Challenge Based Learning: thinking outside the box

Teachers at Centennial Middle School were briefed on a learning method that is challenge based.

Challenge based learning, a method that encourages students to be engaged, learn how to learn and ask open-ended questions.

” Challenge-based learning it basically starts with a question or a statement like ‘I bet you can’t’,” said Dr. Mike Hoffman, assistant superintendent.

Students learn how to dive deeper into the subject matter, then go and teach others what they learned.

“Part of the challenge based learning that’s different than just a basic project is that it’s about communicating out to your audience as it goes forward so it can better meet needs out in the community. Rather than having a teacher always telling [students] how to learn we are trying to get the kids to learn how to learn,” said Dr. Hoffman

Teachers play a big role in the success of a student which is why this method also focuses on empowering teachers.

“My role is to get teachers to be learners again, to be empowered. So our particular focus is on the framework of challenge based learning where teachers are learning how to create actionable, measurable and impactful challenges,” said Marco Torres, director of story for Digital Promise.

An important tool used in the challenge based method is technology.

Something that can majorly hurt or help a student.

“I think that now since we are connected and we have access to tools that are on our person how are we leveraging those tools to help us be better learners,” said Torres

Always evolving, learning methods can be made more valuable and meaningful to students every day.

If we are going to improve the quality of life for ourselves our family and our community, we have to look a little bit more and listen a little bit more and see what we can do to make learning more relevant, meaningful and applicable.”

Torres encourages parents to ask deeper questions in order to better student understanding.