Project Mode Protocols

Project mode happens multiple times and is repeated over three weeks.

Stand-Ups

[EDIT TO ADD STUDENT SIDE AND NOTES ON HOW FEEDBACK IS DELIVERED AND WHEN/HOW OFTEN]

Standups

Launch each class with a brief full-class share out of what each group is working on, and invite them to give a general sense of their team's readiness to start work.

  • A team is 🟢 green if they are ready to start work immediately.

  • A team is 🟡 yellow if they would appreciate your input or feedback.

  • A team is 🟠 orange if they have a feature that is blocked, but can work on something else while they wait for you.

  • A team is 🔴 red if they are totally blocked, and cannot continue work without help.

This standup will present you with an opportunity to both triage your support, and connect teams that are struggling to work on a feature with teams that have already built a similar feature. That will help the struggling team get unstuck sooner, and will also offer the successful team a chance to engage in an in-depth reflection on the topic. Most importantly, this affirms the real-world truth that as a software engineer becomes more knowledgeable and more senior, more and more of their job is about passing along their knowledge to others.

From Julia: “Table Crits” - this is what i thought, this is what I’ve done, this is what I’m working on next

  • Chance for students to connect with experts and offer help

One-on-Ones

[EDIT FOR TEACHER CHECK-INS]

1:1s

Project mode affords an opportunity to check in with students individually while their peers continue productive work.

One-on-one conversation with students can help a teacher pinpoint when a student group needs help resolving interpersonal tensions, or spot an unequal division of labor and resolve it before the project ends.

Ask any questions you like during a 1:1. Consider including the following:

  • In your opinion, how is the project going so far?

  • What are you working on?

  • Is your group being helpful?

  • How do you feel about this class so far?

Work Sprint

[EDIT TO ADD PROTOCOL, TIMING, GUIDANCE ON UPDATING DESIGN JOURNAL, ETC]

Peer Feedback Protocols

Take time to define what “good feedback” is with students

  • Actionable

  • Specific (a question / suggestion / idea)

  • kind

[EDIT NOTE FOR PROTOCOL: options could include - 3 groups present, jigsaw, one stray, walk around, user testing, may include feedback from experts or users outside of the classroom

  • Peer Review (Protocol and supporting documents needed)

  • “Pinups” group presents to peers - Critical friends protocol (this seems really cool, here’s what I’m wondering)]

Midpoint Presentations

When some groups lose a little momentum, midpoint presentations can facilitate some cross-pollination of ideas.

Have each group share out their unfinished projects and solicit feedback (one glow and one grow) from the other groups.

Midpoint presentations can help turn the imposter syndrome someone might feel seeing another group's excellent work into an entry point for collaboration and support. If a group of students keep talking about another group's excellent design work, they still have time to ask that group for help with their design before their project is due. You can add in more specific guidance to facilitate these connections if necessary.

Optional Teach

[EDIT]

  • Optional Teach (Chance for teacher to bring in optional module lessons that might enhance/support what students are doing, or support a common need/error/misconception in class)

  • May also include: guide for building teaching modules and/or directing student learning? (this might also be a Beth thing?)

Maybe also think about a way to use students as experts in the classroom - create a space of great resources and to claim themselves as experts at a skill (may take teachers telling them to add a link or put themselves down, but soon students will be adding to it on their own)

Goal Setting

[EDIT:

  • Progress Check-In/Reflection (Maybe end of week - allow time for students to recalibrate plans etc? Tie to final git push of the week?)

  • Design Journal → group project reflection

  • Learning Plan → individual reflection

]

[End of MVP] Mini-Presentation Feedback and Reflections

[EDIT: May move to part of presentation or feedback protocols?]

Midpoint Presentations

When some groups lose a little momentum, midpoint presentations can facilitate some cross-pollination of ideas.

Have each group share out their unfinished projects and solicit feedback (one glow and one grow) from the other groups.

Midpoint presentations can help turn the imposter syndrome someone might feel seeing another group's excellent work into an entry point for collaboration and support. If a group of students keep talking about another group's excellent design work, they still have time to ask that group for help with their design before their project is due. You can add in more specific guidance to facilitate these connections if necessary.

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