CIGPDP++or++Collaborative+Inquiry+Group+Professional+Development+Plan

The following assumptions underpin this collaborative inquiry:

1. Working on a large-scale collaboration improves student inspiration and motivation. 2. Working on a large-scale collaboration reinforces the idea of career choices in the arts. 3. Working on a large-scale collaboration reduces attendance problems and promotes teamwork 4. Working on a large-scale collaboration improves general attitudes about the arts.

From these assumptions evolves the following Inquiry question. How can working collaboratively cause improvement and/or growth in motivation and inspiration.

Participants will develop, organize and execute a rich large-scale cross disciplinary arts content project that will involve a number of students from a number of school districts. It will be centered on a universal concept and will include visual art objects and original music compositions. The project will be multifaceted and will be produced and exhibited in many venues. The project will have the capacity to be an event that continues on an annual basis after the AE2.0 project ends.

This study will attempt to measure the impact of the endeavor upon student attitudes and the frequency of ideas that students generate.

Attitudes will be qualified by a pre-experience survey and a post-experience survey in which student responsive will be compared. A measurement of the number of ideas generated and the frequency in which they are expressed in response to a given prompt can suggest conclusions about pupil inspiration or creativity. The assessment instrument is designed validity and reliability with as a primary concern.

Teachers design classroom experiences that promote pupil input and ideas in such a way as to improve the frequency and fluency of student ideas and input. These experiences will be centered around an "Earth Day" theme and will culminate in the artistic product described above.