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Project-Based Learning

in the Digital Age

Jane Krauss and Suzie Boss

Laptop and Leaders Academy

June 7-9, 2010

Region 3 Education Service Agency of South Dakota

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About Your Guides

Colleagues, co-authors, PBL advocates

Jane Krauss Suzie Boss

With guests:

Terry Smith and Bruce Hammonds

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Where We’re Going

Monday Getting to Know You

Intro to PBL

PBL in Practice

Grant Information with Ann

From Ideas to Design

Design a Project Brief

Project Support

~PBL After Hours~

TuesdayCritical Friends Review

Breakouts

Assessment

Essential Learning Functions supported by tech

Project Work

Plan Next Steps

Project Support

~PBL After Hours~

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Where We’re Going in 2+ Days

In four stages, complete a project plan-establish conceptual framework-draft project brief(s)-seek input, redraft-develop project plan see: Project Planning in wiki

On beyond these days:-seek partnerships-prepare, schedule, set expectations-plan assessments-Go!

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Tools in Context

• Google Sites (wiki) • blogs• Google office apps• Skype • Wordle• Wallwisher• *Google SketchUp• *Glogster

•Embeddable media•Slideshare•Flickr •Delicious, Diigo social bookmarking•Ning Network Classroom 2.0•Let’sGoVote

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About You

Projects are life. Life is a series of projects.

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About You

Discuss: • Project• Capabilities you drew on, developed along the

way

Note taker writes in Google Doc - Life’s a Project

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About You

Tapping into PracticeIn Google Site personal wiki page or on paper reflect:

1) What projects have your students done? 2) What have you wanted to try? 3) List all traditions, celebrations, civic/public events

in and out of school

5 and 5

discussion

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Let’s Hear from Kids

Digital Youth Portrait: Cameron

Edutopia

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PBL ~ What’s Different?

Neil Stephenson’s class, Calgary Science School Neil’s Blog Thinking in Mind

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Let’s Define PBL…

In project-based learning, students learn important subject matter

by investigating open-ended questions

and “making meaning”

that they transmit in purposeful ways.

Projects allow students a degree of choice, setting

the stage for active engagement and teamwork.

Technology helps it happen

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Effective Projects

Probe matters of importance

Mirror authentic work

Are designed for “optimal ambiguity” allowing students multiple points of entry and directions for learning, creativity and outcomes

Develop knowledge, skills and dispositions

Go beyond understanding and studying to some kind of action or resolve

Are right-sized

Cause kids to teach and learn from one another

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Activity-Based Learning Project-Based Learning

Teacher-Directed Student-Driven

Giving Answers Making Meaning

Useful to Know Enduring Understanding

School-World Real-World

Curricular Enhancement Curricular Focus

Activity-Based v. Project-Based Learning

Continuum of Practice

Fun Captivating

(or not)

Thematic

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• Read, write, do math with apples

• Visit an orchard• Make apple sauce• Conduct a taste test• Paint and draw apples• Put on a Johnny

Appleseed play

PBLWhy these apples?

Activity based v. PBL

“Why are these the apples sold in our store?”

geography, agriculture, economics

“How did they get from the tree to here?”

labor, distribution systems

“Did grandma eat these apples at my age?”

change over time, narratives

Thematic Unit

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The Project Spiral

Projects get better and better

Common practices emerge

Traditions develop

Expectations grow

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The Project Spiral

Impact goes beyond kids

“I did a live video-chat

with some enterprising

high school freshmen at

Arapahoe High School in

Littleton, CO”--Cory Doctorow

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Let’s Go Vote

Funning Around in Mitchell

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About You

When it comes to PBL, you are:

Meet Terry Smith

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Let’s Hear from Kids

Christian Long’s Class Hons. English

The Alice Project - Class site

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Why do we study the Renaissance?

Reinventing a Research Project: Key Figures of the Renaissance

discussion

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Study a major figure of the Renaissance period.

Create a digital slideshow that informs others about this person’s most significant accomplishments.

Demonstrate clear organization and cite all sources of information and images.

Original Assignment: Key Figures of the Renaissance

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Reconsidered Project: Mingling at the Renaissance Ball

With 1-2 partners, study several notable individuals in a shared field (art, science, medicine, architecture, philosophy, music, literature) during the Renaissance period.Develop a defensible set of criteria for an award in this field, and identify the individual most deserving. Design a badge that signifies the meaning of the award and be ready to present it during a public event.

Modified from Kim DiBiase - NBCT, Apple Learning Exchange

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With 1-2 partners, study several notable individuals in a shared field (art, science, medicine, architecture, philosophy, music, literature) during the Renaissance period. Develop a defensible set of criteria for an award in this field, and identify the individual most deserving. Design a badge that signifies the meaning of the award and be ready to present it during a public event.

CollaborationInterest,

Big ideas

Research,

Experts

Creativity

Argument,

Negotiation Synthesis

Presentation

Judgment

Reconsidered project: Mingling at the Renaissance Ball

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How to Teach This Way?

Key Components

Support–Key conditions met, honored

Instructional design –“Backward” design–Shaped by input

Preparation –Materials–Expectations

Necessary tools –Social tools–Supported use

Seek continuous improvement

Fearlessness

Fraternité

Forgiveness

Fidelity & Fortitude

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About You

When it comes to PBL, you are:

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Where to Go Next

Tenderfoot? Join others in a project.Pennies for Peace, international service-learning project with K-12 curricula to get you started: www.penniesforpeace.orgEdutopia webinar with author Greg Mortenson to get you inspired: www.edutopia.org/greg-mortenson-webinar-archive

Other projects to join:iEARN: www.iearn.orgFlat Classroom Project: www.flatclassroomproject.org

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Where to go next

Explorer? Expand beyond your classroom.

Find collaborative partners at:Classroom 2.0: www.classroom20.org Edutopia groups: www.edutopia.org ePals: www.epals.org Global Education Collaborative:

http://globaleducation.ning.com/

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Where to Go Next

Scout? Build buzz and go to scale.• Buzz-builders: Twitter, blogs, Facebook• Invite others to join: Edutopia groups • Share your wisdom with others in PBL~Better

with Practice group:

www.classroom20.com/group/pblbetterwithpractice

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(Scan Projects)

HS

MS

Elem

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Project Brief Example

Athens, OH6th GradeRecently, a student's grandparent fell on a broken sidewalk and fractured her hip. Kids expressed concern about mobility and safety in the community.

The driving question for our investigation is: How can everyone safely get where they need to go? Groups craft "need to know" questions and investigate the needs of different citizen constituencies (elderly, disabled, bike commuters, parents with strollers, joggers, young pedestrians, etc.), develop reasoned solutions to mobility concerns for those groups, develop an action plan and campaign for change.

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Project Briefs

Conceptual Framework

Write : Project Brief

Include elements that help reader

understand subject matter, student

interaction, learning outcomes

IdeaIdea

Idea