Dottke High School

A Deeper Learning Community

The 12 Steps of Independent PBL at Dottke

How we do work that matters
Teacher at Dottke

In our independent PBL model, students pick which course to work on because they have a deep understanding of their graduation pathway. 

Students work with their guide teacher to come up with ideas around content and deliverable items.

Statement of Intent

This is the first time a student goes public with their idea. The statement of intent is a visual representation of what the student plans to accomplish. 

Project Conference with Initial Deliverable Idea

Once an idea has been formed, students meet with their advisor to discuss initial plans and pitch their deliverable idea. 

Information Entered Into LMS

All pertinent information is added to our learning management systems. 

Timeline Creation and Benchmarks

Students plan out major milestones and create a timeline for hitting certain benchmarks.

Student at Dottke

Rubric Creation

Students create rubrics with their teacher based off of the I Can Statements they hope to show mastery of. 

Project Work and Reflection

Students work through their timeline and create a reflection for every five hours of work completed. 

Grading

Students are given a grade once they have worked the required number of hours to earn course credit and have shown mastery evidence in all learning targets.

Going Public

We want our students to be proud of the work they do. The reason students go public with their deliverable item is to show off their work. 

Final Reflection and Deliverable in Portfolio

The final step for the student is to post a final reflection and documentation of their deliverable into their portfolio.

Repeat

This is the framework we use for all independent PBL at Dottke. Once a student completes the process, they repeat it for later courses.