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            In this week’s blog post I am analyzing the circumstances and design principles of project-based learning (PBL) and exploring the roles of the students and the teacher in classrooms that utilize PBL.  The overarching question regarding PBL is how and why did using this approach increase student engagement and knowledge and skill acquisition and transfer?  The classrooms, lessons, and teachers observed were Rocklegde Elementary School with Fran Koontz and the “March of the Monarchs” project, Mountainlake Terrace High School with Eeva Reeder and the “High School Design” project, and several projects at Newsome Park Elementary School with various teachers.

            Within each school and respective projects there are certain circumstances and design principles present.  The most important commonality amongst each, in my opinion, is that all students are expected to become engaged in learning through “real world” research and application.  Even though the use of modern tools (i.e. computers) is not explicitly stated in each of the Newsome Park projects, all students throughout all of the schools accessing information and creating projects in a myriad of ways.  For example, in Nancy Mason’s Kindergarten project “While You Were Sleeping … A Project About Night!” students are led on a field trip to a planetarium, researching spiders and their webs, and observing the phases of the moon.  They are actively engaged in “real world” research and application and are learning much about nighttime.  In Ms. Reeder’s classroom, her high school students are expected to design a high school to be built in 2050.  The topics of geometry, mathematics, engineering, and technology are applied by the students in creation of said high school.

           

            In each school, the roles of students and teachers are different than in a more traditional approach.  The teacher takes the more passive role in developing quality projects and assessments while students are actively engaged in their own work and creations.  These roles serve the best interest of the students because they are able to discover and apply concepts and content in meaningful ways.  These projects satisfy the core components of PBL by allowing the teachers to have multiple assessment opportunities, learn more about the child,  and helps communicate with the child on a range of issues (Edutopia, 2007).  The students than can demonstrate capabilities, apply desired skills, and develops a child’s ability to work on teamwork and group skills (Edutopia, 2007).

            The students in each school became more engaged and knowledgeable when PBL was applied.  This data is provided from the teachers themselves.  “[Ms.] Koontz says she sees big dividends in the hand-on approach to learning that Journey North [(the database in which she used to develop her project)] advocates, from better writing to deeper investigation skills” (Curtis 2002).  Ms. Reeder states “Students need repeated opportunities to practice it within a complex, high-stakes context – similar to what they’ll encounter in the community and the workplace as adults” (Armstrong).  Principal Peter Bender, of Newsome Park Elementary, speaks about his own observations by stating “[t]hey’re engaged [and] they want to be here” (Curtis, 2001).  He goes on to explain how he “routinely overhears students sharing information about their projects and brainstorming about how to make them better” (Curtis, 2001).

            The students in each scenario seem to be actively engaged and working toward the meaningful production of quality, researched projects.  PBL provides these opportunities that traditional teaching does not.  As I conclude, I reflect upon my own use of projects in my classes.  I feel more confident in what I would say is “taking a leap of faith” towards more projects.  I am excited to learn more about how to make more meaningful and worthwhile opportunities for my own students.           

Reference List:

Armstrong, S. (2002). Geometry Students Angle into Architecture Through Project Learning. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/geometry-real-world-students-architects

Curtis, D. (2001). More Fun Than a Barrel of … Worms?! Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/more-fun-barrel-worms

Curtis, D. (2002). March of the Monarchs: Students Follow the Butterflies’ Migration. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/march-monarchs

Edutopia (2007). How Does Project-Based Learning Work? Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-implementation