1. It’s About Implementation, Not Attendance
It’s About Implementation, Not Attendance! How can leaders support teachers to implement authentic project-based learning? Scott Warren SREB

2. What I Believe: It’s not college or careers, it’s both!
Rigor is a term thrown about with little agreement on what it truly looks like.
Professional development may be the greatest waste of money in education today.
Give a man a fish and he eats today, teach a man to fish and …

3. He will sit in a boat and drink beer all day!

4. Today Why we need Authentic Project Based Learning
The role of the leader in implementation

5. Rising Workplace Requirements and Opportunities
“The new economy requires not just white-collar workers but also workers with outstanding technical skills and highly developed problem-solving abilities. These workers will be the backbone of tomorrow’s prosperity.”
Source: A Sharper Focus on Technical Workers How to Educate and Train for the Global Economy. NGA Center for Best Practices, 2010
We are told that over the next decade about one out two new jobs will require less than a baccalaureate degree but more than a high school diploma. Forty percent or more of workers in these jobs will have an average salary higher than those who hold a bachelor’s degree.
In recent telephone interviews with SREB state political and educational leaders, we found that private sector employers cannot find qualified employees with the mix of skills needed to fill jobs requiring more than a high school education but less than a bachelor’s degree.
US states rank second internationally in the number of persons who hold a bachelor’s degree. However, we rank 13th in the number who hold a credential that required some education and training beyond high school, but less than a bachelor’s degree.

6. Middle Skill Jobs in Virginia
49% of the jobs in VA in 2012 were considered middle skill jobs
It is estimated that 46% of the job openings through 2020 will be middle school jobs

7. Business Today Requires Knowledge Workers
Who:
Use their brains every minute to get the job done;
Understand complicated processes and systems; and
Anticipate, predict, prevent, troubleshoot and solve problems in a high-pressure environment.
Reason for adopting Advanced Career pathway programs of study or retooling traditional CT fields that now require training beyond high school is to produce the knowledge workers needed.
These knowledge workers use their brains every minute to get the job done. They understand complicated processes and systems, and they anticipate, predict, prevent, troubleshoot and solve problems in a high-pressure environment.
The unfortunate plane crash in San Francisco illustrates this point very well when the pilots only had eight seconds to react.
Today, high school students cannot prepare for the technical jobs of today through their grandfather’s CT programs. A different type of CT curriculum is needed.

8. Business Today Requires Strong Technical and 21st-Century Skills
From hospitals to factories — fast-paced environments in which employees must know:
how to function as individuals and as a team amid rapid technological changes;
how to assess information; and
how to diagnose problems quickly using problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to make split-second judgments.
Procedural-based CT courses are no longer adequate. Courses designed to teach students to follow a set of procedures will not prepare them for today’s workplace.
Today’s modern workplace is far more complicated, and we need technical workers who can analyze the situation, bring knowledge to bear, work through optional solutions and arrive at the best course of action.
Students need the kind of project/problem-centered instruction that is open ended, where students have to do research; look at alternative solutions for completing the task; select an approach, assess results, and revise as needed as opposed to being handed a procedure sheet to follow.

9. And
We have to many GADLIMBs!
We have too many graduates who look like this!

10. Implications for Career-Technical Education
Reflect the requirements of the knowledge economy — e.g., critical thinking and problem solving — that are important in today’s manufacturing and other work settings.
Collaborate with industry leaders to create authentic, intellectually demanding assignments, and align career programs with workforce need.
Source: A Sharper Focus on Technical Workers How to Educate and Train for the Global Economy. NGA Center for Best Practices, 2010.
The new requirements of the workplace requires high school and career and technical center leaders to support teachers to devise assignments that 1) are intellectually demanding involving real-world projects; 2) and require students to do critical thinking and problem solving.
Creating such assignments will require collaboration with local and state industry partners.
It is not just engineers who will be the new STEM workers. It will be a whole host of other workers who must have the technical, literacy, math, science, and the problem-solving skills.

11. What do New CTE Assignments Need to Look Like?
Students:
Develop a logical argument for your solution to a problem or project
Make inferences from information provided to develop a solution for a problem or project
Use math to solve complex problems related to my CT area
Apply academic knowledge and skills

12. What do New CTE Assignments Need to Look Like?
Apply technical knowledge and skills to new situations
Develop and test hypotheses
Complete extended projects that require planning, developing a solution or product and presenting the results orally or in writing
Use appropriate technology to complete assignments or projects

13. Students experienced more than 4 of the 8 indicators
Rigorous CTE
Students experienced more than 4 of the 8 indicators
Demographics
CT Students
Had Rigorous CTE
No Rigorous CTE
n = 7989
n = 14590 %
Male
49%
52%
Female 51 48
White 73 61
Minority 27 39
Education after High School (high)1 65 56
No Education after High School (low)1 35 44
1Education after high school is used as a proxy for socio-economic status.
Source: 2012 HSTW Assessment

14. Percentage of Students Meeting College- and Career-Readiness Goals
CT Students Meeting College and Career Readiness Goals
Percent Meeting HSTW Readiness Goals
Student Experiences
Had Rigorous CTE
No Rigorous CTE
n = 7989
n = 14590
Reading
69%
46%
Mathematics 66 48
Science 67 45
Source: 2012 HSTW Assessment
Note: CTE Students only

15. Meet 2012 HSTW College-Readiness Goals: Academic Core and Rigorous CT
Rigorous CT Impacts Achievement
CT Students
HSTW Curriculum
HSTW Curriculum +
Rigorous CT Courses
Difference Rigorous CT Courses Make
n = 3438
n = 2760
Meet Reading Goal
63%
80%
17%
Meet Mathematics Goal 65 78
13%
Meet Science Goal 61
Source: 2012 HSTW Assessment
Note: CTE Students only

16. Authentic PBL: How Do We Get There?
Shift the thinking that PBL is the dessert!
Engage business and industry in a new way!
Eliminate Spray and Pray!
Create purpose driven students!

17. More than dessert!
The Old Model: Teach them and then give the project.
Project Title: Soldering connects your world
Essential Question: How do you choose the correct soldering alloy?
Project Description: Take 6 different base materials and solder alloys; join materials using the soldering process. Evaluate the process for strength and connectivity as well as electrical conductivity.
Show non-example at this time and explain that, while this is work that would be done on the job, it does not provide context or “packaging” that lets us see the context of why someone would be doing this on the job. I explain that this is just a description of the technical skill. I point out the essential question and ask them to compare to the revised project description on the following slide.

18. Making it the whole meal!
Authentic Projects with authentic roles
Use the appropriate problem-solving process
Use the project-development process.

19. Problem-Solving Design Processes
SREB Design
Process
Engineering
Design Process
Troubleshooting
Life Cycle Design
Business
Scientific Method
Ask/Inquire
Identifying the problem
Diagnose the Problem
Define Requirements
Define
Question
Imagine
Measure
Research
Plan
Relevant
Information
Find Possible Solutions
Design
Analyze
Hypothesis
Create
Conceptualization
Take Action
Build
Develop
Test
Experiment/
Evaluate
Evaluation and
Analysis
Evaluate and Analyze
Improve
Implementation
Revise
Communicate
Deliver Final Product
Evolution
Deliver

20. Step One – A new way to engage Business
Assess Business
and Industry Needs
Identify what students must know and be able to do to obtain and keep a job in the business that will support a family of four.
Step One: Business and Industry needs
This step can be done either through surveying or having business and industry partners at the table.

21. Step Two Brainstorm Ideas
What authentic project will require students to master appropriate technical, academic and 21st-century skills to complete successfully?
Before moving to activity ask , “Why would you want to do this?”
Connect students to their future career.
Show them why I need to know this
Deepen academic learning
Students who need motivation are more engaged when they can make connections.

22. Step Three Develop a Project
Choose one project idea from your list and develop a draft project description:
Project Title
Brief description of what students will perform or produce
The items in red are the parts they will complete first.
They will choose an authentic work-place project.
Write an essential 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:

23. Project Template 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).
I tell the teams that they might consider using this template to ensure the project is an authentic work-place project. They are not required to use this precisely, but the four italicized components are important.

24. Project Description: Authenticity:
Workplace role or job title
Authentic problem to be solved
Identify what students will do
Tell students how to document solutions (e.g., presentations, reports, etc.)
Authenticity:
Authentic to the field?
Prepare students for the future?
Doable in high school?
Academics: Does the project require practice of science, mathematics, and language arts skills?
Once your team has developed project descriptions, you will want to review them to make certain they are really getting to a rigorous CT curriculum.

25. Authentic Projects Include:
Technical Prompt: Design, build and test OR investigate, conduct, analyze
Writing Prompt: Research/Report; history; theory; contemporary use; design and how to construct electrical motors
Science Prompt: Design and conduct inquiry of a testable hypothesis on motor performance under a variety of conditions
Math Prompt: Test motor under various conditions; collect, analyze and chart on performance and conditions

26. Make it the meal! Project Title: Soldering connects your world
Essential Question: How do you choose the correct soldering alloy?
Project Description: Take 6 different base materials and solder alloys; join materials using the soldering process. Evaluate the process for strength and connectivity as well as electrical conductivity.

27. Key Phrase: Design, Build, Evaluate
Do you see the project template in this improved project description?
Key Phrase: Design, Build, Evaluate

28. Science Prompt PFT Phase One
Do you see the project template in this improved project description?
PFT Phase One

29. Do you see the project template in this improved project description?
Math Prompt

30. Literacy Prompt PFT Phase One
Do you see the project template in this improved project description?
Literacy Prompt
PFT Phase One

31. PA Example: Blowing in the Wind
Essential Question: Is the answer really blowing in the wind? You are a wind turbine technician and you are faced with working with a design team of wind turbine technicians to research, design, build and test a working wind turbine from a ceiling fan rotor (CWFT: ceiling fan wind turbine) that will charge a battery array and help to reduce the operating cost of a greenhouse. Your team will need to research the various designs for wind turbines and build the most effective, as well as, least expensive wind turbine possible from a ceiling fan.

32. Each member of the team must maintain a professional log of daily activity and each team will be responsible for a presentation of the procedures they followed in designing and building and subsequently testing their wind turbine. The team must describe the algebraic formulas and show calculations used to measure the success of their wind turbine in power production during testing. An inventory of parts used and accurate costs must be submitted in the form of a bid proposal that serves as a final analysis cost estimate of production for their wind turbine.

33. Results
Before we did Authentic Projects, we had “Math Monday” and “Literacy Wednesday,” most of my students would be absent.
Now they are in class everyday and not realizing they are doing math and literacy in the project.
NOCTI pretest – 5% at proficiency
After Project Unit NOCTI Assessment – 100% proficient
Dan Shorthouse, Electrical Instructor, Forbes Road Career and Technology Center, Monroe, PA

34. Three Graphic Arts Teachers Three School in Three Counties One Project Plan

35. Cereal Box Product Branding
You are a graphic designer working for an advertising agency.
You are faced with the complete branding of a cereal company. You have been asked to create images for the corporate logo, the name and logo of the kid’s cereal itself, a mascot/character to promote the cereal, the box/container the cereal will be sold in, and the product magazine advertisement. You must research existing past and present kid’s cereals and develop a corporate logo, product logo, mascot/character figure design, product box/container for the cereal, and the product magazine advertisement to publicize the product.
West Virginia Graphic Arts Teachers - Rick Bay, Doug Martin, and Jeff Wamsley

37. With Teachers ….
Have them get in groups by like content, look at additional examples and begin to generate potential authentic projects using the Project Design Template
Turn to a neighbor and see if you can come up with a project idea? Remember, an authentic role and problem.
For a group of leaders, we are going in a different direction.

38. Why Focus on The Leaders
SREB has provided Literacy (LDC), Math (MDC) and/or Enhanced CT Training at over 400 sites in the past three years
The process and the PD are the most standardized we have ever used
All workshops the same
Job-embedded follow-up
Yet, this support is changing the way teachers teach at some places and floundering at others?
Why? Turn to a neighbor, introduce yourself and discuss

39. The Big Surprise #1!
We observed almost no instances where, in the same school, the LDC/MDC or Enhanced CT (Project-based Learning) was working well for one teacher but not for others. The trend was that the training was impacting all or none in any single school!
Why? Turn to a neighbor!

40. Big Surprise #2
Although the quality of the teacher is key for our design of developing teacher leaders, the actions that leaders took (big and small) had a bigger impact on implementation than the quality of the teachers who participated.

41. Practices of Leaders in Schools Where it is Working
Professional Development truly is a process, not an event (THINK BDA)
Before the PD
During
After the PD
Planned follow-up
Collaboration
Peer observations
Focused Walkthrough Observations
Effective Feedback

42. Before the PD Answer the question why
Link to teacher observations
People pay attention when something is said that connects with something they desire.
Provide CLEAR expectations (vision)
Keep the main thing the main thing – Avoid the new toy approach
Communicate it is not spray and pray

43. Before PD: Remember the Change Process
Move teachers from victims to owners of change!
Establish a need for change among those who must change.
Give them a vision for the change
Involve them in building the plan
Start small to ensure success
Celebrate successes and provide feedback
Continue the change process with data collection/adaptations

44. Establishing Why - College and Career Readiness Reviews
Multiple parts
Desktop review of business/industry regional outlook
Student/faculty surveys
Facilitated self-study around Signature Features (see next slide)
External Team Review
Formal report to school/board/community

45. Signature Features
Students are able to access high-quality career pathway programs of study that offer technical courses aligned with a college- ready academic core.
Career technical and high school leaders work to create an organization and scheduling structure that enable CT teachers to work frequently with other CT teachers, academic teachers and counselors to plan integrated technical assignments.
CT course sequences are derived from industry, reflect future employment needs

46. Signature Features
Students are given authentic project-based assignments that require them to (1) apply their understanding of high school-level math, literacy and science; (2) demonstrate good habits of mind and behavior; and (3) exhibit problem-solving skills to complete.
Students are assessed using several strategies — rubrics, exams, written deliverables, teacher observations and external assessments. Students receive feedback and opportunities to relearn and master concepts and skills through authentic assignments.
Career pathway programs of study are supported with a counseling for careers approach to educational and career exploration that begins no later than the middle grades and continues through high school.

47. Signature Features
CT courses are taught by highly qualified teachers who have demonstrated their mastery of the academic, technical and 21st-century standards and skills and teaching methods .
CT teachers work with both industry and postsecondary partners to create authentic projects and problems, assess the quality of student work against workplace and postsecondary requirements, offer students work-based learning experiences and provide students with information and advising that eases their transition from high school to further education, training and employment.

48. During PD Participate – Participate – Participate
Remember the old saying, “you learned more about ____ the first year you taught it than all the years of college?” You learn it by doing it.
Be a mentor at a table (requires pre-work)

49. A New Idea
Leaders come to PD session with their teacher eval/classroom obs tools.
Leaders create observation tools/walkthroughs that align with the PD
The PD session ends with the leader presenting the tool to the faculty.

50. After PD What gets monitored, gets done – look for the new practices
Walkthrough Forms
Lesson Plans
Other methods of monitoring
Establish Demonstration Classrooms – the surgery model
Recognize what you want to see more of in classrooms
Invite business/industry in to observe/judge/ evaluate

51. Ongoing Support is Essential: B – D - A
Why Do Americans Stink at Math?
In 1970’s Japan taught math like in the US
NCTM recommended changes
Japan implemented with ongoing support – Lesson Study format
In US, teachers get one –four days of PD and it may be on multiple topics

52. Organize and Expect Teacher Collaboration
PLCs, Cross-disciplinary, Departments, other
Finding time – the first leader challenge
Setting expectations – the second leader challenge – collaboration by invitation does not work
Providing support – the third leader challenge
Common planning needs to become part of your professional development plan.

53. Professional Dialogue: Using Protocols
Common Protocols
Tuning Protocol
Five Why
Praise – Question – Polish
Consultancy
Final Word
Standards in Practice
The Power of Protocols: An Educator’s Guide to Better Practice - By Joseph McDonald, Nancy Mohr, Alan Dichter, Elizabeth C. McDonald

54. Multiple SREB Supports
College and Career Readiness Reviews – Do your programs align with needs? Are programs rigorous?
New Advanced Career Programs of Study
Teach to Lead (T2L)
NRCCTE Tools
Math in CT
Science in CT
Literacy in CT
Enhanced CT through Authentic Project-based Learning

55. Final Thoughts Stealing from another Warren
We need Purpose Driven Students
Connect them to:
A career goal
A plan to achieve the goal
An adult to help them achieve the goal
Authentic instruction that reflects the career goal

56. Thank you
Remember, all schools and all teachers want to improve. However, few want to change. The fact remains that to improve, one MUST change.