Background

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.