Fostering Critical Thinking with Project Based Learning
Jennifer Dormanjdorman.wikispaces.com/pbl
WHY PBL?
Project Based Learning ProvidesA multiple entry point strategy and varied and multiple possible solutions
A focus on universal challenges with local solutions
An authentic connection with multiple disciplines
An opportunity to develop 21st century skills
The purposeful use of Web 2.0 tools for organizing, collaborating, and publishing
Challenge-Based Learning: An Approach for Our Time – A Research Report from The New Media Consortium http://ali.apple.com/cbl/index.html
Project Based Learning Provides
The opportunity for students to do something rather than just learn about something
The documentation of the learning experience from challenge to solution
24/7 access to up-to-date technology tools and resources so students can do their work
Challenge-Based Learning: An Approach for Our Time – A Research Report from The New Media Consortium http://ali.apple.com/cbl/index.html
Five Minds for the Future
Gardner, Howard. (2007). Five minds for the future. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Disciplinedmastery of key subjects
Creatingbeyond existing knowledge and
syntheses to pose new questions
Respectfulseeking to understand
differences
Ethicalstriving toward good work
and good citizenship
Synthesizingarraying information to make sense to self and
others
21st Century Skills
http://www.21stcenturyskills.org
http://nets-implementation.iste.wikispaces.net/
http://ali.apple.com/acot2/principles/
ACOT2 has identified six design principles for the 21st century high school
WHERE CAN I LEARN ABOUT PBL?
http://ali.apple.com/cbl/index.html
http://www.bie.org/
http://www.intel.com/education/video/pbl/content.htm
http://www.intel.com/education/video/pbl/content.htm
http://www.edutopia.org/project-learning
DISSECTING THE PBL PROCESS
Design Structure
http://ali.apple.com/cbl/
Big Idea
a broad concept that can be explored in multiple ways, is engaging, and has importance to high school students and the larger society
Examples –
Diversity
Sustainability
Essential Question
identify what is important to know about the big idea and refine and contextualize that idea
Examples –
What is cultural identity and how does it define you?
How does my water consumption impact my world?
Challenge
a challenge is articulated that asks students to create a specific answer or solution that can result in concrete, meaningful action
Example –
Create cross-cultural connections at your school
Improve your home, school, or community use of water.
Guiding Questions
generated by the students, these questions represent the knowledge students need to discover to successfully meet the challenge
Examples –
How do we use water? How much do we use? How is water wasted?How can water be conserved?
Guiding Activities
lessons, simulations, games, and other types of activities to help students answer the guiding questions and set the foundation for them to develop innovative, insightful, and realistic solutions
Example – Calculate Your Individual Water Footprint
Guiding Resources
focused set of resources can include podcasts, websites, videos, databases, experts, and so on that support the activities and assist students with developing a solution
Example - WaterSense Quiz from the Environmental Protection Agency’
www.epa.gov/watersense/water/text.htm
Solution(s)
each solution should be thoughtful, concrete, actionable, clearly articulated, and presented in a publishable multimedia format
Assessment
solution can be assessed for its connection to the challenge, accuracy of the content, clarity of communication, applicability for implementation, and efficacy of the idea
the process that the individuals as well as teams went through in getting to a solution can also be assessed, capturing the development of 21st century skills
Publishing
students are encouraged to publish their results online, soliciting feedback
Exemplar – Energy
Big Idea = Energy
Essential Question = What is the impact of my fossil fuel consumption?
Challenge = Reduce your family’s fossil fuel consumption.
http://ali.apple.com/cbl/challenges/sustainability/energy.html
Energy
Guiding Questions =
What is a fossil fuel?
Where does my family use fossil fuels?
What is made from fossil fuels?
How much gas does my family use in one week?
What are the alternatives to fossil fuels?
http://ali.apple.com/cbl/challenges/sustainability/energy.html
Energy
Guiding Activities =
Learn About Fossil Fuels
Students research and develop a clear definition of fossil fuels.
How Much Fossil Fuel Do You Own?
Students create a list of products that have fossil fuels in them. They do an inventory of all the items in their homes that contain fossil fuel and investigate alternatives to these items.
http://ali.apple.com/cbl/challenges/sustainability/energy.html
Energy
Guiding Resources =
Energy Story: Fossil Fuels—Coal, Oil and Natural GasThe California Energy Commission provides an overview of fossil fuels.www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter08.html
Energy EfficiencyThe Energy Information Administration provides information for students about energy consumption and efficiency.www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/saving/efficiency/savingenergy_secondary.html
http://ali.apple.com/cbl/challenges/sustainability/energy.html
Global to Local . . . PBL in Action
wecanchangetheworldchallenge.com
Elementary, Middle, and High School Challenges
www.epals.com
iearn.org
globe.gov
www.globalschoolnet.org
www.globalschoolnet.org/gsnprojects/google/index.cfm
www.tigweb.org
www.thefutureismine.com
Vicki DavisJulie Lindsay123elearning.blogspot.comBeijing International School, China
coolcatteacher.blogspot.comWestwood Schools, Camilla, GA
www.flatclassroomproject.net
www.digiteen.org
www.eracismproject.org
www.netgened.org
http://www.flatclassroomproject.net/all-projects.html
www.flatclassroomproject.net
The Flat Classroom™ Project is a global collaborative project that joins together middle and senior high school students.
This project is part of the emerging tend in internationally-aware schools to embrace a holistic and constructivist educational approach to work collaboratively with others around the world in order to create students who are competitive and globally-minded.
One of the main goals of the project is to 'flatten' or lower the classroom walls so that instead of each class working isolated and alone, 2 or more classes are joined virtually to become one large classroom.
www.digiteen.org
In some ways, Digiteen™ is 21st Century Character Education!
Students (typically Grade 7-9, 12-16 year old) are introduced to information through a series of videos selected by their school, research current digital citizenship trends and news and compile a collaborative report with other students around the world, and make fact based recommendations in their offline action project at their local school to promote safe, appropriate online behaviors.
www.eracismproject.org
This project bridges the divide between culture, schools, countries, and even bandwidth by providing low-bandwidth methods for participants.
This is a middle school debate project promoting cultural understanding.
www.netgened.org
Students will study the current research and create wiki-reports with their student partners around the world analyzing current trends and projecting future happenings based upon this collaborative analysis.
After compiling their wiki reports based upon current research, and encouraged by "expert advisors" (subject matter experts in the industry), students will then create a video in one of two strands.
• Video strand I competition will be the NetGenEd Challenge where students are asked to envision the future of education based upon current global technological trends.
• Video Strand II Competition is the Macrowikinomics Challenge where students envision the future of global social action based upon their research in current global technological trends.
How will the process be assessed?
How will the solution be assessed?
Process
Collaboration (in-person & virtual)
Organization (ideas & materials)
Time Management (planning)
Adequate Distribution of Tasks
Solution
Product (presentation, implementation, reflection)
Checkpoints (drafts, proposals, checklists)
Multimedia (design, performance)
Content (research, documentation, presentation, citation)
Impact of the Performance (Solution)
The success of the performance, given the purposes, goals and desired results
Adapted from the work of Grant Wiggins
Work Quality and Craftsmanship
The overall polish, organization, and rigor of the work
Adapted from the work of Grant Wiggins
Adequacy of Methods and Behaviors
The quality of the procedures and manner of presentation, prior to an during performance
Adapted from the work of Grant Wiggins
Validity of Content
The correctness of the ideas, skills, and materials used
Adapted from the work of Grant Wiggins
Sophistication of Knowledge Employed
The complexity or maturity of the knowledge displayed
Adapted from the work of Grant Wiggins
pbl-online.org/pathway2.html
pbl-online.org/pathway2.html
pbl-online.org/pathway2.html
www.bie.org
www.bie.org/tools/useful
ali.apple.com/cbl/process.html
ali.apple.com/cbl/process.html
www.intel.com/education/video/pbl/content.htm
www.intel.com/education/video/pbl/content.htm
www.intel.com/education/video/pbl/content.htm
educate.intel.com/en/AssessingProjects/AssessmentStrategies/
educate.intel.com/en/AssessingProjects/AssessmentStrategies/
sn.im/mswordpblrubric
rubistar.4teachers.org
rubistar.4teachers.org
pblchecklist.4teachers.org
www.projectfoundry.org
jdorman.wikispaces.com/pbl