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AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES !40

Appendix A

Survey of all Students at Completion of Authentic Learning Experience

The survey is grouped to show which questions correlated to which characteristic of the ALE.

Multiple choice answers were: Strongly Disagree, Mildly Disagree, Neutral, Mildly Agree,

Strongly Agree.

Real World/Audience

1. I am more likely to work hard in class for a project with a real world focus than for a paper

and pen test.

2. I have a hard time connecting classwork with the real world.

3. Being assigned a project that mirrors a real world problem/scenario connected to class

lessons makes me more likely to do the work required for completion.

4. I am more likely to to do more than is required if the audience for my completed work is a

person / people other than the teacher.

5. I am more likely to do work in class that only the teacher will see.

Critical Thinking

6. I am more likely to memorize information for a test than to work hard on a final project.

7. I get a sense of accomplishment from putting a lot of work into a project or solution.

8. I get energized when my teacher gives me a chance to discover for myself rather than giving

me the answer.

9. I dislike when the teacher makes me find an answer myself.

10. I am more likely to remember information if I have to find the answer or solution myself.

Community of Learners

AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES !41

11. I am more likely to slack off if I’m working in a group.

12. I am more likely to work hard on a project if I feel like my project matters to my community.

13. I am more likely to complete a project if others are depending on me to do my part.

14. I am more likely to strive to find answers if my classmates are working to find answers too.

15. Working with others on a project does not help me learn at all.

Student Choice

16. Having a choice in the topic of my project makes me merely likely to do the work involved

in completing the project.

17. The most important factor in determining if I will complete a project is if it is personally

meaning and relevant to my life.

18. It is part of my teacher’s job as an instructor to provide motivation for me to want to do

assignments for class.

19. I consider doing activities in class a waste of time unless I can make some personal

connection with or learn a lesson from the activity.

20. I am more likely to do my best work on a project if the teacher assigns the topic to me.

AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES !42

Appendix B

Semi-structured Interview Questions of Eight Students at the End of the Authentic

Learning Experience

1. What did you enjoy the most about this project?

Follow Up / Expanding Questions:

a. Do you feel like what you have done in class has personal meaning for you? Explain.

b. Did how you did your work change because of the audience/reason you were doing it

for? Explain.

c. Were you proud of the work you did? Why/Why not?

d. Did you feel like your team worked well together to accomplish the newspaper?

e. Did you feel a sense of responsibility to put out the paper?

2. Looking back at the project, what was your main motivation in completing it?

3. What did you enjoy the least about this project?