Seven Essentials for Project Based Learning
According to the Educational Leadership website, a project is meaningful if the students perceive it as a project that matters and if it fulfills an educational purpose. The website also stated that there are seven essential elements of a meaningful project. The first element is "A Need to Know." Need to Know suggests introducing a project by showing a video or starting a discussion that would interest and engage the students. The second element is a "Driving Question," which is similar to a thesis statement and is about what the students are going to learn. The third element is "Student Choice and Voice." According to the website, this element is key in making the project meaningful to the students, more choice and voice is preferred. In "21st Century Skills," which is the fourth element, to prepare students for the workplace, projects should include collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and technology. "Inquiry and Innovation" is the fifth element. Inquiry is questioning and researching for answers that leads to innovation which is a new answer to a driving question. The sixth element is "Feedback and Revision" and the last element is "A Publicly Presented Product." Teachers should provide direct feedback to the student and the student will present their work to an audience.
Project Based Learning for Teachers
Project Based Learning has students working over an extended period of time answering a driving question according to the Project Based Learning for Teachers video. Project Based Learning is inquiry based, open ended, problem solving, and personalized. With this type of learning students learn collaboration skills, communication skills, critical thinking skills, career skills, and life skills. It is stated that Project Based Learning should be thought of as questioning, investigating, sharing, and reflecting. Technology also plays a major role in this type of learning. Project Based Learning allows students to take charge of their learning.
What Motivates Students?
The video "What Motivates Students?" discusses what motivates students to do well in school. One thing that motivates students to do well in school is being able to become successful. Students also like rewards such as treats, points, and stickers for making good grades or making an effort to do so.
Project Based Learning in PE
Project Based Learning in PE discusses how Project Based Learning can be used in Physical Education class. One project stated was creating a physical fitness program for middle school students. Creating this fitness would involve a lot of collaboration and teamwork and also addresses the Physical Education Standards. These are all a big part of Project Based Learning. The students will also be able to analyze, evaluate, create, and present their fitness program to middle school students.
Two Students Solve the Problem of Watery Ketchup by Designing a New Cap
In this video, two high school students try to find a solution to prevent water from squirting out of a ketchup bottle. With their school's "Project Lead the Way Program" the two students were able to design a new cap with a 3-D printer that prevented watery ketchup. The "Project Lead the Way Program" allowed the students to do research for a year on the cap problem and it appeared in a senior showcase.
Heather,
ReplyDeleteI too read the article Project Based Learning in PE. I found it to be quite fascinating as it shows to us as future educators what can be done with Project Based Learning techniques outside of the classroom.