The Learning Goals

The Big Picture Learning Goals are a framework for looking at real-world concepts and
abilities necessary to being a successful, well-rounded person. The learning goals are not content
oriented curricula, nor are they completely distinct categories. Good project work incorporates
many overlapping elements of the Learning Goals.

Students use the Learning Goals to help expand their project work and challenge themselves with new ideas.

These are the five Learning Goals.

1. EMPIRICAL REASONING 

    How do I prove it?

    This goal is to think like a scientist: to use empirical evi-
dence and a logical process to make decisions and to
evaluate hypotheses. It does not reflect specific science
content material, but instead can incorporate ideas from
physics to sociology to art theory.

• What idea do I want to test? (essential question)
• What has other research shown?
• What is my hypothesis? How can I test it?
• What information (data) do I need to collect?
• How will I collect the information?
• What will I use as a control in my research?
• How good is my information?
• What are the results of my research?
• What error do I have?
• What conclusions can I draw from my research?
• How will I present my results?

2. QUANTITATIVE REASONING

    How do I measure, compare or represent it?

    This goal is to think like a mathematician: to understand
numbers, to analyze uncertainty, to comprehend the
properties of shapes, and to study how things change
over time.

• How can I use numbers to evaluate my 
• hypothesis?
• What numerical information can I collect 
• about this?
• Can I estimate this quantity?
• How can I represent this information as 
• a formula or diagram?
• How can I interpret this formula or graph?
• How can I measure its shape or structure?
• What trends do I see? How does this 
• change over time?
• What predictions can I make?
• Can I show a correlation?

3. COMMUNICATION

    How do I take in and express ideas?

    This goal is to be a great communicator: to understand
your audience, to write, read, speak and listen well, to
use technology and artistic expression to communicate,
and to be exposed to another language.

• How can I write about it?
• What is the main idea I want to get across 
• (thesis)?
• Who is my audience?
• What can I read about it?
• Who can I listen to about it?
• How can I speak about it?
• How can technology help me to express it?
• How can I express it creatively?
• How can I express it in another language?

4. SOCIAL REASONING

    What are otherpeople’s perspectives on this?

   This goal is to think like an historian or anthropologist:
to see diverse perspectives, to understand social issues,
to explore ethics, and to look at issues historically.

• How do diverse communities view this?
• How does this issue affect different communities?
• Who cares about this?
• To whom is it important?
• What is the history of this?
• How has this issue changed over time?
• Who benefits and who is harmed 
• through this issue?
• What do people believe about this?
• What social systems are in place around this?
• What are the ethical questions behind this?
• What do I think should be done about this?
• What can I do?

5. PERSONAL QUALITIES

    What do I bring to this process?

    This goal is to be the best you can be: to demonstrate
respect, responsibility, organization, leadership, time
management, and to reflect on your abilities and strive
for improvement.

• How can I demonstrate respect?
• How can I empathize more with others?
• How can I strengthen my health and well-being?
• How can I communicate honestly about this?
• How can I be responsible for this?
• How can I persevere at this?
• How can I better organize my work?
• How can I better manage my time?
• How can I be more self-aware?
• How can I take on more of a leadership role?
• How can I work cooperatively with others?
• How can I enhance my community through this?