User:Marcyzicari

From KNILT

Marcy Zicari's profile page

PBL in the science classroom mini course



Topic/purpose

How to effectively implement Project Based Learning (PBL) into the science classroom. The Purpose of this mini-course is to help instructors understand and implement Problem Based Learning, or PBL, into the science classroom. PBL was originally designed for medical students and doctors to keep them aware of new innovations and technologies in the field. Since science is always changing with new findings in medicine PBL is used to keep them involved in lifelong learning within their specific area of study. As schools are preparing students to function in a world where many of the jobs that will be available to them are not even created yet, it is crucial for students to be able to work collaboratively to solve problems. PBL offers students opportunities to do this. In order to use PBL in the science classroom, teachers must understand what PBL is, how to create solid lessons and how to implement them successfully.

Goal:

  • The learner will understand how to design and implement PBLs in their classroom.

Objectives:

  • The learner will be able to explain their role as facilitator in a PBL science lesson.
  • The learner will develop ill structures problems to design an authentic task to implement PBL in the science classroom.
  • The learner will use rubrics to assess the performance of the students.

Needs Assessment

Problem: How to make the classroom reflect a more real world environment to help students prepare better for the future.

As schools are preparing students to function in a world where many of the jobs that will be available to them are not even created yet, it is crucial for students to be able to work collaboratively to solve problems. PBL offers students opportunities to do this. In order to use PBL in the classroom, teachers must understand what PBL is, how to create and implement lessons successfully, and how to assess their students effectively.

Analysis of the Learner and Context

Who are the learners?

This mini course is geared to high school teachers in all content areas. From a survey sent out to 25 international high school teachers, only 9 responded to the survey.

  • 22% of teachers surveyed knew what PBL was
  • 33% never use rubrics while 56% use rubrics sometimes to assess
  • 90% of teachers did not know how to design an ill structured problem

Based on my surveys, this course will offer concrete ideas on what PBL is and how to implement PBL in any classroom effectively. The survey results showed that although some teachers have heard of project based learning, they do not really know what it is or how to implement it in the classroom. This mini course will be a basic introduction to what PBL is and how to implement it into a classroom. It will also include how to assess PBL effectively.


Instructional Context

A connectivist approach will be used for individual learners who will have the opportunity to interact asynchronously via a discussion forum. The instruction will be implemented online and the participants will read open access related articles, watch videos and research. There will also be models provided throughout the course. A journal reflection will be done throughout the min course. Each unit will take about 45-an hour to complete. Outside coursework to complete the end project will take 3-5 hours. The learner will reflect on designing a PBL throughout the course. The mini course will culminate in the student creating a PBL unit to implement in their content area.

Performance Objectives

  • The learner will be able to describe the history of PBL in the learning environment
  • The learner will be able to explain the different roles of students and teachers in the classroom
  • The learner will be able to construct an ill formed question in their own content area.
  • The learner will be able to contrast between formative and summative assessment strategies used in the PBL classroom.
  • The learner will design a PBL that culminates in an artifact.
  • The learner will create a rubric to assess the PBL class they design.

Task Analysis

This course will be divided ingot three units. Each unit will consist of 2-3 lessons and each lesson will contain 2-3 tasks to complete.


Unit 1 What is PBL? Why should I use it?

  • History of PBL
  • Role of the teacher and student in a PBL
  • Why implementing PBL can be productive for learners

After reviewing the material in the unit the learner be able to describe the history of PBL in the classroom and what roles the teacher and student play.

The learner will review the material provided and watch several videos in this unit. They will then reflect on what they have learned in their journal. They will also be able to post ideas to the discussion board provided in the course.

Unit 2 What does a PBL classroom look like?

  • How is the PBL classroom environment different from a traditional classroom? What can you do to design a PBL unit?
  • How to construct an ill structured driving question

This unit focuses on the implementation of PBL in the classroom. It includes concrete steps that can be taken to implement PBL in a classroom. The learner will watch several videos and also read articles that will help them begin to formulate a driving question they can use in their content area. At each step, they will reflect in their journal. They will also post to the discussion board to questions.

Unit 3 How do you use formative and and summative assessment in the PBL classroom?

  • The learner will compare formative and summative assessment
  • What is an artifact in the PBL and why is so important
  • What is a rubric and how do you create one

The learner will explore formative and summative assessment as well as how to use them both effectively in a PBL classroom. As artifacts are a key part of the PBL design, the learner will explore what it is and how to incorporate an artifact into their PBL. The learner will also watch several videos and read articles that describe how to create a good rubric to evaluate a lesson. The learner will end this unit by creating strategies to assess both formatively and summatively in a PBL classroom. They will also create a rubric to assess the PBL lesson they are creating. The learner will reflect in their journal and will also be asked to post their ideas in the discussion board.

Curriculum Map

References and Resources

Brookhart, S. (2013, January 1). What Are Rubrics and Why Are They Important? Retrieved December 8, 2014, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/112001/chapters/What-Are-Rubrics-and-Why-Are-They-Important.aspx

Garrison, C., & Ehringhaus, M. (n.d.). Formative and Summative Assessments in the Classroom. Retrieved December 8, 2014, from http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/33148188-6FB5-4593-A8DF-8EAB8CA002AA/0/2010_11_Formative_Summative_Assessment.pdf

Honeycutt, K. (2011, January 11). Apollo 13 PBL Interview with Kevin Honeycutt. Retrieved December 3, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4R72jB5bT0

Larmer, J. (2014, January 6). Project-Based Learning vs. Problem-Based Learning vs. X-BL. Retrieved December 8, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/pbl-vs-pbl-vs-xbl-john-larmer

Larmer, J., & Mergendoller, J. (2010, September 1). Seven Essentials for Project Based Learning. Retrieved December 2, 2014, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/sept10/vol68/num01/seven_essentials_for_project-based_learning.aspx

Miller, A. (2011, August 17). How to Write Effective Driving Questions for Project-Based Learning. Retrieved December 8, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/pbl-how-to-write-driving-questions-andrew-miller

Miller, A. (2011, August 24). How to Refine Driving Questions for Effective Project-Based Learning. Retrieved December 3, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/pbl-how-to-refine-driving-questions-andrew-miller

The Driving Question - Overview. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://archive.pbl-online.org/driving_question/dqoverview/dqoverview.html

Peterson, B. (2012, May 1). UnBoxed: Online. Retrieved December 4, 2014, from http://www.hightechhigh.org/unboxed/issue8/uncovering_the_progressive_past/

Solomon, G. (2003, January 15). Project Based Learning: A Primer. Retrieved December 5, 2014, from http://pennstate.swsd.wikispaces.net/file/view/pbl-primer-www_techlearning_com.pdf

Wiggins, G. (2006, April 3). Healthier Testing Made Easy: The Idea of Authentic Assessment. Retrieved December 8, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/authentic-assessment-grant-wiggins

Wormeli, R. (2010, November 30). Rick Wormeli: Formative and Summative Assessment. Retrieved December 8, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJxFXjfB_B4

Assessment of Project-Based Learning. (2003, December 2). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from http://www.gsn.org/web/pbl/plan/assess.htm

Checklists to Support Project Based Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from http://pblchecklist.4teachers.org/testing.php?idunique=3&max=6&checklist=9

Create Rubrics For Your Project Based Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from http://rubistar.4teachers.org

Driving Question Tubric 2.0 | Project Based Learning | BIE. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from http://bie.org/object/document/driving_question_tubric

Embedding Assessment Throughout the Project (Keys to PBL Series Part 5). (2014, July 16). Retrieved December 4, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBK4C6agqAA

EssayTagger Common Core Rubric Creation Tool. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from http://www.essaytagger.com/commoncore

Project Based Learning: Explained. (2010, December 9). Retrieved December 6, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8

Project-Based Learning: Success Start to Finish. (2012, May 23). Retrieved December 3, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OWX6KZQDoE

Rigorous Project-Based Learning Transforms AP Courses. (2013, October 13). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/knowledge-in-action-PBL-research-video

Research Summary on the Benefits of PBL | Project Based Learning | BIE. (2013, January 1). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from http://bie.org/object/document/research_summary_on_the_benefits_of_pbl

Rubrics and Rubric Makers. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/rubrics/

What is 21st century education? (2012, March 15). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax5cNlutAys

Wing Project: Crafting a Driving Question. (2009, May 28). Retrieved December 3, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a487rcwqsLc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a487rcwqsLc

Retrieved from "https://knilt.arcc.albany.edu/index.php?title=User:Marcyzicari&oldid=90130"