PLP 10 has just come back from California, and during that time we were assigned a lot of unique projects and workshops. One of the projects we did was a High Tech High podcast we did with some of the students. High Tech High is a branch of schools situated in San Diego that specialize in project based learning. Project based learning, or PBL is a form of teaching that uses projects instead of tests to showcase learning, and integrates a group system where students collaborate with others to create pieces of work. Within High Tech High, the entire school participates in this PBL system and uses technology to enhance their school work. Even though the school is called “High Tech High”, they don’t have a lot of technology within the school, in fact less than the PLP program itself. The school is a big change to the rest of the schools around the United States and Canada, and it was a really cool experience learning about the school and some of the things they do on a day to day basis.
Lobby at ‘High Tech High International’, one of the Branches of Schools on the HTH Campus
Once we arrived at High Tech High, we were introduced to our buddy that we would be with for the duration of our time at the school. Before coming to California, I had made an about me video explaining who I am and what my hobbies and interests are.
My partner was a kid named Tramel, who I quickly connected with as we began talking about each other and what our interests were. One of the things we both connected on was sports. We each were a fan of sports and in particular football, and it was really fun talking about my interests with somebody I had only known for about two minutes. Once we were assigned partners and got to know them a little better, our PLP cohort went to their classrooms and did their school work and engaged in conversations. It was a little awkward at first, but it got much easier once I got to know everyone in the classroom. Learning about the HTH system of learning was really cool because of the engagement of the students. The students were all contributing to class discussions and it was a really unique experience for me to witness. At High Tech High, you don’t get homework either, and almost all of the work is taught through class discussion and students vote on what projects they do and what they would like to do to show their learning. Being apart of their classroom was really fun and my new friend Tramel taught me a lot about High Tech High.
TOP: This was one of the Photos I took during a Class Discussion Session
BOTTOM: This was a Photo I took of one the Projects a Student Created
One of the things we were asked to do while at High Tech High was to create a podcast. This podcast project we were assigned had us asking the students at HTH about their experience at High Tech High. We had to create our own questions and develop a theme we would talk about in the podcast. My theme for this podcast was all about hat it means to go to High Tech High and if it is preparing them for further education and learning. The students gave me a lot of insight and knowledge about the school that I didn’t know of before, like some of the projects they did and how the teachers act and care about the students. The students I interviewed all enjoy the HTH system and they feel it helps them with their school work and future education.
You can listen to the podcast below.
Ending off this post, I would like to say it was a spectacular time at High Tech High. It was way more fun than I expected, and the school is so unique and interesting as well as the students were awesome to be with. They showed me around their campus and taught me more about their system of learning and what it means to go to High Tech High. If you would like to read more about my California Experience, you can visit my other blog posts I did about Disruption and California.
– Post of Disruption Coming Soon-