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Original Source of 6A’s: Real Learning, Real Work by Adria Steinberg
Authenticity:
- How will professionals solve this problem?
- How is the project relevant to students’s lives?
- What are authentic audiences for the project?
Academic Rigor:
- What learning standards are addressed in the project?
- What central concepts are scaffolded and assessed?
- What habits of habit are scaffolded and assessed?
- What is the central problem addressed by the project?
Applied Learning:
- How will project products get students to apply new knowledge and skills to complex problems?
- What workplace competencies will students practice in the project?
- What self- and project management skills will students use to succeed in the project?
Active Exploration:
- What field-based opportunities are integrated into the project?
- What sources of information will students leverage in the project?
Adult Connections:
- Will students get support from experts residing outside the classroom?
- Will students get to work alongside experts at a field site during project?
- Will outside experts convey real world standards for students’ project work?
Assessment Practices:
- What are the criteria for measuring desired learning outcomes?
- Are students involved in creating or reviewing project assessment criteria?
- What self-assessment approaches will be used?
- examples: journals, peer conferences, teacher-mentor conferences, rubrics, periodic progress checks
- What types of work will students generate to demonstrate mastery of learning outcomes?
- Does culminating presentation allow students to apply learned skills?
![3-sowhat](https://pblife.edublogs.org/files/2016/03/3-sowhat-yqmwsd-300x34.png)
The 6A’s criteria can be used to evaluate and improve PBL project design. Projects that meet the 6A’s criteria are engaging, rigorous, relevant, inquiry-based, inspiring and academically sound. For more project design criteria, see this article: Backwards design template & standards.
![4-nowwhat](https://pblife.edublogs.org/files/2016/03/4-nowwhat-tz7grb-300x34.png)
Preparation Steps
- Use 6A’s reflection questions to create and refine design of projects
- Research strategies and opportunities to enhance 6A’s strengths of projects and overcome or eliminate gaps of projects
Early Implementation Steps
- Implement projects that satisfy 6A’s criteria
- Use formative feedback to fine tune projects in progress and to coach students to improve their understandings and products
Advanced Implementation Steps
- Use student feedback to improve manifestation of 6A’s criteria in projects
- Develop design process routines and templates that make it easier to create projects and evaluate them using the 6A’s rubric
- Develop community partnerships that will enhance Adult Connections in projects
- Learn how to use and scaffold technology tools that will improve Active Exploration and Authenticity of projects
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