Project Based Learning Workshop

1. Project Based Learning Workshop Presenters: Tania Crane

2. Lillian Katz & Sylvia Chard “Project work in the curriculum promotes children’s intellectual development by engaging their minds in observation and investigation of selected aspects of their experiences and environment, ideally those aspects worthy of their attention and energy” (Katz and Chard, 2) Katz, Lillian & Sylvia Chard. Engaging Children’s Minds: The Project Approach 2nd Edition. Ablex Publishing Corporation. Stamford: Connecticut.

3. What is Project Based Learning • Is an instructional method centered on the learner • Allows in-depth investigation of a topic worth learning more about • Learners represent what they know through a personally-meaningful artifact • Students have more autonomy over what they learn and take more responsibility for their learning • Learners shape their project to fit their own interest and abilities • Enables the expression of diversity in learners, such as interest, abilities and learning styles Getting a Grip on Project-Based Learning: Theory, Cases and Recommendations- Michael M. Grant

4. What is Project-Based Learning? • Katz & Chard use the term project to refer to an “indepth study of a particular topic, usually undertaken by a whole class working on subtopics in small groups, sometimes by a small group of children within the class, and occasionally by an individual child” (Katz and Chard, 2). Katz, Lillian & Sylvia Chard. Engaging Children’s Minds: The Project Approach 2nd Edition. Ablex Publishing Corporation. Stamford: Connecticut.

5. Project-Based Learning • A key feature of a project, according to Katz and Chard is that it is an investigation—where children are seeking answers to questions that are formulated by themselves or in cooperation with their teacher and that arise as the investigation proceeds • The exploring and investigating a topic can usually extends over a period of days or weeks depending on the children’s age and nature of the topic Katz, Lillian & Sylvia Chard. Engaging Children’s Minds: The Project Approach 2nd Edition. Ablex Publishing Corporation. Stamford: Connecticut.

6. Aims of Project-Based Learning • “To cultivate the life of the young child’s mind” (Katz & Chard, 5) • Encourages students to pose questions, pursue and solve puzzles, and increase their awareness of significant phenomena around them • “Children’s minds are engaged in ways that deepen their understanding of their own experiences and environment and thereby strengthen their confidence in their own intellectual powers” (Katz & Chard, 7). • …are for adults and children to experience their lives together • …are for the children to experience the class as a community • …are for teachers themselves to experience their work as engaging and challenging Katz, Lillian & Sylvia Chard. Engaging Children’s Minds: The Project Approach 2nd Edition. Ablex Publishing Corporation. Stamford: Connecticut.

7. You Tube Video • What does Project Based Learning Look Like? • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8

8. History of Problem-Based Learning • According to the Buck Institute for Education (BIE), project-based learning has its roots in experiential education and the philosophy of John Dewey • The method of project-based learning emerged due to developments in learning theory in the past 25 years

9. Buck Institute for Education • The BIE suggests, “Research in neuroscience and psychology has extended cognitive and behavioral models of learning — which support traditional direct instruction — to show that knowledge, thinking, doing, and the contexts for learning are inextricably tied.” (Heather Coffey) • Learning is a social activity-- teaching methods can scaffold on students’ prior experiences and include a focus on community and culture • More technological and global society--teachers realize that they must prepare students not only to think about new information, but they also must engage them in tasks that prepare them for this global citizenship • Based on the developments in cognitive research and the changing modern educational environment in the latter part of the 20th Century, project-based learning has gained popularity. • http://www.bie.org/

10. Possible Project Ideas • Project-based science: • Emphasis is placed on a driving question to guide an investigation • In teams, the class performs similar experiments and collects data to help answer the driving questions, and the students help determine how the data is analyzed, what it means and how the results will be presented • This process take a considerable amount of time and requires that students to work collaboratively and collectively • The process, in the end, is representative of authentic scientific investigation Getting a Grip on Project-Based Learning: Theory, Cases and Recommendations- Michael M. Grant

11. Possible Project Ideas • WebQuests: • Usually are inquiry-oriented • Require an engaging task or project • Uses a predefined list of resources, that are prescreened by the teacher, from: • World Wide Web (primarily); Textbooks; CD-ROM; Videos; Subject matter experts • Focus is on using information instead of looking for • can incorporate cooperative or collaborative artifacts and guidance on cognitive and social skills • Often includes an embedded scenario or role for the student to play—or the anchor • They provide an opportunity to reflect on the inquiry process and on an individual’s results Getting a Grip on Project-Based Learning: Theory, Cases and Recommendations- Michael M. Grant

12. Phases of a ProjectKatz, Lillian & Sylvia Chard.Engaging Children’s Minds: The Project Approach 2nd Edition. Ablex Publishing Corporation. Stamford: Connecticut.

13. Common Features of Project-Based Learning • An introduction to “set the stage” or anchor the activity • A task, guiding question or driving question • A process or investigation that results in the creation of one or more sharable artifacts • Resources, such as subject-matter experts, textbooks and hypertext links • Scaffolding, such as teacher conferences to help learners assess their progress, computer-based questioning and project templates • Collaboration, including teams, peer reviews and external content specialists • Opportunities for reflection and transfer, such as classroom debriefing sessions, journal entries and extension activities Getting a Grip on Project-Based Learning: Theory, Cases and Recommendations- Michael M. Grant

14. Example of a WebQuest Project http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2002/514/holocaust • Getting a Grip on Project-Based Learning: Theory, Cases and Recommendations- Michael M. Grant

15. Teacher’s role in Project Based Learning • Topic selection • Facilitator • To provide expertiseand specialized resources • Helping children with difficulties they are likely to encounter • Advisor • Modeling inquiring disposition • Teachers can help children to adopt criteria or develop rubrics for evaluating their efforts by encouraging them to think about whether the work is as clear, detailed, accurate or as complete as it could be • Teachers can encourage children to create second or third drafts of how they wish to display findings • A teacher can indicate his/her criteria as to how they are going to assess the students work • Debriefing learners Katz, Lillian & Sylvia Chard. Engaging Children’s Minds: The Project Approach 2nd Edition. Ablex Publishing Corporation. Stamford: Connecticut.

16. Research on assessment….. • Third Grade Classroom Teacher notes: “By giving children the tools and opportunities to self-assess and self-evaluate their work, we are teaching children to become responsible for their learning and to be responsible for what is expected of them” (Katz & Chard, 17).

17. Student’s role in Project Based Learning • work in small, collaborative groups in the project-based learning model • Self managers • Find sources • Conduct research • Hold each other responsible for learning and the completion of tasks throughout • Ask thought provoking questions • To ask for assistance • Be motivated and responsible for their own learning and the learning of others

18. Using Project Based Learning to build skills and work habits • Project-based learning can involve, but is not limited to: • Asking and refining questions • Debating ideas • Making predictions • Designing plans and/or experiments • Collecting and analyzing data • Drawing conclusions • Communicating ideas and findings to others • Asking new questions • Creating artifacts

19. Five Distinctions Between the Contribution of a Systematic Instruction and Project Work (Katz & Chard, 13)

20. Learning Theory supports Project Based Learning • Constructivism • Explains that individuals construct knowledge through interactions with their environment, and each individual’s knowledge construction is different • Through conducting investigations, conversations or activities, an individual is learning by constructing new knowledge by building on their current knowledge

21. Learning Theory supports Project Based Learning • Constructionism • Posits that individuals learn best when they are constructing an artifact that can be shared with others and reflected upon (i.e. play, poems) • Artifacts must be personally meaningful, where individuals are most likely to become engaged in learning • By focusing on the individual learner, project-based learning strives for “considerable individualism of curriculum, instruction and assessment—the project is learner-centered” Getting a Grip on Project-Based Learning: Theory, Cases and Recommendations- Michael M. Grant

22. Differentiated Instruction and Project Based Learning • Project-Based Learning= Differentiated Learning • Every student is different (i.e. has different background knowledge, forms and degrees of intelligence, learning styles, interests, goals, and motivation) • teaching all students at the same level and in the same way, and maintaining the same expectations, and using the same reinforcement structures for all students makes little sense • teachers can differentiate instruction (i.e., use a wide array of teaching and motivation techniques, match expectations to each student’s developmental levels) according to the characteristics of each individual student • Capitalize on students talents and skill which promotes motivation and a love for learning

23. Project Based Learning and Student Success You Tube Video Math Board Games http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUDDh0WxbAc&feature=relmfu School Wide Project on Gender Roles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPVXg8fmtdM&feature=relmfu

24. Resources • http://pbl-online.org/About/whatisPBL.htmx • http://www.bie.org/ • http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2002/514/holocaust • http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/4753 • http://www.bie.org/index.php/site/PBL/pbl_handbook_introduction/#history • http://www.una.edu/faculty/onlineacademy/State/Adobe%20Reader/DO%20NOT%20OPEN%20program%20files/Instruction/Designing%20Lessons/ACTIVITIES/PBLS/Why%20use%20PBL.pdf • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUDDh0WxbAc&feature=relmfu • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPVXg8fmtdM&feature=relmfu • Getting a Grip on Project-Based Learning: Theory, Cases and Recommendations- Michael M. Grant • Katz, Lillian & Sylvia Chard. Engaging Children’s Minds: The Project Approach 2nd Edition. Ablex Publishing Corporation. Stamford: Connecticut