CBL,+A+Digital+Alternative+to+Test+Preparation


 * Challenge-Based Learning: A Digital Alternative to Test Preparation**

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If you ask a group of teachers, “What is your ultimate goal in teaching your students?” most would probably respond along the lines of developing lifelong learners, preparing students for the 21st century real world, or creating critical and sophisticated thinkers and problem solvers. Few, if any, would be likely to identify successful performances on standardized tests as their central purpose as educators. However, the need for accountability in today’s educational system has put enormous pressure on teachers to adequately prepare students for these standardized tests, whether or not it is in alignment with the teachers’ philosophies or beliefs. As a result, there is a tendency to move towards traditional test preparation activities in an effort to maximize student scores—but at what cost?

As teachers, if our focus shifts from educating the whole child to educating only that part of the child that will perform well on tests, what stands to be lost? Yes, we will have produced students who can expertly answer multiple choice questions and constructed responses, but what becomes of skills like collaboration, problem solving, and creativity? How will schools manage to turn out the critical thinkers and creators that our 21st century workforce demands?

It would seem that teachers are left with two options: either prepare students for the standardized test or prepare them for the rest of their lives. The choice here seems obvious; however, we cannot simply disregard the tests that will be used to—reliably or not—assess our students, colleagues, and schools. What if there was a way to satisfy both demands—to develop students ready to tackle the real world //while// also preparing them for the standardized tests?

//My Story// I teach 11th and 12th grade American and British literature, and while my seniors are preparing for their final set of exams and the transition into college, my juniors do not yet have that sense of freedom. They are facing the dreaded PSSA state standardized test with the threat of remediation classes looming over their heads. As their English teacher, it is my responsibility to prepare them for both the Reading and Writing assessments, two areas in which students must be proficient.

My school generally performs well on these two sections of the test; however, it is up to me to maintain that level of success. That means I must make sure students are ready to answer an array of reading comprehension questions, grammar and mechanics questions, short constructed responses, and long five paragraph essays. How would I best prepare students to do all those things? It seemed simple. For the past three years, I’ve done what many teachers do because it seems to be the most sure-fire way of increasing student scores. I bombarded them with practice questions, sample responses, test-taking tricks and tips—even getting “creative” and making a game out of it.

I wanted to think I was doing the right thing-- that I was giving students the best shot at success. What I didn’t want to acknowledge included all of the valuable class time I was using, the disinterested looks on students’ faces, and the minimal levels of improvement by the end of our practice days. Did they pick up some useful tips? Did they learn to write by a formula for maximum points? Did they see some typical grammatical errors that were favorites of the PSSA creators? Sure.

But did they learn anything that was of real value? Did any of those practice questions result in meaningful, relevant learning? Did they take away something that could transfer to life outside of the classroom? Probably not.

Coming to this realization, how could I ethically continue a practice that was not in my students’ best interests? And if I wouldn’t continue this kind of test preparation, what would replace it? And how would I find a replacement that met the requirements of the test but also resulted in meaningful learning on the part of my students?

//The 21st Century Student//

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The answer to these questions demands a look at the skills needed by the 21st century student. According to The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, a student prepared for a successful future demonstrates creativity, critical thinking skills, communication skills, collaboration skills, information and media literacy, and life skills. Surely, my traditional approach to test preparation wasn’t addressing these in the least. If we focus only on preparing students to do well on the standardized test, we’re denying students a complete education. What we need to do is go far beyond what the test assesses into the realm of creative, collaborative, and relevant problem solving. It is only in this environment that students will become fully engaged in learning and will actually //master// the skills assessed on the standardized test.

//An Alternative// Instead of focusing test-preparation energies on skill-and-drill practice questions with little meaningful learning gains beyond the test itself, teachers can utilize an alternative that engages students in relevant skills assessed on the standardized test, while also developing critical 21st century skills. That alternative is Challenge-Based Learning. Through research funded by Apple Computer, the challenge-based approach to education is defined as a "collaborative learning experience in which teachers and students work together to learn about compelling issues, propose solutions to real problems, and take action...reflect on their learning and the impact of their actions, and publish their solutions to a worldwide audience."

The general framework for the challenge-based approach to learning includes the key areas of:



In the challenge-based approach to learning, students become active participants in the learning process-- selecting challenges, generating questions, setting goals, collaborating with peers, developing solutions, reflecting on their experience, and sharing the results with others. Most importantly, the topics are student-selected, meaning students have the opportunity to focus on a relevant issue in need of real solutions. Lastly, the culminating activity joins students with others in the learning community and allows students to have a lasting impact. The process of the challenge-based learning approach is exemplified below:

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The relevant, student-centered nature of the challenge-based approach to learning naturally leads to high levels of student engagement. Students will meet our high expectations, and so we must present them with challenges that will allow them to grow as students as individuals. In a [|research report] on Challenge-Based Learning from The New Media Consortium, the researchers reported that 80% of students viewed their projects as meaningful. And the great majority of teachers participating in the study believed that students engaged in high level work and benefited from extensive learning. The researchers also matched student feedback to several of the 21st century skills, demonstrating that the challenge-based approach to learning truly is "an approach for our time."

Furthermore, this teacher comments on the wide-ranging benefits she has noticed in her own classroom when using the Challenge-Based learning approach. She describes that, in using CBL in her classroom, she has grown as an educator and her students have grown as lifelong learners. In reflecting on the experience of participating in CBL, students themselves identify several different benefits, including being more engaged in class and learning important communication skills.

//CBL as a "Digital" Alternative//



Given the growth of technology in our world, one of the main areas of 21st Century Skills is "Information, Media, and Technology Skills." As we approach test preparation through Challenge-Based Learning, we are also developing students' ability to use technology effectively and efficiently-- a critical skill for their futures. The role of technology in Challenge-Based Learning goes beyond the final product stage. Every step-- from the big idea to the publishing stage-- is informed by students' access to various resources through technology. As students research their selected problem in an effort to form guiding questions and potential solutions, they can use technology to find information, collaborate with others, and share their work with the world. Throughout this process, students are learning basic literacy skills, like reading and writing, assessed on the standardized test-- but they are gaining so much more. They are strengthening their media literacy while becoming creators, collaborators, and problem-solvers in a digital world.

//As a Participant// I first encountered the Challenge-Based Learning model in a graduate class on "Digital Alternatives to Test Preparation." As we explored the issues associated with assessment in the classroom, we used the CBL Framework to provide a structure and purpose for our work. Using Authentic Assessment as our "big idea," we challenged ourselves to create a set of resources that would persuade other educators to approach test preparation in non-traditional ways. From there, we began a journey, wading through extensive resources, dealing with questions along the way, and overcoming obstacles.

As a participant, the effects of the CBL model are clear. It is exactly what its name implies-- it is a challenge. From that challenge, though, emerged high levels of collaboration among group members because the project is self-directed, and the participants are responsible for asking and answering the questions. And this student reminds teachers of the value of this level of difficulty in learning. Additionally, having a common goal allowed the group to unite in an effort to create a solution. Along the way, we became active participants in the process, working on an issue of great relevance in our daily lives and learning more than we initially thought we might.

This is exactly the type of experience that I want for my students-- I want them to identify issues of importance, ask their own questions, and actively search out answers for those questions. I want them to read with a purpose, share their learning with their peers, and collaborate with others towards a common goal. I want them to think critically and creatively. I want them to produce unique final products they are proud of, and I want them to share those products with the world. I want them to engage in relevant learning that includes but goes far beyond what they need to be successful on a standardized test. In doing that, I want to renew their natural curiosity and foster a love of learning. The Challenge-Based Learning framework provides students with the opportunity to participate in this type of meaningful learning. And, as the educators below believe, it offers the opportunity to meet the requirements of standardized tests while extending students' learning, tapping into their full potential, and developing the 21st century skills necessary for success in their futures.

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Check out Challenge-based Learning Exemplar Projects for some examples of student projects following the CBL framework. Also, this is an implementation plan for using CBL in your classroom.