This is the slideshow I use to support my presentation about "Using Google's 20% Time Concept in the Classroom." See the full overview of the process at http://www.tinyurl.com/g20class
1. Using Google’s 20%
Time Concept in
the Classroom
Thomas GalvezThomas Galvez
High School Technology Learning CoachHigh School Technology Learning Coach
@tgalvez@tgalvez
3. One Day a Week
Focused Free Time
Come up with &
mature new products
Offer fixes to
current products
AdSense
Gmail
Google Talk
Google News
Has tightened up
20% time recently
to streamline
product efforts
Grouplets
“More wood behind fewer arrows”
How it happens at Google Allowed for innovation Not just day dreaming, but Focused free thinking, more productive when working on projects that excite them Grouplets - engineers interested in same idea work together CEO Larry Page
Problem, Project, PASSION Go in depth with a topic that inspires them. Some argue that Standards-based education stifles engagement and passion in students. “ Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire ” WB YEATS More fun and engaging, conduit for their passions and interests Emotional connections
Create their own challenge by choosing their topic Topic choice based on interest and personal passion Choose a product type that fits their skill set or push themselves to try something new (girl chose to do a website because she always wanted to learn)
Still an important academic skill Evaluating information, critical thinking (synthesis, application), Information literacy Trial and error
Still an important academic skill Evaluating information, critical thinking (synthesis, application), Trial and error
Product design and layout Personality and personal touches
Give students a voice in their own learning And, it excites me because I get to learn from them!
Depends on the time frame, learning goals, and the context in which it is occuring.
# of lessons in the Quarter/Semester/Year in which the project time will occur. Can be flexible Mine come out to about 8 or 9, but I ’ ll usually add 1 more in somewhere.
Why do humans feel nostalgia, and what does the experience trigger psychologically? What is the connection between dance and the therapeutic emotions it causes? How does playing video games affect one's decision making in the real world? To what extent is personality shaped by one ’ s environment? (Nature v Nurture)
Collaborate with Librarian Product overview in a few minutes
Traditional research reports aren ’ t allowed Process develops traditional research skills Students choose something they are good at or something that will challenge them a bit
Traditional research reports aren ’ t allowed Process develops traditional research skills Majority students choose magazine style article and TED Talk Preso
This could vary between courses, grade levels, and scope of project. School assessment policies and philosophies could drive this also.