Video Resources for PBL and Deeper Learning

I am excited to announce that Envision Schools is now Envision Education. Envision Education encompasses our schools division, with our four high-performing college prep schools in the Bay Area, as well as our consulting division, Envision Learning Partners, which is bringing professional development and coaching to schools and districts around the country.

These two divisions support and are accountable to each other, and together work toward our mission of making college attendance and success a reality for students. Envision Education is now better positioned to transform the lives of students everywhere and to ensure that we are sending graduates to college prepared for that challenge.

As we prepare to celebrate our 10th anniversary in 2013, we are reflecting on all of Envision's accomplishments over the last decade. Like with Edutopia, people tell us these videos make the work come alive for them whether they are teachers, students, parents, school leaders, or policy makers.

I thought it would be fun to highlight a collection of videos that show our model over the last ten years. Here they are:

Video #1: The Four C's: Making 21st Century Education Happen

This video by EdLeader21 and Pearson Foundation focuses on how the 4C's are being implemented in three parts of the country. It features Impact Academy in Hayward, CA.

Video #2: Deeper Learning at City Arts and Technology High School

Sha'nice Patterson, a student at one of the Envision schools, talks about the impact CAT had on her education. CAT's deeper learning approach -- emphasizing critical thinking, communications, learning to learn, working collaboratively -- helps students master core academic content and prepares them for a 21st century world. Sha'nice is now college-bound. Learn more about Hewlett Foundation's support for Deeper Learning.

Video #3: Deeper Learning at Impact Academy

Rahil, a student at Impact Academy in Hayward, California, describes what the school's deeper learning approach -- a focus on critical thinking, problem solving, project based learning, and communicating effectively -- has meant for him and his family. Impact Academy is part of Envision Schools, a group of schools dedicated to preparing students to succeed in a changing world.

Video #4: "It really, actually changed my life"

In this video, high school students from City Arts and Technology High School and other schools reflect on their experience of project based learning and describe how they not only learned a great deal of content, but also practiced the 21st century skills needed for personal and workplace success.

Video #5: What Does Deeper Learning Look Like?

This video series, by the Alliance for Excellent Education, introduces you to students and teachers of City Arts and Technology (CAT). The high school experience at CAT is entirely focused on supporting students so they can be successful in college, career, and life. Staff and students alike are very focused on creating an understanding, a culture, and an expectation of college-going. At the heart of the school's approach to teaching and learning is the school's unique deeper learning assessment system.

Video #6: Project-based Learning Comprehensive Overview

Produced by the Oracle Foundation, this series of seven videos takes you through seven steps of an actual project at Metropolitan Arts and Technology High School in San Francisco.

Video #7: Workplace Learning Experience (WLE) Documentary

This video documents the Envision Schools Workplace Learning Experience (aka internship) model. The video was produced by a City Arts and Technology student as part of the their WLE.

Video #8: Envision Project Exchange

Project Exchange is primarily an online workspace for Envision teachers to share projects and collaborate with one another through sharing best practice in project design and implementation. It is also important to us that Project Exchange is open to the public so that other educators can utilize the resources the site provides to inform the work in their own schools and in their own practice. On the left margin, the Project Exchange highlights seven videos capturing the lessons from teachers and documenting PBL and Student Exhibitions.

If you use any of these videos in your practice, post a comment letting me know what type of responses you receive and please feel free to share your own feedback as well.