The art of TEACHing is the art of ASSISTing DISCOVERY” – Mark Van Doren
I
want you to imagine yourself sitting at your desk in your grade-nine Math class.
The teacher is standing at the front of the room writing numbers on the chalkboard while
you and your classmates passively copy the information onto your page. Tonight
you will go home and memorize this material for your upcoming quiz. Does this
scenario sound familiar? For most people, the answer is yes. This is
because this scenario reflects the traditional model of education. Through my experience in the Education Program, I have been taught there is a "call for change." So
what does this change look like? Project Based Learning otherwise known as PBL
might be one solution. PBL is “learning that begins with the students’ own interests and
questions. Learning activities are long term, interdisciplinary and
student-centered and are integrated with real-world issues and practices.
Students are involved in making decisions about how they will find answers and
solve problems” (Alberta Ministry of Education, 2004).
As opposed to telling students what they have to learn, in
PBL teachers encourage students to select specific topics that interest or inspire them. Students take on the role of project designers who
investigate real-world problems while integrating multiple subjects across the
curriculum. In my last post I discussed the topic of teachers knowing their
students interests and making curriculum relevant and meaningful. PBL offers a
context where teachers can make connections with students and
establish a deeper level of learning. As an aspiring teacher, I am intrigued by
PBL and I encourage current educators and future educators like myself to
implement this approach in their classroom.
The Glossary of Education Reform provides typical examples of open-ended
or driving questions that may be posed to students in PBL. For example students
might be asked, “How can our school serve healthier
lunches?” The students then may choose to research health concerns related to
specific food items that are being served in the cafeteria and create flyers or
awareness videos to gain the attention from staff and students. Now, you see how this approach is much different than the traditional model we are accustomed to. The following video demonstrates PBL in a Physics classroom
where students are creating, building and testing wing structures. In teams,
they are responsible for their own design and then present their project to a
panel of experts.
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| PBL for 21st Century Learning (Source) |
An
article on PBL from Edutopia (2007), explains how PBL
helps students develop twenty-first century skills necessary for living in a
knowledge based and technologically dependent society. Such skills include:
personal and social responsibility, planning, critical thinking, reasoning,
decision-making, cross culture understanding and many others. As opposed to
spoon-feeding students information, a teacher who implements PBL in the
classroom is preparing students for challenges and set-backs they will
encounter in the real world.
I can
recall an educational experience where I participated in project that resembled a PBL approach. It was in science class, and we were challenged to build an “egg
protector” using a variety of specific materials to withstand tests of being dropped from multiple
heights. We participated in research for angles, trajectory, velocity and so on
and then had to present our findings to the rest of the class (to determine if our egg protectors could withstand the tests). While completing the project, I remember being
increasingly motivated and engaged in the assignment and I remember feeling
proud of myself once the project was finally completed. Research supports the
value of PBL in the classroom. Studies prove that when implemented well, PBL
can “increase retention of content and improve students’ attitudes towards
learning” (Vega, 2012).
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| Characteristics of AA (Source) |
Through researching the topic of PBL, I also found a strong connection to authentic assessment. Authentic assessment
occurs when the assessment task presents a real-world challenge and students
construct their own response rather than choosing from provided options (Drake,
Reid & Kolohon, 2011). As a future educator, I will strive to move away
from standardized rubrics and meeting specific curriculum expectations in a certain number of days. As mentioned in my previous posts, I am a strong advocate for adapting and meeting the varying needs of all learners. Implementing PBL in the classroom allows for authentic assessment.
So
what sounds more interesting… memorizing the names and structure of chemical
compounds, or becoming a member of a research team for a “green” company to
evaluate potential power sources and methods for creating a chemical salt? I challenge teachers to use PBL in their classroom.
Until
next time,
Rachelle
Rachelle
