Hope for the Future: Building Hope for the Future: Building Hope via Project-Based Hope via Project-Based Learning and Advisory Learning and Advisory

GroupingsGroupings

EdVisions SchoolsEdVisions Schools

20052005

Issues in Today’s High SchoolsIssues in Today’s High Schools

Student passage through high school is Student passage through high school is accompanied by gradual decreases in:accompanied by gradual decreases in:– Student engagementStudent engagement– Intrinsic motivationIntrinsic motivation– Attention and effort in schoolAttention and effort in school– Interest in learningInterest in learning– AchievementAchievement

Drop-out rates remain basically the same Drop-out rates remain basically the same despite the constant churn of reform initiativesdespite the constant churn of reform initiatives– 347,000 - 544,000 per year in the decade preceding 347,000 - 544,000 per year in the decade preceding

the year 2000the year 2000– Drop-outs have reduced chance of success as adultsDrop-outs have reduced chance of success as adults

A Critical TransitionA Critical TransitionAdolescence marks the emergence of psychological Adolescence marks the emergence of psychological disturbances, such as depression, anxiety, eating disturbances, such as depression, anxiety, eating disordersdisordersIncrease in high-risk behaviors, such as substance Increase in high-risk behaviors, such as substance abuse, delinquencyabuse, delinquencyThese psychological and behavioral problems can inhibit These psychological and behavioral problems can inhibit intellectual growth and emotional maturation and impede intellectual growth and emotional maturation and impede the transition to adulthoodthe transition to adulthoodExperiences in adolescence can impact a person’s life Experiences in adolescence can impact a person’s life trajectory (educational attainment, employment trajectory (educational attainment, employment opportunities, relationships) in significant waysopportunities, relationships) in significant ways

Stage-Environment Fit TheoryStage-Environment Fit Theory

Mismatch between emerging adolescent needs Mismatch between emerging adolescent needs and the developmental context is causally and the developmental context is causally related to negative outcomes like related to negative outcomes like disengagement, drop-out and emotional disengagement, drop-out and emotional problems (emphasis: problems (emphasis: educationaleducational context) context)What are the key developmental needs for What are the key developmental needs for adolescents?adolescents?– AutonomyAutonomy: personal causation; making choices : personal causation; making choices

according to your own personal interests and desires; according to your own personal interests and desires; being the “origin” of your own behaviorbeing the “origin” of your own behavior

– BelongingnessBelongingness: the depth and quality of the : the depth and quality of the interpersonal relationships in an individual’s life (both interpersonal relationships in an individual’s life (both peer-to-peer and student-teacher)peer-to-peer and student-teacher)

Implications of Stage-Environment Implications of Stage-Environment Fit TheoryFit Theory

A typical high-school environment (large and A typical high-school environment (large and impersonal, rigid curriculum, competitive ethos) impersonal, rigid curriculum, competitive ethos) may not be supportive of adolescent needsmay not be supportive of adolescent needsA better match in terms of adolescent needs and A better match in terms of adolescent needs and the educational context should result in higher the educational context should result in higher levels of motivation and engagementlevels of motivation and engagement– Sizable research literature to support this claimSizable research literature to support this claim

Placing students in a more developmentally Placing students in a more developmentally appropriate environment should have a positive appropriate environment should have a positive effect on student psychological healtheffect on student psychological health– There is relatively little research that directly There is relatively little research that directly

addresses this claimaddresses this claim

Appropriate Environment: Appropriate Environment: EdVisionsEdVisions

Self-directed, project-based learning gives students high Self-directed, project-based learning gives students high levels of choice in directing their own process of learninglevels of choice in directing their own process of learning– Should lead to greater perceptions of autonomyShould lead to greater perceptions of autonomy– Evaluation done through live performanceEvaluation done through live performance

Long-term advisory groups pair each student with an Long-term advisory groups pair each student with an adult and a group of peers for an extended periodadult and a group of peers for an extended period– Should support the formation of solid teacher and peer Should support the formation of solid teacher and peer

relationships, which should lead to greater perceptions of relationships, which should lead to greater perceptions of belongingnessbelongingness

– Instead of seeing 7 or 8 teachers a day for 50 minutes, and a Instead of seeing 7 or 8 teachers a day for 50 minutes, and a new group of teachers every semester, a student has a single new group of teachers every semester, a student has a single adult advisor for their entire educational careeradult advisor for their entire educational career

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

1.1. Are autonomy and belongingness associated with Are autonomy and belongingness associated with greater engagement and psychological health?greater engagement and psychological health?

– Cross-sectional sample with many demographicsCross-sectional sample with many demographics

2.2. Do project-based learning and advisory grouping Do project-based learning and advisory grouping support greater levels of autonomy and belongingness support greater levels of autonomy and belongingness when compared to traditional school environments?when compared to traditional school environments?

And, if so:And, if so:

3.3. Do students in these schools demonstrate greater Do students in these schools demonstrate greater engagement in learning and healthy psychological engagement in learning and healthy psychological development?development?

– Targeted comparison, controlling for differencesTargeted comparison, controlling for differences

Measuring Psychological HealthMeasuring Psychological Health

Hope: a generalized expectancy for achieving goalsHope: a generalized expectancy for achieving goalsCorrelated with dispositional optimism, positive outcome Correlated with dispositional optimism, positive outcome expectations, self-esteem, happinessexpectations, self-esteem, happiness– Lower rates of depression, anxietyLower rates of depression, anxiety

In a longitudinal study of college students, hope scores In a longitudinal study of college students, hope scores predicted GPA even after controlling for entrance predicted GPA even after controlling for entrance examination scores on the ACTexamination scores on the ACT– In the same study, 57% of the higher-hope individuals had In the same study, 57% of the higher-hope individuals had

graduated from college after six years, while only 40% of the graduated from college after six years, while only 40% of the lower-hope individuals had graduatedlower-hope individuals had graduated

Hope is a stable component of a person’s disposition Hope is a stable component of a person’s disposition that does not change over time without targeted therapythat does not change over time without targeted therapy

Data Point 1Data Point 1

Measurements taken in Nov/Dec 2004Measurements taken in Nov/Dec 2004Measuring autonomy, belongingness, Measuring autonomy, belongingness, engagement in school, and hopeengagement in school, and hopeBelongingness composed of:Belongingness composed of:– Teacher academic and personal supportTeacher academic and personal support– Peer academic and personal supportPeer academic and personal support

804 students surveyed at 8 EdVisions schools 804 students surveyed at 8 EdVisions schools (urban, suburban, medium-sized town, rural)(urban, suburban, medium-sized town, rural)140 students surveyed at two traditional schools 140 students surveyed at two traditional schools (rural and suburban)(rural and suburban)

Data Point 2Data Point 2

Measurements taken in April/May 2005Measurements taken in April/May 2005Measuring autonomy, belongingness, Measuring autonomy, belongingness, engagement in school, and hopeengagement in school, and hopeData collected from 3 closely-matched schoolsData collected from 3 closely-matched schools– Two EdVisions schools (Schools A and B) and one Two EdVisions schools (Schools A and B) and one

traditional school (School C); 231 students in totaltraditional school (School C); 231 students in total– Located in rural area southwest of Minneapolis within Located in rural area southwest of Minneapolis within

50 miles of each other50 miles of each other– Similar demographics and school/teacher qualitiesSimilar demographics and school/teacher qualities– School A uses project-based learning full-timeSchool A uses project-based learning full-time– School B uses project-based learning part-timeSchool B uses project-based learning part-time– Schools A and B use advisory groupingSchools A and B use advisory grouping

Q1: Are autonomy and belongingness Q1: Are autonomy and belongingness associated with greater engagement and associated with greater engagement and

psychological health?psychological health?

Autonomy and belongingness are critical for engagement Autonomy and belongingness are critical for engagement in schoolin school– Encourage positive change in engagement over timeEncourage positive change in engagement over time

Peer academic support did not predict engagementPeer academic support did not predict engagement– Academic support likely to be important when coming from Academic support likely to be important when coming from

friends rather than larger peer groupfriends rather than larger peer group

Engagement in school mediates the effects of autonomy Engagement in school mediates the effects of autonomy and belongingness on hopeand belongingness on hope– Feeling of being liked/accepted by peers has direct impact on Feeling of being liked/accepted by peers has direct impact on

hope that is not mediated by engagementhope that is not mediated by engagement

Both engagement and peer personal support encourage Both engagement and peer personal support encourage positive change in hope over timepositive change in hope over time

Q2: Comparing Q2: Comparing EnvironmentsEnvironments

Estimated Marginal Means from ANCOVA Comparisons Between Schools

Variable   School

N A B C

Autonomy 227 1.75a .62b -.91c

Teacher Personal Support 229 4.16a 4.09a 3.27b

Teacher Academic Support 229 4.47a 4.44a 3.80b

Peer Personal Support 229 3.37a,b 3.58a 3.19b

Engagement 228 9.94a 8.14a,b 4.32b

Hope 230 50.24a 49.97a 47.50a

Note. Means in the same row that do not share the same subscript differ at p < .05 in post-hoc comparison w/a Bonferroni adjustment. Student-level differences in age, gender, race, SES, previous educational experience & number of years in current school are controlled.

Q 2: DiscussionQ 2: Discussion

Project-based learning encourages significantly higher Project-based learning encourages significantly higher levels of autonomylevels of autonomy– School A > School B > School CSchool A > School B > School C

Advisory grouping enables the creation of significantly Advisory grouping enables the creation of significantly better teacher/student relationshipsbetter teacher/student relationships– Schools A and B > School C on teacher relationshipsSchools A and B > School C on teacher relationships– Effects on peer relations somewhat ambiguousEffects on peer relations somewhat ambiguous

Students in the project-based learning environment Students in the project-based learning environment exhibit greater engagement in learningexhibit greater engagement in learning– Schools A and B* > School CSchools A and B* > School C

No significant differences in hopeNo significant differences in hope

Q3: Change Over TimeQ3: Change Over Time

Change in Hope over Time

    School

Time Point

A(n = 54)

B(n = 117)

C(n = 54)

Hope 2 50.69 49.45 48.35

Hope 1 48.87 47.47 48.59

Difference - 1.82* 1.98*** -.24

Note. *p < .05. *** p < .001.

Change Over Time, ‘06Change Over Time, ‘06

SchoolSchool Hope 05Hope 05 Hope 06Hope 06 DifferenceDifference

AA 50.2450.24 49.6349.63 -0.61-0.61

BB 49.6249.62 51.9151.91 +1.29+1.29

CC 46.7246.72 50.3550.35 +3.63+3.63

Ave.Ave. 48.8648.86 50.9350.93 +2.07+2.07

ConclusionsConclusions

Project-based learning and advisory grouping Project-based learning and advisory grouping are effective pedagogical techniques for meeting are effective pedagogical techniques for meeting adolescent needs for autonomy and adolescent needs for autonomy and belongingnessbelongingnessTogether, these techniques can provide an Together, these techniques can provide an environment in which adolescents can flourishenvironment in which adolescents can flourishThis sort of positive growth can help to buffer This sort of positive growth can help to buffer students from the turbulences of adolescence students from the turbulences of adolescence and provide a stronger platform for future and provide a stronger platform for future successsuccessThese results also point out the necessity of These results also point out the necessity of continuous improvement through measurementcontinuous improvement through measurement

Continuous Improvement Through Continuous Improvement Through the Hope Studythe Hope Study

Creation of documents to support school Creation of documents to support school improvementimprovement– School-wide Assessment RubricSchool-wide Assessment Rubric

Assessment Rubric establishes continuum Assessment Rubric establishes continuum of development of Design Essentials in:of development of Design Essentials in:– A self-directed project-based programA self-directed project-based program– A democratic school cultureA democratic school culture– A culture of constant assessmentA culture of constant assessment– A culture of teacher ownershipA culture of teacher ownership

Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning

By utilizing the assessment rubric, learning By utilizing the assessment rubric, learning community teams develop plans for community teams develop plans for improvement via:improvement via:– Data collection and analysisData collection and analysis– Professional Development PlansProfessional Development Plans– Long-range strategies to meet the mission of Long-range strategies to meet the mission of

No Child Left UnknownNo Child Left Unknown

Hope for the FutureHope for the Future

Hope can be grown by creating a stage- Hope can be grown by creating a stage- environment fit for adolescents that:environment fit for adolescents that:– Increases adolescent decision-making Increases adolescent decision-making

(autonomy)(autonomy)– Increases significant relationships and Increases significant relationships and

support between peers and teachers support between peers and teachers (belongingness)(belongingness)

– Increases interest in learning (engagement)Increases interest in learning (engagement)

A project-based setting with full-time A project-based setting with full-time advisories is a proper stage-environment advisories is a proper stage-environment fit for adolescent psychological health!fit for adolescent psychological health!