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Advanced AUthentic Research (aar) offers new opp0rtunities Ryeri Lim Forum Editor
Beginning this month, the district-wide Advanced Authentic Research (AAR) program will offer high school students the chance to conduct independent research projects while being mentored by adult professionals in prevalent fields. AAR will not only accommodate math and science projects, but also those pertinent to the humanities and visual arts. This summer, the district hired Dr. Jeong Choe, a specialist in research program development, to implement and guide AAR. “I only really realized what it meant to be a scientist when I was in the lab for the first time,” she said. “Just learning about the background raised so many questions I could only investigate in a more flexible environment. But now, there’s a national movement, the Next Generations Science Practice Standards for Science and Engineering, changing the education system to [include] more authentic science learning.” Superintendent Dr. Max McGee, having worked with Choe on a similar program at the Illinois Math and Science Academy, also spoke of AAR’s innovative individualized focus. “The
idea is to really tap into [the] student’s purpose, passion [or] interest,” he said, “and explore a topic in depth.” Choe stated that student agency is the key to the success for a program like AAR. “I know the value of a student wanting to learn something,” she said. “Using that as a hook to drive the learning, if we can motivate them that way, is really special.” Both Principal Dr. Denise Herrmann and McGee emphasized the importance of coordination and expansion of currently available independent experience courses, such as Gunn’s Work Experience Education Program, Palo Alto High School (Paly)’s Science Research Project class and the Gunn club Business, Math and Economics. According to Herrmann, another primary goal of AAR is to offer such experiences more publicly to a greater variety of students. “Many students are blessed to have parents who are very well-connected,” she said. “I’m happy for those kids, but it doesn’t matter who your parents are. Everyone should have those opportunities and everyone should be able to participate.” Herrmann described the AAR structure as “tight-loose.” While students are expected to formulate their own inquiries, they may be
provided with source reading material relevant to their fields of interest. Advisor-guided proposals due in the winter will be reviewed and approved before students connect with mentors and proceed with research. Along the way, students will learn how to keep a logbook, collect and record data appropriately and analyze results more deeply than is possible in most classrooms. Students will give final presentations in May 2016, and submit a
other disciplines.” To raise possible examples of “non-traditional” research projects, Herrmann suggested student partnerships with playwrights, poets, preschools or recording engineers. “I think the idea is to have some capstone experience,” she said. Senior Maritha Wang, however, emphasized the responsibility required by autonomy. “If we [students] didn’t do anything, our project would go nowhere,” she said. McGee a lso wa r ned a ga i nst oversubscription “Many students are blessed to have parents who and disingenuous are very well-connected. I’m happy for those motivation, statkids, but it doesn’t matter who your parents are. ing that students without endurance Everyone should have those opportunities and or passion for their everyone should be able to participate.” research inquiry might struggle with — Principal Dr. Denise Hermann the program strucpublication-quality paper. “Our mentors pro- ture. “This is rigorous—it’s not a science fair,” vide a lot of expertise and support, but we [the he said. “But we’re finding that students who students] lead the majority of the research,” do [pursue] this really want to do it.” senior Katina Yong said; she participated in As of now, AAR at Gunn will most likely last fall’s pilot program. take the form of a capped, application-based “It doesn’t matter what field you’re in,” Career Technical Education (CTE) elective. Choe said. “[The scientific process] is a very Yet even students with seven-class schedule natural progression that can be applied to all RESEARCH—p.3