The program promotes thinking through frequent discussions, allowing students the opportunity to revise and restructure their ideas. It centers on the interests of students, places the teacher in a supporting role, and uses authentic assessment. The instructional design integrates both process and content in a format that is appropriate, engaging, and motivating. Reviewers noted that the program has particular strength in unifying concepts and rigorous inquiry. The unit assessments are consistently designed to measure student achievement in both process and content and relate directly to real world problems.
Students have multiple opportunities and ways to demonstrate proficiency and understanding.
Usefulness to Others. Reviewers concluded that the program's organizational structure and comprehensive training program lead to successful implementation in multiple educational settings. Implementation cost is reasonable, and the program does not require special room settings or equipment. The teacher's guide and other support materials are comprehensive. This program serves as an excellent model of an instructional program that has gone beyond alignment and demonstrates the successful integration of teaching, assessment, and content standards.