Week 4 Article Review
Learning Medium: Project Based Learning
Learner Level: Grades K-3
Journal Article: Project-based learning for the 21st century: Skills for the future
S Bell – The Clearing House, 2010 – Taylor & Francis
What is Project Based Learning (PBL)? PBL “is a student-driven, teacher-facilitated approach to learning” (Bell, 2010, p. 39). In PBL, learners ask the questions they are interested in pursuing answers to. They create a project with their discoveries or findings to share with a specific audience. The project is to be the “basis of curriculum” vs. a “supplementary activity.” Most projects include multiple subjects. Usually, mathematics, reading, writing, and science. This quote from the article summed up what PBL is: “Children solve real-world problems by designing their own inquiries, planning their learning, organizing their research, and implementing a multitude of learning strategies” (p. 39).
Often while substitute teaching in classrooms I have seen students unmotivated to learn, bored, and apathetic. They do not connect with the curriculum and are uninvested in what they are learning. PBL offers students a choice in what they are learning, which is crucial for success. The article states that, “Students use resources that are appropriate for their individual reading levels and compatible with their technology knowledge” (p. 41), and that this “differentiation allows [them] to develop their own interests and pursue deeper learning.” This ties in with NET Teacher Standard 2. b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
Using technology also engages students. PBL allows for creativity with technology. In regards to research, the article states, “…students learn how to navigate the Internet judiciously, as well as to discriminate between reliable and unreliable sources. It is important to set parameters to ensure that students can explore safely” (p. 42). These examples meet a number of the NET Student Standards, including: 3. Research and Information Fluency, Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. c.)Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks. and 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making, c.) Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions. As well as NET Teacher Standards 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility, a.) Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources. Students also may use a variety of applications for their projects, which they will learn to use appropriately, collaborate with partners on, troubleshoot, and exercise creativity. This aligns with several NET Student Standards, specifically, 2. Communication and Collaboration, d.) Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems and 1. Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
It is proven, and the article provides research findings, that students who participate in PBL score higher in answering applied and conceptual problems. The strategy of PBL is to “create independent thinkers and learners” (p. 39). When I have a classroom I will definitely integrate Project Based Learning in order to enable my students to gain higher-level skills. I am aware that this may be a challenge, as schools often have curriculum in place and principles that have strict ways of monitoring teacher activity. Many schools do not have access to digital tools, let alone have much access to computers in general. I would like to apply for grants in order to get technological devices for students to use. Also, if the students need to take field trips in order to conduct research and gather data, I would need to have funding for that if it were not in the budget. I would work with local resources to design methods of real-world application. Through PBL, students would learn valuable inquiry and technological skills.
Ellie Sheppy 
Hi Ellie, I really enjoyed reading your review. I did not research this theme yet but it is one that I am very interesting in looking at more closely. I have designed and implemented a science unit using the project based learning strategy and was thrilled with how much my students learned and how much they enjoyed the unit. My students were connected to the content because they were designing their investigations and creating projects that were interesting to them. I am looking forward to using project based learning more in the future especially for math units. I think that project based learning does a great job at making students think critically and problem-solve, because of this students are able to apply their learning during and after the unit has ended.
Your article review on Project Based Learning (PBL) has brought up some questions in my mind. First of all PBL is new to me and I would really like to see it in action. Some of the points I agree with are in getting students connected to their learning process and curriculum, allowing them to learn things they are interested in by solving real world problems. This is a big problem within our schools of today. Many of the learning done in middle and high school is done because it is status quo. Also students are not shown how it applies to the world after graduation. Students are bored with subjects being taught the traditional way of teachers in front of classroom, lecturing with little input required. PBL can be a way to overcome some of these issues.
Some of the points I am concerned on is how do students know what their interests are if they have not been exposed to different ideas and thoughts first? The PBL method seems to work out to be an individualized learning process. There would have to be some kind of parameters set. My 8th grader talks a lot about how students in regular classes (vs. advanced) were total unmotivated to do anything, reading was boring, and worked at getting out of doing any work. Her advanced classes even had some students responding the same way.
I can see searching for answers/questions on chosen projects online as getting students interested in their own learning. As you said, “using technology also engages student” and I agree with this. PBL is a positive way to meet many, if not all of, the NETS standards for digital learning. I personally need to understand the process more to fully agree with it. I have an elementary background and it is hard to see how it would work there in a product way, possibly for the upper grades.
My next article I reviewed describes how to make it student focused as well. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/sept10/vol68/num01/Seven_Essentials_for_Project-Based_Learning.aspx
“Teachers can powerfully activate students’ need to know content by launching a project with an “entry event” that engages interest and initiates questioning. An entry event can be almost anything: a video, a lively discussion, a guest speaker, a field trip, or a piece of mock correspondence that sets up a scenario. In contrast, announcing a project by distributing a packet of papers is likely to turn students off; it looks like a prelude to busywork.”
The article starts with the Need to Know, then determining the Driving Question that defines the project, and determining Student Voice and Choice.
Ellie ~ Thank you for the explanation of what Project-based Learning (PBL) is about. It sounds like “inquiry-based learning” and is great for cross-curricular units of study. I love when students are encouraged to explore topics that interest them and take a more active role in their own learning! It is interesting how “projects” have moved from being an occasional method used to enhance the learning of a subject to being a “method-of-choice” for helping students guide their own learning. I agree that when lesson materials are presented at the individual student’s reading and comprehension level, and matching their technological skill set, students can have greater opportunities to delve deeper into the material being learned. Most importantly, when we are able to provide authentic, real-word experiences in the classroom, students are actively engaged in the material and have a better chance at remembering key concepts. Thanks for the post!
Ellie,
PBL is a learning tool that teachers need to incorporate more into the classroom. I agree that I too will definitely use PBL in the classroom as well in my future teaching endeavors. You touched on the basis that PBL allows kids to develop skills with technology and also allows kids to collaborate and communicate together to be able to construct a project to allow for better learning. Allowing kids to develop technology skills is important because they are skills that they will use for the rest of their educational life and then in their everyday life after. This is such and important tool that needs to be addressed in many different ways and PBL allows for one of those components.