EDCI 671
Christi Coomes
Blog #5
What I Used to Think, but Now I Know
Problem
based learning has always been an interest of mine, but I was always concerned
about student accountability and having one student do all the work. I thought that group projects tended to be
unfair. In addition, the grading of a project seemed to be daunting. How do you assess learning within a group
when you cannot monitor every second of every group? The following memes sums
up my thoughts.
However, my views on group learning
has changed with problem-based learning with this class. First, the protocols
have helped me feel more comfortable with assessment and accountability. Consensus Protocol is an example of one
activity, which insures all members are participating and it is a quick
assessment of understanding.
Most of the time projects are
contrived to address standards but have no real connections to the world and
problems that exist in it. PBL promotes critical thinking, creativity,
collaboration, and communication for all students. The essential question of inquiry is one,
which involves an authentic world problem.
Thusly, students will be more apt to engage in the learning
process. When you give students choice
they are more likely to engage in the creative problem solving process because
they have an interest connection. When
we allow students to explore their dreams and interests, we get better results
in learning.
Our students are preparing for jobs
that done exist. They may major in a
field that does not exist yet.
Therefore, we need to prepare students who can problem solve, use
critical thinking skills, communication, collaboration, independent thinking,
and thinking outside the box. Since, you
cannot teach to a curriculum that does not exist, you have to teach learning
skills that will allow students be successful in any academic field.
I truly think that this class has
given me the tools to effectively implement project based learning in my
classroom. An engineer friend of mine says that the hardest employee to find is someone who can think outside the box and problem solve. Students need to be able to solve a problem that is presented in a real world situation and PBL naturally lends itself to creating problem solvers because they are having to solve a meaningful problem which has relevance and can impact their community. In essence, it has real meaning and is not artificial. Hence, students want to learn and produce a product that is useful. This meme sums up my views. I love PBL!
I too have been thinking about how to grade the group work. But I think with the group contracts, it ensures that everyone has a part in the team. I love that you talk about teaching students for jobs that don't exist yet and how the best way to prepare them is to teach them the skills they need to be successful at any job.
ReplyDelete"Our students are preparing for jobs that done exist. They may major in a field that does not exist yet. Therefore, we need to prepare students who can problem solve, use critical thinking skills, communication, collaboration, independent thinking, and thinking outside the box. Since, you cannot teach to a curriculum that does not exist, you have to teach learning skills that will allow students be successful in any academic field."
ReplyDeleteThis is so true! Certain job opportunities will always exist, but technology and other areas are constantly changing. By providing these PBL opportunities for our students, we may be fostering the minds that create the new technology and change. As long as we keep in mind Sir Ken Robinson's statement to "tread softly on our students' dreams," we can build them up to be successful in everything they do.
Hi Christi,
ReplyDeleteI liked how you incorporated visuals through your use of memes in your final blog post for this course. I laughed out loud when I saw your first one that illustrated the common issues both teachers and students have with group work. I am glad that the protocols, class discussions, and course readings provided you with some solutions to many of those "roadblocks" and I am looking forward to seeing your pbl unit in action. I agree with your engineering friend that just as important as content knowledge is the ability for students to problem solve and to use those 21st century skills of collaboration and communication and critical thinking and creativity to generate solutions.
Sincerely,
Dawn