Iowa BIG

USA

At Iowa BIG, students learn by working with more than 100 local organizations on identifying ways to improve their communities and executing interdisciplinary projects. Students follow a normal school curriculum for half the day and spend the other half working solo or in teams on projects such as a coffee shop that employs the homeless, a composting system for a nearby college, and a community seed library. Assessment is provided not through test scores, but through regular meetings where students, community partners, and teachers evaluate the students’ progress and dedication to their goals. Learn more about the program model and current projects on the Iowa BIG website and in this TED Ideas article about the program.