Becoming a Pro in Project Based Learning (PBL)

Project Based Learning programs are quickly gaining popularity in America. In Greene and Champaign counties, Urbana school district and Yellow Springs school district have adopted a PBL program for their physical school building. I am completing a field experience at Mills Lawn Elementary School in Yellow Springs and have witnessed their Project Based Learning in the classroom. Every day, traditional instruction halts for thirty minutes to focus on PBL. I attended a morning teacher in-service meeting centered around PBL ideas, plans, and implementations. I am well educated on PBL in the physical classroom, but what how is it manifested in a digital setting?

What is PBL? It Seems So Different...

Project Based Learning is a new method of education and learning that allows students to absorb and interact with new information (Five Keys). Students learn by completing projects that help make a positive influence in the community. This replaces traditional education methods that are no longer applicable to school populations (i.e. lecturing, learning without application, memorization/basic absorption of information) (Five Keys). After thorough research of its implementation, Project Based Learning has proven to help students learn and enjoy school (Five Keys).

Project Based Learning seems different, because it is! PBL takes a fresh and new approach to education. For example, students learn through answering real world problems and questions. Instead of simulated questions and problems from worksheets and textbooks, students have the opportunity to actively contribute to society (Five Keys). Because students are making an impact in their communities, there is always an actual audience outside of the school building (Five Keys). Some may think of PBL as a classroom supplement added to the end of lessons. This is incorrect as PBL is actually a whole unit (Five Keys). Consequently, teachers abandon their traditional teaching methods and adopt PBL in return (Five Keys). These units typically involve structured group work where classroom roles undergo a transformation (Five Keys). Teachers take the role of facilitators, and students assume responsibility for their education (Five Keys). Not only does the curriculum change classroom roles, but PBL changes how students are typically broken into groups. PBL programs reach and engage all students regardless of their ethnicity, socioeconomic class, race, religion, intellectual abilities, etc (Five Keys). After implementing a new PBL unit, teachers must also understand the new differences in assessment methods. Instead of gathering information from large tests in the middle and at the end of a unit, students are assessed through small quizzes and formative assessments throughout the unit (Five Keys).

PBL Resources

There are a multitude of new resources and technologies that support and capture Project Based Learning. iPads and laptops make Project Based Learning possible for digital academies with students dispersed throughout an area (Soule). They allow students to have access to school work, communicate with others, collaborate with peers and others around the world, and express their creativity online (Soule). The internet is also a resource that supports Project Based Learning. The internet gives students access to endless amounts of information and games that deepen thought processes. It allows students to come in direct contact with different authors, scientists, and experts (Soule).

Specifically, there are new websites that teachers can use to stimulate students’ interest and teach Project Based Learning concepts. Playposit and EdPuzzle are both wonderful resources that enable students to interact with their teacher during presentations. Office Mix is an attachment you can add to Microsoft PowerPoint to enable student interaction during presentations. These sites allow students to respond to questions and polls during certain points in videos. The teacher receives the results. Nearpod and Classflow are also similar sites. However, Nearpod also offers exciting features like virtual field trips and 3D models. In addition to the traits previously listed for the other sites, Classflow offers the option to divide students into groups. All of these sites are promoting collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication.

Technology's Role in PBL

Technology plays a huge role as the world is changing, and the way the world accesses and shares information is changing. Earth is becoming a technology-centered world (Soule). As a result, education—and especially Project Based Learning—is becoming technology-centered. Technology is impacting how teachers instruct their students in digital and physical learning institutions. Project Based Learning is now possible in all school settings because of technology. Additionally, students can now efficiently communicate with others and make positive impacts on the world using technology. Technology allows for new possibilities that previously were not available (Soule).

PBL in Early Childhood Education (+4th/5th)

I would use Project Based Learning to answer questions about the usefulness of course content (Soule). When young children become frustrated with their assignments, they tend to question why they need to learn the specific skill. Project Based Learning would help students understand and prevent those questions from being asked. Students of all ages can learn about global awareness, financial literacy, civic literacy, health literacy, and global literacy (Soule). Early childhood educators can ask their students what issues they see in the school building and/or the community. Students could then be placed in groups that are designed to address specific problems. They could contribute to the group selection based on their personal passions and critically think to discover possible solutions. They could collaborate and use their creativity to make their possible solutions a reality. Throughout this process students could communicate with each other, teachers, school administration, and community members.

PBL Technology in My Future Classroom

In my future online classroom, I would use Playposit or EdPuzzle. I love the interactive questions. It seems much easier to insert questions into a lesson instead of requiring students to leave the digital classroom and bring up a question website such as Kahoot. It would also seem easier for the teacher to consolidate material and maintain question results. I really appreciate the analytics and statistics provided by both sites. These sites would make synchronous lesson much more enjoyable for students

In a physical classroom, I would use Classflow. Classflow has several of the same features as Playposit and EdPuzzle. However, Classflow has an app for teachers. This enables them to instruct and advance the presentation from any location in the classroom. I can see the value in being a mobile teacher in a physical classroom.

References

Common Sense Education (Producer), & Common Sense Education (Director). (2016, July 12,). Introduction to 21st century learning with helen soule. [Video/DVD] 

5 keys to rigorous project-based learning. Edutopia (Director). (2014, June 25,).[Video/DVD]