Here's the letter my teacher just recently sent out; it explains 20Time better than my explanation:
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
Thank you for your continued support this year. As our year in IB World Literature I is nearing its end, I would like to inform you about a new culminating project your junior student will be working on the last marking period. After attending the Michigan Association of Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) Conference this winter, I came back with a business-inspired idea to approach education.
The concept is called 20-Time. Essentially, students will be able to use 20% of their class time (one day a week) to study anything they want. Initially this concept was created by 3M, and as a result, sticky notes and masking tape were created. Recently, Google has used 20-Time as a way to allow their employees time to innovate. As a result, Gmail was created. Similar to these businesses, my goal is to allow students time to explore their “genius ideas”.
The International Baccalaureate Programme’s Learner Profile highlights some of the most important aspects of being a lifelong learner. Students should be curious inquirers, balanced individuals, and passionate learners. 20-Time will allow them opportunities to build these valuable and relevant skills. Not only will this project help to renew their passion for learning, which is oftentimes lost after elementary school, but they’ll also be able to develop research skills, 21st century technological skills, and oral and written communication skills.
Here are some of the requirements of students’ 20-Time projects. Students will have to research their topic, find an adult mentor, conference with me frequently, post weekly blog reflections, and pitch their idea to the public. At the end of the semester, students will give a 5 minute TED-style talk about their 20-Time journey. This presentation will also count as a portion of their final exam grade in my class.
My students are excited to begin their projects. They have already identified their focus and goals, and we have gone over what 20-Time will look like and how it will be assessed. In future emails I will be updating you on the process, and you will also be able to access your student’s personal blog. In this blog, they will reflect on the process of their learning. I have sent home and attached an Internet Blog Agreement for you to sign and return. Additionally, please talk with your student about his or her ideas and support him or her throughout this process.
If you have any further questions about 20-Time, please feel free to email or call me. I look forward to seeing your students learn and grow from this experience.
Sincerely,
________________ Hechlik
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