PROBLEM-BASED LEARNINGWHERE DO WE BEGIN?

Cindy Mierzejewski and Marcelle McGheeOffice of Professional Development and Curriculum, BCIU

Essentials Questions

What is problem-based learning? What makes PBL effective? What are the best strategies to use? How do I assess projects? How can I begin to integrate PBL in the

classroom?

What is Problem-Based Learning?Give One – Get One Activity Fold a sheet of paper in half lengthwise. On

the left side, list statements about what you know about problem-based learning.

Move around the room and share with other participants. In each case, you will “give” one of your thoughts to another participant and “get” one of their thoughts.

Record other participants’ thoughts on the right side of the paper as you meet with them.

What is Problem-Based Learning?

http://cblearning.wikispaces.com/

What is Problem-Based Learning?

PBL engages students as stakeholders immersed in a messy, ill-structured, problematic situation.

PBL organizes curriculum around the holistic problem, enabling student learning in relevant and connected ways.

PBL creates a learning environment in which teachers coach student thinking and guide student inquiry, facilitating learning toward deeper levels of understanding while entering the inquiry as a co-investigator.

What is the Impact of PBL on Learners?

Increases Motivation Makes Learning Relevant to the Real

World Promotes Higher Order Thinking Encourages Learning How to Learn Requires Authenticity

Steps for Problem Design

Step One: Get Results Step Two: Prepare Students Step Three: Monitor Performance Step Four: Review Results Step Five: Closure

Step 1 – Get Results

Start with a lesson/unit that you already have or a new unit that you are developing

Identify what you want students to “Know” and “Be Able to Do”

Identify standards with which these align

Step 2 – Prepare Students

Build interest before the project begins This can be done when the last unit as the

last unit is finishing or at the very begin on the new unit

Advance organizers: questions, graphic organizers, visual presentations, banner ads, slides, bulletin board displays, and role-plays

Samples on pp.27-28 Quick Write

Step 3 – Monitor PerformancePLANNING THE RESULT What will be the product at the end of the project? How does this project address those items that were

identified as what the students need to know and be able to do?

What is the launch question or authentic problem? How rigorous is the content? What prior knowledge is

this based upon? What will the timeline be for completion? What will

the milestone timelines be? What materials (digital and non-digital) do they need

to complete the project?

What are the best strategies to use?

Principles of Learning Students’ existing knowledge base

influences their learning Learning usually progresses from the

concrete to the abstract. People learn most effectively through

practice. Effective learning requires feedback. Expectations affect performance.

What are the best strategies to use?

HIGH-YIELD INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES Identifying similarities and differences Summarizing and note taking Nonlinguistic representations Cooperative learning Setting objectives and providing

feedback Questions, cues, and advance organizers

What are the best strategies to use?

Scaffolding – read the article on Scaffolding and complete the Frayer model for the term “Scaffolding”

Cooperative group roles Rubrics for roles

Step 4 – Review Results

Student Self-assessment Self-assessment checklists or rubrics

Evaluation Rubrics

Step 5 - Closure

Summary of project and check for understanding

Building Foundation for future lessons/units

Recognitions

Where can we get ideas for problem-based learning?

You can get more ideas on projects for problem-based learning and lots more ideas for resources on the CBL learning.

http://cblearning.wikispaces.com