Submitted by Jim Moulton (not verified) on June 10, 2006 - 15:38.
Bret comments above, "I'm planning on implementing project-based learning in my high school Integrated Physics and Chemistry classes for next year. Much of the planning will happen this summer within a small group of other science teachers. We are struggling, however, with the "how" part of implementation."
I would urge him and others to visit The Buck Institute for Education and purchase a copy of their Project Based Learning Handbook. Although it is explicitly designed for middle and high schools, I advocate for its place in elementary schools as well. It goes from theory to practice - including sample rubrics as well as reproducible planning pages. In fact, they have several sections available online as PDFs if you look here.
In fact, I have used this handbook in leadership sessions, asking leadership teams to look at the implementation of a major technology rich infusion as a "project," with an essential question something along the lines of, "How can the arrival of 1:1 computing be best leveraged to support improved teaching and learning for all of the students in our school?"
The foundational questions that occur below this question are the ones schools generally get stuck in and run the risk of seeing as "essential." Such as, "What kind of computers should we buy?" and "How will we make sure the laptops are charged and ready to go each day?"
Anyhow, I know that is not Physics & Chemistry, Bret, but trust me, you will appreciate the handboook from BIE.org
Bret comments above, "I'm
Submitted by Jim Moulton (not verified) on June 10, 2006 - 15:38.
Bret comments above, "I'm planning on implementing project-based learning in my high school Integrated Physics and Chemistry classes for next year. Much of the planning will happen this summer within a small group of other science teachers. We are struggling, however, with the "how" part of implementation."
I would urge him and others to visit The Buck Institute for Education and purchase a copy of their Project Based Learning Handbook. Although it is explicitly designed for middle and high schools, I advocate for its place in elementary schools as well. It goes from theory to practice - including sample rubrics as well as reproducible planning pages. In fact, they have several sections available online as PDFs if you look here.
In fact, I have used this handbook in leadership sessions, asking leadership teams to look at the implementation of a major technology rich infusion as a "project," with an essential question something along the lines of, "How can the arrival of 1:1 computing be best leveraged to support improved teaching and learning for all of the students in our school?"
The foundational questions that occur below this question are the ones schools generally get stuck in and run the risk of seeing as "essential." Such as, "What kind of computers should we buy?" and "How will we make sure the laptops are charged and ready to go each day?"
Anyhow, I know that is not Physics & Chemistry, Bret, but trust me, you will appreciate the handboook from BIE.org
Cheers. Jim