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“Quality Education with Quality Service”

Technology
for Teaching and Learning
Learning Module

Elementary Grades

Jessie Boy C. Canaria

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MODULE 3: PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

INTRODUCTION

Motivating and engaging students in active learning is challenging even for the most
experienced teachers. Due to students’ different learning styles, cultural and ethnic
backgrounds, prescriptions of either a “one-size-fits-all” approach or the “cookie-cutter”
approach do not necessarily gear them towards achieving high standards.

The suggested Project-based Learning is important in the learning process. It is touted

to be the approach and means to achieve the 21st century skills. Moving away from rote
learning and memorisation, Project-based Learning builds on individual strengths, and
allows individuals to explore their interests in the framework of a defined curriculum.

Project-based Learning is holistic in nature and incorporates the principles of providing

challenging and complex work, interdisciplinary and encourages cooperative learning.
Project-based Learning also lends authenticity to learning. While in practice,
practitioners plan, implement and evaluate projects in real-world situations beyond the
classrooms.

Project-Based Learning (PBL)

“The classroom is a place where people can live a fulfilling life together as a community
of learners if needs and concerns are appropriately expressed. Problems can be
discussed. Support, encouragement, and models can be provided by both teachers and
peers. Where expectations for children’s learning are high, it is important that the social
interaction itself is designed to facilitate learning.”

(Sylvia Chard, Associate Professor of Education, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada)

An Introduction to Project-Based Learning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFySmS9_y_0

What is Project-Based Learning?

Project-based Learning (PBL) is a model for classroom activity that shifts away from the
usual classroom practices of short, isolated, teacher-centred lessons. PBL learning
activities are long-term, interdisciplinary, student-centred, and integrated with real-world
issues and practices. It is a method that fosters abstract, intellectual tasks to explore
complex issues. It promotes understanding, which is true knowledge. In PBL, students
explore, make judgments, interpret, and synthesise information in meaningful ways. It is
more representative of how adults are asked to learn and demonstrate knowledge.

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According to Sylvia Chard, the Project-based Learning approach is an “in-depth
investigation of a real-world topic worthy of children’s attention and effort.” Hence, field
trips, experiments, model building, posters, and the creation of multimedia presentations
are sample activities within PBL where students with differing learning styles
demonstrate their knowledge by means of inquiry. In sum, PBL should:

 Be anchored in core curriculum and multidisciplinary

 Involve students in sustained effort over time
 Involve students in decision-making
 Be collaborative • Have a clear real-world connections
 Use systematic assessment: both along the way and end product

(Source: http://www.edutopia.org/modules/PBL/ whatispbl.php)

Project Based Learning, or PBL, is an instructional approach built upon learning

activities and real tasks that have brought challenges for students to solve. These
activities generally reflect the types of learning and work people do in the everyday
world outside the classroom. PBL is generally done by groups of students working
together toward a common goal.

PBL teaches students not just content, but also important skills in ways students have to
be able to function like adults in our society. These skills include communication and
presentation skills, organization and time management skills, research and inquiry skills,
self-assessment and reflection skills, group participation and leadership skills, and
critical thinking.

Performance is assessed on an individual basis, and takes into account the quality of
the product produced, the depth of content understanding demonstrated, and the
contributions made to the on-going process of project realization.

PBL allows students to reflect upon their own ideas and opinions, and make decisions
that affect project outcomes and the learning process in general. The final product
results in high quality, authentic products and presentations.

Why Is Project-Based Learning Important?

“We are living in a new economy – powered by technology, fuelled by information, and
driven by knowledge”

(Futureworks: Trends and Challenges for Work in the 21st Century, US Department of
Labor, 1999)

Project-based Learning helps students develop skills for living in a knowledge-based

and highly technological society. The old-school model of passively learning facts and
reciting them out of context is no longer sufficient to prepare students to survive in

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today’s world. Solving highly complex problems requires students to have both
fundamental skills and Digital Age skills. With this combination of skills, students
become directors and managers of their learning, guided and mentored by a skilled
teacher.

How is it Different?

Project-based instruction is innovative by its emphasis on cooperative learning.

Additionally, students create tangible results to represent what they have learned.

Students use technology and inquiry to respond to a complex issue, problem or

challenge. PBL focuses on student-centered inquiry and group learning with the teacher
acting as a facilitator, as opposed to the one in charge.

Activities match as nearly as possible the real-world tasks of professionals in practice

rather than classroom-based tasks. This encourages interdisciplinary perspectives and
enables learners to play diverse roles and build expertise that is applicable beyond a
single well-defined. Lastly, it allows a range and diversity of outcomes open to multiple
solutions, rather than a single correct response obtained by the application of
predefined rules and procedures.

CHARACTERISTICS

Project-based learning varies from classroom to classroom, but is often characterized

by the following attributes:

1. Students are the center of the learning process

2. Projects focus on important learning objectives that are aligned with
standards
3. Projects involve on-going and multiple types of assessment.
4. The project has real-world applications.
5. Students demonstrate knowledge through a product or performance
6. Technology support and enhances students learning
7. Thinking skills are integral project work
8. Instructional strategies are varied and support multiple learning styles
9. An essential question drives learning.

The project-based learning approach creates a "constructivist" learning environment in

which students construct their own knowledge. Whereas in the "old school" model the
teacher was the task master, and in the "new school" model the teacher becomes the
facilitator.
Roles of the Teacher

 Serve as facilitator
 Model thinking and problem-solving strategies effectively

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  Structure meaningful tasks
 Work with students to frame worthwhile questions
 Manage the structure of multiple day-to-day activities to produce high quality
outcomes
 Teach students to set goals

Roles of the Students

 Set goals
 Explore and ask questions
 Work well with peers
 Stay accountable to self, peers, and teacher for project outcomes

Conventional Classroom vs. Project-Based Learning Classroom

Conventional Instruction

In this instruction the teacher is instructing her students on probability and statistics.
She shows examples of probability problems on the black board. Students work from
math textbooks to practice the new concepts and take a quiz to check their
understanding of probability.

Project-Based Instruction

In this instruction, students are learning about probability and fairness. They explore the
question, What is the likelihood that certain events will occur? Students participate in
several chance activities and examine games for fairness.

Students groups become game designers who design a fair game for a toy company,
describing the rules for a play and explaining mathematically why the game is fair. A
fictional board of directors from the company visits the class. The students present and
try to convince the company to sell their games.

Throughout the project, students engage in questioning, write in math journals, and use
rubrics and checklists to guide their learning, stay on track, and self-assess.

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Components of Project Based Learning Method

Significant content:
The problem must involve students working with the essential content.

21st century skills:

The projects students participate in need to allow them to problem-solve and engage in
critical thinking. Projects should push students to be creative and require them to think
to be successful.

In-depth inquiry:
A good project will last more than a day or two. Teachers need to give students the time
to really investigate, ask questions and construct their own answers.

Driving questions:
A quality project will be framed around a question that both engages students and helps
focus their inquiry.

Need to know:
A project should entice students to want to complete research to find the answer.
Quality projects motivate students to learn and investigate.

Voice and choice:

In order to give students ownership over the project, teachers need to allow students to
make decisions about how to investigate the problem and how to work together.

Reflection and revision:

Before students complete their work, there should be time for students to receive
feedback about their progress.

Public audience:
Students should be given the opportunity to deliver their final project to an authentic
audience that will either use or benefit from the work.

Benefits of PBL

 Increased motivation
- Students participating in project-based learning showed increased attendance
and improved attitudes towards learning. Project-based learning teachers
often report that students willingly devote extra time or effort to a project.
(Thomas, 2000)

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 Academic gains
- Project-based learning students show academic gains equal to or better than
those generated by other model, with students involve in projects taking
greater responsibility for their own learning than during more traditional
classroom activities. (Boaler, 1999; SRI, 2000)

 Improved higher-order thinking

- Project-based learning provides opportunities for students to develop complex
thinking skills, such as problem solving and decision making. In a project,
students engage in posing and solving complex problems and making
important decisions. (SRI, 2000; Thomas, 1998)

 Increased collaboration
- Many projects depend on students working together in learning groups.
Cognitive theories suggest learning is a social phenomenon and students
learn more in collaborative environment. (Wiburg, 1994)

 Growth in self-direction
- Project work involves students engaging in complex tasks that help students
develop organization, time management, and self-direction skills. (Thomas,
2000)

 Benefits for all students

- Students who benefit the most from project-based learning tend to be those
for whom traditional methods and approaches are not effective (SRI, 2000). In
project-based learning, previously hard-to-reach students begin to participate
in class. Access to a broad range of learning opportunities in the classroom
provides a strategy for engaging culturally diverse learners. (Railsback, 2002)

Figure 1: Steps in PBL

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Step 1
Start with the Essential Question The question that will launch a Project-based Learning
lesson must be one that will engage students. It is greater than the task at hand. It is
open-ended. It will pose a problem or a situation that the students can tackle knowing
that there is no ONE answer or solution.

To start off,
 Take a real-world topic and begin an in-depth investigation.
 Question is based on situations or topics that are authentic.
 Make students feel that they are making an impact by answering the question or
solving the problem.
 Make the question relevant for students. The question should have meaning in
their lives at that moment of time.

Step 2
Design a Plan for the Project
When designing the project, it is essential to select content standards to be addressed.
Involve students in the planning process. Students feel ownership of the project when
they have an active role in deciding activities. Base on the curriculum, select activities
that support the question. Know what materials and resources to be made accessible to
students. Be prepared to delve deeper into new topics and issues as students become
more involved in pursuit of answers.

Step 3
Create a Schedule
Design a timeline for project components. Realise that changes to the schedule will
happen. Be flexible, but help students realise that a time will come when they need to
finalise their thoughts, findings, and evaluations. Allow students to go in new directions.
Guide them when they appear to be going in a direction that has no connection to the
project. Help students to stay on course but don’t accidentally set limitation

Step 4
Monitor Students and Project Progress
Facilitate the process and inculcate love for learning. Teach students how to work
collaboratively. Designate fluid roles for group members. Let students choose their
primary roles but assume responsibility and interactivity for other group roles. Remind
students that every part of the process belongs to them and needs their total
involvement. Provide resources, guidance and assess the process through creating
team rubrics and project rubrics. Team rubrics state the expectations of each team
member while project rubrics refer to evaluation requirements of the projects. As such,
these requirements must be made clear to students to ensure success in their projects.

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Step 5
Assess the Outcome
Assessment provides diagnostic feedback and helps educators set standards. It allows
one to evaluate progress and to relate that progress to others. It gives students
feedback on how well they understand the information and what they need to improve
on. Assessment also helps teachers design instruction to teach more effectively.
Whenever possible, allow self-assessment among students. If student’s and teacher’s
assessment contradicts, a student-teacher conference to justify learning outcomes
should be held

Step 6
Evaluate the Experience
In the busy schedule of a school day, there is often little time for reflection. Yet,
reflection is a very important part of the learning process. Set a time for reflection of
daily activities. Allow individual reflection, such as journaling, as well as group reflection
and discussion. Share feelings and experiences, and discuss what worked well and
what needs change. Share ideas that will lead to new questions, thus new projects.

Projects in Action
Projects can engage students in a variety of ways

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 EXAMPLES OF PBL IN MATHEMATICS

There is a wide variety of the type of project that teachers use in math class projects.
Some teachers present a scenario for the project and have students take the role of a
person in the workplace.

STATISTICAL REPORT OF A STATE DESIGN OF A SHOPPING MALL

In a middle school mathematics class, students work together preparing a statistical
report on the state, choosing a topic such as education. The end product can be a
presentation with graphs and written descriptions of significant findings. Consider
collaborating with a language arts or social studies teacher for this project.

DESIGN OF A SHOPPING MALL

In a high school geometry class, students work as architects and design a shopping
mall. Students research the design of malls and the feasible sizes for various types of
stores. The end product can be a brochure, poster, or webpage presenting the design to
a panel of adults or students serving as a city-planning board.

ROLE OF A HISTORIAN
In a high school algebra or trigonometry class, students take the role of historian by
researching the life of a mathematician of the past. Students present an important
contribution of the person in addition to his or her life story. The end product can be a
PowerPoint presentation about the mathematician presented to interested students or
adults.

MULTIPLE PROOFS OF THE PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM

In an advanced high school mathematics class, students research various proofs of the
Pythagorean Theorem. The end product can be a webpage showing the proofs or an
oral presentation of one of the proofs.

REFERENCE:
Educational Technology Division Ministry of Education, PROJECT-BASED LEARNING
HANDBOOK “Educating the Millennial Learner”, Communications and Training Sector
Smart Educational Development Educational Technology Division Ministry of
Education Pesiaran Bukit Kiara 50604 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, SEPTEMBER 2006

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Sample Unit Plan

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