How We Practice Project-Based Learning

Project-Based Learning is pervasive throughout Technology High School’s innovative instruction and curriculum.  Ninth grade students are challenged to demonstrate competency in realms of physics, mathematics, and public speaking in their very first project, and the bar raises higher and higher with every project that follows. In Science and Engineering, curricular units include Robotics, Disaster!, Environmental Science, Siege!, Chemistry, Evolution, Waves, Multi-media Applications, and Rube Goldberg. The six-week Rube Goldberg project demonstrates in a whimsical fashion the student’s understanding of simple machines and the manipulation of kinetic energy. Students create an elaborate contraption to do a simple specified task in the manner of Rube Goldberg. The student’s machine will execute one of the following six tasks: Apply toothpaste to a toothbrush; place a stamp properly on an envelope; put coins in a child’s coin bank; turn off a ringing alarm clock; pour equal amounts of milk and cereal in a bowl; or turn on a radio. In this project, each contraption must use at least five types of simple machines and complete the chosen task in at least ten discrete steps.  The contraption must also involve a minimum of four energy transfers. There are several phases to this project: Creation of preliminary schematics and materials list; proposal of the project in a presentation to the instructor; construction and testing of the contraption; production of a poster with an introduction and project history; a complete, well-drawn schematic diagram; a step-by-step explanation of the action; an explanation of the physics of the simple machines employed; and, presentation of the contraption to the class and instructor for evaluation and presentation of the contraption to the public at Rube Goldberg Exhibition Night. Integrated Science and Integrated Engineering class time is dedicated to the construction of the contraption and the majority of work is done during class time.  This is a group project in which groups may organize sessions for construction outside of class provided that all (most) group members participate. The contraption must work properly at the time of final evaluation.  Groups are chosen at random to demonstrate their projects.  If there is a failure, the group will be given one other opportunity to successfully demonstrate the contraption after the first round in the same order as they were initially chosen. A rubric is provided and reviewed as a performance assessment of this project. At Rube Goldberg Exhibition Night, student groups demonstrate their Rube Goldberg project and understanding of simple machines and kinetic energy in a contest judged by engineers, university professors, science teachers, and community volunteers. The evening presentation to professionals raises the bar for student mastery of the standards being assessed through the project.

Unlike most schools, all Technology High School students participate in the school’s Science Fair. Held in January, students present their science project results in the form of a report, display board, and models that they have created individually or in small groups. The Tech High Science Fair provides a mechanism for students to learn with other students at different grade levels. Mentors are also available for support. Projects are judged by university professors, scientists, and engineers. Winning projects are submitted to the Sonoma County Science Fair.

In their senior year, students are challenged with a “real world” project in which they study methods for finding failures in technology that can dramatically affect the lives of people. One short-term project includes lessons on Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) and aspects of corporate culture that can interfere with the discovery of engineering problems and actions to prevent disaster. Using the Harvard Business School model of CAPA, a local business leader provides instruction on the methods of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and a brief exercise in implementation of the techniques. These lessons and exercises lead to the “real world” exercise (Exhibition) night. During this evening exercise, students examine an engineering failure by taking the roles of engineers and managers actually involved in the catastrophe. They find out what each personality discovered through real emails, memos, meetings, and phone calls that occurred at the time of the incident. The exercise is punctuated by a mock press conference and management meeting during which students play the roles of engineers/managers. Students determine what the cause of the failure was and how to prevent other failures in the future. A summary of the findings from each student is due the following day. This year’s exercise was focused on the 2003 Columbia Shuttle disaster. Using specific information about the event, including facts, Inspection History and Results, General Information, Site Facts/Environment, Design and construction, Maintenance and inspection, structural deficiencies, theories, and possible discussion questions, students learned engineering-related critical thinking and problem solving strategies. Students explore the root cause of the failed mission, role play the Mission Management Team, present their findings to the media (adult volunteers), and write an Executive Summary about Recovery Window, Ambiguous Threats, Group Dynamics, Organization, Accountability, and Alternative Response.

While there are several projects completed during the senior year, the most notable is the Senior Project. This project is centered around the essential question, “If I Build It, Will They Buy It?” and the sub-question, “What problems are involved in engineering, marketing, and effectively selling a product?” This is a semester-long project that integrates Engineering, Economics, and Language Arts. Students are promoted to product manager and charged with bringing their idea to fruition. The main products of this project include a Historical Paper, Business Plan, Physical Engineering Project, and Multimedia Marketing Presentation. The final exhibition includes a presentation of their engineered product to a group of potential investors.

Systems and structures that are in place at Tech High, including Project-Based Learning, contribute to the success of all students. Through Project-Based Learning, all students (including special education students, socio-economically disadvantaged, and Gifted and Talented Education program students) have access to rigorous instruction offered by highly qualified teachers. Tech High’s standards-aligned projects allow teachers to differentiate their instruction to meet the needs of all students. Project-Based Learning allows students to use their individual learning strengths and diverse approaches to learning. Learning becomes meaningful when students connect their learning with reality by using higher order thinking skills.

Technology High School is a community of learners. The culture of the school promotes collaboration among staff, students, and parents. While students work independently on some projects, most projects at Tech High require students to work in small groups.  Collaborative Project-Based Learning allows students to bounce ideas of each other, voice their opinions, and negotiate solutions. Students demonstrate their projects and share their knowledge to engineers, professors, business and industry representatives and parents at project exhibition nights. These student-centered authentic assessments include a tangible product that can be shared with the audience, offer opportunities for feedback from expert sources and self-reflection, and through demonstration of the project, increase the social and communication skills of students.

For the past eight years, the Technology High School Robotics Club has participated in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition.  This nation-wide competition was designed to inspire high school students to become engineers by giving them real world experience working with professional engineers to develop a robot. This approach to Project-Based Learning fosters a culture of collaboration between the school and local community. Students and professional mentors working side by side to problem solve creates a partnership in which students are exposed to a wide range of skills and competencies such as collaboration, project planning, decision-making, and time management. The development of these skills and competencies combined with the positive relationships between students and mentors sets the foundation for preparing students for the workplace.

The Technology High School community holds high academic and behavior expectations for its students and staff. As a professional learning community, Tech High regularly reviews data to monitor student academic progress. This year Tech High teachers have joined district middle schools by participating in the Sonoma Leadership Network. This professional development (directed by Sonoma County Office of Education and Springboard Schools) has a focus on developing a professional learning community that analyzes student performance data, encourages opportunities for staff to plan collaboratively, and designs interventions to support students.

As described earlier, Second to None was one of the guiding documents in the planning and implementation of Technology High School Program in 1999. Aiming High: High Schools for the 21st Century served as a catalyst in the evolution of Tech High moving from program to separate school in 2002. Since its inception, Technology High has been a school that supports student academic success through strategies such as block scheduling and collaboration with Sonoma State University staff. Forty-one Tech High students are enrolled in SSU courses this fall. A new course titled Academic Workshop was created this year to provide remediation or enrichment to all students. Students use this time to further develop their projects and research. Tech High create structural supports for student success by designing a small school with integrated curriculum and opportunities for mentoring, advisory, block scheduling, and project-exhibition nights