preference for project-based / learner-centered classrooms, and increased motivation and perceptions of higher achievement.

Interviews of 15 participating educators indicated heightened student interest in classroom activities and higher student achievement on teacher-made assessments.

        Interviews of 10 parents indicated heightened interest of their children in school during the activities of the project.

        A public exhibition at the St. Lawrence Center Mall in Massena New York, on May 19-20, 2000, brought together all schools participating in the grant. Parents, students, business leaders, community members and others had the opportunity to view innovative high school and elementary student projects integrating the NYS Standards created in learner centered environments. The focus was on the New York State Standards. Student achievement is raised to a higher level when students have the opportunity to work, hands-on, with teachers acting as facilitators of learning, and when they then exhibit their work to audiences outside the classroom. Throughout the mall and in one large room exhibits of student learning included: student created power point and hyper studio presentations, photography with digital cameras, computer generated videos, LCD projections, storytelling, poetry reading, reader's theater, instrumental and vocal performances, and a variety of demonstrations and authentic tasks.

2. What Evidence do you have that systemic change resulted from this and will continue after the grant ends (e.g., comprehensive and coordinated improvement, coordinated access to appropriate health and social services, effective mechanisms and appropriate paths to the workforce as well as to higher education, innovative use of technology, utilization of quality management services?)
 

A survey titled Pilot Teacher Feedback on Overall Project Progress indicated that each participating teacher had moved significantly along that continuum from a teacher- centered classroom to a learner- centered classroom. Each teacher had implemented from two to all eight of the descriptors of a learner- centered classroom to some degree of success. They also indicated that they would continue to implement the strategies of a learner-centered in the future. These classrooms have become models for replication across the district and to other schools in the state. This reflects systemic change in the instructional process to address the standards. Because authentic tasks, performance projects, collaborative learning, group process, self evaluation, peer review, problem solving, reflective activities, and the use of technology are a focus of the learner

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