So how do you assure that independent scholars have mastered enough of a complex subject?  That was the dilemma we faced when evaluating a four week deep dive that our Launchpad Eagles took in Biology.

One squad of Launchpadders devoured a thousand page textbook; the rest watched forty Crash Course Biology videos.  Both groups held twice weekly Socratic discussions on the material.  The goal was to gain enough deep questions, history, vocabulary and perspective to design spring Biology Quests for Middle School and Elementary Eagles.

Still, how could we be sure the experiment had been successful?  Yes, the LP Eagles had to complete a 2500 word exploration of the life of a Biology Hero, but that wasn’t enough, and a multiple choice test would have been inadequate to test the deep understanding we needed.

Our solution was to invite Andrea Nolting, a University of Texas PhD candidate in Science and Colorado School of Mines graduate, for a Cambridge style oral exam, similar in form to the examination she would soon face to earn a PhD degree.

Her conclusions:

“I was impressed with the knowledge the students had gained in such a short time. They grasped the majority of the concepts/topics I discussed with them. To the whole, after the first couple of minutes, they did well conversing with an ‘outside adult’ and were able to explain their opinions and ideas clearly.

It was a pleasure to speak with students so passionate about learning, even when science may not be a favorite subject. I tried to make a point to ask several students what their favorite and least favorite subjects were, and why. The answers were often profound- i.e one student felt a connection with Norman Borlaug, and fell in love with the science of plants- she thought about how she too can utilize agricultural processes to help fed the world’s hungry. It was refreshing to see young individuals with such grand and life-altering aspirations.”

Well done Launchpad Eagles!