ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF PRACTICE: ASSUMPTIONS AND CULTURAL FORMATION IN A PROBLEM BASED LEARNING SETTING

ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF PRACTICE: ASSUMPTIONS AND CULTURAL FORMATION IN A PROBLEM BASED LEARNING SETTING S. Joy Casad Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education Department of Teaching and Learning casadsj@vcu.edu

Three phases of presentation • Overview of the study itself and its relationship to PBL • Methods, Data Collection and Findings • Take home messages which can impact your PBL practices (Teacher-as-Leader and Classroom Culture models)

Setting • Virginia Initiative for Science Teaching Achievement elementary institute at VCU, Summer 2011 • 4 week intensive professional development, 17 teachers; 2 week summer camp of 24 rising 4th-5th graders.

Purpose of PBL: What does “doing science” mean? MERC, March 13, 2012 http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2009/03/building-a-better-way-of-understanding-science.ars

Purpose of PBL: What does “doing science” look like? • Access student understandings by discourse and interaction with the natural world and each other • Discursive and Iterative MERC, March 13, 2012

Purpose of the Study 1.) To create a framework illuminating the processes necessary for PBL implementation 2.) To identify successful PBLdelivery techniques 3.) To understand these techniques in light of classroom dynamics, specifically cultural formation MERC, March 13, 2012

First Level Analysis Second Level Analysis Method • Collection of Artifacts • Coding within an evidence based framework • Categorization Emergent Themes Modeling Member Checking MERC, March 13, 2012

Collection of Artifacts MERC, March 13, 2012

Coding Observations VAST. (2010). The Value of Science Education in Pre-K through Elementary School – VAST Position Statement vs. 7.1. Virginia Association for Science Teaching. MERC, March 13, 2012

Coding Observations: Lesson Plans MERC, March 13, 2012

Coding Video: Tactile Experiences MERC, March 13, 2012

Coding Video: Tactile Experiences • T: Fantastic! Wow, it really smells like deli in here! …Are you excited? • S: I am ready to get myself dirty! • S: I am ready to get my gas mask on. MERC, March 13, 2012

Coding Video: Tactile Experiences • T: You are going to measure in grams today. How much is gram; anyone know any real light objects that weigh a gram? • S1: I actually have forgotten how many ounces or whatever are in a gram • T: It sounds like you know they aren’t very big • S1: Yeah • S2: A paperclip? • T: interesting you should say that, because I have one right here…anyone feel that? MERC, March 13, 2012

Coding Student Journals “Transfer” (application) “Reflection” (metacognitive or content centered) MERC, March 13, 2012

Emergent Themes Successful Delivery Less successful delivery Teacher(s) gave EXPLICIT DIRECTIONS The directions were related to CONTENT and PROCEDURE (i.e. “what it is” and “how to do it”) • Teacher(s) set EXPECTATIONS which were clear • These expectations were related to COLLABORATIVE SKILLS and TEAM GOALS MERC, March 13, 2012

Emergent Themes Successful Delivery Less successful delivery Teacher(s) adhered to PRE-SET SCHEDULES and RESTRICTED STUDENT MOVEMENT patterns • Teacher(s) relinquished control of TIME and SPACE to the students • Teacher(s) relied on student cues and interaction to determine timing and classroom structure MERC, March 13, 2012

Emerging Theme: Expectations MERC, March 13, 2012

Emerging Theme: Expectations • T: We are going to write our estimates in color, and we are not going to be allowed to change them at any time. You are going to get them wrong! You are going to have to get over it and move on. MERC, March 13, 2012

Emerging Theme: Control of Time and Space MERC, March 13, 2012

Emerging Theme: Control of Time and Space • T: That is something you will have to play with – you will have to work that out. • T: You guys are going to work in teams to determine how do we sort this trash. I am not going to direct you in any way. I want to see how you are going to sort it by yourself. MERC, March 13, 2012

Emerging Themes Taken Together MERC, March 13, 2012

Emerging Themes Taken Together • T: When you work in groups, what are the rules? • S1: Everybody’s ideas are good • S2: Be respectful of other people • S3: Treat people like you want to be treated • S4: Don’t say anything ugly • S5: No horseplay… MERC, March 13, 2012

Unconscious, taken-for-granted beliefs • Determine behavior, perceptions • Ideals, goals, aspirations • Rationalizations • Ideologies Values Assumptions • Artifacts imbued with particular strong meaning • Visible and Tangible structures and processes • Observed Behavior Symbols Artifacts MERC, March 13, 2012 Hatch, M. (1993). The Dynamics of Organizational Culture. The Academy of Management Review.18 (4): 657-693

Cultural Model Applied to PBL Cultural Model Applied to PBL MERC, March 13, 2012

Cultural Model Applied to PBL MERC, March 13, 2012

Owen (2007) says that in order to create change, teachers must “model the values and beliefs by their moment-to-moment actions and consistent practices” • Leaders exhibit leadership over a group only insofar as they are able to alleviate the anxiety of crisis or situations experienced by the group (Shein, 2010). • Awareness of underlying assumptions during planning and reflection will assist teachers when constructing PBL teaching models. MERC, March 13, 2012

Students are naturally motivated to learn Teacher’s role is to encourage and facilitate this process Ownership of learning experience We honor and reward students as active contributors to their own learning Collaboration and teamwork is rewarded by goal achievement Values Assumptions Problem Based Learning Student control of time and space Delivery of expectations Symbols Artifacts MERC, March 13, 2012 Hatch, M. (1993). The Dynamics of Organizational Culture. The Academy of Management Review.18 (4): 657-693

References • Owen, H. (2007). Creating Leaders in the Classroom : How Teachers Can Develop a New Generation of Leaders. Taylor & Francis Routledge. • Shein, E. (2010). Organizational Culture and Leadership, 4th edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. The contents of this document were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Investing in Innovation (i3) Program. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government. MERC, March 13, 2012

ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF PRACTICE: ASSUMPTIONS AND CULTURAL FORMATION IN A PROBLEM BASED LEARNING SETTING