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Background Information

The Internet Consumer Recycling Guide

This recycling guide provides a starting point for consumers in the USA and Canada searching the net for recycling information. The information is for regular folks with regular household quantities of materials to recycle. The goal is to help make recycling so easy and automatic that it blends into the flow of everyday life. We hope these resources are of use to you:

The World's Shortest Comprehensive Recycling Guide - Simple, basic, general.

Reducing unwanted mail - An easy way to reduce waste and avoid recycling

Indicators of Engaged Learning

VISION OF LEARNING

Responsibility for Learning
Students take charge and are self-regulated learners. They define learning goals and problems that are meaningful to them and understand how specific activities relate to these goals. Students are also involved in setting and using standards of excellence to evaluate whether they have achieved their goals.

Strategic
Students continually develop and refine learning and problem solving strategies. They apply and transfer knowledge to solve problems creatively.

Energized by Learning
Engaged learners derive excitement and pleasure from learning and are intrinsically motivated.

Collaborative
Students have and value the skills to work with others. They understand that learning is social and they understand that many problems/issues have multiple points of view.

TASKS

Authentic
Tasks bear a close relationship to real world problems in the home and workplaces of today and tomorrow. They build on life experiences, require in-depth work, benefit from frequent collaboration, and are of relevance and interest to learner(s).

Challenging
Tasks are complex and typically involve sustained amounts of time. Students must stretch their thinking and social skills in order to be successful.

Multidisciplinary
Disciplines are wholly integrated in order to solve problems or address issues.

ASSESSMENT

Performance-Based
Assessments are meaningful, challenging experiences that involve presenting students with an authentic task, project, or investigation, and then observing, interviewing and/or examining their artifacts and presentations to assess what they actually know and can do.

Generative
Students and their teachers create the assessment criteria and/or tools so that they are meaningful and generate knowledge.

Seamless and Ongoing
Instruction and assessment are integrated; assessment of the process and products occurs throughout the instruction.

INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL

Interactive
The course of instruction responds to student needs and interests and students can make key decisions regarding their learning.

Generative
Students are encouraged to construct and produce knowledge in meaningful and deep ways. They solve problems, conduct meaningful inquiry, engage in reflection, and build a repertoire of effective strategies.

LEARNING CONTEXT

Collaborative
The school is conceptualized and designed as a learning community where students learn to work collaboratively.

Knowledge Building
Learning is made public so that the learner can get input from diverse perspectives and build on that knowledge.

Empathetic
Diversity and multiple perspectives are valued and utilized to build on the strengths of all students.

GROUPING

Flexible
Groups are formed and reformed according to the purpose of instruction. Groups are formed based on common needs and interests, usually for short periods of time.

Equitable
Groups are organized so that over time students have opportunities to learn from all other students.

Heterogeneous
Groups include males and females and a mix of cultures, learning styles, abilities, socioeconomic status, and ages in order to capitalize on the range of background knowledge and differing perspectives.

TEACHER ROLES

Facilitator
Teachers create opportunities for students to work collaboratively to solve problems, do authentic tasks, and share knowledge and responsibility.

Guide
Teachers help students to construct their own meaning by modeling, mediating, and coaching. They constantly adjust the level of information and support according to students' needs.

Co-Learner/Co-Investigator
Teachers learn along with students and students may serve as teachers.

STUDENT ROLES

Explorer
Students discover concepts and connections and apply skills by interacting with the physical world, materials, technology, and other people. Often students are encouraged to jump into an open-ended activity in order to stimulate their curiosity, become familiar with the instructional materials, and formulate early understandings of the task.

Cognitive Apprentice
Students observe, apply, and refine through practice, the thinking processes used by practitioners in specific content areas. They receive ongoing feedback on many aspects of a complex problem or skill.

Teacher
In order to teach others, students must integrate and holistically represent what they have learned.

Producer
Students generate knowledge and products for themselves and the community that synthesize and integrate knowledge and skills.