542: Technology Supported Project Based Learning

Learning Log/Reflective Journal- Week 1

This week we were to read articles and watched a video about project based learning. We then had to respond to one of the groups. I chose group 1.

Group 1: What is Project Based Learning?

• Define Project Based Learning. Describe the difference between Project Based Learning and Problem Based Learning.

Project Based Learning and Problem Based Learning have several common factors, however they are two distinct approaches to learning. Project based learning typically begins with an end product or “artifact” in mind, the production of which requires specific content knowledge or skills and typically raises one or more problems which students must solve. Projects vary widely in scope and time frame, and end products vary widely in level of technology used and sophistication. Problem-based learning, as the name implies, begins with a problem for students to solve or learn more about. Often these problems are framed in a scenario or case study format. Problems are designed to be “ill-structured” and to imitate the complexity of real life cases. As with project-based learning, problem-based learning assignments vary widely in scope and sophistication.

http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Project-Based_and_Problem-Based:_The_same_or_different%3F

• Why should teachers consider incorporating PBL in their classroom?

By using PBL in the classroom students gain a deeper understanding of the concepts and standards at the heart of a project. Rather than spending time memorizing facts, projects also build vital workplace skills and lifelong habits of learning. Projects can allow students to address community issues, explore careers, interact with adult mentors, use technology, and present their work to audiences beyond the classroom. PBL can motivate students who might otherwise find school boring or meaningless.

• What are the essential components of a PBL approach to instruction?

According to experts at the Buck Institute of Education, there are 8 essential components to create engaging and meaningful project baced learning.

1. Significant content

2. A Need to Know

3. A Driving Question

4. Student Voice and Choice

5. 21st Century Skills

6. Inquiry and Innovation

7. Feedback and Revision

8. Publicly Presented Product

Learning Log/Reflective Journal- Week 2 

Find an article on the topic of the effectiveness of Project Based Learning in diverse classrooms. Post a reflection on your thoughts regarding your research this week on Project-Based Learning. What were you able to find? How do you think PBL will fit into your teaching style? Do you have an idea for a project? If so, begin articulating it now.

I chose to review the following article on Project-Based Learning:

February 2008 | Volume 65 | Number 5
Teaching Students to Think Pages 80-82

What Research Says About … / Project-Based Learning

Jane L. David

These studies suggest that project-based learning, when fully realized, can improve student learning. However, the research also underscores how difficult it is to implement project-based learning well. Together these findings suggest caution in embracing this practice unless the conditions for success are in place, including strong school support, access to well-developed projects, and a collaborative culture for teachers and students.Yet, teachers can use the key ideas underlying project-based learning in some measure in any classroom. Using real-life problems to motivate students, challenging them to think deeply about meaningful content, and enabling them to work collaboratively are practices that yield benefits for all students.I think PBL is a good fit for my classroom content because in art the projects we create often include many of the elements of a PBL project.  Some of the things I expect this PBL model to bring to this project is that the project is real world applicable and the inquiry and research is student lead.  This week I have found 2 projects which I am considering recreating for my PBL project.  I am going back and forth between the following options:

I Am an Artist: Students explored dimensions of their identity and created a double-sided canvas that visually expressed two sides of their selves. -This lesson is designed for high school aged students. I really like the concept and I think with some adjustments this project could be designed at an appropriate level for upper elementary students. I also liked this lesson because it is exclusively art. I think the idea of having students internally reflect upon who they are and create and out word display will be a rich experience in art creation.

 

When Two Worlds Collide: Combining information about two artists from different eras, students will create an original artwork. This project idea would work really well with my class content and be age appropriate for my students. I like how it incorporates art history and allows students to research and explore, then develop their own ideas based on what inspires them.

 

The part I am deciding is how I will incorporate the element of technology into either of these projects and what I need to do to make the content age appropriate for my elementary students.  Some things to consider are my access to technology and other resources, materials needed, and how a public presentation or exhibit would be possible for my students.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                        Learning Log/Reflective Journal- Week 3

 

 

 

Here is the link to the start of my PBL project

 

This week we had to come up with a project idea, a  driving question, and at least 10 sub-questions for our EDTECH 542 project. I am excited to finally start developing my ideas.  

 

Driving Question

The focus of this project revolves around answering the question:

How are artists influenced by one another and the world around them?

Students will research the artwork of two artists of their choice.  They will focus on a key piece of artwork from each artist and evaluate what types things influenced the artists style and techniques used to create this piece. They will examine both artists work for similarities, differences, and characteristics which reveal what influenced this particular piece of artwork.  Students will compare their findings and synthesize what influenced each artist to create these pieces and how they relate to one another as well as how they relate to the historical context of the era.

Students will identify 2 factors they believe influenced each piece of artwork they studied and include a justification for their answers.  Students will use what they learn to develop their own interpretations and create an original artwork which combines inspiration from each of the pieces they studied.

Sub-Questions:

1. Who is the artist?
2. When did they live?
3. What is the name of the piece of artwork you are studying?
4. What is the style of the artwork?
5. What is the medium used to create this piece?
6. What similarities do you find between the two pieces?
7. In what ways are these two pieces different?
8. Is the artwork a landscape, portrait, still life, or abstract?
9. What do you see in the artwork?
10. Why did the artist make this piece of artwork?

According to BIE, driving questions should be:

• Provocative or challenging to students, because it is relevant, important, urgent or otherwise interesting.– Throughout the project the students will be collaborating with their peers in order to collect data about other students in the building. Childhood obesity is a relevant issue and they need to know how important it is to exercise in order to help brain function.
• Open-ended and/or complex; there is no single “right answer,” or at least no simple “yes” or “no” answer. It requires in-depth inquiry and higher-level thinking.- Students are required to provide in-depth answers after thoroughly researching the topics. The way that the questions are worded does not allow for simple yes or no answers.
• Linked to the core of what you want students to learn; to answer it well, students would need to gain the knowledge and skills you have targeted as goals for the project.– The driving question and sub questions are linked to the content standards and are essentially what we want the students to learn and understand.

My driving question requires students to consider many factors in determining what influences an artist to create.  Students will use higher order linking skills that encourage students to make inferences and find connections. students will use the list of sub-questions to help guide them through thier research and each questions will drive inquiery and classroom instruction for the project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                           Learning Log/Reflective Journal- Week 4

 

 

 

For this week we were to read more about the Key Principals of Effective Assessment and discuss how your planned assessments meet the key requirements for effective assessments. Reflect on how you might adjust your teaching during this project to allow more student input in the evaluation process.

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Assessment is for students.

• Has personal relevance for students (e.g., provides a tangible product they can use).
• Students become more confident and articulate about what they know.
• Students feel ownership over the process as well as the product of their work

My assessment provides students with hands on experimentation with the materials of their choice to create their artwork. Students are required to consider and select which materials they feel will best suit their vision.  Students create a piece that contains meaningful elements and satisfies their ideas.

Assessment is faithful to the work students actually do.

• Notebooks, works-in-progress, and routine presentations are basis of assessment.
• Occasions for reflection and discussion are integrated into ongoing project work.
• Students are assessed on what they know and do, not what they don’t.

Students are not required to research assigned artists, but are encouraged to choose artist or eras that they find interesting. The students are in charge of their research and how they synthesize their findings.  Students use journals, checklist, and charts to document and organize research.

Assessment is public.

• Students’ goals are solicited and become part of those assessed.
• Criteria for judgment remain visible and accessible to students from the beginning.
• Performances are viewed and judged by a broad group of people.

Students receive all rubrics, charts, and checklists from the first day of the project. The students present their journal entries and thank you letters to small groups. The students assign themselves to art gala committees and take responsibility for completing task to exhibit artwork. Students display art at CCSD public art Gala which the public completes survey for.

Assessment promotes ongoing self-reflection and critical inquiry.

• Teachers and students both speak of the qualities of good work, and how to attain it.
• Standards used reflect those of adult practitioners in the field.
• Categories and criteria of assessment remain open-ended, subject to challenge and revision.

Students work in small groups to present and offer feedback to one another. Student artwork demonstrates understanding for the elements of art and principles of design.

 

 

For my project I have aligned the following 4 learning objectives with my standards.  Please see my Assessment page on my PBL project website for the attached documents.

1. Students will create an original artwork by combining the content of one artwork by an artist, and the style of another artist.

• Evidence of success for this objective will be a completed artwork assess by Painting Rubric

2. Students will Identify past and current cultures,  Identify art styles associated with certain artists.

• Evidence of success for this objective will be completed by creating an appropriate blog entry on classroom blog.  Resources for this entry include Artist Information Fact Sheet. Journal entry will be assessed according to Bulleted List for Journal Entry document.

3. Identify artworks created in those cultures and artists how created those artworks.

• Evidence of success for this objective will include a completed artwork assessed by a Painting Rubric.

4. Students will compare and contrast two artist of opposing styles and/or different centuries.  Students will understand the connection between styles of artwork created in different centuries.

• Evidence for the successful completion of this objective will be demonstrated by students writing a “Thank You” letter to be assessed using the Checklist for Thank You Letter

All of the above links will take you to my PBL project website.

 

                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                              Learning Log/Reflective Journal- Week 5

 

 

Option 1: Designing Integrated Curriculum At some point you may consider including other disciplines in your project (if you haven’t already). Watch the video below on Designing Integrated Curriculum and reflect on the benefits of interdisciplinary projects and the challenges in implementing them. How might you go about making this a reality in your school?

Through designing my PBL project I have had many instances when I think it would be a great opportunity to team up with another teacher in my building and create a cross-curricular aspect to my project. There are many ways throughout my project that what the students are doing for me could cover other standards in their social studies, technology class, and language arts classes. 

 

I have worked with teachers in my building before to align our content with great success.  The biggest thing for making interdisciplinary curriculum work is teachers finding time to communicate and collaborate.  In an elementary school I would need to contact the grade level teacher and first share what my project was and begin a discussion about how what I am teaching aligns with what the students are working on in her class as well. I have found this collaboration to be well received by the teachers I have worked with and it is a great opportunity for the students to see that what they are learning in one class transfers to another creating meaningful connections between disciplines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                             Learning Log/Reflective Journal- Week 6

One of the greatest challenges for an instructor in a PBL unit is to adapt to the role of facilitator. Reflect on the following:

• Will my role in the teaching/learning process change?
• What are the skills of effective facilitation?
• Will the students develop the competancies and skills needed to be successful?
• What changes will you need to make in order to become an effective facilitator in your PBL unit?

In Project Based Learning, the teacher serves as a resource to the student teams. The teachers acts as a mentor to the group or student.  Rather than being the teacher who kids go to for all the answers, the instructor is most active in planning the PBL content and sequence of the projects.  It will be my job to guide the students and make sure they are headed in the right dirrection in their project.  I will provide feedback on student work and discussions to evaluate the students.

As a teacher in a PBL classroom it is important to provide sufficient structure and support so that students don’t get stuck.  Help them to plan, monitor progress, and assess their results.  Keep the students focused on the big picture.  Remind them often of the driving question and revisit milestone dates and final product dates daily.

 In PBL teaching there is a fine line between guiding or coaching and becoming too overly involved. If a teacher guides all the students in the same direction, the students will assume there is only one correct answer and will most likely try to figure out what answer the teacher wants. This is not good practice for Project Based Learning! It is important the teacher allows students to question things differently and come up with their own solutions.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                              Learning Log/Reflective Journal- Week 7

 

The culminating event is over, the project presentations have been presented, groups and peers have been evaluated, reflection journals are in. Is the PBL experience really over? Absolutely not. One of the most powerful forms of assessment and project evaluation is the post project reflection. Use the resources from this week to assist you as you think about how you intend to debrief your PBL experience. Some questions to consider

• Who will you involve in the process?
• What will your process look like?
• Is it just a one-time assessment?

In our project, the students will have an opportunity to reflect and evaluate their ability to work as part of a group during this process. The survey asks students to consider what aspects of working as a group were successful, what problems occurred, and how these problems were addressed or resolved. Students are asked to consider what they can do to improve the effectiveness of the group.

Using this survey will help inform both student and teachers of areas in which this process for working on this project can be improved. If a number of students indicate having difficulty in the same area there would need to be a focus on what can be done to improve this. The survey could indicate flaws in the project such as a lack of feedback to the students, or a unclear area of instruction that creates confusion.  As with any aspect of teaching it is not effective to become stagnant and unchanging in our ways.  A PBL project is focused on the experience and inquiry of the learner so it is important to get their feedback in order to know what areas to make improvements.  I am sure I will discover several areas to alter with each time I use this PBL project in my teaching.

 

Resources:

The last day: Why “reflect” after a project ends? (n.d). Retrieved from: http://www.bie.org/diy/reflecting_and_perfecting/the_last_day/