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A walk through the new Inquiry Hub in Coquitlam is a bit like walking into a school of the future even through it's located in historic Maillardville and the school is more than 100 years old. There are few desks, and those there are on wheels. Project tables line walls topped with with fish tanks and bits of other projects, and kids sit together or work alone on laptop computers while listening to music on headphones. While Inquiry Hub isn't for everyone, it is worth exploring for any student who is looking for a more self-directed style of learning.

All the learning starts from projects and then builds on the knowledge. Developing the skills of the students comes before the learning outcomes. Projects don't occur at the end of the unit to show the teacher what they learned; the units are the projects and the teacher draws out the learning in the context of the project. Students say if it is work worth doing, then they work hard to do their best. Motivation doesn't seem to be a big issue.

The Vision for DL is to  create a quality, dynamic and engaging learning environment that all students in  the province can access.  Instruction through e-learning methodologies offers  possibilities for sophisticated, interactive, and engaging learning options that  address the ideals for a BC Graduate, and shifts the classroom and learning  beyond brick walls and fixed schedules.

This course will require you to be fairly independent. Actually interdependent is a more appropriate term. You'll be learning on your own but are encouraged to work with each other whenever suitable. 

Often students are interested in things we don't have time to explore in class. This project allows them to do so and reinforces the big idea that the best inquiry begins with high interest.

Environmental Inquiry* is an overarching approach to Environmental Education* that integrates Inquiry-based Learning*, Experiential Learning*, Integrated Learning*, and Stewardship* into a dynamic and cohesive pedagogical framework.

For these and other reasons, it is difficult to provide a single, comprehensive guide to studying online. Different institutions have different requirements, different course designs and different sets of regulations that need to be followed. So rather than write a guide to studying that will end up being too general for most students, I provide below links to excellent online study guides that are publicly available from some of the better online programs.

" This guide is an unusually thoughtful and valuable resource for teachers. It is distinguished by a powerful focus on the integrity and quality of projects - not just doing them, but doing them well.

In a nutshell, digital storytelling is "using the tools of digital media to craft, record, share and value the stories of individuals and communities, in ways that improve our lives"

The 21st Century Fluencies are not about technical prowess, they are critical thinking skills, and they are essential to living in this multimedia world. We call them fluencies for a reason. To be literate means to have knowledge or competence. To be fluent is something a little more, it is to demonstrate mastery and to do so unconsciously and smoothly.

INTRODUCTION New literacy in the Web 2.0 world (Churchill) Digital World: Kids Today (Welding)

The intentions are to unlock the potential of students to learn in innovative ways.  There is the possibility that what is learned through this school will find its way into our traditional schools to increase innovation throughout.

here are my take-aways from that response. What would you add to it? You must first set a vision of what's possible in play. Identify that the need(s) available can be met by strategic use of staffing and technologies available. Acknowledge past efforts that failed to be implemented fully. Connect with powerful stakeholders (district department directors), as well as those "in the trenches" (teachers and students) Align the plan with standards and goals at the state level Connect with stakeholders and communicate in an ongoing manner. And, a point that David shared explicitly with me, "Run to the resistors" rather than away from them. To me, this means embrace resistance viewpoint as one that can enlighten the conversation rather than stop it.

Last night I attended an information session given by District Principal Stephen Wiffin and Principal David Truss from Coquitlam, School District #43.   Together they shared their vision and plans for The Inquiry Hub, a new high school set to open in September. 

Each of the images has clickable hotspots and includes suggestions for Google, iPad, Android, and Web 2.0 applications to support each of the levels of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy.

The project was called 'Cause We Care' - a pun I thought particularly witty, since the Driving Question was 'How can we raise awareness in our local community about a charity or cause we feel passionately about?' Whilst I did develop the driving question the students were responsible for the following: deciding on team members and team name, selecting a charity/cause to focus on, their investigation sources and mode of sharing findings (focus questions can be on this document: Cause We Care), the products to demonstrate research, raise awareness and legitimate contribution to cause/charity, their presentation of learning, including sharing learning with experts, defending ideas and celebrating their chosen charity, the Habits of Mind to master for the duration of the project and the outcomes from the Stage 5 English Syllabus they will master during the project ( I gave them a list of the 11 outcomes and the related dot-points, was an eye-opening experience for them!).

Employing "Habits of Mind" requires a composite of many skills, attitudes cues, past experiences and proclivities.  It means that we value one pattern of thinking over another and therefore it implies choice making about which pattern should be employed at this time.  It includes sensitivity to the contextual cues in a situation which signal this as an appropriate time and circumstance in which the employment of this pattern would be useful

BCELC used Black and Wiliam's definition of Assessment for Learning as: Any assessment for which the first priority in its design and practice is to serve the purpose of promoting pupil's learning. 1. Clear Learning Intentions: 2. Criteria 3. Descriptive Feedback 4. Powerful Questions 5. Self and Peer Assessment 6. Student Ownership

nquiry is not merely 'having students do projects' but rather strives to nurture deep, discipline-based way of thinking and doing with students.  As as entry point, inquiry involves learners: ✦tackling real-world questions, issues and controversies ✦developing questioning, research and communication skills ✦solving problems or creating solutions ✦collaborating within and beyond the classroom ✦developing deep understanding of content knowledge ✦participating in the public creation and improvement of ideas and knowledge

Challenge Based Learning provides: * A flexible framework with multiple entry points * A scalable model with no proprietary systems or subscriptions * A focus on global challenges with local solutions * An authentic connection between academic disciplines and real world experience * A framework and workflow to develop 21st century skills * The purposeful use of technology for researching, analyzing, organizing,  collaborating, communicating, publishing and reflecting. * The opportunity for learners to do something important now, rather than waiting  until they are finished with their schooling * The documentation and assessment of the learning experience from challenge to  solution * An environment for deep reflection on teaching and learning * A process that places students in charge of their learning