| Principle |
Rating |
Explanation |
| Open-Ended Instruction
Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.
| Good |
- Brainstorming, questioning, discussion, and reflection activities are included in the lesson plans. Students are encouraged to find as many answers as possible.
|
|---|
| Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Learning Multidisciplinary= addresses a number of different subjects
Interdisciplinary= integrated approach that blurs subject lines
Good: The resource provides opportunities for learning in a number of traditional 'subject' areas (eg. Language Arts, Science, Math, Art, etc.).
Very Good: The resource takes an integrated approach to teaching that blurs the lines between subject boundaries. | Good |
- Science
- Art
- Language Arts
|
|---|
| Discovery Learning Learning activities are constructed so that students discover and build knowledge for themselves and develop largely on their own an understanding of concepts, principles and relationships. They often do this by wrestling with questions, and/or solving problems by exploring their environment, and/or physically manipulating objects and/or performing experiments.
- Satisfactory = Students are provided with intriguing questions, materials to use & some direction on how to find answers. The learning involves unique experience & provides some opportunity for an 'ah-hah' event
- Good = Students are provided with intriguing questions, materials to use, & make their own decisions on how to find answers. The learning involves unique experience & provides definite opportunity for an 'ah-hah' event.
- Very Good = Students choose what questions to investigate as well as the materials/strategies to use to answer them.
| Satisfactory |
- The resource provides opportunities for students to gather, synthesize, and demonstrate understanding. Students are provided with intriguing questions, materials to use & some direction on how to find answers. The learning activities are age-appropriate.
|
|---|
Values Clarification Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.
- Poor = Students are not explicitly given an opportunity to clarify their own values.
- Satisfactory = Students are given a formal opportunity to clarify their own values. The range of perspectives in the resource is limited, therefore, students do not have an appropriate amount of information to clarify their own values.
| Poor/Not considered |
- Students are not explicitly given an opportunity to clarify their own values.
|
|---|
| Differentiated Instruction Activities address a range of learning styles/different intelligences. They teach to both cognitive and affective domains. Accommodations are suggested for people with learning difficulties. | Good |
- The resource addresses different instructional strategies that take into consideration various learning styles. These strategies include teacher-directed and some independent learning opportunities. No suggestions are made for students with learning difficulties.
|
|---|
Experiential Learning Direct, authentic experiences are used.
- Satisfactory = simulation
- Good = authentic experience
- Very Good = authentic experience related to the primary goal of the lesson
| Poor/Not considered |
- No direct, authentic experiences are suggested.
|
|---|
Cooperative Learning Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
- Satisfactory = students work in groups
- Good = cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
- Very Good = cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
| Satisfactory |
- Students participate in some group activities.
|
|---|
| Assessment & Evaluation Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | Satisfactory |
- Some suggestions regarding assessment strategies are provided. The resource does not include examples of assessment tools or rubrics.
|
|---|
Peer Teaching Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
- Satisfactory = incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
- Good or Very Good = an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
| Poor/Not considered |
- No opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors are suggested.
|
|---|
| Case Studies Relevant case studies are used. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events in real situations that can be used to examine concepts in an authentic context. | Poor/Not considered |
- No case studies are presented.
|
|---|
| Locus of Control Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. | Poor/Not considered |
- One art activity allows the students to choose the medium of their choice.
|
|---|
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