CURRENT INQUIRY PROJECTS Among the 45 students enrolled in the elective Creative Inquiry Program, the following represents a sample of the collaborative projects currently in progress: • Creation of sports media channel, broadcasting SHP events • Design of basketball court for the visually impaired • SHS mentorship program supporting peer-to-peer interaction between SHP, LMS, and PSK Advised by Clint Johns, resident “tinkerer” in the Robotics DREAM lab, students are inspired by the possbilities in fabrication—for example, turning a Gatling gun into a T-shirt launcher.
changes as you go, and you have to adjust and roll with that. I think we’re learning new ways to do this better every day. Brady: Just as example, assessment is a big question for this sort of work. We just had a framework for assessment that we tried. In the practice of trying it, we saw what was good about it and what isn’t. Now, we’ve been working through on a completely new version, a 2.0 version that as a team we’re going to talk through and hopefully give that a try for the semester. As I’ve told the students, we’re doing our own creative inquiry with this whole thing. What has been interesting is that it has sparked some conversations among other teachers in other parts of the campus to think about and iterate their pedagogical thinking. When this first started, we had formed an advisory group with a representative from every department, but a lot of what it has merged into is discussions about teaching—things that could change and evolve practice in any context, not just in Inquiry Lab. SHM: So are you seeing increased interest in project-based learning or collaborative team projects in the classroom as a way of getting a tangible idea across? Brady: (gesturing to the white boards) Everything you see here is a design process that an English class is doing. It doesn’t theoreti-
cally have anything to do with an Inquiry project, but because we exist, because we’ve been in conversation with the faculty member, that possibility has opened up. Johns: I’ve been approached by a Latin class that wants to build a couple of chariots; they’re going to be working with me on design and construction next spring. Hennessey: [A lot of classes are starting to] use this space and these methods for thinking through problems. It’s awesome. We’ve had an economics class in here in the last couple weeks too working on a project, creating businesses. Students in a social sciences course are learning about all these justice issues [in global context] and they want to act. They want action, and this is a place where we focus on how to take ideas into action. SHM: You mentioned student assessment; if the goal is not centered on the end product, but rather the individual’s growth, how is that translating to scoring for purposes of the academic record?
• Re-structure of annual student social justice teach-in to promote active, sustained participation • Complete build of a working vintage Shelby Roadster • Blacksmithing tools for the SHS Farm & Garden • Production and broadcast of SHPTV show promoting dialogue on health & wellness • Conversion of Gatling gun to a promotional T-shirt launcher • Planning and production of nine- issue student newspaper • Development and management of “The Quad.com,” SHP’s digital town square • Creation of educational websites, focused on topics such as sustainable goods, current events • Recording and production of instrumental music album • Design and build of robot for competition with remote control and autonomous features
Moshe Quinn: Self-assessment is a huge piece, central to the ethos or the ideology of character growth. Then there’s the advisement, the relationship with the teachers that are helping with the project, and who provide the external assessment. You can’t really have one without the other to have a full
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