Project Based Learning Workshop

Presenters: Tania Crane

“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.

Lillian Katz & Sylvia Chard

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

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.

What is 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.

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.

Aims of Project-Based Learning

What does Project Based Learning Look Like?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8

You Tube Video

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

History of Problem-Based Learning

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/

Buck Institute for Education

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

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

Possible Project Ideas

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3•Teacher either introduces a topic or it is selected in agreement between teacher and the children•Pool prior knowledge on topic•Teacher helps students formulate inquiry questions•Discussions, conducting investigations, classroom visitors

•Teachers are enabling students to learn new information•encourage independent work; support and encouragement when needed•Classroom visitors•Teacher may collect related books, objects or artifacts for children to study

•Teacher helps students bring their project to a completion•Students summarize what they have learned•Gallery walk and a celebration of work accomplished

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

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

Common Features of Project-Based Learning

http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2002/514/holocaust

Getting a Grip on Project-Based Learning: Theory, Cases and Recommendations- Michael M. Grant

Example of a WebQuest Project

Topic selection Facilitator To provide expertise and 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.

Teacher’s role in Project Based Learning

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).

Research on assessment…..

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

Student’s role in Project Based Learning

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

Using Project Based Learning to build skills and work habits

Systematic Instruction Project WorkThe teacher focuses on helping children acquire skills

The children are motivated by their desire to please the teacher and obtain rewards

The teacher chooses learning activities and provides materials at the appropriate instructional level

The teacher is the expert; the teacher addresses children’s deficiencies

The teacher is accountable for the children’s learning, progress and achievement

The teacher provides opportunities for the children to apply skills

Children’s interest and involvement promote effort and motivation

The children choose from a variety of activities provided by the teacher; they determine their own level of challenge at which to work

The children are the experts; the teacher capitalizes on the children’s proficiencies

The children and teacher share accountability for learning and achievement

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

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

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

Learning Theory supports 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

Differentiated Instruction and Project Based Learning

You Tube VideoMath Board Gameshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUDDh0WxbAc&feature=relmfu

School Wide Project on Gender Roleshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPVXg8fmtdM&feature=relmfu

Project Based Learning and Student Success

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_introdu

ction/#history http://www.una.edu/faculty/onlineacademy/State/Adobe%20

Reader/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

Resources