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The Edutopia Poll
by Sara Bernard
As many have commented in Spiral Notebook -- Edutopia.org's blog -- launching a project-based-learning program is, to put it mildly, a complex undertaking. Implementing PBL means cultivating a rigorous, integrated curriculum that incorporates a wide spectrum of twenty-first-century skills, fully engaged instructors, and effective assessments. If you've developed or would like to develop project-based curricula at your school, what do you see as such a program's greatest challenge? We're interested in your opinion.
Projects require creative,
Submitted by Cheryl J. (not verified) on October 27, 2006 - 17:54.
Projects require creative, analytical thinking skills, and the ability to *ask* questions.
Our children are taught in elementary school to *answer* questions, in classes that
are structured to DISconnect subjects (such as language from math, which is why kids
freak out when presented with word problems in math class). Analytical thinking is stifled
from an early age. What do I see as the greatest challenge to project-based learning? The status quo of our current school system.
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
I teach the standardized
Submitted by Alahrie Aziz (not verified) on June 6, 2006 - 17:51.
I teach the standardized level course for my school, and I have never had teaching experience outside of this level. Project-based learning has been a wonderful opportunity for my students. In fact, every year, I always plan more than I did the year before. I would like to say that my students are successful on the standardized tests. Even if they don't reach proficiency, I have been able to document that some of my lowest achieving students excel multiple points. Standardized exams should be skills-oriented exams (as the ACT is). Project-based learning supports skills use and seems to me to be a more effective way to teach SOME skills rather other pedagogies (i.e. writing).
I understand the value of
Submitted by Dan Kloster (not verified) on May 31, 2006 - 16:31.
I understand the value of PBL. But I think the development of project units is a very difficult task for teachers to undertake, given the limited resources and time we have. I think that there needs to be a greater push for publishers to develop meaningful projects for learning. This just makes sense. This is what they do. I would be much more willing to use PBL if I had some meaningful units that could address the concepts I teach.
The biggest problem I find
Submitted by Shirley Bartin (not verified) on May 30, 2006 - 00:48.
The biggest problem I find with this approach is the research materials. I teach in residential facility for sex offenders. The facility is small and has very few books. Because of their history, the boys are not allow to go to the library and are not allowed to use the internet. The few projects we have done, the boys really enjoyed the process, but I have had to do all the research. They tell me what to look for and I do it at home. They read the material I found and tell me if that is what they wanted or if I should try something else. It is a very slow proceedure, but the results are worth the effort. Especially when the boys can tell me all about the projects we did two years ago. That beats any classroom retention!
The concept of self esteem
Submitted by Deborah Aschenbrenner (not verified) on May 29, 2006 - 18:21.
The concept of self esteem and social/emotional IQ are both necessary for a child to reach optimum perforamance.What I, as a teacher certified in EI, LD, Early Childhood and Elementary Education, I have long attested to the fact that without the above characteristics begin developed, learning is maximumally oppressed. The student spends way too much energy worrying, covering up, compensating and behaving in inappropriate ways to ever be able to concentrate on learning at full potential. Once techers, parents and students come to realize the success of SEL, and stress activities for increasing Emotional IQ, they will be quickly rewarded with the the dramatic increase of students ability to learn in a much faster, retentive manner, allowing them MORE time in the long run to teach and prepare students for state and national requirements. In fact, many will be actually absorbed as they go through the project based learning lessons, and less time will be needed trying to fill in the blanks in a rote memory, last minute campaign to prepare.
"Understanding by Design" by
Submitted by Evie Dorsey (not verified) on May 29, 2006 - 17:02.
"Understanding by Design" by Grant Wiggins for our school, St. Alcuin Montessori School, Dallas, Texas, has provided the 'how.' Some of our teachers are Montessori teachers, who are familiar with the project-based learning, but not structure and assessment; and others are traditional in approach. The concepts in "Understanding by Design" have given us common language and goals and unified our approaches for the students. The Unit template creates facile parameters to include details or related threads related to an over-arching question, or essential question. Rubicon atlas has provided us with a digital tool to connect the curricula of all the teachers and makes clear the areas of common learning thereby creating interdisciplinary projects with the corresponding standards covered. Assessment is rubric based. Really helpful tools.
i agre
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 4, 2008 - 12:40.
i agree
I do some project based
Submitted by Katherine Law (not verified) on May 28, 2006 - 21:13.
I do some project based learning. Often those projects are collaborative both within my classroom and with other classrooms around the world. We used iEARN (International Education and Resource Networking) forums to help us communicate with others. Two of the projects we are doing are the Teddy Bear Project and the Water Habitat Project. It is amazing how motivated students are when the project goes beyond the classroom.
The hardest part is getting time to do a good job of integrating the project into curriculum and to assess the project itself for areas to improve. It seems like the days fly so fast! I think that by replicating projects it helps eliminate some of the time needed. However, my students and I are always thinking of wonderful new things to do!
I have recently done a PBL
Submitted by Sarah Umberhandt (not verified) on May 26, 2006 - 15:47.
I have recently done a PBL with some students based on the Design a School Project, which they presented to the Headmaster.
I wasn't as prepared as I should have been-- I accept total responsibility for all of its shortcomings (assessment, etc.).
On the other hand, my students had fun and learned a lot-- from meeting deadlines to learning that all problems don't come with a set of guidelines. I think this was the first time a teacher told them "Here's the problem. What are your solutions? Which one is the best?"
The whole experience left me wanting more. I have come up with some ideas and now am trying to figure out appropriate activities for each content area and get other teachers on board.
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