The situation was bleak: There were just a few plants. The mule deer were hungry. There were no pollinators. Other animals were reproducing. The ecosystem was on the verge of collapse. Those in charge would need to figure out what went wrong. And then make quick decisions to save it. Good thing this was a simulated game designed to engage students in complex science concepts. They probably won’t feed mule deer in the future, but through a thoughtfully constructed interactive video game, learners can build their science proficiency in engaging and meaningful ways.
A Challenge-Based Learning model pioneered by Apple is now helping teachers engage middle school students in deep learning through projects that combine developing questions, investigating scientific phenomena, and solving problems in their classrooms, schools, and communities. In a recent edWebinar, Anthony Baker, Project Director for Digital Promise, which has further developed and researched the Challenge-Based Learning model, explains that this approach enables students to make meaningful connections to their science curriculum while also answering the age-old student question: “Why do I need to learn this?”
Join this edWebinar to discuss the processes around the Challenge Collaborative that led to pedagogical shifts and impacted student outcomes, hear from teachers involved in the study, and learn more about how challenge-based learning can meet the goals of the NGSS while giving students agency to lead their learning.
In this edWebinar, Helen Gooch Lianos introduces middle school science teachers to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
In this webinar, Terry Young, a veteran librarian and science educator, will take us on a STEMulating discovery of STEM and NGSS.
