rigorous CT.
If a student reported having at least four or more of these experiences, we classified them as having a robust CT experience. About one-third of students had these experiences.
When students were asked a series of questions about their experiences in their CT classes, note the big difference in the percentage of students who were classified as having rigorous experiences compared with similar students who did not have a rigorous experience on eight indicators.
Indicators 1 and 2 get at the cognitive development of students to think, to design, to research, to formulate a problem, to develop a thoughtful solution to the problem, to make their case both orally and in writing.
Item 3 and 4 require students to make application of literacy, math and science skills to complete an assignment.
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25. No Rigorous CT (Matched Sample)
What do challenging CT assignments look like? Indicators Used to Define Robust Assignments
Had Rigorous CT
No Rigorous CT (Matched Sample)
n = 7980
5. Apply technical knowledge and skills to new situation.
90%
33%
6. Develop and test hypothesis. 73 6
7. Complete an extended project that requires planning, developing a solution or product and presenting the results orally or in writing. 17
8. Use computer skills to complete an assignment or project in their CT classes at least weekly. 59 28
Source: HSTW Assessment
Note: No Rigorous CT is demographically matched to Had Rigorous CT.
Item 5 deals with application of technical knowledge and skills to a variety of career-related assignments around work-related projects and problems.
Item 6 is about using the engineering, scientific or other problems solving processes.
Item 7 deals with having students complete an extended project that requires planning, developing a solution or a product and presenting the results orally or in writing.
Item 8 engages students in completing assignments using computer skills and other modern technology to complete assignments in CT classes.
Taken together, these indicators reflect that students were having learning experiences that required them to use their academic, cognitive and technical skills and technology to complete challenging authentic work-related assignments. It provides an opportunity for students to begin to test out their own interests, aptitudes and aspirations in the context of their broad career fields.
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26. Source: 2012 TCTW Assessment
This scatter plot of all Technology Centers That Work sites by reading scores on the 2012 HSTW Assessment and by the percentage of students having rigorous career/technical studies shows a positive correlation between a site’s mean reading scores and the percentage of students experiencing rigorous career/technical assignments.
This scatter plot is composed of 163 TCTW schools that participated in the 2012 Assessment.
The line in the middle of the scatter plot is the line of best fit to determine a correlation.
Source: 2012 TCTW Assessment
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27. Source: 2012 TCTW Assessment
This scatter plot is composed of 163 TCTW schools that participated in the 2012 assessment
This scatter plot of all Technology Centers That Work sites by schools’ average mathematics scores on the 2012 HSTW Assessment and the percentage of students having rigorous career/technical studies shows a positive correlation between a site’s mean math scores and the percentage of students experiencing rigorous career/technical assignments.
The line in the middle of the scatter plot is the line of best fit to determine a correlation.
Source: 2012 TCTW Assessment
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28. Source: 2012 TCTW Assessment
This scatter plot is composed of 163 TCTW schools that participated in the 2012 Assessment.  
This scatter plot of all Technology Centers That Work sites by schools’ science scores on the 2012 HSTW Assessment and the percentage of students having Rigorous Career/Technical Studies shows a positive correlation between a site’s mean science scores and the percentage of students experiencing rigorous career/technical assignments.
The line in the middle of the scatter plot is the line of best fit to determine a correlation.
Source: 2012 TCTW Assessment
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29. # of Indicators Involved in Assignment
Interview of Students at Columbia Montour CT Center in Pennsylvania Validates Student Survey
# of Indicators Involved in Assignment 1.
Designed a commercial kitchen
7 of 8 2.
Completed a forensics analysis
8 of 8 3.
Did clinical work at a nursing home
5 of 8 4.
Designed a car for drag racing 5.
Designed a computer game
4 of 8 6.
Designed a graduation announcement 7.
Did a cosmetology internship
Interviews of students at Columbia Montour CT Center in Pennsylvania revealed that more students at this school are getting more rigorous assignments that are reflective of the eight indicators than is true at other Technology Centers That Work schools. Of the 13 senior students interviewed, five of them could name and describe a rigorous assignment, that involved seven or eight of the indicators. The interview with students revealed that different teachers provide more complex assignments that result in much greater productive struggle for students than do some other CT teachers. This is certainly true across the network. Columbia Montour teaches most of its students the college-ready academic core but in addition to that, more than 60 percent of its students report having assignments that involve at least four more of the indicators.
It would appear that any technology center director that wants to increase the percentages of students who meet college- and career-ready standards and who can meet the requirements of the new career-readiness standards for the workplace would serve their students well if they developed, with their teachers, a set of indicators for good assignments and to check to see if those assignments and assessments reflect the criteria. Any career/technical director or assistant director or principal of a technical center who takes the time to look at teacher assignments, to provide feedback to the teacher, who takes the time to visit classrooms and probe students about assignments, will send a powerful messages about the type of assignments that matter.
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30. # of Indicators Involved in Assignment
Interview of Students at Columbia Montour CT Center in Pennsylvania Validates Student Survey
# of Indicators Involved in Assignment 8.
Study of cerebral palsy
6 of 8 9.
Internship in a hotel
10.
Study of spray tanning
4 of 8
11.
Landscaping project for a local restaurant
8 of 8
12.
Designing and building a radio
13.
Planning a wedding event with a set budget
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31. Interviews with Students at Other CT Centers
Students with Robust Assignments
Middle Bucks Institute of Technology
63%
Erie County Technical School 60
Monroe Career & Technical Institute 57
Unnamed 23 13
During the interviews students were asked to focus on the hardest or most challenging assignments that they had in their CT program. Then they were asked the following questions:
What was it? What did you have to do? What made it hard/challenging?
Did you have to solve a problem? Did you have to research or discover how others solved the problem?
Did you have to use any math, calculate costs or develop a business plan, test and analyze results?
Explain how you used knowledge from your academic classes in this assignment.
How did you apply what you learned in your CTE program to this assignment?
What types of technology did you use? Presentations, videos…..
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32. Examples from Middle Bucks Institute of Technology, PA
Digital Media - Wrote and published an ebook titled A Student’s Perspective on Public Education, which required learning new software, researching primary sources, interviewing sources, writing to publication standards, developing and testing hypothesis, and collaborating with others.
Drafting and Design - Created a complete set of plans and CAD drawings of a summer home renovation project for a real client, which required learning new software, interviewing client, creating renderings, researching building codes, and presenting final work for client approval.
Interviews of students at Middle Bucks Institute of Technology revealed that more students at this school are getting more rigorous assignments that are reflective of the eight indicators than is true at other Technology Centers That Work schools. Of the nine students interviewed, eight of them could name and describe a rigorous assignment, which involved seven or eight of the indicators. The interview with students revealed that different teachers provide more complex assignments that result in much greater productive struggle for students than do other teachers. Some examples of these projects were:
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33. Examples from Erie County CTC, PA
Health Assistant – Senior project - Choose a disease and create a 3-D model comparing healthy and damaged nerve cells. This project required researching, analysis of information, writing a paper, interviewing adults, presenting to an audience, creating visual aids, and using technology.
Culinary Arts – Menu design senior project – Plan an entire menu for a restaurant of choice. All dishes had to fit a theme, be original, and taste tested (gathered data). Preparation cost was calculated. Menu had to have a balance of items including gluten-free food and dishes for people with common food allergies. Gluten food allergies had to be researched before the dishes were developed. The menu had to be artfully designed to match the restaurant theme.
Eleven students were interviewed at Erie County CTC, of these ten could describe a rigorous assignment, which involved six to eight the criteria. Some examples of these projects were:
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34. Examples from Monroe County CTC, PA
Landscape design – Design a plan for landscaping a property assigned by the teacher. The design had to reflect plants for the area’s climate, root systems (how big they would grow), maintenance and appearance. The plan had to be drawn to scale and provide a detailed cost estimate.
Electronics – Designed a digital clock circuit from scratch, which required programming chips, testing, troubleshooting, and redesign.
Ten students were interviewed at Monroe County CTC. All of them could describe a rigorous assignment, which involved four or more of the indicators.
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35. Middle Bucks
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36. Unnamed Center
None of the seniors from one of the unnamed centers could describe a project that required four or more of the criteria to complete.
Each student also answered a survey regarding their frequency of the following experiences in their CT classes (see Charts 1-6):
Used computer software or other technology related to my CT area to complete assignments
Use math to solve complex problems related to my CT area
Develop a logical argument for your solution to a problem or project
Apply academic knowledge and skills to my CT area
Make inferences from information provided to develop a solution for a problem or project
Complete an extended project that requires planning, developing a solution or product and presenting the results orally or in writing
Develop and test hypothesis
Apply technical knowledge and skills to new situation
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37. How could we formulate assignments that are authentic, and require students to apply a mix of thinking, academic, technical, technology, software, and 21st-century skills to complete?
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38. What are the criteria for a quality CT assignment?
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39. What do these indicators look like in a class?
Let’s create a set of “look fors” with questions when looking at a CT class.
Using a modified Carousel Brainstorming
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40. (What are Students Doing?) Questions to Ask Students
Sample
Develop a logical argument for your solution to a problem or project.
Look Fors
(What are Students Doing?)
Questions to Ask Students
Students work in teams (cooperative learning)
Why did you choose this solution?
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41. Learning the Indicators
Divide up into groups (count off by eights)
Each group goes to one of the eight
Two minutes
“Look fors” when walking into a classroom
Questions you might ask students
Rotate/Repeat
When back to you original review and report out
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42. Goals/Expected Outcomes
What do we walk out of here with…. Redo an assignment or create a new one…
Project enhancement that includes: reading, mathematics, science
Purposeful inclusion of ‘habits of success’/employability skills
Tap ideas from industry and postsecondary stakeholders
Providing students with rigorous Career-Technical Education embedded with college and career ready academic standards and 21st Century skills to for preparation for Middle Skill, high demand, and high wage careers that will provide the students resources needed to support a family of four.
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43. Group Norms and Housekeeping
Participate
Listen with an open mind
Ask questions
Limit side bars
Housekeeping:
Phone calls
Blackberries
Restrooms
Breaks
Lunch
Punctuality
Parking lot
Other Norms?
Show slide, Group Norms and Housekeeping, and let participants know the expected behaviors for the training.
Tell participants that there is a Parking Lot flip chart page posted for them to list any questions, concerns, or suggestions anonymously on a post-it note. Tell participants that any discussion points that have to be temporarily “tabled” will be posted here for review at the end of the training.

44. Parking Lot Opportunity for Change
Questions
Suggestions
-Another quality tool, the parking lot is a non-threatening method of communication between seminar participants and the facilitator.
-Encourage people to use post-its and “park” their questions,etc. as they arise.
This will reduce disruptions during the workshop.
SHARE IT AS A CLASSROOM TOOL!
Opportunity for
Change
Follow-up
At this point, break into
storming groups using
folder, cards, etc…I make
it random. 9

45. Introductions Table Team Resume
Enhanced CT Programs ~ Participant Introductions
Table Team Resume
Directions: Your table team represents an incredible array of talents and experiences! In order to identify and appreciate your team’s resources, please create a “group resume”. It should include any information that promotes the group as a whole. Ideas could include:
Be ready to post your creation on provided flipchart paper and present to larger group…
Thank you!
 educational background
 knowledge about discipline and teaching and…
 total years of professional experience
 major accomplishments
 professional skills
 hobbies, travel, family
 as a bonus, fun hidden talents!
Adapted from M. Silberman and K. Lawson; 101 Ways to Make Training Active; 1995; Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer
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46. Assignment Criteria Authentic and Complex
Problem-Solving/Design Process
Current Technology and Software
21st–century skills
Reading, research and written documentation to support solution
High School math skills to complete a complex problem
Scientific concepts involved when appropriate
Assessments both formative and summative
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47. Examining Quality CT Assignments
Use the provided checklist to assess your assignment
Do a gaps analysis
Be prepared to report your findings
Participants are asked to bring an assignment they will give in the next nine weeks of teaching;
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48. Where do we start?
Assess project descriptions provided to you and answer:
Do students use one of the problem-solving/design processes?
Are literacy, math and science required to complete the project?
Are several technical skills needed to be applied in completing the project?
Will students need to use current business/industry technology and software?
Are 21st-century skills implied or explicit in the project?
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49. Reflection
On the index card provided, respond to the following questions around good assignments:
What squares with my thinking?
What is rolling around in my mind?
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50. Buck Institute for Education The Six A’s of PBL
Authenticity
Academic rigor
Assessment
Applied learning
Active exploration
Adult relationships
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51. Step One– Brainstorming Ideas and Develop Initial Draft of Project Idea
What authentic project will take 15 to 30 days to complete and require students to master technical, academic and 21st Century skills to complete successfully?
Before moving to activity ask them:
Why would you want to do this:
Connect students to their future career.
Shows them why I need to know this
Deepens academic learning
Students that need motivation are more engaged what they can make connections.
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52. Project Ideas/Scenarios
Brainstorm possible project ideas/scenarios – a Title and brief description. –
Next task will be to develop a project description.
First – CTE teachers Need to explain what large chunks of instruction is covered by quarters.
Then the teams will chart project ideas/scenarios using the affinity Diagram Process – Chart recorder needs to record on chart paper and computer recorder needs to record on file.
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53. Developing the Project Idea:
Develop three project ideas from your list and develop draft project description. Record on Chart Paper
Project Title
Critical Focus Question(s)
Brief, three-sentence description of what students will need to perform or produce and the authentic role they will play.
The items in red are the parts they will complete first.
They will choose an authentic work-place project.
Write an critical focus question that will guide teaching and learning and student engagement.
Develop the description of what students will produce or perform
But first let’s look at essential questions:
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54. The Critical Focus Question
Should cause students begin to inquiry and become engaged in the project
Should be able to be answered through a variety of solutions
Should not be answered by a simple “yes” or “no”
Should cause students to make connections to prior learning and personal experiences
Should be important over an extended period of time and transferable to other situations.
NOTE TO TRAINERS: We are now asking teachers to compose a Critical Focus Question for ALL Tasks written. This work helps teachers eliminate assignments that are weak and not worthy of a Teaching Task.
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55. Step 2 Project Description Template
Project Title:
Critical Focus Question:
You are a (insert a real-workplace role).
You are faced with (insert a problem).
You must (insert what must be done to solve the problem).
Once you have decided on a course of action, you will (insert an opportunity for presentation to an authentic audience).
The intent here is to show
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56. Project Prompts
Technical Prompt: Design, build and test OR Investigate, conduct, analyze and using appropriate technology and software and 21st-century skills students will exhibit.
Reading and Writing Prompt: Research on history, theory, contemporary use, what is known about how to address the problem AND writing an authentic document
Science Prompt: Design and conduct inquiry of a testable hypothesis under a variety of conditions OR Using the engineering design process to solve a technological problem
Math Prompt: Collect, analyze and chart on performance and conditions; reasoning with math, applying math
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57. Step 2 – Fully Developed Project Descriptions
Choose One Project Idea and Develop into Project Description you will hand to students.
Project Title
Critical Focus Question
Project Description
Complete project description template with technical, math, science and literacy prompts
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58. Feedback on Project Descriptions
Warm Feedback
I like how you phrased…
I think your students will …
You did a nice job…
Cool Feedback
Have you thought to include….?
I wonder if you considered…?
I am not sure what you mean by this statement?

59. Reflection Use the index card to respond to:
How has this process worked in looking at more rigorous projects?
What additional questions do you have?
Using their notebooks they need to respond to this question.
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60. Questions and Comments
Wednesday 830 am ACTE 2013

61. Thank You Gene Bottoms Senior Vice President SREB gene. bottoms@sreb
Thank You Gene Bottoms Senior Vice President SREB Sandy Culotta Manager, Enhanced CTE Programs
Wednesday 830 am ACTE 2013