quest 2 learn
DESCRIPTION
Q2L is an american school for students from 6th to 12th grade, which provides a game-based learning approachTRANSCRIPT
Case studyGiantommaso D’Astolto
NEST projectAlta Scuola Politecnica VII cycle
Quest to learn
What is it?
American learning system school, which aims at creating critical thinking and respect for someone else’s point of view
It currently serves students in 6th and 7th grade, but the goal is to involve students till the 12th grade
The main teaching approach is “learning by doing”
Homepage
In the homepage we have sections for
- Knowing the system
- Checking the curriculum
- Applying for a position (student/ teacher)
- Downloading material
- Browsing the calendar
- Contacting the staff
How does it work?
- Students are selected because of their brightness and commitment to the project. They are then put in classes where they will have to learn by playing role-games and interpreting real-life professionals (e.g. mathematicians, historians etc.). Sometimes they are supposed to create their own tools for solving their problems. The aim is to learn in a complex environment where innovation is a constant.
IT tools
Learning labs
where students learn
by playing games
Social network
for discussing each other work
Calendar
for checking the agenda
Strengths/1
Students are supposed to create their own tools, thus challenging their critical thinking and learning from what they are doing
Strengths/2
The game-based learning approach is very stimulating, with students pretending to be professionals in different scenarios. This kind of approach usually increases problem-solving and choice-making skills
Strengths/3
The school also offers subjects related to topical issues, such as Health and Wellness. This kind of topics are something that kids perceive as involving and linked to their daily life
Weaknesses
The service is mainly provided “on site”, therefore students need to be physically present in order to attend lectures
We can guess that all the provided material, the facilities and the staff that operates are quite expensive, which makes the systems hard to replicate in public schools with budget constraints.
Business model
It is a private school, therefore parents pay fees
Moreover some contributors voluntarily donate money to the school
Finally there is a support team composed by non-profit organisations, universities, private companies and foundations
Conclusions and take-aways
The school prepares students to enter the world of work and colleges with an open-mind and proactive approach
Great focus is given to learning by doing and team-working
However, the model generates some costs that we should cut if we want to replicate it in public schools