Project
based learning is a fun and enjoyable way to learn, explore and discover new
knowledge. The three examples we are to
observe offer us great principles, guidelines and insight of how project based
learning worked and what is behind the scene.
What had students learn?
In
“More
Fun than a Barrel of worms?!” the classroom teachers guided the 1st
grade students in learning things about themselves and also around them.
Hands-on
project make discovering worms, space, mineral fun. With the habit of research and report, the
first graders also attempt to find out the facts and information of the
sickness that make a classmate ill -Cystic fibrosis – what it is, and how it
feels, and students are learning having apathy for others when they try to
“find out there is a cure for CF!”.
The
consistent increased of test scores and the improved of classroom behavior
indicated that students are highly motivated in engaging in this “procedure” of
learning and put all their energy and might into it.
For
the high school students in "Geometry Students
Angle into Architecture Through Project Learning", students are learning practical skills in life –
solving problem, working with others, applying and stretching their knowledge
and learning.
The
geometry class students also learn with the real life application. Students have a “real life” goal to
accomplish, the real life experience in meeting the professional, evaluate by
them, and having discussion with them.
Most of all the students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge
to concrete object – architect. Students
are indeed owning what they learn. The
hands-on project gives them time to interact with one another and work with
each other, Each student has opportunity to get to see other’s strength and
weaknesses, have to learn to get along and accept one another. These are the life long skills that each of
us needs to learn.
In
the project of “March of the monarchs,”
3rd grade students are excited to have
opportunity to explore and learn the new ways.
During the project, students are given the responsibilities keeping the
observation record for their own finding and observing of the Monarch
butterflies migration. They also work
with their own classmates to work at the school garden for their observation
and report of the Monarch butterfly activities.
What is the teacher’s role
and responsibility in Project based learning?
The
three teachers who had decided to not follow the step-by-step way of teaching
according to the text book. Instead they choose to use Project based / hands-on
learning. Project based learning is not easy
and do need much time to plan, to execute and to evaluate the plan. The geometery teacher has a well-developed
and organized
Plan
for the students: the guidelines telling
students what is required of them, what are the expectations, and what should the
end results be. All three teachers
demonstrated that they all have a well-organized plan and that they are excited
about the end results and products that their students had shown.
What tools did the teachers
used to accomplish the learning goal?
The
teachers know that they do not have all the answers. They brought in professionals from the field
to further reinforce the “real,” learning, and the students have opportunity to
learn from the professionals as well.
Technology
tools such as doing research in the computer, using program such as Power point
to present their own reports, recording the butterflies observation in the
website, and Digital story are some of the great examples.
Armstrong, S. (2002). Geometry students angle into architecture through project learning. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/geometry-real-world-students-architects
Curtis, D. (2001). More fun than a barrel of…worms?! Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/more-fun-barrel-worms
Curtis, D. (2002). March of the monarchs: Students follow the butterflies’ migration. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/march-monarchs
