RI
Students Gaining “Badges”, Credits Outside School
Published
Online: February 5, 2013
Published
in Print: February 6, 2013,
Education
Week
What Providence, RI is doing
in their high schools is a perfect example of recognizing that students (people
in general) learn in different ways.
Each person has their own personal method of learning, which may not be
sitting in a chair and listening to a lecture.
I know that I am an active, experiential learner, sitting still and paying attention was hard.
“Providence
district is allowing students to engage in for-credit, badge-earning learning
experiences outside school. Examples range from developing and pitching
business plans to local venture capital firms to learning how to make Android
phone applications at Brown University.”
"But
good learning is learning that is relevant and rigorous that takes place in and
outside of school,"
"Digital
badges are designed to recognize learning that happens anytime, anywhere,"
said Mr. Ewens, adding that badges can have a powerful impact on students
themselves, helping them take greater "ownership" of their learning.
“The
district hopes eventually to use the badges to help students gain credit within
classes for relevant work outside the classroom that reflects mastery of
academic content.”
“Rhode
Island, like some other states, has high school students gain credits for
showing proficiency in academic courses needed for graduation, rather than by
the amount of time they take to complete a course, known as "seat
time." Increasing numbers of states are moving to such
"competency-based education" models, in which schools want students
to demonstrate knowledge of subject material in new ways to show they have
mastered it to move forward.”
Let’s all applaud the strides
Providence is taking in making school and learning relevant and useful for their
students.
If this is something you want
for your child, contact Providence After School Alliance, a non-profit
organization that collaborated with the Providence School District.
I
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