A Guide to Contextual Learning Projects
Table of Contents
A Guide to Contextual Learning Projects ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................................................... 1
Creating Contextual Learning Projects .................................................................................................................................... 2
What is the theme and context for your project?.............................................................................................................. 3
What knowledge and skills do you hope students will gain from this project? ................................................................. 4
What mix of formal and informal learning will your project provide? ............................................................................... 5
What instructional techniques will you use to support your students in learning? .......................................................... 6
What assessment techniques will you use? ....................................................................................................................... 7
Discussion: Reflection Questions ....................................................................................................................................... 8
Discussion: Assessment and Evaluation Tools ................................................................................................................... 9
Discussion: Assessment and Senior Capstone Projects ...................................................................................................... 9
Who is engaged in work related to the theme you want to pursue? .............................................................................. 10
Is the theme one that will appeal to students? ............................................................................................................... 10
Does this project help students (and families) connect with people, resources and ideas that they may want to explore
beyond the life of the project?......................................................................................................................................... 11
Discussion: A Vision for Career Readiness ....................................................................................................................... 13
Does this project idea offer enough depth and challenge? ............................................................................................. 14
Appendix 1: Spotlight on 21st Century Literacies and Project Skills ..................................................................................... 15
Environmental Literacy .................................................................................................................................................... 16
Media Literacy .................................................................................................................................................................. 17
Health Literacy ................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Economic Literacy ............................................................................................................................................................ 19
Civic Literacy ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20
Computer Technology ...................................................................................................................................................... 21
Data Analysis .................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Writing Skills ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Creative and Critical Thinking ........................................................................................................................................... 24
Leadership ........................................................................................................................................................................ 25
Appendix 2: The Contextual Learning Project Template ...................................................................................................... 26
How Can I Use the Contextual Learning Portal? .............................................................................................................. 28
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 1 of 28
Creating Contextual Learning Projects
Contextual learning projects engage students in academic work applied to a context
related to their lives, communities, workplaces or the wider world. Projects may
range in length from a single class period to a semester-long exploration.
Projects may take place in after-school or summer programs or in workbased learning programs as well as in a regular classroom.
This guide explores ideas and principles for creating contextual
learning projects. We hope this guide is useful to you, whether you
are experienced in contextual learning, and looking for ways of
deepening and enriching your work or whether you are just
beginning to explore the design of contextual learning projects. We
also hope it is useful whether you are already an enthusiastic
supporter of contextual learning or whether you are just looking at
whether contextual learning is right for your school or program and
weighing the pros and cons of this approach to learning.
This guide is based on the Contextual Learning Portal, a website –
http://resources21.org/cl -- that provides an informal database of projects
submitted by teachers, after-school program leaders and others from around
Massachusetts. On the Contextual Learning Portal website, viewers can browse projects
by project title, subjects, tags, frameworks, keywords or other criteria. Viewers can look at entire projects or can browse
particular sections from the “project template” such as project themes, instructional techniques or assessment techniques.
The Contextual Learning Portal uses a project template that includes seven tabs with information about the project. This
template is flexible and allows users to modify or omit sections as needed.
1.
2.
3.
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6.
7.
Basics: Basic information about the project, including project title, theme, subject areas involved, team members,
technical support required, and any adaptations required;
Key Questions: Questions about the context of the project, including the “key questions” addressed by the project,
connections to the community, and outcomes, products or services provided to the community;
Frameworks and skills used;
Units / Activities included in the project;
Instructional Techniques used in the
project;
Assessment Techniques used in the
project;
Tags (such as “History” or “Careers” or
“Service-Learning” or “Literacy”) to help
viewers find the project.
The Contextual Learning Portal was created as a
space for school districts, community
organizations, non-profit educational groups, and
other youth serving agencies to share projects and lessons to support contextual teaching and learning for both teachers
and learners. Teachers, youth program instructors and others are welcome to browse and contribute projects.
Visit the Contextual Learning Portal at http://resources21.org/cl
This guide walks through various aspects of planning and implementing contextual learning projects, starting with basic
questions about getting started and then examining questions about “looking deeper” to make sure that contextual
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 2 of 28
learning projects are effective. The guide includes an appendix with profiles of some of the skill areas and areas of focus –
such as health literacy, environmental literacy and civic awareness – often explored in contextual learning projects.
Getting Started:
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What is the theme and context for your project?
What knowledge and skills do you hope students will gain from this project?
What mix of formal and informal learning will your project provide?
What instructional techniques will you use to support your students in learning?
What assessment techniques will you use?
Looking Deeper:
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Who in your school and community is engaged in work related to the theme you want to pursue?
Does this project help students (and families) connect with people, resources and ideas that they may want to
explore beyond the life of the project?
Is the theme one that will appeal to students?
Does this project idea offer enough depth and challenge to let students exercise essential skills in areas such as
critical thinking, creative thinking, writing, data analysis, scientific observation or leadership?
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What is the theme and context for your project?
Contextual learning projects engage students in academic work applied to a
context related to their lives, communities, workplaces or the wider world.
In the Contextual Learning Portal, common themes include:
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History
Environment
Nutrition and health
Gardening and food
Career exploration
School climate and anti-bullying
Arts, literacy, books and reading
The context for the project may be workplace-based,
community-based or school-based. Examples include:
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Writing for a school newspaper;
Developing videos, websites, handbooks or brochures
about a topic;
Developing lesson plans and learning materials for younger
students;
Participating in an environmental advocacy campaign;
Conducting field studies in wetlands or salt marshes;
Writing a business plan in a entrepreneurship program;
Creating exhibits for a local history museum.
The process of choosing a theme and context for a project can start anywhere. It can start with a set of learning goals (such
as a desire to help students explore health topics; get experience in web design; explore math skills; or gain experience
writing for various audiences) or it can start with student, teacher or community partner suggestion of a project and a topic
of study.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 3 of 28
What knowledge and skills do you hope students will gain from this project?
Contextual learning projects often emphasize research, writing and presentation skills. For example, students might
research an issue in the community and make a presentation about their findings at a city or town meeting. Students might
create informational materials about a topic of interest to the community, such as health, nutrition, traffic, parking or local
economic development. Students might develop a
video, a website, a podcast, or other media to
communicate about their topic.
Contextual learning projects also often emphasize
math skills, including basic applied math, data analysis,
and higher-order math. Students might apply data
analysis, graphing and statistical skills to gathering
data or analyzing survey results for a community
project. Students might apply business math skills to
an entrepreneurial project. Higher-level algebra and
geometry can be explored as well, such as using
algebraic formulas or geometric grids in a computer
programming project, or exploring the math used in an
environmental, physics or engineering project.
Along with research, writing, presentation and math
skills, contextual learning projects often build lifelong
learning skills and lifelong “literacies” including health
literacy, environmental literacy, economic literacy,
media literacy and civic literacy.
Certain academic subjects are especially likely to
provide contexts for contextual learning projects,
particularly history, health and biology/ecology.
Career vocational/technical subjects provide frequent
contexts for community-based and workplace-based
projects, using skills in carpentry, horticulture,
computer technology, graphic design, engineering
technology and more.
Math and Contextual Learning. Students can apply both basic
and higher-level math skills in projects, including projects that
include analyzing data, business planning, building and
pattern-making, working with maps, working with
spreadsheets and graphing software, exploring physics and
engineering, and using math in computer programming and
web design.
Interdisciplinary
Learning Opportunities: The Park Stewards
Program at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park,
featured in the Contextual Learning Portal, offers a very rich
multidisciplinary learning opportunity.
Workplace experiences frequently provide
opportunities for building academic knowledge and
skills as well as career skills and career awareness. For
example, students working in summer internships in a
museum or zoo may create new exhibits or display
boards for visitors, applying research, writing and
illustration skills to the task. Students working in a day
care center, day camp or nursing home activities
program may design new activities, including
researching, writing and teaching the activity. Students
working in a health club may read about exercise
programs and learn about how new members are
oriented to the health club activities. Students working in a bank may learn to create spreadsheets for analyzing financial
information. Internships in media, journalism, the arts, engineering, technology, healthcare, education, childcare, retailing,
environment, agriculture and multiple other fields provide valuable exposure to applied academic skills and career skills.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 4 of 28
The Contextual Learning Portal is organized around checklists of the curriculum frameworks, 21 st century skills framework
and other skill sets and frameworks, allowing viewers to browse projects by frameworks and skills used. As of May 2012,
there are 234 projects in the portal, with the average project touching on two or more subject areas:
Subject Area
English Language Arts
Math
Science
Technology
History
Total Projects
Number of Projects
139
118
98
81
56
234
Contextual Learning Projects often take an interdisciplinary approach to topics of interest:
Ecological Explorations
Webster Public Schools
Community Garden
Westfield Public Schools
“Postcards” History Project
Malden Public Schools
What mix of formal and informal learning will your project provide?
Students need both formal and informal learning experiences for healthy intellectual development.
Informal learning experiences form a context that supports brain development and language acquisition, as well as forming
a context for understanding science, literature, history, math, and other subjects. For example, students who spend time
playing with building sets, gears, wheels, levers and pulleys have a better foundation for understanding engineering and
physics concepts. Students who have spent time hiking, gardening or exploring the shore of a lake, river or ocean have a
better foundation for learning biology. Students who have participated in local community action projects have a better
foundation for studying history and civics.
Informal learning also supports personal development, in areas like health and nutrition, social development, physical
fitness, and development of hobbies, interests and long-term career goals.
Formal instruction prepares students for making the most of their experiences and builds on these experiences. For
example, formal study of math provides the tools and approaches needed for analyzing information and solving problems.
Formal study of biology enables students to understand, analyze and organize the things they observe in informal
observation and field studies. Formal study of history and government gives students a context for understanding the
information they gather when working on local history and community service projects.
As you think about creating a balance between formal and informal learning, you will think first, of course, about your
setting. The approach to learning will be different in an academic classroom, an art class, a web design class, a health or
consumer science class, an after-school enrichment program, a summer program, a youth employment program or other
setting.
Consider the expectations that you, your students, their parents and your school leadership have about what type of
activities and what type of learning to expect in different settings. It is important to be respectful of the need for a balance
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 5 of 28
between formal instruction and informal learning. Students and parents will be most enthusiastic about informal learning if
it is clearly viewed as complementing and not competing with formal instruction.
As you browse the projects in the Contextual Learning Portal, you will see many examples of how formal and informal
learning are complementary. For example, the hands-on components of a project may be complemented by writing
activities, vocabulary lessons, reading, web-based research, lectures about a topic, surveys, data analysis, or other formal
learning approaches. Some projects pair formal and informal components based on the same theme, such the informal
learning experience of building a garden, paired with formal lessons about food systems, economics, geography, or even
topics like gardens in medieval history or literature. Each activity could stand alone, but the pairing of activities provides an
interesting connection that students will enjoy.
What instructional techniques will you use to support your students in learning?
How can you make sure that students are really building
skills and competencies while exploring the contextual
learning topic? Consider integrating a variety of effective
instructional strategies and techniques into your project
design. For example:
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Pre-writing activities
Journals
Reflective writing
Graphic organizers
Systems diagrams
Mapping
Vocabulary bank
Reading
Web search
Storyboarding (for a video or other media project)
Writing (for websites, handbooks, brochures or
other materials)
Use of graphing software
Guided or structured note-taking during lectures,
guest speakers and workshops
Contextual Learning projects typically combine formal and informal learning, with hands-on components complemented by
writing, research, background study, analysis and presentation. A thoughtfully-developed mix of instructional techniques is
important for supporting all types of learners. Some students thrive in an informal learning setting; enjoying picking up
concepts from exposure through informal learning. Other students thrive in a more structured setting, enjoying focused
instruction, reading and review. Most students will do well when projects provide a balanced approach, appealing to all
styles of learning. Most students will benefit from approaches that nurture creative and critical thinking and build
opportunities for reading, writing, research and analysis of information.
One of the common elements in Contextual Learning projects is the use of reflective writing. As described in the box on the
following page, reflection serves the goals of helping students to consolidate their knowledge and to expand on their ideas
and insights. Both goals are important. Students need to have a chance to review what they have learned so that they can
“solidify” that knowledge and use it again, whether for tests, quizzes or papers; for future study; for resumes, job interviews
or college applications; or for future classroom, community or workplace projects. Students build creative and critical
thinking skills, leadership skills and analytical skills by engaging in questions that allow them to explore ideas and generate
new insights.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 6 of 28
What assessment techniques will you use?
What assessment techniques will help you to assess individual student work as well as evaluate the success of the project
overall? Approaches to assessment of student work include:
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Reflective writing and journal writing;
Students creating a portfolio about the project (with photos, essays, spreadsheets, presentation materials, project
timelines and notes and other materials);
Vocabulary quizzes related to the project;
Quizzes about background reading and lecture material;
Self-review of participation and outcomes of the project;
Peer review of final products;
Individual products – such as students individually creating a garden design plan that was graded using a rubric;
students creating Excel spreadsheets; students creating tri-fold display boards or PowerPoint presentations
summarizing the project.
Evaluation of the success of the projects overall can include:
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Surveys of participants;
Pre-program and post-program surveys;
Formal or informal feedback from participants;
Informal observation;
Formal or informal program evaluation tools.
Teachers and program leaders should consider different learning styles and learning needs when designing instructional
strategies and assessment strategies for contextual learning projects. Some students like the break from routine offered by
special projects, while others prefer (and sometimes need) the consistency of more traditional patterns of instruction and
assessment.
A concern about project-based learning in the past has been that for some students, the assessment and grading of projects,
with sometimes-unfamiliar assessment requirements can be frustrating and lead to poor outcomes. Even the most
enjoyable project can lead to a sense of frustration if the student feels that the assessment is not consistent with their
efforts or that they have not mastered the skills and knowledge that will be evaluated.
One advantage of contextual learning is that projects typically produce real products with real audiences, and so the effort
put into a project is rewarded with the built-in feedback of project results and audience enjoyment. While not all projects
are immediately perfect, students and instructors can see and evaluate effort, lessons learned and skills gained.
Assessment can look at not only the quality of the finished product, but also the project management process (student
effort, teamwork, reflection on the process) and the skills, background knowledge, vocabulary and concepts learned.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 7 of 28
Discussion: Reflection Questions
Reflection writing is used to help students consolidate what they know and to expand on ideas and insights. Questions that
“consolidate knowledge” ask students to summarize and describe activities, review vocabulary and concepts, and assess,
compare and contrast information they have gathered. Questions that “expand ideas and insights” ask students to offer
opinions, brainstorm, predict, analyze, evaluate ideas and explore ideas.
These approaches may be applied to pre-writing activities that take place at the beginning of a project and to reflections
and journal writing that take place throughout the project. Techniques for helping writing to flow easily include:
Write a list… As a writing prompt, ask students to write a list – such as a list of 5 questions, 5 key facts, 5 vocabulary terms
or 10 tips.
Express your opinion…. Provide questions that allow students to explore a variety of points of view and avoid those where
students will feel that they “ought to” answer a certain way. For example, questions like “what can you do to reduce global
warming…” or “how can you improve your eating habits” feel like “ought-to questions” and do not allow students very
much room to explore their own ideas. Students are likely to be more engaged by questions like “why do people disagree
on this issue?” or “in your opinion, what approaches to public policy (or public education) would be most effective in
addressing this issue?” or simply “write a dialogue between two people who hold opposing viewpoints.”
Imagine a scenario…. Ask students to imagine a particular scenario – an interview, presentation, video project, writing
project, etc. – and outline what they would say. One of the strengths of contextual learning is that students actually DO
have the opportunity to apply their knowledge in real-life settings, such as making a presentation to a community audience,
writing a brochure or developing a video about their topic. They can also “rehearse” for these real-life settings by writing
about what they will say in various scenarios or project settings.
Empower yourself…. Ask questions that help students think about what they would do and what goals they would set if
they could eliminate barriers, or “have a magic wand,” or have abundant resources to address an issue. For example,
“Imagine that you had a $5000 grant to address this community issue…. What would you do with this money?” or “Imagine
that you were designing a program for elementary school children about this topic. What would you include in the
program?”
Examples of pre-writing activities:
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Write ten questions about the topic.
Read background information and write an outline of key facts.
Read background information and write a list of vocabulary and key terms.
Have you worked on projects/activities related to this theme before? If yes, describe what you have done. If no,
describe what you expect to see and learn.
Examples of reflective writing activities:
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Did this project confirm any previously-held beliefs or expectations?
Did you learn anything that surprised you?
What skills did you exercise in this project?
Choose a controversial question related to this project and write a dialog between two people debating the topic.
Some basic principles: Reflection writing prompts should be respectful of the students, age-appropriate, allow diverse
answers, and be consistent with your instructional and assessment goals. Look at the “Browse Techniques and Strategies”
and “Browse Resources” sections of the Contextual Learning Portal for more ideas.
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Discussion: Assessment and Evaluation Tools
Selection of assessment tools for evaluating student learning and evaluating program success may depend on the context of
the project. Some specific student and program assessment tools include:
Assessing Student Learning:
CVTE Competency Tracking. For Career/Vocational Technical Education (CVTE) programs, student assessment may
be managed through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s CVTE Competency
Tracking System. Read more about this at http://www.doe.mass.edu/cte.
Work-Based Learning. For workplace experience programs and many service learning programs, the
Massachusetts Work-Based Learning Plan (WBLP) may be used to assess student learning and skill gain. Read
more about this assessment tool at http://www.doe.mass.edu/connect and http://skillspages.com/masswbl.
Evaluating Programs:
21st Century Community Learning Centers. For 21st Century Community Learning Centers, program assessment
is implemented using the Survey of After- School Youth Outcomes (SAYO) system created in collaboration with the
National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST). The Survey of After-School Youth Outcomes (SAYO) is a research
based evaluation system that uses brief pre- and post-participation surveys to collect data from school-day
teachers, 21st CCLC program staff and youth participants. The SAYO enables the 21st CCLC programs to capture
information reflecting changes that are (a) associated with participation in high quality out-of-school time
programs and (b) likely to occur over a one-year period. Read more at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/21cclc/ta/sayo.html. The SAYO system includes the Assessment of After- School
Program Practices (APT) tool, an observational instrument used to assess the extent to which 21st CCLC programs
are implementing practices congruent with their desired SAYO outcomes. Read more at:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/21cclc/ta/
Community Service Learning Projects. Service Learning Projects may be assessed through the “Assessing Your
Service Learning Project” checklist, which is available on the Contextual Learning Portal and on the ESE website.
The checklist focuses on meaningful service, youth voice, links to curriculum, reflection, partnerships, diversity,
progress monitoring and duration and intensity of
projects.
At Harwich High School, students complete Senior
Discussion: Assessment and Senior
Capstone Projects
Senior Capstone Projects. Many schools are implementing
contextual learning projects as “senior capstone projects” –
allowing seniors to select and implement a service learning
project, career exploration, arts project or other project as
part of their work toward graduation. For these projects,
assessment strategies will include a written report, a visual
or oral presentation, a project journal or portfolio, and other
products.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 9 of 28
Capstone Projects, selecting projects focused on an area
of interest. The Herring River salt marsh restoration
project was one of the senior capstone projects.
Assessment includes observation of student work and
final presentations. Participants are observed interacting
with other researchers, testing equipment and with study
sites. Research activities and findings are presented to
the public after the completion of the project. Students
may to make public presentations, poster presentations
or web-based presentation to share findings. Final
presentations include research data sets, photographic
data and graphic data.
Who is engaged in work related to the theme you want to pursue?
What individuals and organizations in your school and community are
engaged in work related to the theme you want to pursue? Are there
any organizations engaged in current projects that you might support –
such as public education, advocacy, communication/media projects or
special events?
Who in your school and your community can help to provide community
connections, background about the topic, access to primary sources,
technical assistance and an audience for your work? Are parents or
family members potential partners for the project?
The template used in the Contextual Learning Portal includes questions
about who was on the project team, what resources were used and
what technical assistance was used. Viewers can browse the portal to
see that projects brought together a wide array of resources, such as
environmental groups in the community who guided projects; technical
assistance that supported video production, podcasting or web design;
local museums and historic sites that provide context for projects; and
guest presenters who provided lectures, workshops and other support
to student projects.
Frontier Regional High School students
collaborated as youth curators with the
Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls
and Memorial Hall Museum to create a new
exhibit in a public space on a topic of current
interest.
Is the theme one that will appeal to students?
Is the theme one that will appeal to students? What was the inspiration for the project? Is the project age-appropriate,
respectful of diverse views and backgrounds, and open-minded in the approach to social, political or economic issues?
The current emphasis on studying contemporary themes stems from both the desire to share new and emerging knowledge
and ideas with students and from the idea that students are inspired by engaging in
current issues. However, people who work with students and youth programs
know that sometimes a thoughtfully and enthusiastically prepared class lesson,
workshop or project on an interesting contemporary theme will somehow fall
flat when presented to students. Success depends on not only the theme,
but also the project design.
There are several reasons that students are may or may not be excited by
activities based on real-life themes. Is the theme new and fresh to them?
Or have they already participated in many similar activities about the same
theme? Are students developmentally ready for the topic or is the topic
one that they are not ready for? This could be an issue, for example, if
younger students are presented with activities about gender equity or other
issues that they have not yet encountered; while older students may be very
interested in these topics. Is the project bias-free or might students perceive the
activity as making unwelcome judgments or assumptions about their lives? This could be an
issue if students are presented with anti-violence or anti-gang curriculum that somehow implies that their lives are
shadowed with violence and gang activity; or curriculum about the “obesity crisis” and “food deserts” that suggest negative
assumptions about the quality of their communities and lifestyles. Does the project feel age-appropriate? Is the
presentation of the topic respectful of students’ ages, abilities and interests, allowing them to engage in exploration and
gain skills and knowledge?
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In some cases, students may be involved in identifying projects and topics. In schools where community service learning,
senior “capstone projects” or other contextual learning projects are part of the school curriculum, teachers may involve
students in identifying issues and thinking about possible projects. Schools may present a set of choices for students to
select from, such as one school highlighted in the Contextual Learning Portal that presented several possible areas of focus
for their senior capstone project initiative.
In other cases, community-based or school-based partners will determine the project selection process. Contextual
learning projects may develop through the invitation of a community partner to work together on a particular project. Or
projects may develop because the school has a commitment to work on nutrition and health topics, anti-bullying programs
or other school-community-related topics. Or projects may develop through an opportunity or idea developed by a
classroom teacher, guidance counselor or after-school program leader.
Projects may focus on contemporary themes or may focus on themes that are not necessarily current or contemporary.
Themes may be inspired by local history, by the work of local organizations, or simply by shared interests of teachers,
program leaders, students and others.
Whatever the origin of the project idea, one of the best ways to encourage student engagement is to make sure that
students are given the tools to learn and latitude to explore, discuss, write and reflect about the topic, rather than just a set
of "answers" about a topic. These tools can include everything from tips and coaching about research, note-taking skills and
writing skills for the project to background knowledge of relevant history, political principles and constitutional law, to
information about where and how to find and analyze statistics and information about the topic. Given these tools, along
with a structure that allows varying opinions and approaches to the topic, students will feel a sense of mastery to be able to
take a topic in whatever direction and to whatever level they want to explore.
It is important to provide discussion questions, writing prompts and an open-minded approach that allows students to look
at a topic from different angles. Most topics, even those that appear not to have “room for debate” can provide
opportunities for research, exploration and discussion of multiple points of view. For example, there is little room for
debate that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains is healthier than a diet heavy in sugars and fats. However,
students can research and debate methods for influencing people to adopt healthier eating (School lunch reforms? Changes
in local fast food options? Public education campaigns?); and can debate about the most effective approaches to public
service messaging.
Does this project help students (and families) connect with people, resources
and ideas that they may want to explore beyond the life of the project?
Does this project offer connections with others in the school or
wider community that help students to develop civic awareness,
learn about career and college opportunities, learn about health
resources or make other important community connections?
Does the project expose students (and perhaps parents and other
family members as well) to activities, experiences and skills that
they may want to explore beyond the life of the project?
The more students are exposed to interesting experiences through
school, after-school, workplace and community-based programs,
the more experiences they will have to draw from as they are
shaping their careers, developing lifelong interests and developing
lifelong habits of civic engagement and healthy personal lifestyles.
One of the best ways for students to develop college and career
awareness, civic awareness, health awareness and other “lifelong”
skills is to meet people and to learn about local businesses and
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organizations that are doing interesting projects. Contextual learning projects provide ways for local businesses and
community members to connect with local students and to provide ways for students to connect with community projects
and potential future career interests.
Even the smallest community connections have long-term benefits for students. Students build a sense of belonging to a
community and a sense that they community cares for them through their early experiences. Youth are likely to develop a
stronger sense of civic participation and a stronger work ethic when they see how others have invested in their
communities and how their community supports their growth and learning. Examples include:
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Field trips to local businesses, organizations, parks and historic sites show students how other invest in the
community and contribute to the fabric of the community.
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Participation in youth programs in the community — sports, arts, technology, recreation — communicate a sense
of a caring community to children as they are growing up.
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Projects might also connect families with community activities, perhaps inspiring a long-term family connection to
resources and activities in the community. Community experiences that children have with their families, such as
shopping in neighborhood stores, going to local parks and playgrounds and attending local events, help to shape a
sense of community.
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Community connections with police and other public safety personnel through day-to-day interaction, special
events, youth/police sports and other events shape a sense of community.
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Career speakers, career-related field trips, and job shadows help youth begin to see themselves in various
professional roles in the community and beyond.
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Projects may introduce students to local health resources, media resources, community resources that might
inspire potential hobbies and personal interests, areas for reading and learning more, and areas for potential
further student and/or careers.
The “Vision for Career Readiness” highlighted in the following box illustrates ways that classroom, community and
workplace experiences, both in school and out-of-school, starting in the earliest grades, can build a foundation for career
readiness.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 12 of 28
Discussion: A Vision for Career Readiness
Career readiness is created through a continuum of a strong academic
foundation plus classroom, community and workplace experiences that
build interests, passions, knowledge and skills that youth need to do
well in first steps after high school and in long-term career
management. Career readiness includes the following
foundation and experiences.
1.) Strong academic foundation — having a strong
foundation in core subject areas — with skills including
literacy and communication skills, critical thinking,
mathematical literacy, civic awareness, history and economic
literacy, scientific literacy, information skills, the arts, music
and languages.
2.) Classroom, community and workplace experiences - with
enrichment experiences starting in elementary school, continuing
through all stages of education, and including school-day and out-ofschool-time experiences. These experiences build students’ knowledge
and skills and help them to develop potential interests and ignite passions.
These experiences build four areas of readiness:
Applied academic skills – seeing how writing, math, research, information, critical thinking, creative thinking,
scientific, design and technology skills are applied in classroom/community/career settings. Having opportunities
to “try-out” and demonstrate these skills.
Essential career skills — understanding how basic foundation skills and higher order skills — professionalism,
teamwork, goal setting, motivation, communication, project management, customer service, leadership,
entrepreneurial thinking — are used in classroom/community/career settings. Having opportunities to build and
demonstrate these skills.
Career awareness and career management skills – understanding how to learn about career options,
understanding how job markets evolve and change, knowing what types of careers people have, knowing how
people prepare for and navigate various career paths. Understanding how to set goals, navigate transitions, find
mentors, seek out information and build a network of support. Building personal resiliency and persistence.
Interests and passions – having academic-subject-related and
career-related interests and passions — as a starting point for
further study, personal exploration and/or career development.
Opportunities to enjoy the arts, journalism, science, technology,
engineering, design, environmental study, math, media and
other interesting areas. Opportunities to organize community
events, participate in community service, work on leadership
projects and participate in the arts. Opportunities and
encouragement to explore books and media on all types of
subjects. Opportunities to begin to explore in-depth and to
develop skills and knowledge in areas of interest.
Reprinted from the Skills Pages Youth Employment Blog
January 24, 2012
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 13 of 28
Does this project idea offer enough depth and challenge?
Does this project idea offer enough depth and challenge to let students exercise essential skills in areas such as critical
thinking, creative thinking, writing, research, data analysis, scientific observation or leadership? A contextual learning
project should offer skill-building opportunities, depth and challenge in proportion to the time invested in the project and
the learning expectations and goals of the project.
One common criticism of project-based learning in recent years
has been that projects have lacked depth; that academic
connections were too elementary; or that the amount of time
spent in hands-on activities was not balanced by complementary
learning activities. The best response to this criticism is to
provide an honest focus on the goals of each project and the skills
exercised.
Good schools offer students a rich blend of classroom
experiences, field trips, after-school activities, social activities and
personal and academic enrichment. The overall mix of
experiences supports students in developing academic
knowledge and skills, developing personal and social skills, and
gaining skills, knowledge and experience that can be applied to
future careers, civic involvement and personal life.
At Tantasqua Regional Middle School, a Memorial
Day Breakfast marked the end of a
multidisciplinary project that included reading the
novel “Sunrise Over Fallujah” about the current
conflict in Iraq, interviewing local veterans, writing
poetry, and creating art.
In support of this rich blend of experiences, some contextual learning projects will provide in-depth study, while others will
provide just a quick glimpse of a particular area of study. Some projects will focus on academic subject areas while others
will focus on health awareness, personal and social skills, civic awareness, career awareness and other life-related skills.
For example, a one-day field study of a river, wetland or ocean environment may simply expose students to field study and
observation skills. Or, for example, a gardening project may solely be designed to teach students about gardening and
healthy food. These are legitimate approaches to learning, part of the overall mix of experiences that support student
learning.
Other projects may have a more classroom-oriented and academic focus, and will engage students in learning vocabulary
and studying relevant concepts from science, history or other subjects, as well as collecting observations, analyzing data,
studying issues, and working on articles, journals, presentations, maps, charts and graphs or other products related to their
work.
Projects may seek to provide interdisciplinary connections, bringing together science, math, history, geography, writing,
literature, the arts and other subjects, helping students to understand key concepts in the context of several subjects and
approaches.
Appendix 1 provides examples from the Contextual Learning Portal of projects that build and exercise critical and creative
thinking, leadership skills, data analysis skills, health literacy, environmental literacy and other skills.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 14 of 28
Appendix 1: Spotlight on 21st Century Literacies and Project Skills
The following pages provide a look at some common areas of focus for contextual learning projects, including “literacies”
such as environmental literacy or media literacy and some essential skills such as creative and critical thinking, writing and
data analysis. Project examples are provided for each skill area, including classroom, community and workplace
experiences.
Selected “Student Worksheets” are also included, with reflective questions about some of the skill areas. For more
student worksheets and reflective questions, more projects, and additional instructional ideas, visit the Browse Resources
section of the Contextual Learning Portal.
Environmental Literacy
Media Literacy
Health Literacy
Economic Literacy
Civic Literacy
Computer Technology
Data Analysis
Writing Skills
Creative and Critical Thinking
Leadership
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 15 of 28
Environmental Literacy
How can community members, business leaders and educational leaders analyze environment issues and decide on
personal and public actions? How can students develop environmental literacy skills that prepare them to become
leaders and decision makers about environmental issues? Environmental literacy is a blend of skills, including scientific
literacy – knowledge of field study methods, experimental methods, biology, engineering, technology, etc. – plus
understanding of history, politics and economics. It includes critical thinking skills, reading, research, data analysis,
communication and leadership.
Contextual Learning Projects. Examples of classroom, after-school program and community-based projects described in
the Contextual Learning Portal include a variety of environmental projects:
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Students design and develop a nature trail in the back of the high school for use by students and community
members.
Students map and identify local waterways and wetlands including flora and fauna. Students will determine
drinking water source(s) for the community and examine water use and costs as well as the delivery system.
Fourth grade classes serve as stewards of the wetlands including a vernal pool behind their school.
Students design and plan a community garden.
Students determine the electricity usage of the entire school building and practice the reduction of usage.
In a sixth grade leadership club, students complete a project that attempts to create an environmentally aware
school. There are a variety of components involved in the project including recycling, energy conservation, and
school-wide education.
Grade 8 students videotape and create a voice-over for grade 6 and 7 environmental projects in order to capture
the steps of the scientific process as they happen.
Students research and observe bird behavior on and around school grounds.
Students conduct an interdisciplinary study about veganism.
Students work toward a holistic understanding of the dynamics of salt marsh restoration by studying planning
documents, interacting with scientists and conducting various field studies to determine the impact of tidal
restriction of a salt marsh ecosystem.
Workplace Experiences. Examples of student internship and summer jobs focused on environmental topics include:
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An intern works on research and education projects related to coastal management for a local environmental
nonprofit organization.
An intern works at a fish hatchery, with tasks including monitoring fish and collecting and recording data.
A group of interns works on energy efficiency projects, including learning skills in weatherization and solar hot
water system installation.
A group of interns works as auditors for a weatherization project, including assessing needs, preparing cost
estimates and monitoring completion of weatherization projects.
An intern works with a nonprofit organization that helps local growers to achieve and sustain economic success
through marketing and technical assistance.
Interns work in urban agriculture and urban gardening, including helping to start and maintain community
gardens.
Interns work on local farms, including varied projects in energy management, animal care, marketing and general
farm work.
An intern works with a local elementary school’s environmental education program, including helping to develop
educational activities and working on greenhouse, hydroponics, composting and recycling projects.
A group of interns develops educational publications for the local community on how community members can
promote environmental sustainability.
A group of interns works as tour guides and stewards for a state park.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 16 of 28
Media Literacy
How can an organization gain visibility through effective use of media? How can an organization create an effective public
education campaign using media? What are the characteristics of a high-quality website, video, newsletter, e-newsletter,
or other media communication? How can I organize and synthesize information to be presented via various media? What
are the technical steps involved in creating websites, videos, booklets, brochures, e-newsletters, podcasts and other
media?
Communication skills, information skills, critical thinking and creative, artistic and technical skills come together when
students use electronic, print and other media in their classroom, community and workplace projects. Through exposure
to a variety of projects, youth gain skills as thoughtful and effective producers, consumers and planners of a variety of
media.
Contextual Learning Projects: Projects in the Contextual Learning Portal shows a variety of uses of media:
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Elementary school students research and produce a booklet about emergency preparedness, covering how to
take care of people and pets during power loss;
High school students research a local proposal to restore flood chutes on the Hoosic River and produce a
documentary about the issue;
After a technology class about cyber-bullying, students conducted an online survey about bullying and used Excel
and PowerPoint to present the results to the school community;
Students research and analyze media coverage of a presidential election;
Grade 8 students produce a video about the scientific process based on a project done by grade 6 and 7
students;
Students create a video as part of an anti-bullying project;
Elementary school students write, edit and print a school newspaper;
Students use media and primary and secondary documents to research the life of a local artist, while learning
about general local history and arts; students work with local artists to produce works for an art show.
Workplace Experiences: Examples of youth working with media as part of jobs and internships include:
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Writing press releases;
Writing for newsletters and e-newsletters;
Researching topics for newsletters and e-newsletters;
Working on scripts for television, radio and in-store voice-over promotions for a supermarket;
Posting news and announcements to local cable TV;
Posting updates to social media;
Setting up daily podcasts for school announcements;
Creating or updating a website for an organization or project;
Producing a promotional video;
Researching media coverage for a media book for an organization;
Participating in the development of social media strategies.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 17 of 28
Health Literacy
In today’s economy, many businesses, organizations and career paths are focused on ways of promoting and preserving
personal and community health. From renewed attention on healthy eating to programs for exercise and relaxation to
holistic approaches to healthcare and prevention, people are more interested then ever in ways of promoting health.
“Health literacy” is an important skill for youth — not only because being health-savvy is important personally, but also
because knowledge of health issues can be valuable for career success and career growth. All kinds of organizations —
grocery stores, fitness centers, youth sports programs, food banks, community gardening programs, schools and
healthcare organizations — value employees who can guide customers and develop marketing and educational materials
to promote health and wellness.
Contextual Learning Projects. Students explore health literacy through a variety of classroom and community projects as
described in the Contextual Learning Portal. For example:
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Elementary school students organized an Elementary School Health Fair at Union 61, a school serving Brimfield,
Brookfield, Holland, Sturbridge and Wales. As part of this project, students selected topics, invited presenters,
created exhibits, wrote press releases and developed publicity, managed the event and evaluated the success of
the event.
Students from Whitman-Hanson Regional School conducted a project about hunger in their community. Students
needed to do initial research on healthy eating recommendations, WIC and food stamp information, poverty
income guidelines, as well as the cost of food items based on local supermarket circulars. Students participated
in a panel symposium in which they taught each other what they had learned through their in-class study, and
later heard from experts on the topic of local hunger. They were able to ask questions of the panel and gain a
greater understanding of hunger facts within their communities.
Students from several schools have organized anti-bullying projects, creating healthier environments for their
fellow students.
Students from several schools and after-school programs have participated in exercise, nutrition, cooking,
community gardening and other health-related programs.
Workplace Experiences. Examples of youth gaining experience in health literacy issues include:
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Understanding exercise and movement as applied in physical therapy clinics and fitness centers;
Promoting good health through leadership in youth sports programs;
Helping to plan and prepare nutritious meals in a culinary arts program, restaurant, youth program or nursing
home;
Working on public education and peer leadership campaigns in programs related to health and wellness;
Working on a nutrition newsletter, articles and events for a supermarket chain;
Working with the school nurse to promote health through a school-wide newsletter and school web page;
Maintaining a file of health information resources for the school nurse’s office;
Working in medical research projects;
Conducting surveys related to health and wellness issues.
Working in internships in healthcare, pharmacy, dental care and other settings.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 18 of 28
Economic Literacy
Economic literacy comes from an understanding of how markets work, how economic trends shape job opportunities,
how businesses succeed and grow, how goods and services are produced and exchanged, and how money flows through
the economy.
“Economic literacy” refers to general knowledge about economic markets from the perspective of workers, consumers,
savers, investors, entrepreneurs, community volunteers and active citizens. Students build economic literacy through
experiences that expose them to the type of analytical thinking used in economic analysis and to the general knowledge
that underlies economic literacy. Experiences can include:
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Looking at history through the lens of economic and social change;
Studying geography, government and civic awareness;
Learning concepts and vocabulary that underlie economic literacy, including competition, markets, income,
interest rates and entrepreneurship.
Learning about the different sectors and institutions that interplay in the economy — businesses, consumers,
government, financial institutions, labor unions and nonprofit organizations;
Learning about how the role of government in the economy has evolved over time, as well as understanding
different perspectives about the role of government in the economy;
Having a variety of experiences in finding, analyzing, presenting and talking about data;
Drawing flowcharts or other models to learn how to apply analytical, “cause-and-effect” thinking to economic
issues;
Participating in in-depth classes, workshops and events about topics of immediate interest – particularly jobs and
careers, entrepreneurship and personal financial literacy.
Examples of experiences that build economic literacy skills include:
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Working with a nonprofit organization that helps local growers to achieve and sustain economic success through
marketing and technical assistance.
Working with a local museum on projects related to local economic history.
Writing business plans and starting small businesses through entrepreneurship programs.
As a marketing intern, learning marketing skills such as identifying the target market and creating a marketing
profile.
As an intern in a restaurant, working with the restaurant manager to prepare marketing materials and to survey
customers about food and dining experience.
As a small business intern, learning to understand all aspects of a small business, including assisting customers,
placing orders, handling all transactions and sales, taking inventory, pricing, and learning the financial cycle of a
retail store.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 19 of 28
Civic Literacy
Civic awareness refers to the foundation that makes people active participants in the fabric of their community and
beyond. What makes a person decide to participate in elections, participate in community planning and decision-making,
invest in the community, volunteer in the community and feel connected to the community?
One of the essential positive developmental steps for youth is establishing strong connections with their communities and
the wider world. Youth connect with their communities in many roles – student, neighborhood resident, sports
participant, arts participant, volunteer, worker/entrepreneur, voter or soon-to-be voter, and perhaps as participant in
town meetings, neighborhood groups and other community forums.
A combination of formal and informal learning supports this growth. Formal learning supplies the concepts that underlie
civic participation: understanding of democracy, voting and elections, the structure of local, state and federal
government, the US Constitution, the history of democracy and civic participation.
Informal learning supplies the experiences that reinforce a desire to connect with the community and contribute to the
community.
Early experiences like elementary school field trips to local businesses, organizations, parks and historic sites show
students how others invest in the community and contribute to the fabric of the community.
Students can gain civic awareness and gain experience in civic engagement through contextual learning projects and work
experiences that immerse them in projects and issues in their communities. Examples include:
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Organizing a school-wide interdisciplinary Memorial Day celebration, which includes extensive reading, writing,
artwork, interviewing local veterans and hosting a veterans breakfast;
Studying issues affecting veterans and participating in service projects in support of veterans organizations;
Working on energy conservation and weatherization projects;
Working with a local advocacy group to restore a dam on a local river;
Helping to promote farmers markets;
Organizing food drives and clothing drives;
Creating public information campaigns on themes of community health, anti-bullying or other topics;
Studying local and national elections and sharing information with the school community;
Conducting surveys about local issues;
Working in internships with elected officials, city and town departments, advocacy organizations and other
organizations involved in civic and community action.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 20 of 28
Computer Technology
What skills do students use in projects in computer technology fields? Computer technology skills can be broadly
defined as including three areas of strength:
(A) Computer Literacy: the ability to learn, communicate effectively, collaborate, and problem solve about
computer-technology-related tasks and projects; and
(B) Using Computer Applications: the ability to use technology to support your work, such as using technology in
an engineering lab, design studio or research program; using technology to develop print and online materials;
using technology to organize and present information; using technology to create and maintain databases; and/or
(C) Providing Technical Support: the ability to support others in the use of technology, such as setting up
computer workstations or AV equipment for people, teaching computer skills, troubleshooting technology-related
issues, and maintaining and repairing computers and related equipment.
Contextual Learning Projects. Examples of contextual learning projects using technology include:
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Web design;
Video production and editing;
Creating a student newspaper;
Creating spreadsheets, presentations and other materials.
Workplace Experiences. Examples of job and internship placements using technology include:
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Help Desk / Tech Support: Students providing customer support, computer repair, troubleshooting,
software installations, inventory and cataloging, and other technical support.
Audio-Visual Support: Setting up audio-visual equipment, troubleshooting, repairing and supporting
school or other organization staff in their media needs.
Web Design and Graphic Design: Students providing web design, web media (such as podcasts), website
maintenance and graphic design work.
Database Management: Using databases to collect, organize and manage information.
Software Development Internships: Student interns working on a team with software developers on a
software project.
Student Worksheet
How do you like to learn?
How do you like to learn something new, such as cooking something you have never cooked before or learning a
new computer skill?
Read print materials - recipes, instruction books, etc.
Read online - websites, technical forums, etc.
Watch a video
Watch another person
Talk on the phone to someone who knows how to do it
Email someone who knows how to do it
Experiment - just try it out
Figure it out by thinking about how similar things work
(similar recipes, similar computer software, etc.)
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 21 of 28
5 = Yes I like this
approach
4=
Somewhat
like this
3 = Inbetween
2 = Not
very
much
[5]
[5]
[5]
[5]
[5]
[5]
[5]
[5]
[4]
[4]
[4]
[4]
[4]
[4]
[4]
[4]
[3]
[3]
[3]
[3]
[3]
[3]
[3]
[3]
[2]
[2]
[2]
[2]
[2]
[2]
[2]
[2]
1 = No I
don't like
this
approach
[1]
[1]
[1]
[1]
[1]
[1]
[1]
[1]
Data Analysis
One of the best ways to become familiar with a set of data is to work actively with the data, drawing graphs, creating charts,
sorting the data, calculating percentages or other hands-on analysis. As you work with the data, you notice interesting
points, patterns and relationships that you might not notice if you just glanced at the information while reading.
Contextual learning projects build data analysis skills through:
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Collecting and analyzing survey results;
Analyzing data about public issues;
Analyzing and graphing data from science field studies and observations;
Analyzing labor market data and other career-related information;
Analyzing data for business plans and marketing plans;
Other applications
Student Worksheet:
Data Analysis Insights
As you work with any data sets, consider the following questions:
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Do you get any new insights (or surprises) by looking at the data?
Does this data support any views that you already had?
What patterns do you see in the data? What exceptions do you see to these patterns?
Do you notice any interesting relationships between sets of data?
Are there any “cause-and-effect” relationships implied by the data?
Do you notice any trends over time?
Look for:
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Highest values – which occupations/countries/groups/etc. have the highest values?
Lowest values – which occupations/countries/groups/etc. have the lowest values?
Distribution – is the data distributed across a broad range of numbers or clustered around a small range
of numbers?
Skewness – are most of the values high or low or evenly distributed across the range of numbers?
Relationships between two or more data series. – Is there any correlation between two series of
numbers?
Ask:
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What does this data represent?
Are there any vocabulary/terms that I need to look up?
Can I explain the data to another person?
Decide:
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What is the best way to present this data?
Should it be presented in a table or in a graph?
What type of graph is best?
What should the title of the graph or table be?
What are some key points that I could highlight in text accompanying my graph or table?
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 22 of 28
Writing Skills
Writing in workplace and community settings draws on the same basic writing skills used in classroom settings
but with a particular focus on working collaboratively, using particular formats and writing for particular
audiences.
Collaboration: Working collaboratively to produce a written product, with project team members involved in
planning, outlining, drafting, revising, editing, fact checking, proofreading and formatting the product;
Format: Writing for a particular format, with writing styles that vary for the setting, such as websites, brochures,
press releases, news articles or surveys.
Audience: Focusing on the audience, with an emphasis on providing clear information or persuasive arguments,
with information presented concisely and attractively.
Contextual Learning Projects. Contextual learning projects provide an environment for students to experience
the variety of writing and communication skills used in workplace and community settings. Through contextual
learning projects, students might:
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Write text for a website
Design a brochure
Write a press release
Write a news article
Write survey questions for a community survey
Create a story board for a video
Write text for museum exhibit signs and labels
Write a handbook or manual
Write opinion pieces on an issue facing the community for a newspaper, website or other media.
Workplace Experiences. Examples of writing in workplace experiences include working on:
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manuals
technical documentation
press releases
grant proposals
newspaper stories
obituaries
sports reports
test and discussion question banks for classroom teachers
story banks for newspapers
websites
form letters
letters
emails
daily logs
patient charts
meeting notes
helping others with their writing
working as teaching assistants supporting younger children in story writing
working as music production interns supporting musicians in music writing
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 23 of 28
Creative and Critical Thinking
Contextual learning experiences allow youth to see how creative and critical thinking are balanced and used in a
variety of real-life situations.
Creative thinking expands possibilities — creativity is used to generate new ideas, “break out of the box” and
think of new ways to do things. New ideas may be small or large, radically different or just a slightly fresh
approach. Creativity involves giving yourself time for thinking, brainstorming and generating idea, using
creativity-building approaches like brainstorming, word-association, mind-mapping, free-flow diagrams, creative
doodling or other approaches to stimulate your creative thinking, and allowing yourself to explore new ideas
without worrying about being wrong or off-track.
Critical thinking shapes effective action — critical thinking is used to assess new and existing ideas and strategies,
gather and weigh evidence, and sharpen insights into your goals and work. Like creativity, critical thinking can be
described as “thinking outside the box” — looking at information in several different ways in order to draw good
conclusions. Critical thinking may be defined as making decisions based on objective information, decision
making criteria, logical thinking and common sense. To be an effective critical thinker you must understand the
goals of your project, understand how to use available information, and then take time to systematically analyze
available information and apply decision-making criteria.
Creative thinking and critical thinking can be applied to smaller everyday decision making and to bigger decisions
about projects, policies, business ideas and business plans.
Some examples of creative and critical thinking in various project areas:
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Identifying and assessing variations on a recipe in a culinary arts program;
Designing and leading a literacy program for younger children;
Designing and leading craft activities for children, elderly nursing home residents or other audiences;
Developing signs, exhibits and displays for a museum or a zoo;
Developing public education campaigns about community issues;
Working on business plans and marketing strategies in entrepreneurship projects;
Developing and analyzing surveys about school-related issues;
Learning about bullying and school climate issues and recommending strategies for improvement.
Student Worksheet:
Creativity Reflection Questions
What are the ingredients that generally help you be creative? In what ways did this experience help you to work
creatively?
Do you know how to use creativity-building approaches like brainstorming, word-association, mind-mapping,
free-flow diagrams, creative doodling or other approaches to stimulate creative thinking? Describe the
approaches you use.
Can you identify any creative contributions you have made in this project? (These can be small, “everyday”
contributions with a new, fresh approach)
Do you think that creative thinking is important in ALL jobs or just in artistic and creative sector jobs? Explain.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 24 of 28
Leadership
What are your strengths as a leader? Your leadership style may change from one situation to another, depending
on the project you are working on and on the needs and relative strengths of other team members.
Examples of use of leadership in contextual learning projects and work experiences include:
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Playing a leadership role in programs for younger children;
Leading sports and other activities in summer and after-school programs;
Planning and carrying out community service projects;
Working as mentors and leaders in peer leadership programs;
Leading and instructing others through formal supervisory and mentoring roles;
Assuming an informal leadership role among peers;
Participating in leadership development workshops.
Many young people have grown up with the concept of collaborative, participatory group leadership roles. Rather
than thinking of a group leader as being a “take-charge” person and having strong persuasive skills, popular views
of leadership include good listening as well as good speaking skills, being a good role model, a skilled facilitator of
group meetings, and being a helpful and productive team member. Youth tend to be comfortable with the idea
that “leadership skills” are part of a broad set of skills that includes project management, interacting with others,
knowledge and awareness of relevant issues, as well as formal group leadership skills. The “Leadership Strengths”
reflection below provides an exercise for looking at leadership strengths.
Student Worksheet
Leadership Strengths
Your Leadership Strengths
5 =
very
strong
4
3=
Inbetween
2
1 =
not
currently
strong
Knowledgeable – always has good information
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
Uses talents to contribute to a group project
(such as being a good writer or artist or good at doing research)
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
Friendly and fun – keeps people enjoying the group work
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
Hard-working
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
Nurturing – pays attention to other group members and what
they need
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
Good listener
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
Good at persuading others
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
Helps a group to set goals and set timelines
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
Motivates others to work hard
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
Good at explaining things
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
Helps others to make decisions
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
Good role model to other group members
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
What are your current strengths as a leader?
Rate on a scale of 5 (very strong) to 1 (not currently strong)
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 25 of 28
Appendix 2: The Contextual Learning Project Template
This template is used in the Contextual Learning Portal in the “Submit Project” section.
Website: http://resources21.org/cl
Contextual Learning Project Template
1 – BASICS
Use this section of the template to identify basic information about the project. Include any information that will be
helpful to others who want to implement this project or a similar project, including resources and team members
needed and modifications or extensions made to the project. You may alter the headings if you wish.
Project Title
Theme
Submitted By
Organization
Brief Description
Materials / Resources
Team members
Pre-requisite knowledge
Technical support needed
Any modifications or extensions
for particular student populations?
What subject areas does this
project focus on (check all that
apply)?
[ ] ELA
[ ] Mathematics
[ ] Science
[ ] History
[ ] World Languages
[ ] Arts
[ ] Technology
[ ] Physical Education
[ ] Career/Vocational/Technical
[ ] Service Learning
[ ] Other
If funded by an ESE Grant (such as
Academic Support or 21st Century
Community Learning Centers):
What Fund Code?
What Time Period?
[ ] Summer
[ ] School Year
What Grade Level(s)?
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 26 of 28
2 - KEY QUESTIONS
Contextual Learning projects are based on authentic KEY QUESTIONS that are meaningful to students and that mirror
questions addressed by adults in the workplace or community. Use this section of the template to identify the key
question that the project will address and describe the context of the project.
Key Questions
Connections: How or why was
this topic identified? Why is it
meaningful?
Background Research: What
resources were used to find
background information for this
project?
Outcomes: What was the
outcome? How was it shared or
applied in the community?
3 - FRAMEWORKS / SKILLS
Use this section of the template to identify the curriculum frameworks and skills that the project will address. You may
mix-and-match among the different sets of project frameworks, including the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks,
21st Century Skills, and Work-Based Learning Skills. See the Browse Frameworks page for more information and
examples.
[See website for checklist of frameworks and skills]
4 - UNITS / ACTIVITIES
Use this section of the template to describe the sequence of units or activities in this project. Use the first column to
identify the unit (i.e., "Day 1" or "Unit 1") along with the time required. Use the second column to describe the
activities. Use the third column for additional comments, including needed resources, ideas for
modifications/extensions, or other comments.
Name of Unit
With Time Required
Activities / Description Details:
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 27 of 28
Materials/Resources
Modifications, Extensions
5 - INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES
Use this section of the template to identify instructional techniques and strategies
Techniques / Strategies
Description
6 - ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES
Use this section of the template to identify assessment strategies.
Techniques / Strategies
Description
7 - Publish and Tag
[See website for instructions for publishing and tagging the project.]
How Can I Use the Contextual Learning Portal?

The project template can help you organize your ideas and “go deeper” in creating high quality learning
experiences.

Use the sign-up screen to sign up for a username. A password will be emailed to you instantly. Once you have
signed in, you can go to the project template to share information about your project. Any teacher, counselor or
youth program staff is welcome to sign up for a username.

You are welcome to share projects that are in the planning stage as well as projects that you have completed.
Once you have started entering project information, you can save your information and come back to it another
day. The portal is set up so that you are always able to add information, photos or resources to your project, such
as when you share your initial project plan and come back to add photos of student work later.

When you are ready to share your work, go to the “Ready to Publish” tab to designate your project as ready to
publish. Within 24 hours, your project will be available for others to browse.
Contextual Learning Guide – Page 28 of 28