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Pride in Our Place Project-Based Learning at a Public Urban Academy for Math, Science and Technology

Pride in Our Place Project-Based Learning at a Public Urban Academy for Math, Science and Technology. Regina E. Toolin, Ph.D. Fordham University Graduate School of Education New York, NY 10023 Toolin@fordham.edu. RESEARCH QUESTIONS.

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Pride in Our Place Project-Based Learning at a Public Urban Academy for Math, Science and Technology

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  1. Pride in Our PlaceProject-Based Learning at a Public Urban Academy for Math, Science and Technology Regina E. Toolin, Ph.D. Fordham University Graduate School of Education New York, NY 10023 Toolin@fordham.edu

  2. RESEARCH QUESTIONS What is the process by which “projects” are conceptualized, developed and implemented at this school? How do math and science teacher collaborate to design and implement a 6th grade project-based unit on urban ecology?

  3. LITERATURE REVIEW • Project-based Inquiry (PBI) has been researched by Polman (2000), Krajcik et al. (2002), Blumenfeld et al., (1991); and Krajcik, (2001). • The goal of PBI: To investigate real-world, standards-based problems that are of interest, relevance, value, and worth to both students and teachers. • “Projects” are defined by questions or problems that are collaboratively investigated by students and teachers utilizing technology and resulting in a series of artifacts or products that address the question over time (Krajcik et al., 2002).

  4. LITERATURE REVIEWHow does PBI influence teachers and teaching? • Teachers are generally enthusiastic, motivated, and successful in their quest to implement project-based learning in their science classrooms (Rosenfield and Ben-Hur, 2001). • The process by which teachers collaborated to develop a project-based curriculum resulted in positive change in teachers’ understanding and practice of science and science teaching (Blumfield, 1994). • Toolin (2004) found that school culture and mission as well as teacher experience and prior knowledge of inquiry and project-based methods played a significant role in the successful implementation of project-based teaching and learning in secondary science classrooms. • The quest to implement projects is not without its challenges as teachers design assessments, create new courses, or revise existing ones in support of project-based inquiry (D’Amico, 1999).

  5. LITERATURE REVIEWHow does PBI influence students? • Student motivation and learning significantly increased in project-based science classrooms. Student collaboration and the use of technology increased as teachers enacted several aspects of project-based science in their teaching practice (Marx, 1994). • Project-based science promoted positive change in students’ ideas about science classes, attitudes about science, and motivation for studying science (Stratford and Finkel, 1996). • Project-based teaching heightened student motivation and commitment to learning while developing ocean software design projects (Yarnall and Kafai, 1996).

  6. BACKGROUND AND DEMOGRAPHICS:THE SCHOOL • Small, public, urban academy in the Bronx for grades 6-12 that first opened during the 2004-05 school year. • “School-within-a-school” housed in a larger high school that is currently being phased out as smaller academies take residence in the building. • Emphasis on math, science and technology education that is project-based. • Upon opening its doors last fall, three 6th grade classes and three 9th grade classes had an enrollment of 45 students in each grade. Class size has doubled this year. Projected total enrollment of approximately 400 students. • Partnerships with Teaching Matters Inc., Salvadori Center for Design, Clearpool Environmental Center and a “Sister” Urban Academy.

  7. BACKGROUND AND DEMOGRAPHICS:THE STUDENTS • The students are primarily African American and Latino and come from lower income families. • Over 90% qualify for the free or reduced breakfast and lunch programs • Score on average between a 1 and 2 (1 being the lowest score on a 4 point rubric scale) on the mandated New York State assessments for math and ELA. • Special Education Students w/ “Push-in” teaching support. • All 5th and 8th year students city-wide “apply” to the middle school and high school of their “choice” under the City’s School Choice Program. (Note: Given that the “Urban Academy for Math, Science and Technology” is a new school, enrollment is relatively low compared to the 25-30 student class size average in most City classrooms. It is anticipated that class size will grow once the school gains a wider reputation in the region. For this particular study, only the 6th grade math and science classes were examined as they where engaged in project based inquiry over the course of the spring semester.)

  8. BACKGROUND AND DEMOGRAPHICS:THE TEACHERS • Two sixth grade teachers, one math (Linda) and one science (Anita) • This is Anita’s first year teaching 6th grade science. Her certification is in K-6 with a middle school extension in science. She is enrolled in a Masters program in science education at CUNY. • Linda is a third year math teacher, who has recently completed her Masters in mathematics education as part of the NYC Teaching Fellows Program. • The entire 6th grade team consisting of 4 teachers (one for each major subject area) collaborated on matters of scheduling, curriculum, parent-teacher meetings, and the overall management and discipline of the 6th grade. • Throughout the year Anita and Linda occasionally collaborated on matters of curriculum and teaching but primarily taught their respective science and math classes independent of one another.

  9. BACKGROUND OF THE CURRICULUM • 6TH Grade Impact Math Curriculum (EDC) was adopted Citywide 2 years ago. • NCTM Standards-based, highly structured curriculum that emphasizes number sense, operations, geometry, measurement, statistics and algebra. • Teachers comment that the curriculum is overwhelming for students in scope and sequence and requires many modifications and adaptations for their low performing students (Average 1-2 on math state assessments). • The 6th grade science curriculum focuses on life science and is less structured than the math in terms of an adopted curriculum. • No science text or formal curriculum. • Topics: Cell, Body Systems, Genetics, Evolution and Ecology • The decision to design an urban ecology project was primarily based on the fact that this was the final unit to be taught in the sixth grade science curriculum.

  10. THE PROJECT • “Pride in Our Place” – 6th Grade Theme • Ecology Driving Question: How does the city environment affect growth and development of our plants? • Students designed experiments to investigate urban air, soil, litter, water and light factors on the growth and development of plants. • Utilized Bottle Biology as a model • Student research developed proposals that needed “approval” to proceed • Incorporated Excel, PowerPoint, Science Journals in the data collection and data analysis process

  11. STUDY DESIGN • The study consisted of an initial observation period of 4 months (1 day a week) followed by a more intensive 4 month phase that focused specifically on the development and implementation of project-based inquiry (2 days a week). • Phase I: Observed math and science classes and met with teachers staff and administrators for the purpose of becoming more familiar with school policies and practices, more informed of day-to-day curriculum and teaching practices as well as to develop a rapport with teachers, students, staff and administrators. • At times, this meant taking an active role in unit, project and lesson planning, co-teaching with the math and science teachers, regularly meeting with administrators and attending school functions and field trips.

  12. STUDY DESIGN • Phase II: Curriculum/project planning utilizing the backward design model (Wiggins and McTighe, 2001) and project planning (Krajcik et al., 2003). • Backward design was a relatively new method of curriculum development for the teachers, projects were not. • The school mission and philosophy was grounded in the notion that students learn by active engagement in “hands-on” projects. • The school had a partnership with the Salvadori Center for Design whereby consultants visited the school one day a week to work on architecture projects with the students. • Teachers essentially “gave up” their math and science classes to the Salvadori consultants to work on projects that were unrelated to what the students were studying in their regular math and science classes. • What was new to the teachers was the concept of integrating long-term projects into the “regular” math and science curriculum.

  13. DATA COLLECTION • Achievement data, observation notes, anecdotal notes, interviews, and artifacts such as curriculum maps, unit plans, lesson plans, and assessments. • Students were observed during instructional time and non-structured time during the school day. • Copies of student work in the form of regular assignments, projects, tests and investigative journals were copied and utilized for analysis. • Regular meetings and interviews with teachers and school administrators to ascertain their vision, goals and support for a project-based middle school math and science curriculum.

  14. LESSON PLAN SAMPLE 5.16.05 Part 1: • Brain Starter • What types of quantitative data will you measure? • What tool will you use? • What unit will you use in measurement? • Mini-Lesson (Deon) • How do we create a table to show both qualitative and quantitative data? • How do we use Excel to organize each form of data? • Investigative Group Work • Create table in Excel • Focus Do students understand the differences between qualitative/quantitative data, variable/control, measurements needed for their study? • Complete Research Proposal Part 2: • Brain Starter • Gather materials needed for research. • Computer, folder, paragraph planning worksheet • Investigative Group Work • Continue web research; writing important facts gathered from each website • Plan paragraph (back of worksheet) • Begin draft on looseleaf (skip lines) Homework: • Complete paragraph draft on looseleaf (skip lines) • Bring in materials needed for group project • BOTTLE CAPS!! Follow Up: • Email Regina with notes for Tuesday; Monday feedback • Set up soil • Cotton • Set up steps/procedure for building the bottles (student friendly)

  15. ANALYSIS • In this study, repeated reading and analysis of observation notes, anecdotal notes, interviews and other study artifacts discussed previously resulted in a analytical coding scheme related to research goals (Strauss, 1987). • Themes were identified and external codes were assigned that related to the original research questions and objectives. Alternately, internal codes were assigned to new concepts or themes that emerged during the course of the study or introduced by the participants during classroom observations or informal discussions. • A subsequent step in this analysis process was to build connections among codes. These links or bridges were constructed by the use of memos that were utilized to refine and expand on the codes and domains of the analyses. • These codes and memos form the basis from which the analysis is constructed and generalizations and/or model were built

  16. ANALYTICAL THEMES • Many themes emerged related to the research goal of studying the curriculum and project-based teaching and learning process. Some of these themes included: • prior knowledge and experience of project-based inquiry • dissatisfaction as an impetus for change • project-based inquiry as a motivation to explore, learn and research with students and experts • influence of school vision, mission and philosophy • administrative support for project-based inquiry • thinking outside the curriculum and teaching box • the influences of adult life-long learning cycle • need for structured, ongoing professional development (content and pedagogical coaching)

  17. IMPLICATIONS The goal of this study was to investigate the process by which project-based learning is conceptualized and implemented into the 6th grade math and science curriculum at the Urban Academy for the Math, Science and Technology. • This study contributes to the growing body of research pertaining to the influence that project-based curriculum development and instruction has on teacher professional development and student learning and achievement in science. • The benefits to the teachers include increased experience and skill in planning and teaching a project-based approach and deeper understanding of pedagogical and content knowledge. • Over time students benefit by engaging in content-rich, motivating experiences that will optimize their learning and increase their overall interest and achievement in math and science. • The benefits to administrators include increased understanding and awareness of project-based approaches to teaching and learning, a more competent and knowledgeable faculty and higher achieving students.

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