The POWER project supports teachers in designing curricular units using Open Educational Resources (OERs) that develop students’ self-directed learning (SDL). Self-directed learning is key to the Hewlett Foundation goal that every student and teacher have access to and ownership of activities that create deeper learning experiences.
POWER is developing a professional development model featuring OERs for teachers that supports the personalization of instruction while maintaining the goal of promoting integrated understanding. This model will support teachers to set goals, personalize their curriculum to achieve those goals, and implement and test their curriculum.
We are collaborating with teachers to refine the self-directed learning (SDL) construct, identify activities that promote SDL, design ways to evaluate student success at SDL, and personalize Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE) units to promote SDL.
Personalized units will include embedded assessments and logging of student work. This evidence will help teachers to guide students and designers to refine the curriculum.
Sample WISE units customized by POWER teachers: