Blog
#4
Since
coming home from the National TAP conference, I have continued to explore the
new SC Teaching Standards 4.0 rubric that will be integrated into ADEPT next
year for all teachers. I cannot help but think about the possibilities
for PBL within this rubric, especially in the Thinking and Problem Solving
areas.
This
is from the rubric:
The teacher thoroughly teaches two types of thinking: · analytical thinking where students analyze,
compare and contrast, and evaluate and explain information. · practical thinking where students use,
apply, and implement what they learn in real-life scenarios. · creative thinking where students create,
design, imagine and suppose. ·
research-based thinking where students explore and review a variety of ideas,
models, and solutions to problems. The teacher regularly provides opportunities
where students: · generate a variety of
ideas and alternatives. · analyze
problems from multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
When
I look at the bulleted points from this rubric, I can easily see how a teacher
who uses PBL will be able to accomplish this thinking for her students within
the lessons. In one of the sessions I attended, they encouraged the
observer to first identify the thinking and then identify the strategy that is
used to support the thinking. As I think about the PBL lessons I have
been working on, I realize that I need to look carefully at strategies that I
can teach to support the variety of thinking within the lessons. For
example, I need to provide strategies for ways to research ideas, ways to
analyze and compare ideas, ways for students to apply that thinking to
practical scenarios, and ways for students to explore new ideas based on what
they learn. I think teaching these would encourage and enhance thinking
for all projects that students work on. Excited about looking for these
and incorporating those into professional development I provide for teachers!
Hi Melissa,
ReplyDeleteLike you when I went through NIET training with Furman this summer I immediately connected with the new areas on the rubric that aligned with project based learning: thinking, problem solving, questioning, and grouping. All four of these elements are present when effective, inquiry based learning is in place and throughout our cohort we've seen how when we intentionally structure pbl opportunities for students they are the ones who are doing the thinking, problem solving, and questioning. These same components also align with the new ELA inquiry standards and our science Engineering standards.
I appreciate the ways you've thought through these components and how we can provide support to our teachers to embed them in their creation of pbl instruction.
Sincerely,
Dawn