ST1.3

Students are empowered to personalize and self-direct their STEM learning experiences supported by STEM educators who facilitate their learning

Self-Assessment: 3

Students have multiple and frequent opportunities to be owners and managers of their own STEM learning experiences and learning process. STEM educators frequently serve as facilitators who provide guidance and support for students as self-directed learners.

ST1.3 Narrative

What were the areas of strength noted in the Self Assessment?

Christian Academy students have many learning experiences that are self-directed and personalized. There is an established history of quality self-directed learning experiences within the curriculum, and teachers support learning by directing, modeling, and facilitating the achievement of the desired learning outcomes, which are part of the school’s ideal graduate profile.

Educators are able to support students by providing students with STEM-specific rubrics and project guidelines with expected goals and objectives. This process of leading, guiding, facilitating and setting students up for success is vital as parameters are given that allow for multiple avenues to reach desired outcomes with the redesign and evaluative process. This rubric is also valuable to students and parents as there are many opportunities for achieving positive results individually. Failure is seen as a place to encourage growth, part of the learning process, and each classroom is a safe place to make mistakes as the attitude is one of progress not perfection as it relates to learning.

Within the projects, classwork and group work, educators often help scaffold STEM learning by assigning specific STEM learner roles to help facilitate individual and group learning. As students engage in their work individually and as groups, they are able to develop initiative and ownership in their own learning. As students mature in this process, the assigning of roles becomes the task of the student in recognizing their strengths, weaknesses, and gifts. Even our kindergarten-aged students are asked to seek out a new way to change a structure they have built, create something new after learning a lesson and improve their work and/or redesign. Teachers spend time leading, observing, encouraging and supporting this work as lessons are scaffolded.

A specific example of self-directed learning is illustrated in the 3rd grade classroom where teachers and students use learning contracts as part of developing independence and ownership. Additionally, other teachers have parents and students sign agreements with regard to larger STEM-related projects, helping students take responsibility for their own learning and communicate clearly with parents.

Students have daily regularly-scheduled cross-curricular opportunities to engage in academic STEM-related centers, which are used in K-5 classrooms for self-directed and personalized learning. The success of center time relies on excellent classroom management along with high expectations for learning set by the teacher, and students who are able to and willing to navigate their own learning.

In addition, computer assisted learning is used as a mode of differentiated STEM learning for students. Examples of how students are supported digitally include lessons taught within the K-6 grade computer technology classes: keyboarding using Master Key, learning.com, canva.com, code.org, and tynker.com. Computer assisted learning is enhanced with online resources such as spellingcity.com, Google Earth, geoguessr.com, https://online.seterra.com, and Khan Academy. The middle and high school online curriculum resources are varied and abundant. An extension of Khan Academy videos and lessons is the use of “Pixar in a Box.” In the high school geometry class, students are introduced to many STEM careers, learn how math, science, computer science, and the humanities are used every day, and have the opportunity to demonstrate an understanding of the engineering design process through independent digitally-created products.

School-wide computer assisted learning is accomplished regularly through IXL.com in multiple disciplines, participation in Hour of Code, and Google Classroom as a Google school and utilization of intra-school email communication system for students to reinforce the independent learning process.

What actions are being implemented to sustain the areas of strength?

Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach developed and implemented a school-wide Growth & Goals Notebook program during the 2018-19 school year. The notebooks contain growth & goals templates designed to help teachers and students discuss, set, and work toward meeting specific learning goals. There are four distinct parts of this plan including STEM-specific goals. The intended objective of the individual teacher-student meetings is to help students reflect upon recent learning experiences and set personal goals, as well as assist teachers in identifying opportunities to connect classroom learning with student goals. By including STEM-specific goals, students are more inclined to take ownership of their own learning as teachers individualize instruction. Teachers as facilitators will sustain and strengthen the overall K-12 STEM and other school programs.

What were areas in need of improvement? What plans are being made to improve the area of need?

Christian Academy would like to use the goals identified to make more informed decisions about how to offer differentiated options within the classroom for students that are in alignment with the goals set. One enhancement to the notebook data and student meetings is to consider including a personality/learning assessment component added as part of a student’s portfolio. In the seventh and eighth grade, students are given a STEM type quiz to help students begin the process of understanding possible careers in STEM fields. A potential improvement could include scheduling personal conferences to identify academic goals and strategies at the end of the eighth grade when the engineering course has been completed. This information is part of the student portfolio that will be used in college and career planning.

ST1.3 a) Student Learners: Personalized and Self-directed Learning

ST1.3 b) High School Collaborative STEM Project

ST1.3 c) Christian Academy STEM Rubric