The WCATY Colleges:Developing a Spectrum of

Knowledge

The Colleges Organize WCATY’s MOODLE Village

into separate boroughs.

The Lenses Through Which We Learn

The Colleges are the lenses, or mindsets, through which we understand the world around us.

What are the Colleges?The Colleges are perspectives in which we can study or know

the world. Anything that can be studied, can be viewed in through these Colleges.

SYSTEMS

HUMAN EXPERIENCEINVESTIGATION

INVENTION IDENTITY

The Fluid Continuum of Knowledge

Human Experience

Systems

Identity

Invention

Investigation

Because all knowledge is part of a bigger whole we call reality, it is helpful to think of these groupings as a continuous ring where themes blend into each other.

The Study of Continuity and Change

Although each College represents a lens through which we can study the world, there is also another more constant process which we use to process information.

Knowledge/ Research

Mental Processing

Application

Outcome/ Product

Evaluate

Revise

Note the color of the outside ring changes to represent the different lens or perspectives through which we can learn about the world.

The inside ring, though rotating, remains black to represent the constant, cyclical nature of the learning process.

The Cyclical Process of Gathering Knowledge

Knowledge/ Research

Mental Processing

Application

Outcome/ Product

Evaluate

Revise

The Colleges

SYSTEMS

HUMAN EXPERIENCEINVESTIGATION

INVENTION IDENTITY

Systems

SYSTEMSTo understand the inner workings and

relationships inside immutable processes.

In Systems, we look at an organism, a factory, or a person as a closed system or process…. This process or system must have definable borders and/or must work together to produce the same result. Its separate parts interact under the clear influences of “immutable” rules. One goal here is to understand the “normal” functioning of the system so well that the student can predict outcomes when elements of that system change. At introductory levels, students study theory and systems already defined. At higher levels, through systems analysis, students learn to be “culminators” who add efficiency to our understanding of the whole.

To Map and Measure

Systems -To Map & Measure

Skills this College Develops

 Understanding nature laws & principles

 Understanding and finding measurable relationships between the parts of a definable whole

 Defining factors that cause and block change in a system

 Understanding a group of actions as part of a larger system

• Using known information to predict an unknown

Simple & complex, definable structures/organisms

Studying relationships: form & function, input & output, causes & effects

Scientific laws and principles that work towards timelessness

Predicting further connections & actions; noting dynamic change; defining processes

Small pieces fit into a big picture (inductive reasoning)

Subjects Areas

Biological Systems

Architecture

Geography

Ecology

Engineering

Agriculture

Geometry

SystemsTo Map & Measure

Inductive & Systematic Thinking

Systematic: To view systems from a broad perspective that includes seeing overall structures, patterns, and cycles.

Induction: To make a generalized conclusion from particular instances.

System’s Verbiage

Knowledge/ Research: note actions & reactions, form and function, proportional relationships, continuity vs. change, note long term verses short term effects, identify constraints, note causes and effects, examine, inspect, noting change, document, track, order, sequence, describe, list, inventory, rank, order,

flow-charting, track, organize, summarize, sketch, describe, record, collect

Mental Process: generalize, predict, converge ideas, formulate, theorize, map, identify gaps, allow for unknowns, calculate, elaborate, formulate, examine, equate, synthesize, hypothesize

Application: Reconstruct, construct, operate, demonstrate, produce, measure, quantify, calculate, estimate, graph, integrate, blend, incorporate, complete, compile, maintain, conduct, substantiate, prepare, manipulate, cultivate, balance, layout, finalize, outline, diagram, illustrate, assemble, validate, corroborate, count, integrate

Outcome: theory, law, name, a process

Evaluation: appraise, note strengthens and weaknesses, test, reproduce results, measure, examine

Revision: correct, fine-tune, tweak, prefect, correct, amend

 

SystemsResearch

This student found, maintained, and/or organized data from a variety of sources in order to better understand the whole system.

 

This student tracked mechanisms that acted as agents of change and/or agents of sustainability.

 

This student determined the function of an individual part as it related to the whole.

Mental Process By understanding the principles and rules of a system, this student identified the interconnections, patterns, and relationships that exist between individual parts of the whole.

 

This student predicted changes that might occur, because of the in-depth knowledge of the cause and effect relationships found in the studied system.

Application This student explained and gave examples of the terminology and procedures related to the system studied.

 

Through measurement of the parts, this student defined properties of and gave boundaries to a given system.

 

Through understanding procedural steps, this student mapped the cycle of the process studied.

 

This student mapped existing organizational structures in the system studied.

 

This student showed an understanding of the legal procedures that defined a given system.

Outcome By studying parts of the system, this student read and/or produced plans, models, simulations, budgets, reports, and/or theories that represented the whole system.

 

Through presentations, flowcharts and/ or speeches, this student demonstrated to an audience the complex processes involved in the system studied.

Evaluation Through his/her understanding of the pros and cons of its parts, this student evaluated the whole system studied.

Revision This student showed how models and explanations based on systems were changed/should be changed as new evidence accumulated.

Human Experience

THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE

To look at the temporal relationships between systems that create the human experience.

Here we look at how many systems work together in a temporal setting, often pulling and tugging at each other. Though system integration could be explored in both Systems and the Human Experience, this College is unique for 3 reasons: 1. It puts the human drama at the center of the gray area which exists between multiple systems– making the definitions and relationship explored mutable. 2. It looks at each contributing system as separate systems which are glued together by the human experience, instead of parts of a bigger whole. Therefore, the discussion centers around the application of a process instead of the process itself.3. The relationship of these systems is continuously impacted by both time and place.

To Interpret & Relate

Hmm…Maybe if I grow sunflowers, I will have sweeter

honey from my hive of bees.

The Human ExperienceTo Interpret & Relate

Time & place: a temporal human experience

Patterns & cycles track the relationships between multiple systems

Social norms & histories reflected in our languages, traditions, and histories

Subjects

Culture

History

Literature

Languages

Sociology

Statistics

Skills this College Develops

•Understanding other sets of social norms/cultures

•Interconnection of large systems (ex: government and big business)

•Studying the dynamics of the “Group”

•Studying timelines and linear progression

•Noting patterns in human history & literature

•Developing a historical perspective of human growth

•Finding relationships between topics

Human ExperienceTo Interpret & Relate

Systematic & Relational Thinking Systematic: To view systems from a broad perspective that includes seeing overall structures, patterns, and cycles.

Relational thinking is thinking based on the principle that in order to understand a system, we need to understand the links - relationships - between the system’s key points.

Human Experience’s Verbiage

• Knowledge/ Research: note actions & reactions, understand social norms, continuity vs. change, note causes and effects, examine, inspect, note change, document, track, order, sequence, describe, list, inventory, rank, order, flow-chart, track, organize, summarize, sketch, describe, record

• Mental Process: expound, theorize, project and interpret, infer, allow for unknowns, synthesize, relate, plan, speculate, conceive, contemplation, cogitate, construe, wonder, predict

• Application: rank, document, reconstruct, translate, flow-charting, predict, track, reconcile, diagram, illustrate, gauge, authenticate, confirm, endorse

• Outcome: Defined relationship, description, documentation, and theory

• Evaluation: evaluate, determine pro/cons, examine, review

• Revision: fine-tune, tweak, adjust, rework, amend, redraft

  Human Experience

Research By gathering and organizing historical evidence, this student extrapolated theories and concepts about the patterns that exist in human experience.This student identified literary and artistic techniques and structures used in both fiction and nonfiction text so that he/she could interpret and critique the human experience.

Mental Process This student synthesized elements in order to map the dynamic relationship involved in human systems.This student theorized about common connections seen in the human meta-narrative.This student tracked the impact of one large system on another. 

Application Recognizing influential or typical properties and text of set time periods, this student was able to sequence events appropriately.By understanding elements that create cultural continuity like geography, this student related cultural traditions and customs to how civilizations adapt and grow.Due to an understanding of the human experience, this student predicted alternative outcomes to historical or literary story lines.This student located and summarized similarities and differences between world cultures and governments.This student expounded on historical evidence to theorize about philosophic ideas like freedom, liberty, and law.

Outcome This student used knowledge of large trends to predict outcomes in smaller, more localized settings.This student proficiently communicated in a second language.This student allowed for unpredictable outcomes to account for the “human factor.”

Evaluation This student noticed and evaluated patterns and interconnections between personal, local, national, and/ or global platforms and trends.

Revision By identifying key agents of change, this student contemplated how human systems have developed over time.

INVESTIGATION

INVESTIGATIONTo isolate an answer from a wide range of

possibilities.

Here the focus is looking at the big picture and focusing on one detail. So instead of understanding how the flower works or how it interacts with other systems around it, a better question would be which flower will the bee land on next.

This is done through ascertaining “why the bee goes to certain flowers and not others” to eliminate and narrow down the field.

To Deduce & Diagnose

InvestigationTo Deduce and Diagnose

Examines & analyzes facts

Reasons out problems, eliminates wrong answers & concludes on a solution to a stated problem

Classifies an entity or idea into existing groups

Looking at a large group of data through the scientific process to test outcomes

Subjects

Medical Diagnostic Course

Trouble-Shooting (Technology)

Archeology

A Mystery writing class

Journalism

Algebra

Practice of Law

Skills this College Develops

•Eliminating Options & Allowing for Unknowns

•Developing, conducting, and assessing

experiments/research

•Analyzing charts and graphs

•Classifying, Grouping & Analyzing Facts/Theories

•Triangulating facts & Evaluating sources and ideas

• Presenting evidence/case; making a reasoned argument

InvestigationTo Deduce & Diagnose

Deductive & Strategic Thinking Deductive: an act of taking away; conclusion about particulars follows necessarily from general or

universal premises

Strategic: Goal Centered; If you judge whether a situation is right or wrong based on whether the situation is focused or not, your judgment is strategic.

Investigation’s VerbiageKnowledge/ Research: identify constraints, survey, inspect, note change, note causes and effects, record, arrange, recall, trace back, examine, track, find, derive, select, draw out, outline, collect, note actions & reactions

Mental Process: simplify, eliminate, discern, solve, infer, deduce, allow for unknowns, differentiate, hypothesize, conjecture, clarify

Application: analyze, diagnose, classify, isolate, distinguish, define, describe, defend conclude, substantiate, pursue, solve, demonstrate, prevent, implement, utilize, equate, conduct, quantify, calculate, follow a lead, validate, corroborate, ignore, reduce

Outcome: diagnosis, conclusion, label, and solution

Evaluation: assess, note strengthens and weaknesses, appraise, review, reproduce results, measure, test, examine

Revision: refine, revise, purify, correct, adjust, finalize

  Investigation

Research This student employed a variety of tools and/or sources of information to strengthen his/her reasoning and/or problem solving process. Through observation of real life situations and careful evaluation of data, this student eliminated items that were irrelevant to the problem solving process.This student organized evidence and/or data.This student separated human biases from the facts and ideas presented.

Mental Process This student developed a question to investigate.This student deconstructed a product/system in order to isolate individual problems, solutions, costs, and/or benefits.This student predicted outcomes because of his/her understanding of probability and the evidence presented.

Application This student identified and/or selected items or processes correctly, because he/she was able to classify them by thoroughly understanding what each classification excluded and included.

Outcome This student constructed and presented an argument or explanation of events/phenomena.Using general scientific processes, this student designed an experiment and/or equation that worked to answer a problem or question.

Evaluation This student tested and ranked solutions.By making sure that their ideas fit within a known theory/model, this student assessed the effects of larger systems on the stated question or problem while diagnosing outcomes.

Revision This student revised, expanded, and/or modified his/her own experiments and was also able to identify expansion/ modifications needed in other experiments.

INVENTION

InventionTo join established ideas in a new way to provide an end

product or solution.

+ = NEW

The idea is that through the understanding of one or more current systems comes a new deviation from the norm– a new invention or creation.

To Create & Envision

InventionTo Create & Envision

Subjects

The Arts

Music

Creative Writing

Defining the “What if?” in computer programming

Top level chemistry class

The core of this “outlook” is the ability to take known options and put them together in such a way that an entirely new idea or object is created.

 Skills this College Develops

•Developing abstract thought

•Developing an eye of the details

•Envisioning new images, music and text

•Using tools to create new images, music, and sound

•Storyboarding new ideas

•Using/ hinking through “What If?” statements

•Following and communicating “webbed” or non-linear concepts

InventionTo Create & Envision

Divergent & Strategic Thinking Strategic: Goal Centered; Focus is the criterion for strategic thinking. If you judge whether a situation is right or wrong based on whether the situation is focused or not, your judgment is

strategic.

Divergent: Differing from each other or from a standard

Invention’s VerbiageTo Envision & Improvise

Knowledge/ Research: noting details, noting change, layout, plan, noting color, size, tone, form and function, proportion

Mental Process: envision, picture, divert (what if?), solve, infer, allowing for unknowns, visualize, reflect, synthesize, formulate, invent, improvise, give value, spatial thinking, match

Application: compose, create, invent, design, concoct, taking risks, integrate and blend, convert, reflect, respond, incorporate, construct, play, perform, personify, embody, promote, exchange, utilize, implement, prevent, complete, conduct, improvise, play, publish, diagram, choreograph, manipulate, extend, pursue, exchange, propose, harmonize, unify, integrate, replace, elaborate, manipulate

Outcome: Solution, project, composition, creation, invention, transformation

Evaluation: edit, critique, review, defend, and judge

Revision: modify, adapt, defend, rehearse, practice, redraft

  InventionResearch This student identified the historical reasoning for processes and/or principles and noted examples of successful

deviations from that established pattern. This student identified existing resources available to entrepreneurs. 

Mental Process After market research, this student was able to identify a need or gap in currently available tools, knowledge, or products.This student envisioned items, sounds, places, or events in his/her mind, which helped him/her to add detail and quality to his/her end product.Through an understanding of function and projected outcomes, this student asked what if and deviated from know rules/ procedures to see what alternative outcome would happen.This student assumed personal responsibility for his/her learning and creative process, while also showing a willingness to collaborate.

Application This student marketed a new idea/product/ process to a variety of audiences. This student planned the action steps needed to complete a project. This student employed the best format, tools, and materials to create his/her concept.

Outcome This student envisioned a completely new process, product, writing, or character, which filled a stated need or answered a problem.This student matched known procedures, systems and/or principles together to create a new process, outcome, or product.This student created/ modified an existing product/ process to enhance his/her environment

Evaluation This student judged the success of his/her own creations and also enlisted critiques from others.

Revision This student revised original/ traditional formats or work to produce new concepts, art, and/or products.

 

IDENTITY

IDENTITY

Here we are looking through the bee’s (student) eyes. The focus here is on understanding the lens that we look through to see the world.

To Perceive & EmphasizeDeveloping leadership through personal

understanding.

We do this by relating what we learn about the world to ourselves, thus making us the center of the relational web of knowledge. Through this process, each student will be better able to both understand others and communicate their own position.

IDENTITYTO PERCEIVE & EMPATHIZE

Define their own perspective through looking at social & biological influencesDefine their role in societyUnderstand their own learning styleApply leadership strategies

Subjects

Health

Leadership

Philosophy

Psychology

Gender Issues

Persuasion

Skills this College Develops

•Creating a personalize writing voice & communicate your position

•Understanding personal biology & brain processes

•Understanding your own learning & leadership styles

• Determining how gender & race impact personal decisions

•Connecting decisions with the impacts they create

•Noting and tracking personal decisions to identify personal identify growth and goals while accepting limitations and celebrating strengths

•Understanding self through understanding literary characters or historical figures

Identity To Perceive and Empathize

Relational & Divergent Thinking

Divergent: Differing from each other or from a standard

Relational thinking is thinking based on the principle that to understand a system, we need to understand the links - relationships - between the system’s nodes.

Identity's Verbiage

Knowledge/ Research: understanding social norms, note change, note long term verses short term effects, identify constraints

Mental Process: sympathize, empathize, believe, acclimatize, familiarize, give value, reflect, perceive, conceive, contemplate, cogitate, wonder, and meditate

Application: feel, accept, react, lead, participate, debate, listen, decide, convince, contribute, exchange, promote, personify, embody, respond, transform, endorse, counsel, give voice to, influence, employ, motivate, promote, negotiate, teach, elaborate, serve, appreciate, connect, inform, value

Outcome: recommendation, choice, decision, balanced identity, social/emotion growth

Evaluation: defend, judge, gauge, determine pro/cons, review, critique

Revision: rework, redraft, rehearse, practice, alter

  Identity

Research By defining personal needs, this student was able to research a variety of sources to find personal solutions.This student identified the social norms and pressures that influence his/her decision making process. This student was able to define habits of successful people.

Mental Process Because this student understood the biological and environmental connections to his/her emotional state, he/she promoted healthy life choices.Through reflection and personal assessment, this student was able to define and/or adapt his/her learning style.

Application By exploring future options, this student set goals and developed action plans to achieve them.This student understood and practiced conflict-resolution techniques and strategies.The student showed tolerance and an awareness of his/her audience when communicating with a variety of people 

Outcome This student defined and persuasively articulated his/her own perspective on key topics, which led to a more personalized writing voice and/ or artistic style.The student demonstrated leadership skills in meetings and group work settings.This student worked to share his/her talents with classmates and/or community.Through a clearer understanding of his/her own talents, this student was better able to match the strengths of others to tasks at hand.

Evaluation By connecting personal choices to consequences, this student evaluated the risks he/she was taking.

Revision By verifying the accuracy and completeness of researched information, this student communicated clearly thought-out responses and devised logical answers to problems presented.

Interconnecting Thinking StrategiesAs is true with most Venn Diagrams, the interconnections between the Colleges is also very illuminating. If you look at the core thinking strategies which underline each College, a deeper level of connections can be seen.

Inductive & Systematic

Systematic & Relational

Relational & Divergent

Divergent & Strategic

Strategic & Deductive

Complimentary Skill SetsCombining the different thought and skill sets exhibited in the Colleges, is like mixing colors to create the right hue– a whole new skill emerges when you look at how the Colleges connect. When a student better understands the Human Experience College and the Identity College, they are in turn learning key citizenship skills.

Problem Solving Leadership

Logical Reasoning

Big Picture Approach

Reflection

Why create categories?

1. Curriculum mapping tool for students.

2. For building contacts and funders, The Colleges clearly communicate what makes WCATY courses exceptional – the growth towards set, standardized learning goals that are focused on higher level thinking skills.

3. Our instructors can now refocus their evaluative energies to online feedback.

WHY NOT USE TRADITIONAL WORDS, WHICH HAVE BEEN USED TO CATEGORIZE "SUBJECTS" IN SCHOOL?

In a traditional school setting, we focus on the area of interest... the Colleges focus on the tools used to explore those interests.

The Colleges allow us to:1. Build connections between subject areas.2. Give students access to a statewide discussion focused around preferred styles of learning allowing for deeper meta-cognition.3. Refocus on critical thinking skills that have a real world orientation.

How does it work?Step One: Assigning State Standards to Your

SyllabusOnce the instructor has developed their course idea/rough draft syllabus, they then will use our database of  State Standards to select at least 30 objectives which they will meet throughout their course. These objectives can come from a variety of different subject areas, including art, music, agriculture, etc.

Using the key thinking verb(s) in each State Standard, each standard will be given a 0-5 weight for each College.

Step Two: Classifying Your CourseAfter selecting the standards, our system will give the instructor a report back which groups the course into one of the Colleges by using a scale applied to each standard . The report will look something like the one below:  

EXAMPLE REPORT

35 State Standards Selected -- 175 possible pts

Systems: 75

Identity: 10

Investigation: 50

Invention: 20

Human Experience: 20

THIS COURSE WILL BE CLASSIFIED AS A

SYSTEM'S COURSE.

Step Three: Becoming Part of the Village Instructors will be emailed an invitation to their meta-course. As they build their course, the site administrators will help with technical questions, but they will also have a teacher's lounge which will be run by the Mentor teacher. Here the Mentor teacher will give their advice and will share resources with other instructors in that College. The Mentor will also guide instructors towards a deeper understanding of the thinking goals which will be used to evaluate all students in that College.

Classroom

Classroom Classroom

Meta- course

Display Area

Teacher’s Lounge

Thematic Forum

Classroom

Step Four: EvaluationIt is our belief that students work best and stretch their minds the most when

learning through consistent dialogue with the instructor. Therefore the feedback, questions, and responses given to each assignment are where the

true evaluation and revision process can be seen.

Though we will not be sending paper copies to building contacts, the students' online portfolio of work will be accessible and easily downloadable by all learning team members. 

In order to communicate student progress in a clear-cut manor, instructors will follow the feedback timeline below: 

-2nd Week: Instructors will send a simple pass/fail notice to all of the building contacts (are they logging in/responding or not).

-Mid-term: Instructors will use the core questions generated after selecting the appropriate standards to evaluate each student’s progress.

-Final Evaluation: Instructors will be able to access their midterm sheet and make adjustments pertaining to student growth and/or decline. Instructors will also be able to add general comments in these evaluations.  

EXAMPLE REPORTEACH AREA WILL BE SCORED 1-5

1= Minimal  2= Basic  3= Proficient 4= Advanced   5= Above and Beyond 

Core evaluation questions (generated from the College you are grouped in):1.The student identified and explained the interconnections of the system we studied.

2. The student predicted changes that might occur in the future.

3. The student found and defined cause and affect relationships.

4. The student identified actions and mechanisms that both changed and/ or blocked change in a system.

5. The student explained and gave examples of the laws and principles covered in this course. 

Extended Thinking Skills (questions generated from standards group in other Colleges)

1. The student deviated from these rules to see what the outcome might be. (Invention)

2. The student noticed patterns in literature and/ or human history. (Human Experience)

3. The student articulated my perspective on key topics. (Identity)

4. The student not only classified core concepts covered by this course; but explained what each classification excluded and included. (Investigation)

5. The student understood why it is important to allow for unknowns and applied this knowledge in a real life problem-solving situation. (Investigation) 

Core English/ Literature Goals (only for co-ops)

Composition1. The student incorporated advanced uses of language and sentence structure to enhance style. Writing is error free.

2. Almost all of the responses were thoughtful, reflective, and/or insightful. (6 or more responses each week)

3. Student's work contained multiple, intriguing details closely connected to a clear theme/thesis.

4. Student's responses were usually posted within several days of the initial post allowing time for reflection and response.

 

Reading/ Research5. Student gathered information from a variety of quality electronic and print source and smoothly incorporates the relevant, balanced sources as supporting evidence in their posts/papers.

6. Student carefully analyzed stories read in class and/ or information collected from the Internet and drew appropriate and inventive conclusions.

7. Student documented all sources and completed a bibliography. Documentation is error-free.

 

Group Work & Pace8. Through highly effective questioning, this curious student developed well thought-out ideas, which demonstrate an understanding of alternative viewpoints from their own.

9. This student not only provided high quality feedback to others, but also used feedback to develop their own thought process and writing style.

10. This student showed enthusiasm responding to both the instructor and fellow students, worked well as part of a group/team, shared responsibility, and contributed positively to the group.

11. This student turned in the all of his/ her work on time.