Project Based Learning What is project based learning
Project Based Learning What is project based learning? How can I use it in my classroom? Shude AP Center Chengdu, China Center Target Learning Results.
Is about asking the right question
To understand project based learning first we need to be reflective, and think about our time in school. What were our classes like?
For many of us…. For many of us our memories of school are of desks neatly arranged in rows. The teachers standing at the front of the room. They were lecturing writing on the chalkboard or assigning written work for us the students to complete. Students were passive receptacles of the knowledge imparted to then by their teachers. When today’s students leave the confines of the classroom they must be prepared to enter an information based society. This means the models of schools are no longer valid.
Anyone?
Project-based learning is truly learning in action. It engages students so that they are no longer passive receptacles of information, but instead they are active pursuers of knowledge.
Innovative classrooms break down the walls of boredom and apathy. They engage and motivate students to take an active part in their learning. Students become collaborative members of the teaching, learning and sharing process. With project based learning students work individually and in groups. They are constructors of knowledge. Children become collaborators building understanding.
Project based learning is curriculum fueled and standards based. As educators we need to address the content standards that are required for our students. We must always keep in mind these standards when designing a lesson. We must ask ourselves what types of activities support the Standards because the Standards provide the foundation of Knowledge to build upon. Too often in the past the lesson was direct instruction with the teacher delivering the content via lecture. With project based learning, the inquiry process lends itself to collaborative projects.
6 Steps to success in Project Based Learning Question Plan Schedule Monitor Assess Evaluate
The essential question Start with an essential question Take a real world topic and begin an in depth investigation Make The sure it is relevant to your students. question must be engaging to the students. Base your question on a situation or topic that is authentic. Something happening to your classroom or community.
Examples What would happen if we opened a business and started selling stocks? (Economics) What will the house of the future look like? (Math, Geometry, Mapping) How did technology change the outcome of the civil war? How did engineering improve life in ancient Rome? Measure the sociological impact of social media on local communities.
Plan which content standards are being addressed by answering the question. Involve students in the planning and project building process. Students will take more ownership of the project this way.
Schedule Teacher and students set a timeline for the project components. Set benchmarks. Give students directions for managing their time. Teach them how to schedule their tasks. Remind them of the timeline. Help them to set deadlines. Keep it simple and age-appropriate.
Monitor Facilitate the process Monitor the process Utilize rubrics Create Team Rubrics Team rubrics state the expectations of each team member. Watch the group dynamics. How engaged are they? How well are they participating? Create Project Rubrics What is required for completion? What is the final product? What does a good repost/multimedia presentation/poster/product look like? Make requirements clear to the students!
Assess Make the assessment authentic Know that authentic assessment will require more time and effort from the teacher, Vary the type of assessment used.
Types of authentic assessment: Constructed response items Essays Performance Exhibitions tasks and demonstrations Portfolios Classroom Oral presentations discussions
Evaluate Take time to reflect individually and as a group Share feeling and experiences Discuss what worked well Discuss what needs to change Share ideas that will lead to new questions and new projects
Field trips, experiments, model building, posters, and the creation of multimedia presentations are all viable activities within project based learning.
Results By creating bridges between subjects students view knowledge holistically rather than looking at isolated facts. Project based learning promotes understanding; which is true knowledge. Students explore, make judgments, interpret, and synthesize information in meaningful ways.
Activity Get into groups of 3 or 4 Discuss project ideas and record your ideas Make questions that will launch project based learning (Remember essential questions are vital to the process. ) Choose one of your questions. Brainstorm with your colleagues and create a concept map. What contend can be addressed? What subjects can be woven into process?
References www. edutopia. com Why we assess students - and How Mclean, James E and Lockwood, Robert E. Carwin Press, Inc. Learning by Heart Barth, Roland S. Jossey-Bass, 2001
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