NoveltyNoveltyAn RUSD Best Practices An RUSD Best Practices

GATE Tune-UpGATE Tune-Up

What is Novelty?What is Novelty?

Novelty complements depth and complexity by Novelty complements depth and complexity by providing opportunities for inquiry and exploration.providing opportunities for inquiry and exploration.

• Constructing meaning in an individualized mannerConstructing meaning in an individualized manner• Owning a subject, making it one’s ownOwning a subject, making it one’s own• Seeking an original interpretationSeeking an original interpretation• Inventing, redesigning or substitutingInventing, redesigning or substituting• Looking for new implications among or within the Looking for new implications among or within the

disciplinesdisciplines

For the highly gifted, For the highly gifted, novelty often provides the novelty often provides the most meaningful learning most meaningful learning

experiences.experiences.

Differentiating Curriculum Differentiating Curriculum Questions for NoveltyQuestions for Novelty

How can knowledge in the area of study be interpreted?How can knowledge in the area of study be interpreted?

How can knowledge from this study be How can knowledge from this study be restated/expressed in one’s own words?restated/expressed in one’s own words?

What type of investigation or experiment can be What type of investigation or experiment can be designed to learn more about the area of study?designed to learn more about the area of study?

What type of original investigation or experiment can be What type of original investigation or experiment can be developed to prove or disprove an idea about this study?developed to prove or disprove an idea about this study?

What personal interpretation could be made from this What personal interpretation could be made from this area of study?area of study?

Creation of novelty rests with Creation of novelty rests with the student, but the teacher the student, but the teacher

sets up the conditions.sets up the conditions.

Examples of NoveltyExamples of Novelty

Textbook questions/activities Textbook questions/activities (Yes, really!)(Yes, really!)

Learning CentersLearning Centers

Independent StudyIndependent Study

Textbook Questions/ActivitiesTextbook Questions/Activities

To reflect novelty textbook questions To reflect novelty textbook questions must be at the higher levels of Bloom’s must be at the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy by asking that the studentTaxonomy by asking that the student

Apply the content material to their own lifeApply the content material to their own life

ororEvaluate and justify with evidenceEvaluate and justify with evidence

ororSynthesize the contentSynthesize the content

Learning CentersLearning Centers

Learning centers can be stations or Learning centers can be stations or collections of materials learners use to collections of materials learners use to explore topics or extend skills. Centers explore topics or extend skills. Centers can be teacher or student- created. can be teacher or student- created.

Provide Provide specific activitiesspecific activities that build upon that build upon content-area studiescontent-area studies

Add depth and complexity to the core Add depth and complexity to the core curriculumcurriculum

Allow for independenceAllow for independence

Independent StudyIndependent Study

Teacher and student plan method to Teacher and student plan method to investigate a topic and identify the investigate a topic and identify the product student will develop.product student will develop.

Build on Build on student intereststudent interest within core within core curriculumcurriculum

Allow student maximum freedom to planAllow student maximum freedom to planTeacher provides guidance and structureTeacher provides guidance and structureUse preset timelinesUse preset timelinesEstablish criteria for successEstablish criteria for success

All pursuit of novelty All pursuit of novelty requires some level of requires some level of

research.research.

Research is not writing Research is not writing a reporta report

It is pursuing further It is pursuing further understanding of a topicunderstanding of a topic

Research is “search”Research is “search”

A student’s ability to find A student’s ability to find information from a variety of information from a variety of

sources and to draw sources and to draw conclusions from that conclusions from that

information is at the root of information is at the root of research.research.

Questions Provide the Questions Provide the Framework for ResearchFramework for Research

Questions can come from any layer of Questions can come from any layer of the curriculumthe curriculum

Core ContentCore Content Universal ThemeUniversal Theme GeneralizationsGeneralizations Depth and ComplexityDepth and Complexity Thinking like a DisciplinarianThinking like a Disciplinarian

Questions from Thinking Like A Questions from Thinking Like A DisciplinarianDisciplinarian

DisciplineDiscipline QuestionsQuestions

ArcheologyArcheology What tools were used?What tools were used?

How were the tools used?How were the tools used?

What do they mainly look for?What do they mainly look for?

PaleontologistPaleontologist Why are they interested in origins?Why are they interested in origins?

Why and where do they dig?Why and where do they dig?

PsychologistPsychologist Why are they effective?Why are they effective?

Why do they ask so many questions?Why do they ask so many questions?

How do they get in your mind?How do they get in your mind?

Questions can be Questions can be developed by simply askingdeveloped by simply asking

I have learned this, but I am I have learned this, but I am still wondering…still wondering…

Six Research SkillsSix Research Skills

ParaphraseParaphraseTake notesTake notesSummarizeSummarizeDetermine relevanceDetermine relevanceCompare/ContrastCompare/ContrastDraw conclusionsDraw conclusions

Have students pick a research skill and Have students pick a research skill and decide which elements of depth and decide which elements of depth and complexity would help them with it.complexity would help them with it.

To answer my question To answer my question about _____________, I about _____________, I

will (will (research skillresearch skill),),

using using ((depth/complexitydepth/complexity), ),

((depth/complexity)depth/complexity), and , and ((depth/complexity)depth/complexity)..

Process Versus ProductProcess Versus Product

The research process should be the The research process should be the focus of the novelty pursuit, not an focus of the novelty pursuit, not an elaborate project.elaborate project.

The product should demonstrate the The product should demonstrate the student’s ability to apply skills and student’s ability to apply skills and knowledge to a topic.knowledge to a topic.

Most important to Most important to remember…remember…

For students to create For students to create novelty, the making of novelty, the making of personal meaning is personal meaning is

required through invention required through invention or interpretation. or interpretation.