Finding a Common Thread in Project Based Learning

EDIM 502 U01a1

This week I have explored the Project Based Learning (PBL) examples: March of the Monarchs: Students Follow the Butterflies’ Migration, More Fun Than a Barrel of … Worms?!, and Geometry Students Angle Into Architecture Through Project Learning. These examples displayed a few different instructional design techniques , however the core design principles and circumstances were similar. Some of the similarities included:

• having an average classroom settings with a single teacher.
• having students practice effective communication and collaboration skills
• using an interdisciplinary approach in learning about and presenting authentic real world concepts.
• allotting a fairly large chunk of time (6 weeks to a semester) for students to explore concepts to a greater depth.
• having students enhance and apply their technological literacy
• having the teacher promote learning from people or sources other than the teacher, such as classmates, online contacts or local experts.
• having “real world” experts involved in sharing information or judging final projects.

In these PBL examples the teachers worked mainly as a facilitators, helping students explore their own ideas and pointing them in the right direction to find answers to their questions. Students collaborated with classmates to learn about the “real world” concepts and develop a final presentation demonstrating their understanding of the content. When students are given the opportunity to direct their own learning experiences their education has more meaning to them. It is more purposeful and motivating for students to share their work with more than just their teacher. In these examples, students shared their knowledge with classmates, teachers, parents, community members and experts in the field. In PBL students get to participate in a collaborative learning experience and understand the value of collective intelligence. Student engagement and knowledge transfer are also increased when students are able to assimilate content in these meaningful authentic experiences. When presenting concepts through a constructivist perspective such as PBL, students are better able to understand and retain concepts. These concepts are given a purpose that relates to their lives which includes sharing it in a social context.