Problem Based Learning
About PBL
Integrating Technology | Assessing PBL | Community Role
Educational Components Utilized in PBL
Using PBL as a teaching strategy opens up a whole new world for students. The class may struggle at first. Instead of being fed the content, they will need to find it on their own with the facilitation of their teacher. PBL incorporates a constructivist theory of education. Students are self-guided through much of the unit and are able to make their own discoveries. This creates ownership for the learner and content becomes more meaningful. I prefer this type of learning because I know it will be engraved in students' memories. Socratic questioning, or answering a question with a question, is necessary in PBL. The teacher must act as a facilitator, making sure not to simply reveal answers. Instead, posing open-ended questions to guide student progress is more advantageous. Constructivism and Socratic questioning both lead to a higher order of thinking. Our ultimate goal, as teachers, is to get our learners to the synthesis, application, and evaluation levels of thinking and learning. Gone are the days of rote memory and regurgitation. I have found that students learn more when they are able to work with their peers. Because of this, I stress the use of collaborative groups in my classroom. It is necessary to scaffold the responsibilities and expectations at the beginning of each year, but once that is set, the class will amaze you with their teamwork abilities. Group work is important to me because I know my students will need those skills once they enter the work force. Collaborative grouping is extremely conducive to hands-on activities. Task procedures are shared among group members and discoveries are made as a group. Collaborative grouping allows the teacher to facilitate more sufficiently, and also gives students more accountability, as they don't want to let their teammates down. Making ties between different subject areas helps cement content for students. A multidisciplinary unit is a great approach in the classroom. Students get a real-world experience in which subject areas are not used in isolation of one another. This also helps tap into the several different learning styles that will be present among your learners. It is important to remember that teachers have a direction, a guiding compass to help us wade through the immense amount of content to deliver to our students. Each district has a mandated set of guiding standards and/or benchmarks. Use these standards as educational goals and use them when designing each PBL unit. Educational methods should enhance a student's ability to make connections that will transfer with them throughout life.
Integration of Technology in PBL
We live in a fast-paced technological world. Students are comfortable with technology and it is a wonderful engagement tool. Using technology in the classroom allows students' talents and creativity to shine, while also preparing them for the business world. Technology can be an excellent tool while researching, via Internet or software programs. Technology can serve as a link to experts in a field through emails or video-conferencing. Perhaps the most common use of technology is in publishing. Students have a true-to-life experience when they must organize information they have learned to present to an audience through a multi-media format. Examples range from iMovies, web pages, and Power Point presentations; to creating word processing documents, spreadsheets, or web quests.
Assessment methods should be aligned to the goals of the task and should be a continuous process throughout a PBL unit. As a teacher facilitates the learning, he/she should formally or informally assess student progress and consider what measures need to be made on an individual student basis. Waiting to assess at the very end of a unit is not feasible because it goes against the entire reasoning behind PBL. Emphasis should be placed on the process, the critical thinking, the reasoning behind each student's work. Remember that there is no one right answer in PBL. If a student can logistically justify how they arrived at a conclusion, it should be acceptable. Because of these considerations, I plan to use open-ended question quizzes, journals, peer and self performance assessments, presentations, and product rubrics in my classroom. Journals would be used frequently for students to summarize new findings, understandings, and questions throughout a PBL unit. This displays first-hand material in which to determine the level of understanding for each student. Peer and self performance assessments would be filled out by the students based on criteria set by the class. Example criteria may be: Staying on task, Listening to others, Finishing assignments, etc. This type of assessment reinforces accountability for each learner. Presentations offer an opportunity for students to justify theories, conclusions, and results they have made. Product rubrics would be used for any large, culminating product expected of students. These rubrics should always be presented to the class when the task is first assigned. Student feedback and modifications should be included in each rubric.
Desired Community Role within the PBL
Student interest can be peaked when outside community members are included in learning. Enlisting field experts will not only help students, but the teacher as well. Community members can be an excellent resource when it comes to clearing up discrepancies or brainstorming ideas. If you are not an expert in the content area, it as reassuring to know you have a knowledgeable person to outreach. Local universities, businesses, public offices, and retailers can serve as resources. Geologists from UTEP, civil engineers, architects, and building inspectors would be experts to contact for my Landslide PBL. Along with people, places in the community offer a wealth of opportunity. Field trips to museums, parks, businesses, etc. give students a setting in which to apply what they have learned.
Bonham Elementary
EPISD
For further information or comments, please contact hclick@utep.edu .