Abstract:

"Google allows its workers to spend 20% of their time working in whatever they want. 50% of Google products come from this 20% time. By allowing students to use 20% of their time in a subject learning whatever is interesting for them we tackle all three sources of motivation identified by Dan Pink in Drive: autonomy, mastery and purpose while working on what they will need most in the future: the ability to learn by themselves. More than 60% teens will be employed in jobs that do not exist yet.

I have identified 3 stages of development in this project: first, they fill in a petition form identifying their driving question and listing resources, obstacles and timeline. For the rest of the sessions they work, reflecting every day on their practice. The final product is a TED-style presentation where they share their insights.

Regarding methodology; this is what I share with my students, the online version can be found in https://goo.gl/SU0p74 :

Objective:
My purpose for this project is to enable students to start taking control of their own learning. The students will learn things on their own (autonomy), deepen their knowledge to the level of expertise (mastery) and/or make a contribution to society (purpose).

Essential questions:
What would you do with your time if you did not have to work for money?
What is your passion?
How do people learn?

Rules:
Your project will be guided by a question.
Your project has to be approved by me after pitching your idea in front of your classmates and filling up the petition form.
You will blog each session to share your findings and reflections.
You will present your discoveries by the end of your project(s), both in elevator pitch format (30-60 seconds) and in a longer, 5-minute format TED-style talk.

** First Phase: Project Petition Form and Elevator Pitch **
Project Petition Form
Fill in the document 20% Time project petition form - https://goo.gl/7gUdbv

Prepare an Elevator Pitch
Three-Slide presentation:
o Motivation
o Timeline and resources
o Goal – Has to be S.M.A.R.T.
(Three minutes. Be prepared with an effective/refined script and delivery. Q & A)

** Second Phase: Work & reflect (Blog) **
Work on your project according to your timeline/schedule.
Each session, write a blog post answering the following 3 questions:
Discuss your progress, discoveries and setbacks.
What did you learn about your topic and yourself?
What are your next steps?

The blog posts will be assessed according to the 20% Time weekly blog post rubric:
https://goo.gl/Z1xa34

** Third Phase: Presentation of conclusions **
Elevator Pitch
A really short presentation (30-60 seconds) aimed at teasing the TED talk.

TED-style presentation
A 3-5 minute TED talk.
Take into account 7 steps to deliver a good TED talk https://goo.gl/89S77T

Self-assessment
Complete the 20Time Self-Assessment Rubric: https://goo.gl/RvcFw5
Complete the College Track GRIT Rubric: https://goo.gl/VHoIrr

Results:
In my 4 years of practice, one of my students has sent a mobile phone to the stratosphere, predicted its landing place and got it back. Other engaged the whole grade into writing poetry, then published a compilation on Amazon and gave the proceedings to The Trevor Project, an anti-bullying NGO. They reflected on the way they learn. And they learned more valuable lessons than in any other subject."

Keywords:

20% time, 20 Time, Genius Hour, Motivation, Best practices.