1st Edition

Inquiry and Innovation in the Classroom Using 20% Time, Genius Hour, and PBL to Drive Student Success

By A.J. Juliani Copyright 2014
    154 Pages
    by Eye On Education

    152 Pages
    by Eye On Education

    Careers in the 21st century are changing, but traditional education methods are not preparing students for these new jobs and demands. In this thought-provoking book, esteemed educator A.J. Juliani describes how we need to modify our classrooms to instill in students the drive for inquiry and innovation that they will need to succeed beyond school doors. Juliani reveals the ways that teachers can use Google’s 20% Time, Genius Hour, and Project-Based Learning to make students more creative, inquisitive, engaged in learning, and self-motivated—the kind of people we need to move society forward! He offers easy ways to implement these ideas while meeting the Common Core and still allowing plenty of time for content instruction.

    Special Features:

    • Research on the benefits of inquiry-based learning
    • Connections to the Common Core State Standards
    • Stories and examples from the field
    • Exciting ideas for using 20% Time, Genius Hour, and PBL at various grade levels
    • Tips for preparing parents and administration for your new instruction
    • Ideas for expanding your knowledge and continually learning in this area
    • Classroom applications for each chapter, including sample projects and resources
    • Bonus content with reproducible materials that you can use in your classroom right now, such as student checklists, questions, lessons, and unit plans

    As Juliani emphasizes, if we want our students to change the world, we must change our classrooms to foster inquiry and innovation.

    Foreword by George Courous

    Introduction

    Chapter 1: Real Classrooms for a Real World

    Chapter 2: How 20% Time Changed the World

    Chapter 3: History Repeats Itself…In a Good Way

    Chapter 4: Designing 20% Time for the Classroom

    Chapter 5: Genius Hour for Elementary Students

    Chapter 6: A 20% Model for Teachers

    Chapter 7: 20% Time for Teachers

    Chapter 8: Preparing Your Institution, School, and Class

    Chapter 9: Personalized Learning and the Common Core

    Chapter 10: Taking the Leap into Inquiry

    Chapter 11: Support for Inquiry and Innovation in the Classroom

    Biography

    AJ Juliani is the founder of EducationIsMyLife.com and Collaborative Educational Solutions, LLC.

    "A.J. has written something that gives great ideas and will push your learning long after."

    --From the foreword by George Couros, education thought leader and Division Principal of Innovative Teaching and Learning with Parkland School Division in Alberta, Canada

    "If you want to prepare kids for the realities of life in an intensely competitive economy, then you must look beyond the classroom. This book suggests exciting and doable ways to bring the ideas of the best creative minds from around the world into your class."

    --Daniel H. Pink, author of  To Sell Is Human and Drive

    "AJ Juliani has written the definitive how-to manual on genius hour, 20% time, and project based learning. As a teacher, it makes me happy to see so many practical classroom examples and ideas I can use tomorrow with my students. If you want to be an engaging 21st century educator, this book is for you."

    --Vicki Davis, author of Reinventing Writing and creator of the Cool Cat Teacher Blog

    "Inquiry is the engine that drives innovation," writes AJ Juliani, a Technology Staff Developer, consultant, and former teacher who lives out this truth and delves into it in Inquiry and Innovation in the Classroom. AJ's expertise in fostering students' curiosity and passion will guide educators in creating progressive inquiry-based learning environments and preparing students for the future. AJ's book is essential reading for anyone with a desire to change education--and the world--for the better!"

    --Angela Maiers, consultant on 21st century teaching and coauthor of The Passion-Driven Classroom