Originally started in New York, Quest to Learn has expanded operations to Chicago, Illinois. Opened late fall of 2011, ChicagoQuest is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation with over 1.2 million in funding. The school is structured around game design principles, focusing on collaborative, project-based learning. It creates an environment where students are able to express their ideas through the latest technologies.
Walking into a classroom at ChicagoQuest, one may find students exploring history through virtual reality or creating a Rube Goldberg machine to understand gear and pulley systems. Each classroom is essentially designed as a natural "learning space" where students can experiment and use teamwork to tackle missions. The school also strays away from traditional grading systems. Students are instead encouraged to help one another reach levels of expertise such as novice, apprentice, senior, and master.
The innovative learning approaches used at ChicagoQuest and its sister school in New York, Quest to Learn, are refreshing within the educational industry. However, these approaches don't appeal to everyone. In fact, in Silicon Valley many high-tech executives choose to send their children to schools without technology. One such school, the Waldorf School of the Peninsula, believes technology is a distraction, hindering creative thinking and attention spans. Pierre Laurent, a parent who sends his children to Waldorf schools explains "Engagement is about human contact, the contact with the teacher, the contact with their peers." To read the full article on Waldorf schools visit The New York Times website under the Technology section.
Continued research will be necessary to truly understand the impact of either of these approaches, but for now a population of around 300 students will take part in the new school in Chicago. It is already clear that traditional systems can't fully accommodate the next generation of learners. ChicagoQuest is just one more step towards the future of learning and exploring how to incorporate 21st century skills in the classroom.
For more information, check out this pdf explaining ChicagoQuest's teaching model.
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