IB Project

I have just started doing an IB project with my 8th grade class.  I thought that the discussion questions were worth sharing.  The discussion that came from the students was extremely insightful and showed a wonderful amount of global awareness.

Who Has the Power??

Over the course of the year we have discussed many topics, many of which have the theme of Power.  In class we have discussed community, and what it means to be a part of a community.  We have discussed how people come to power, and who plays a role in this.  We have discussed what happened in our country’s history that set up our countries fundamental principles to determine power.  Lastly, we have studied how our country separates power.  

“Who has the Power in the United States?”  Who do you think has the power? Why? Is it the people? What kind of people? Business? What type? Government? Which part?

 Look at Egypt: What will Egypt’s government look like?  Where will the power lie? How are you going to visually represent it?  My old picture of Egypt was a pyramid.  Both symbolic because the leader is at the top and the people at the bottom, but also because it stands for Egypt’s history (and so much of it is build literally on the backs of the poorest members).   After listening to many news programs and interviews with the people in Egypt, what do you think they hold most important? Who will have the Power?  

I think that it is important to note that students really did not get involved in the conversation until I told them that there was no "Right" or "Wrong."   Its so interesting to me that students look for the right, don't want to be wrong, and don't know what to do when there is no right or wrong....

Content in 2025?

In 2025, I think content knowledge will have many different roles.  Some of the roles will be the same as in the year 2011, but many of the roles will be different due to the state of the world.  Content knowledge will always serve the role of an avenue for delivering basic skills.  In history, student learn analytical skills, reading skills, vocabulary, and many more basic skills that they will need no matter what career they choose.  Content knowledge in the year 2025 will help students prepare for the unknown.  So much of the world is now technology based and developing at a rapid rate, that student’s needs to be prepared for problems and solutions that are not known now.  Content knowledge will be used to facilitate collaboration that is vital for out-of-the-box solutions and creative problem solving when dealing with some of these unknowns.  Just as today, one of the most important aspects of history or civics is the understanding of past events to prevent similar events in the future.  Civics also allows students to understand how governments work and relate.  In 2025, the world is going to be very connected and it is civics/government that will give students the background knowledge to they need to deal with other governments.

There are a couple skills that students will need to master to be productive in 2025.  First, it is obvious right now that technology is becoming more and more important.  Students need to have the skills to be able to use/master technology.  Technology can hinder learning and careers if not used as an enhancement.  With the mastering of technology, people can use the tool to the highest degree they are able and therefore enhance their field.  In the year 2025 students will also need to master the skill of communication and problem solving.  Our world is being more and more connected, and it is going to be very important in 2025 that students have the skills to communicate with other countries and all types of people (not just in other languages, but in “how” people talk.)  The problems we are going to face in the year 2025 are also going to be technology based, and different than any other problems we have faced in the past.  The solutions to these problems need to be creative and the people that come up with the solutions are going to need to be innovative, and resourceful.  It is because of this, that a skill that students are going to need to have problem solving skills.