"Tell me and I
forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." --- Benjamin
Franklin
This
quote from Benjamin Franklin could be the motto for project-based learning
(PBL). The more involved students
are in their learning, the more they will learn, and are able to make
connections to other concepts.
The
exemplar lessons available on Edutopia
depict great examples of students taking ownership in what they want to learn
about as well as applying what they have already learned to real-world
situations.
In
each of the examples, the students are given choices and are making decisions.
The teacher does not dictate what the students are to be learning about; they
offer guidance by asking questions to help narrow and define the topic.
Authentic
learning is happening in an architecture
lesson at Mountlake Terrace High School where students use what they have
learned in Geometry to create a design plan for a state-of-the-art high school
in 2050. They enthusiastically begin developing futuristic models. There seems
to be no limits to their ideas other than those that are bound by the laws of
mathematics. The project allows them to unleash their creativity while working
with peers developing communication and collaboration skills. The teacher
provides guidance and invites experts into the classroom to offer suggestions
and help assess the projects. The students’ ideas were valued and efforts
awarded with compliments from the experts during development and through
presentations at the end of the project.
Worms were just one
topic of interest for a group of students at Newsome Park Elementary School.
The school’s progressive approach to incorporate PBL allowed students the
opportunity to investigate topics they were interested in, not just dictated by
the teacher. The ideas ranged from worms to the stock market to cystic
fibrosis, all due to the concern of a fellow student stricken with the disease.
Through hands-on experiences, the students develop problem solving strategies
and critical thinking skills that will be embedded for life-long learning.
Because the teacher has taken time to carefully plan the project framework,
other skills such as writing, math, and reading are incorporated, as they would
be in the real world.
Technology
can be a big component of the PBL process. Students learning about the
migration of monarchs
utilize the Internet to monitor their journey north after winter. It also
provides a way for students to communicate and collaborate with peers in other
states, or countries, as they contribute valuable data to the Journey North project. The students
also connect what they learn through this project into the classroom as they
observe and record changes to butterfly eggs found just outside their school.
They were able to document larval activity until emergence using photography
and create a culminating presentation to share with their peers as well as
community members.
All
three examples highlighted how this type of learning crosses curricular
boundaries. In addition, multiple academic standards could be incorporated
throughout one project with careful planning. In this format, the role of the
teacher does change from the “sage on the stage” to facilitator and coach. The students
are active participants in what they learn and how they learn, giving them the
motivation and enthusiasm to become life-long learners.
References
Armstrong, S. (2002, February
11). Geometry Students Angle into Architecture Through Project Learning. Edutopia.com. Retrieved from
http://www.edutopia.org/geometry-real-world-students-architects
Curtis, D. (2001, October 1).
More Fun Than a Barrel of . . . Worms?! Edutopia.com.
Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/more-fun-barrel-worms
Curtis, D. (2002, June 6).
March of the Monarchs: Students Follow the Butterflies' Migration. Edutopia.com. Retrieved from
http://www.edutopia.org/march-monarchs
