Students and parents considering enrolling in Sacramento's New Tech High School gained an understanding of project based learning.

At the project based learning school, teams of students are given a driving question or authentic problem that challenges them to find new information and apply it to real world situations. A 1:1 computer ratio helps out, as does the emphasis on critical thinking and public speaking. Online portfolios record student progress. The environment is structured like a business.

The school web site posts an example of a successful project in which students mimic the news manipulation in George Orwell's 1984. The project is also detailed in the Sacramento Bee.

The school is firmly set in 21^st century learning, but the outside audience remained skeptical. Would the learning style transfer to the homework hours needed in college? Will the portfolios mean anything for college entrance?

While Paula Hanzel, the director at New Tech in Sacramento,could point to nearly all of their graduates going on to college, the crowd was most convinced by the students' impressive speaking abilities.

And, there is value in considering life after college. "Many businesses are now asking for problem-solvers and out-of-the-box thinkers," Hanzel said - and her students fit the bill.

Source: Coppell Gazette Star, Sacramento Students Share New Tech Stories, by Tasha Hayton; Sacramento Bee article on 1984 project