Most cyber camps are for students. Some are for teachers. Few are for both. We were awarded funding because we are a combination camp, one that supports learning by both students and teachers.
The design of CyberPDX for teachers reflects our belief that strong teaching requires both subject knowledge and direct knowledge of how students in our courses learn. The more that cyber shapes the mindset and work-styles of our students, the more we must consider how to change our teaching “technology” and practices to engage students in high schools and colleges.
A residential camp provides the opportunity for teachers to learn from university faculty and from each other. Our camp is a living laboratory that draws teachers who offer a broad array of courses at very different types of schools — urban/suburban/rural, public/private, coed/women’s, and a regional consortium for home-schooled students. For six days, they compare how their students handle work that is done by all ten high schools.
Teachers take part in two forms of direct learning
experiential learning: attending lessons, films, and hands on demonstrations along with their students
observational learning: watch their students strategize, collaborate, and complete daily assignments and final projects.
Before camp, teachers prepare by taking part in a planning workshop.
At camp, they have two one-hour workshops
a listening session to share their observations on how and what their students are learning
a brainstorming session to discuss their reflections on strategies for teaching cyber at the camp which they might use
After camp, they come back to a Fall workshop to share materials they create (reflections, course proposals, lesson plans, instructional modules, assessments) that could be used for teaching cyber in high schools.