The 20% Project (like Google) In My Class(educationismylife.com)
educationismylife.com
The 20% Project (like Google) In My Class
http://educationismylife.com/the-20-project-like-google-in-my-class/
6 comments
There is a difference between assessment/evaluation and feedback, and the teacher may simply have the aversion to assessment/evaluation. That is, that one can provide excellent feedback without the feeling of evaluation. The focus is simply different but can have a major impact, and should result in the complete opposite of making you feel cheated (receiving feedback for feedback's sake, rather than for artificial reasons such as grades).
Simply receiving feedback without grades means the only factor that leads to action is an intrinsic motivation, meaning learning and accomplishment are the most important things for the student. Assessment/evaluation always has a component of extrinsic motivation present (ie. an artificial targets), which often leads to the importance of grades over learning. Importance of grades over learning leads to shallow-learning practices, which often leads to horrible retention and a dislike for learning... and so the self-destructive process often proceeds.
Simply receiving feedback without grades means the only factor that leads to action is an intrinsic motivation, meaning learning and accomplishment are the most important things for the student. Assessment/evaluation always has a component of extrinsic motivation present (ie. an artificial targets), which often leads to the importance of grades over learning. Importance of grades over learning leads to shallow-learning practices, which often leads to horrible retention and a dislike for learning... and so the self-destructive process often proceeds.
Great! It sounds like we're just using the terminology differently (and perhaps the same is true for ajjuliani and myself).
When young students improve as writers, they broaden their executive function in which, in large part, they learn distance themselves from the writing. They learn to assess it independently from themselves as the writer. As a teacher of writing, one of your goals is to develop these functions, to teach the student how to assess their own writing. Usually this comes in the form of pointing out when they have done in naturally, or showing them how you do it by writing in real time in front of them (or using other students as examples).
I think it's the same in other subjects. Giving students time and freedom is just the start, and we agree about the importance of providing some sort of assessment/evaluation/feedback about the work that's outside the realm of grades and external consequences. But formal assessments done well in such a program are one of the most important things you are teaching.
To relate this specifically to the article, to just give students time and rely (essentially) on public shaming to hold them accountable isn't enough. In addition to giving the student ownership of the project topic and ownership of time management, we can give the student ownership over his/her (formal and informal) assessment, too, and of course use it.
When young students improve as writers, they broaden their executive function in which, in large part, they learn distance themselves from the writing. They learn to assess it independently from themselves as the writer. As a teacher of writing, one of your goals is to develop these functions, to teach the student how to assess their own writing. Usually this comes in the form of pointing out when they have done in naturally, or showing them how you do it by writing in real time in front of them (or using other students as examples).
I think it's the same in other subjects. Giving students time and freedom is just the start, and we agree about the importance of providing some sort of assessment/evaluation/feedback about the work that's outside the realm of grades and external consequences. But formal assessments done well in such a program are one of the most important things you are teaching.
To relate this specifically to the article, to just give students time and rely (essentially) on public shaming to hold them accountable isn't enough. In addition to giving the student ownership of the project topic and ownership of time management, we can give the student ownership over his/her (formal and informal) assessment, too, and of course use it.
The aversion is to assessment in the service of future employers. Assessment for feedback's sake is a great help to learning, but grades are much more of the first type than the second.
The aversion is to assessment in the service of future employers.
I don't think this is true.
Based on the behavior of my students (back when I taught), they all seemed to care a great deal about assessment that would help future employers evaluate them (i.e., their grade). In contrast, they cared very little about actual learning or feedback that helped them to achieve it.
I don't think this is true.
Based on the behavior of my students (back when I taught), they all seemed to care a great deal about assessment that would help future employers evaluate them (i.e., their grade). In contrast, they cared very little about actual learning or feedback that helped them to achieve it.
I've heard from several current Google employees that the so-called "20% time" is known in the office as "120% time". Meaning you don't get time to work on it, you simply work on something on top of what you already do. Which actually defeats the purpose and just gets employees to use their personal free time to work on a company project. Nonetheless, it's a good idea for a class, as long as you make sure to give them 20% of class time to work on it
Scott Adams had a take on that recently: http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2011-12-19/
Is taking 20% of only a few hours with a particular teacher going to be enough? It might be hard for students to do anything worthwhile with such a short timelength split over weeks. I'd go as far as to say it might be frustrating because the idea is awesome but they won't be able to really achieve stuff in this context. Still a great initiative!
I wish that, starting with high school, most teaching was project-based and schools worked to enable students to discover and learn stuff they care about, rather than shoving knowledge down one's throat. Want to make video games? Learn woodwork? Build an electronic device? Learn cooking? Schools should strive to provide a framework to make those things happen!
I think teaching people to be passive and keeping them from being productive until their twenties is a huge factor in school failure, dropping out and lots of social issues (at least in France where I'm from).
I wish that, starting with high school, most teaching was project-based and schools worked to enable students to discover and learn stuff they care about, rather than shoving knowledge down one's throat. Want to make video games? Learn woodwork? Build an electronic device? Learn cooking? Schools should strive to provide a framework to make those things happen!
I think teaching people to be passive and keeping them from being productive until their twenties is a huge factor in school failure, dropping out and lots of social issues (at least in France where I'm from).
I would think that 20% would be enough to make a difference. The main thing the students need is the catalyst -- once they get started, I could foresee many (not all) students spent much more than 20% of their time simply because they are actually enjoying school and enjoying learning.
I think this is one of the real questions I had when deciding whether or not to do it. But, in terms of my class, I want to give students that ownership and freedom even if it is for a short time period.
My 8th grade science teacher did this for us and it changed my life.
I chose to learn Java and then HTML. 15 years later, I'm making websites and writing Android apps at my own company.
I cannot think of a single experience in all of my education that had anywhere near the impact on my life as that assignment.
I chose to learn Java and then HTML. 15 years later, I'm making websites and writing Android apps at my own company.
I cannot think of a single experience in all of my education that had anywhere near the impact on my life as that assignment.
You have to document it and then present it to the class.
What's new there? How is it different from "just project"?
The thing about 20% (supposedly, I don't have first-hand experience) that most of results would go straight to the trash. Because you had this idea but it didn't end with anything. And that's the beauty.
Also, you're not forced to do it. You can't allocate creativity in time slots.
The thing about 20% (supposedly, I don't have first-hand experience) that most of results would go straight to the trash. Because you had this idea but it didn't end with anything. And that's the beauty.
Also, you're not forced to do it. You can't allocate creativity in time slots.
It's different because the students have control (topic, depth & breadth, time management), and given the right atmosphere and guidance, will have increased ownership and investment in their project. Ideally, students will also have input about the expectations and assessment, including the possibility of a successful project despite failed idea.
Secondly, you can allocate creativity in time slots, it just takes time. Given consistent and predictable blocks of time everyday or a few times a week, students or anyone else will get better at using said time. You get used to it; you get better at context switching into the necessary mode and, importantly, since it's predictable your brain will also consider and prepare outside of the designated time blocks.
Secondly, you can allocate creativity in time slots, it just takes time. Given consistent and predictable blocks of time everyday or a few times a week, students or anyone else will get better at using said time. You get used to it; you get better at context switching into the necessary mode and, importantly, since it's predictable your brain will also consider and prepare outside of the designated time blocks.
The difference in my mind is that you are not graded on the documentation or the presentation. Therefore, you are not being "forced to do it" for an extrinsic reward. But I do understand your point. As teachers we are still bound by time and curriculum.
How are you keeping the students accountable if they are not being graded? I'm not attempting to criticize the idea (I'm rather interested in it), but I'm curious how you deal with the student that says "I'm not being graded, so I'm not doing it."
This question did come up in my class. I said "if you do not want to take this opportunity seriously and would rather be graded on an assignment, I'll gladly assign you a different project for the rest of the year that I will grade you on." He stayed with the 20% project.
The accountability is in the documentation and the presentations. More of a peer accountability than anything else (which I think is powerful). I'd be happy to hear any suggestions!
The accountability is in the documentation and the presentations. More of a peer accountability than anything else (which I think is powerful). I'd be happy to hear any suggestions!
Sounds like a reasonable policy. I'll be curious to hear how it all turns out.
What an excellent idea. Giving free reign makes the class more enthusiastic, and more enthusiasm will hopefully make the learning process that much more effective.
My prediction: You'll have 1/3 of the class do something completely stupid just to pass the course, 1/3 put in some good effort but a mediocre idea, and 1/3 who do something pretty interesting.
My prediction: You'll have 1/3 of the class do something completely stupid just to pass the course, 1/3 put in some good effort but a mediocre idea, and 1/3 who do something pretty interesting.
What is the aversion to assessment? If I did work in a class, or in any context with a mentor, and did not receive assessment, I would feel cheated.
This is a great thing to do. I did something similar teaching English writing abroad - 80% free time (except it had to be writing of some sort) and I assessed heavily. This doesn't mean dry numbers tied to a near-sighted rubric.
Giving students ownership over their learning is essential, and this is the right direction. You have to extend this paradigm to all aspects of teaching (including assessment) rather than just leaving some parts out.