The idea behind Challenge Based Learning is that students must address the challenge, developing their skills in creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. They are not given a pre-determined solution and told to build it according to a teacher thought out rubric. They must come up with an answer by thinking through the associated issues. This provides the opportunity for students to step up to the plate and do something real, but it also provides them with the opportunity to fail. If the challenge is worthwhile, it is certainly not something that can be accomplished with one day's work, even a good all nighter. This type of project forces them to rise to the occasion or fail; there is no in between. It also requires a serious lack of intervention from the teacher. If I step in and bail them out, they do not meet the challenge. This is incredibly difficult for teachers as we are trained to help.
Watching the kids progress through this project had its highs and lows. Their initial brainstorming sessions produced more viable ideas than we had the entire year before, so I felt like we were off to a good start. I gave them some work days in class. While they worked, I listened to them. Listening to student conversations when they don't know you are listening is better entertainment than most movies. I listened as students talked about solar power and wind. I pointed out the limitations of those options, suggesting that perhaps a fuel powered solution might be easier, and they insisted on alternative energy. They've been a bit brainwashed about fossil fuels, but it was their challenge to meet, not mine. I heard one group talk about a hand crank generator that they already had. Later, I asked them if they thought that was realistic at someone's home. After all, you aren't going to have someone stay up all night cranking the generator. I heard another group talking about soccer and basketball and fantasy football. These are juniors and seniors, so it is the time for them to learn the consequences of wasting class time. I let them keep talking, knowing they would likely not meet the challenge. This is a difficult thing as a teacher, but I believe it is important as a life skill. See my post from last year on not helping. Constantly rescuing kids from their irresponsibility will never teach them to be responsible.
One group used its time well; so even though their solution to the problem wasn't what I would do, they gained more knowledge than any other group. They built a small wind turbine and did a little math about how that would scale up in the real world. I wish they had done something more universal and that they could have answered more feasibility questions, but they had done a lot of thinking and got a good understanding of the difficulties of electricity production. They did understand that when the wind wasn't blowing, they would need a back up for the back up and spent a little bit of time talking about battery usage. They didn't really develop that idea, but at least they had it. The hand-crank generator group had the problems I knew they would have. Some of them learned less than others, and I wish they had explored other solutions. Both of these groups had models that did produce a little electricity, not truly addressing the challenge but at least getting something out of it.
The group that spent all their time in class talking about sports brought in a presentation about hydroelectric dams. I stopped them and said, "How could you use this at your house?" I invited adults in the school to come ask questions as well. One of them said, "You do know these cost billions of dollars to build, right? That's why there aren't many of them out there." Another adult pointed out that you would have to live near a river that you were allowed to block. Then, they showed me their model. It is made of a cork on a barbecue skewer, sitting in a plastic bottle. When water runs over it, it spins. Notice that I didn't say it produces electricity; it doesn't.
One of the methods I use to grade this type of project is through reflective questions. I ask them about how they communicated, collaborated, problem solved, and dealt with timeline interruptions. I have them explain what their role is the group and what they learned, not only about electricity production but also about doing projects. I ask them what grade they would give themselves. This is actually a very long reflection form. I thought the water group would understand that they had not risen to the occasion from the feedback they were getting on the day of the presentation, but they didn't. All of them said they were proud of their product and would give themselves either a high B or a low A. Only one owned up to wasting the work days I gave them. Their answers were so inconsistent with reality that this project became difficult to grade.
Then, near the end of the alphabet, I read the following answer.
This answer made the rest of the grading difficulty (and the inevitable pushback I will get from grading them correctly) worth it. This student didn't just learn about electricity. She learned gratitude for living in a first world country, where she doesn't have to think about this outside of a school project. When she plugs things in, she will take a moment to thank God for allowing us to use the laws of physics. A few years from now, when she hears political candidates debate about alternative energy sources, she will have information by which to judge their spin. Every teacher needs an answer like this one every now and then. It is the reason I will do this project again. This answer made it worth it.
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