Need an online curriculum to support REMOTE project-based learning or research?
So did we…that’s why we took our 13 years of experience and created the Science Coach Innovation Curriculum*, a project-based learning (PBL) framework that remotely guides students through the innovation process while allowing easy and effective teacher oversight and evaluation.
Because COVID-19 has thrust education into a virtual world, the demand to use our robust, year-long methodology curriculum (previously reserved for Science Coach teachers in our full professional development program) and our desire to help teachers during this unprecedented time, has prompted our non-profit to make this student-facing curriculum available to schools, individuals, micro-schools or anyone wanting to engage students in fun, individualized and REAL LIFE project-based learning of THEIR OWN CHOOSING.
Science Coach is 100% project-based learning, so we recognized the magnified challenge of teaching PBL remotely. Science Coach invented this PBL framework as a technology solution that teachers can use as an integrated or stand-alone implementation to engage remote students. PBL has always been an effective way to ignite a student’s intrinsic motivation, awaken creativity and teach critical thinking skills to solve real-life problems. Science Coach has made Project-Based Learning EFFECTIVE and POSSIBLE in the new virtual education world.
Download a PDF of the Innovation Curriculum literature here.
STUDENTS
Innovation Curriculum engages and supports 6th-12th grade students to REMOTELY:
- Enhance enrichment of regular classroom subjects through individualized PBL activities.
- Design an invention and prepare “Shark Tank-like presentations.”
- Complete a science fair and/or high-level research project including competition posters and oral presentations.
- Develop an engineering design, ecology or computer-based project.
- Step students through the entire innovation process.
- Complete an innovation journal that provides the necessary online structure and keeps all content and media in one place.
TEACHERS
Teaching PBL remotely is easier because the Innovation Curriculum provides:
- Easy oversight access with status updates on all projects.
- The ability to group students into teams or make a unique ‘course.’
- Access to place feedback or mentoring insight directly in the student’s online innovation journal.
- Grading options and rubrics provided to evaluate the virtual student’s results.
- Teacher instruction guidance and answer keys embedded within the content upon login.
- Comprehensive modules and lessons (see next page) that work for students of all abilities.
ADMINISTRATORS
Innovation Curriculum is an equitable solution for ALL students and a VITAL tool for effective PBL remote implementation:
- Teacher access is free.
- Easy and cost-effective to implement. Send us the Order form (with PO #) and the email lists and teacher/student accounts are active within 2 business days.
Curriculum Overview
Module 1: Introduction to Innovation
- Creativity and Innovation
- Working within a Team
- Characteristics of Innovators
- Design Thinking
Module 2: Exploring Ideas for Your Innovation Project
- Why do Independent Exploration?
- Incentives, Motivations, and Market: Exploring Audiences and Relevant Competitions
- Science Changes the World
- Audiences
- Labs, Workshops and the World of Work
- Innovation Methodologies
Module 3: Getting Clear on Your Direction
- Professional Documentation
- Refining your Questions and Understanding the Problem
- Finding Research Questions or Problems around School
- Finding Research Questions or Problems in the Natural World
- Finding Research Questions or Problems Everywhere
- Create Your Question or Problem
- Mentorships and Professional Networks
Module 4: Gathering Relevant Background Information
- What is relevant background information?
- What does it mean to review relevant background information?
- Sources of background information
- Troubleshooting background information reviews
- Conducting your background information review
- Create a hypothesis or specify design requirements
Module 5: Ethics and Integrity
- Intro to Ethics
- Ethical Issues with Living Beings
- Ethical Issues with Handling Information
- Governing Bodies of Ethics
- Ethical Scenarios
Module 6: Designing and Planning Experiments and Tests
- Track Specific Requirements
- Track Specific Process and Planning
- Track Specific Testing
- Designing Track Specific Testing
- Design and Implementation
- Student Presentations
Module 7: Study Designs
- Research Methods
- Observations and Surveys
- Surveys and Focus Groups
- Observations: Survey and Focus Group Designs
- Correlations and Causations
- Correlations Study Designs
- Quasi-Experimental and Experimental Study Designs
- Developing a Quasi-Experimental or Experimental Study Design
Module 8: Conducting Experiments and Tests
- Bias and Sampling
- Designing Your Data Collection
- Safety
- Discipline Specific Methods
- Refining Your Process
- Execute Your Project
Module 9: Tools for Analysis
- Descriptive Statistics
- Applying Real World Data
- Analyze Data Using Tools of the Profession, Part 1 and Part 2
Module 10: Data Analysis and Statistics
- Introduction to Analysis and Hypothesis Testing
- Strength of Agreement or Disagreement
- Comparing Mean Values
- Comparing Proportions
- Applying Appropriate Analysis
- Why Good Data is Important
Module 11: Making Sense of Information and Next Steps
- Data Visualization
- Data Organization
- Data Interpretation
- Developing a Conclusion and Discussion Your Conclusion and Discussion
Module 12: Written Communication
- Introduction to Written Communication
- Laying out the Context
- Background Information Review, Materials, Methods Results, Discussion, and Conclusion
- References and Formatting
- Abstracts and Executive Summaries
Module 13: Oral Communication
- Creating Your Presentation or Demonstration
- Creating Your Speech
- Using Props and Visual Aids
- Speaking Techniques
- Practicing Your Speech