The PTSM: Curriculum Level• STAGE I: Advanced content + short term creative

and critical thinking activities

• STAGE II: Challenging activities that develop creative thinking and problem solving skills

• STAGE III: Independent projects

Role of the Teacher

• STAGE 1– Provide advanced

content– Plan short-term creative

and critical thinking activities

– Develop the tools of inquiry in the discipline

– Teacher as instructor and questioner

Stage II• Students work on inquiry-based activities related to the content of the curriculum.

• Activities are generally more realistic, longer in duration (generally one to several hours spanning several days), and more complex than Stage I activities.

• The most common strategies used in activities are creative problem solving, problem-based learning, inquiry techniques, research methods, scientific method, inductive and deductive reasoning, syllogism, analysis of arguments, and concept analysis.

• The level of pace and challenge must be appropriate for the ability level of the student.

The Role of the Teacher

• STAGE 2– Create interesting and

relevant ill-structured problems

– Gather and organize resources

– Facilitate problem solving teams

– Assess problem solving process and products

– Teacher as coach

The Role of the Teacher

• STAGE 3– Provide project

parameters• Content

• Process

• Product

– Scaffold self-regulation– Teacher as consultant

Strengths of the PTSM• Student Benefits

– Fit with the STEM disciplines

– Development of thinking skills

– Development of personal talent

• Teacher Benefits

– Easy to learn

– Encourages teacher creativity

– Fits natural instructional progressions