Problem Based Learning
Teaching Earth Science through Problem Based Learning
Heather Click, Science Leader
Bonham Elementary
El Paso, TX
Effective Instruction | Classroom Strategies | Effective Directions and Feedback
The PBL Topic and Outline
I have authored a problem based learning (PBL) unit to address the overarching theme of natural forces that alter landforms on the earth, specifically: weathering, erosion, and deposition. I chose this objective for my fifth graders because it is often the lowest scoring area on standardized tests. It is an abstract concept because of the fact that it cannot be seen. These geologic processes require thousands of years to take affect. To address this issue I chose to create a constructivist, PBL unit incorporating a real-world connection to recent landslide occurrences.
Activities within the unit include a web search to increase content knowledge, the creation of a landslide model, testing the effects of rain on the model, and a comparative study of precipitation averages for different cities. To view the entire unit, visit my web site at http://utminers.utep.edu/hclick/ted5314/default.htm.
Below, I will expand upon three components necessary for this PBL unit to be a success with students: effective instruction, classroom strategies, and providing effective directions and feedback.
A student cannot learn from their teacher if he/she is not paying attention. Because of this, it is a crucial principle to ensure that you captivate your audience in order to deliver instruction for any lesson, including PBL. Since I teach students at every grade level for periods of 30 to 60 minutes, I need a strategy to focus students quickly. I get students to focus on me by slowly singing, “One, two, three, look at me.” This method can grow old, so I interchange it with the “finger wigglies.” I stand in front of the room and hold my hands out in front of me, wiggling all ten fingers. Once all students are imitating me, I interlock all fingers and they do the same. I then ask students to place their interlocked hands in their laps. This focuses the attention away from any distractions that may be on the table to me.
Once you have captured the attention of the class, you must be aware and prepared to react to changes. Paying attention is defined by Allen (2002) as “being able to recall and use the information at a later date.” Allen also states that “adults, on average, can pay attention for up to a maximum of fifteen minutes. Teens focus for eight to ten minutes and the figures drop drastically for students twelve and under” (p. 34). This means that once you have the learner’s attention, you only have a short window of time for instruction before a “state change” is necessary.
Allen defines a state change occurrence as “when an educator changes the method of instruction for the audience from one modality to another” (33). A state change is a means of taking a short transitional break before continuing and/or changing to a different format of instruction. Once I see that my students are growing restless, I may alter my tone of voice, tell the story of a personal experience in relation to the topic, or make a silly analogy to get a laugh. I have even had students stand up and do jumping jacks, or taken the class on a short walk around the campus halls. Once the students have “snapped back” into the room, I will attempt to alter the format to a small group discussion, whole class discussion, writing of notes, reading in pairs, etc.
Another principle of effective instruction mentioned in Impact Teaching (Allen, 2002) is the use of open loops. An open loop is “any statement, action, visual device, or other event that gives learners foreknowledge of what is coming” (p. 40). It indicates that “something will be completed later”. This matches very well with the theory of PBL. An open loop would be equivalent to the hook of the unit that grasps the learner’s attention so they want to learn more, such as pondering the risk of a local landslide. Open loops in PBLs also give students an idea of the direction they are headed toward. An assigned task or a series of guiding questions will lead to a product completed in the near future. This will give the student a goal to strive for, while also giving them a timeframe to work with.
I apply a countless number of strategies in my classroom, and I know that my classroom strategies are always changing, because my classes of students are always changing. There are key strategies, however, that are needed within the learning environment for successful PBLs.
First of all, PBL will not take place if students do not possess a feeling of ownership. “Giving ownership to the students means looking for as many ways as possible for them to be intimately involved in the creation, the presentation and the evaluation of the relevant information” (Allen, p. 92). “When students feel personally involved in material, they tend to look harder to find the value in the information, and how it might apply to them. This attitude toward learning in general, and specifically toward the broader applicability of content, will enhance students’ overall ability to remember the information” (p.93). Assigning students an official, adult role such as a building inspector, a congress member, or an environmental scientist; gets students involved and assigns a mission that can only be completed if valuable information is gathered.
Along with ownership of the content to be learned, students must also hold ownership in the physical classroom. This is sometimes hard for me because the classes filter in and out throughout the day. For this reason, I give each PBL participating class a space of their own to display their work. Each group is assigned a window panel in the room. Using a special set of window markers, each group is free to write main ideas, definitions, plans, etc. on the panel for display.
I’ve noticed that when students record notes on their window panels, and also in their daily science journals, they replicate a style of note taking that I utilize. During lecture time, I pause to note main ideas and key facts on the overhead. As part of this strategy, I incorporate the use of pictures. As stated in What Works in Classroom Instruction (Marzano, Gaddy and Dean, 2000), drawing pictures to represent ideas, events, places, or objects is a powerful way to generate nonlinguistic representations in the mind. This pictorial code appeals to students who are visual learners. Students learn to transfer this strategy into their own note-taking proving that they are analyzing new information.
Providing Effective Directions and Feedback
“A lack of clarity in directions presents a variety of problems. Students who are unclear about what is required of them in a given situation may hesitate to involve themselves for fear of doing something wrong. They may quickly wander off-task, or, worse yet, they may believe they are on task, but end up spending precious classroom time on an inconsequential tangent” (Allen, p.113). Teachers can alleviate these problems by delivering effective directions in the first place.
Impact Teaching explains three strategies of providing effective directions that I use daily in my classroom. These strategies are one at a time, see me, and step check; all of which will result in more successful PBL for you and your students. One at a time involves giving one step of a complete procedure at a time. Students get overwhelmed and grow confused and intimidated if a series of tasks are rattled off all at once. In order to be effective, I only give one or two steps, then have the class complete those steps. I then give one or two more, and they complete. This saves time, eliminating the need for the teacher to repeat directions, which can also lead to frustration. For PBL units students should only work on one small chunk at a time, as outlined in one at a time.
See me is very important for my students because I move around the room a lot. If students are not able to see me, chances are their focus will not be entirely on me and I could lose them. I address this at the beginning of the school year. Students are held to the expectation of making eye contact with me (or any other presenter) when I am delivering instruction. I explain that I will be moving about and that when I do, students should feel at ease situating their bodies to face me (keeping that eye contact). We even have practice run-throughs where I travel around the room and the students make adjustments in their seats accordingly. This will be an important aspect of PBL, not just for the teacher, but for any guest speakers and student presentations as well.
“A vital component in giving effective directions is verifying that each member of the audience is following along at the appropriate pace” (Allen, p. 123). Step check is getting an active response from the audience that lets you know they are with you before proceeding. There are several examples of step check I use in my classroom. If I need students to locate an answer in a book or a specific tool for a lab, for instance, I’ll ask everyone to raise their hands once the have found it. Sometimes I’ll ask students to help those whose hands are not raised yet. I use alterations to raising hands like put one hand on your head, give me the thumbs up sign, or grab one ear. Students think these are funny and it lets me know if I can proceed. Checklists are great for letting me know if students have completed a series of tasks. When I believe the class is finished I call out “Checklist!” I then list each set of requirements one at a time, allowing time for students to call back “Check!”, or to quickly complete that task. I have used step check a lot at the end of the day to ensure students have all necessary materials for homework, permission forms, etc. before they are released. PBL checklists can be used prior to student presentations as well.
Along with concise directions, feedback is also significant. “Effective feedback is when the transmission of information promotes learning, increases drive, strengthens self-esteem, and leads to a deeper relationship between the giver and receiver” (AITT Teaching Modules, 2003). If used effectively, feedback can boost self esteem and instill motivation in students to reform and improve their work. In order for this to happen, feedback “should be solicited, attentive, caring, and respectful in delivery, collaborative, well-timed, clear and direct, specific, directed at behavior the person can change, focused on limited behaviors, balanced, and provide direction for improvement.” Positive feedback should be delivered along with constructive criticism. Students should be given ideas on how to improve their work and be encouraged to make improvements. Because the nature of PBL specifies no one right answer, constant feedback from the teacher is obligatory. Feedback should also take place as soon as possible, giving students the opportunity to adjust without wasting time on unrelated efforts.
Utilizing these strategies is only the beginning for creating a successful interactive learning environment in which PBL can flourish. Much of the interaction and methods will vary from teacher to teacher, as we all have our own styles. It will take time to decide best practices for your classroom.
References
AITT Teaching Modules. “Effective Feedback” (Power Point presentation). 2003. Acadia Institute for Teaching and Technology. http://teach.acadiau.ca/pedegogy/feedback%20copy.ppt#283,7,Effective Feedback.
Allen, R. Impact Teaching. 2002. Allyn & Bacon. Boston, MA.
Marzano, Gaddy & Dean. What Works in Classroom Instruction. 2000. Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI), U.S. Department of Education, http://www.mcrel.org/PDF/Instruction/5992TG_What_Works.pdfBonham Elementary
EPISD
For further information or comments, please contact hclick@utep.edu .