Columbus Signature Academy — New Tech High School has been in the spotlight lately, and in a good way.
Educators from around the world came to the Columbus school in late April for an up-close look at how project-based learning works in the classroom.
The visit included representatives from the Department of Defense Education Activity, which manages pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 educational programs for the Department of Defense, and principals from high schools in Germany, South Korea and Japan.
Project-based learning at CSA — New Tech involves students developing a project with a community partner and then defining what they need to know to solve a particular problem.
This wasn’t the first time CSA — New Tech has received outside educational visitors to observe the school’s model, but it was another example of how CSA — New Tech and Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. are at the forefront of project-based learning.
About 100 New Tech freshmen recently provided a great example of what project-based learning is like. The ninth-graders worked in small groups to develop ideas for revitalizing Columbus’ downtown riverfront, creating prototypes of a riverfront connection between Second and Third Streets. The city and the professional firm hired to design the project said the students’ ideas will be taken into consideration.
The project was important because it helped the freshmen learn how their city works. Some of them may become future leaders of the city and have a role in shaping the community.
These examples show just how important project-based can be.
