Project-Based Learning
PROJECT-BASED LEARNING AT DOTTKE
Our model is not “transactional.” At Dottke, we focus on iteration- we do things over and over, adapting and improving, until we are proud of our work. We want to foster independent and self-directed students. That includes collaborating and communicating with others to achieve our expectation of students going public with their learning.
DEPTH & COMPLEXITY
Across the district, classrooms are utilizing the Depth & Complexity Icons as part of our effort to scaffold and support all learners. These icons may be used a prompts in the classroom or imbedded in your student's assignments. Below is an overview from the Center of Depth & Complexity about the icons:
The primary objective of the framework is to provide students with challenging learning opportunities by applying Depth and Complexity to the study of the core curriculum. The icons of Depth and Complexity are prompts used to initiate a more advanced and extensive understanding of subject matter for all learners. The Depth and Complexity icons are arranged in order of depth from the concrete to the abstract, and complexity from concepts and ideas to a more sophisticated level to connect learning across multiple subject areas. However, the icons do not need to be taught in a certain order, all at once, or within specific lessons. The icons should be thought of as a verb or lens of learning that will activate learning of content using higher-level thinking skills. The iconic prompts of Depth and Complexity challenge learners of all ages and are applicable to every subject.
The Elements of Depth:
The iconic prompts of depth refer to approaching or studying something from the concrete to the abstract or from the known to the unknown. Students tasked with using these lenses of learning work to examine topics by determining the facts, concepts, generalizations, principles, and theories related to the content. The elements of depth are Details, Patterns, Rules, Ethics, Language of the Discipline, Trends, Unanswered Questions, and Big Idea.
The Elements of Complexity:
The iconic prompts of complexity inspire students to relate concepts and ideas at a more sophisticated level. The icons of Multiple Perspectives, Over Time, and Across Disciplines motivate learners to see associations among diverse subjects, topics, or levels.
Content Imperatives for Differentiating Instruction
Just as keys unlock a door, the Content Imperatives are terms that unlock the meaning of an area or topic of study. Each Content Imperative provides students with a prompt to initiate in-depth inquiry about the subject matter. These icons focus the investigation of a topic of study from a broad, general area to a more structured and specific one. Content Imperatives help educators differentiate the core curriculum so that it is aligned to the needs and abilities of gifted and high-ability students. The Content Imperative icons represent a set of terms that activate higher levels of knowing. They demand more sophisticated resources of information, more analytical thinking to understand the subject matter, and more complicated products to share what has been learned. Content Imperatives can be effective when used independently, but they were designed to be used in pairings with the Depth and Complexity Icons.
