Drexel University - Artifact 3 - Kleier

1. Lesson and Unit Planning
Biodiesel Project
Chemistry B – Kleier
Artifact: Innoventive Company
http://innoventive.weebly.com/index.html
•Develop a company mission statement
created by the students for the project
•Company Style provides opportunity to
form groups and learn management styles
•Students are self directed to formulate
solutions to a group of inter-related
problems
•Board Room sessions provide ongoing
feedback from other students and faculty
members
•Students have the flexibility to choose
how they complete the problem
• Authentic Learning– As the students work
through their ‘problems’ and begin to
develop solutions they require specific
knowledge which provides teaching
opportunities
• Student Learning is evaluated via rubric
through board room sessions
• Students create products and solutions
that may have practical applications
• Each year the site is reset in order to allow
a clean slate and provide students greater
flexibility.
Domain 3 – Instruction

2. Reflection
My artifact was a problem based learning opportunity which was titled “The Innoventive Company” which was
published through a Weebly site. The name of the company is a combination of invention and innovation which reflects the
students’ process of inventing innovative solutions to real world problems. This instructional opportunity provides students a
real world situation where they utilize their knowledge previously learned to develop a solution to a problem which creates
authentic teaching opportunities. This PBL opportunity provides students with a framework in which they need to learn
teamwork, hierarchical work structure, time management, HR development and most importantly a goal towards which they
work.
One of these problems was the concept that The Innoventive Company wanted to create a Biodiesel product line.
Each group was tasked with a specific objective through a Board Room where they decided how to go about creating a solution.
The intention was to allow the students to direct their learning which worked well with the motivated classroom and had to be
adjusted for the students who lacked the drive. In each case the instructional goal was laid out for the students and they choose
the path that allowed them to achieve the goal in the timeframe allotted. If they were unable to do so the project design
automatically delegated particular tasks such as they were relegated to cleaning (custodial tasks), filing (secretarial), or copying
(intern) roles. These were delegated as each group was assigned a project leader who was also responsible for the delegation of
the tasks and the teacher as the CEO was able to delegate each of these menial tasks to particular group. If any member of the
group did not have or did not want a task they would be responsible for these additional tasks. If they did not complete the task
it fell onto the project leader. Students were quickly able to realize that this HR task was a small portion of the overall objective
but necessary to the success of the project. When students were able to go over this first hurdle they gave attention to the
instructional needs which in the real world would be professional development or training. This gave the authentic teaching
opportunity that is so needed in the classroom.
This flexible authentic teaching provided real time learning where students could apply their knowledge and
receive feedback on their performance through direct experimentation. Their success and failures were assessed through a
rubric style 360 degree evaluation which included a self reflection and discussion of their own achievement of their personal
goals. This evaluation along with the teacher’s evaluation made up their second marking period grade. This sliding scale of
evaluation showed the students that in the real world they will be evaluated on their actions but the difference is that many
times they will get to choose the path towards success and that they can use or loose the tools around them. The project
provided a clear framework for learning and allowed students to build the structure within the designated confines. This
flexibility provided students with a forum of learning and interaction allowing for premium learning opportunities.