tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post6842996191599637020..comments2022-11-19T01:47:57.196-08:00Comments on TECH 4 TESOL: ***Discussion #1: Project Based LearningMark Gurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03634049376441028517noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-53353491677127049902008-08-06T14:35:00.000-07:002008-08-06T14:35:00.000-07:00Well, to beat a dead horse and because I find it d...Well, to beat a dead horse and because I find it difficult to play devil's advocate on this issue, PBL is great! I'll now reiterate some of the comments made by my classmates which I most agreed with: <BR/><BR/>1. Project based learning provides a wonderful opportunity to present students with authentic, real world challenges. <BR/>2. As the educator, one of the crucial aspects to consider when creating such a project is how to balance structure with freedom of choice. <BR/>3. PBL necessitates a lot of planning on the part of the instructor and may need to go through several "trial runs" with various classes to work out unforseen problems. <BR/><BR/>I have yet to develop my own pbl experience for my ESL classes, but it is one of my big goals for next year. I'm lucky that my school has a flexible curriculum (especially in regard to ESL) and an administration who is willing to try new ideas. Now I just have to do it!Mike Chrzanowskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09043046082012894591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-89400917538630692332008-08-05T17:16:00.000-07:002008-08-05T17:16:00.000-07:00For students, it's all about feedback. The portfol...For students, it's all about feedback. The portfolios used in my school as project based assessments do take a lot of time to compile and keep updated. The students hate to do the grunt work but enjoy watching their work progress over time. They are often suprised to see the same mistakes repeated over a period of months. This is worth the time and trouble creating their files and dragging them accross the school. I don't see a replacement for this type of feedback.Ms. Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06159746667461201472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-39067483585015281342008-08-05T16:01:00.000-07:002008-08-05T16:01:00.000-07:00Obviously, PBL is proven to be worthwhile, and as ...Obviously, PBL is proven to be worthwhile, and as many have already stated, it provides students with authentic learning opportunities that integrate real-world tasks such as collaborative thought and presentation to peers.<BR/><BR/>For myself, however, the biggest problem with PBL is making everyone accountable for the final product. As is the case with many things in life, those willing to take "the easy way out" will do so, while relying on those who are more naturally intrinsically motivated. While peer reviews may help, oftentimes students don't take them seriously and are wary of giving their peers poor marks, regardless of their ineptitude.<BR/><BR/>Two possible solutions to this are periodic individual assessments and assigned roles within the project. Individual assessments make each student responsible for the material that is covered, however, it doesn't necessarily help with the final product within PBL. Assigned roles seems to be the best solution to the problem of individual accountability because they create specific tasks that can be tracked and assessed for the final product. However, it may be necessary to make sure that students take turns at different tasks throughout the course of the year.Mr. Joelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04770710404974842710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-76582125709773568662008-07-26T20:23:00.000-07:002008-07-26T20:23:00.000-07:00I love the theory of PBL – on so many levels. It’s...I love the theory of PBL – on so many levels. It’s authentic, it motivates students, and it’s a more unified, constructivist approach than teaching unconnected, individual lessons. But my major concern is this: It requires a lot more of the teacher in terms of planning, classroom management, and trouble-shooting. Given that such a high percentage of teachers are inexperienced (especially in ESL), are they really up to the task?Carol Pincushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00055570622254012146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-9026039199291018252008-07-23T17:21:00.000-07:002008-07-23T17:21:00.000-07:00Being a special education teacher, I’m always look...Being a special education teacher, I’m always looking for new ways to differentiate learning in my classroom. ESL and special education are closely linked in the strategies used to help students be successful. Each child is unique and not everyone fits into a standardized test. PBL gives students a chance to shine. With No Child Left Behind it has put a lot of hardships on students with disabilities and ESL students. We worked so hard on getting these student IEPs and create individualized materials to help them succeed to in turn mold them all together and make them take a standardized test that is way above their academic level. Human beings are so different in nature and to make everyone take them same test seems ridiculous. PBL challenges kids and PBL skills are going to prepare students for the future. They are more likely to be working on projects at their jobs then tests.Lindsay Tuttlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03561077618862600258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-68555779456885034852008-07-22T11:10:00.000-07:002008-07-22T11:10:00.000-07:00I agree with Ohkono, PBL is something the students...I agree with Ohkono, PBL is something the students can take ownership of and the teacher can hold students accountable for. As a middle school teacher, when I do long term projects with my students they love knowing what they will be working on each day. They have a lot of pride and care a lot about it since they have been working on it for so long. They set goals for themselves and once they achieve these goals they are so proud of themselves. I will continue to implement PBL.Born 2B Bloggershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05992750510813552808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-62657486368769746922008-07-21T12:00:00.000-07:002008-07-21T12:00:00.000-07:00The focus at my school is on PBL in the classroom,...The focus at my school is on PBL in the classroom, however, as part of the AIS team working in a pull-out situation I am involved in many in-school discussions about how we can use the PBL model when we work with groups that we might only see 2-3 times each week and in different configurations. As a result I have been working with the resource room teachers in developing curriculum this summer that is skill based and addresses students' needs while still trying to keep the activities meaningful. While we are not developing projects for next year, we are working to align the activities that they do in our pull-out sessions with the projects that they are doing in their content area classes. I think it is important to target skills so that they are able to participate in projects and I think that by working on skills separately they will be better equipped to collaborate with their classmates and learn from the projects that they are doing. That said, I think it is important to evaluate the needs of the individual student when planning instruction because different models may be appropriate for different learners.Ms. Kennellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16508986353182929014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-51752857889810052702008-07-19T10:10:00.000-07:002008-07-19T10:10:00.000-07:00Like many others, I like the idea of PBL and what ...Like many others, I like the idea of PBL and what it means to the students. Knowing that learning takes many different forms, PBL is one way to tap into some of the “non-traditional”, test-prep methods. For those who learn by doing, PBL provides a wonderful opportunity to dive in and experiment (using Power Point and other forms of technology, researching, etc…). I do think that education has a habit of following fads and only time will tell if PBL continues to be used by more teachers, or if it falls by the wayside because of the intense amount of instructor work and intrinsic student motivation needed. As someone who is the product of a more project-based education, I think it is an excellent method to help students develop into thinkers, problem-solvers, collaborators, and well-rounded people; but, not good multiple choice test takers. As a society we need to determine what we value.andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05755893611663086653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-68714318314834505322008-07-17T09:50:00.000-07:002008-07-17T09:50:00.000-07:00I'm a huge fan of PBL, and I sincerely hope that e...I'm a huge fan of PBL, and I sincerely hope that education starts to shift that way. One important point I didn't see above is that PBL offers an environment in which the standards can actually be covered - those test prep books cover materials, not standards.<BR/><BR/>Jamie made the point that PBL can be used for ELA and social studies classes, but I don't think it stops there. In my school overseas, we used PBL very effectively in several science units as well. The kids, the teachers, and even family members all had a lot of fun.<BR/><BR/>That brings me to another point which several people expressed concerns about: classroom management. The fear is that it's hard to control kids when they're all off doing their own thing, and I think people are very well justified to worry about this. However, the idea of PBL is that students wouldn't be doing a project that they weren't highly motivated to do. When the project is something they themselves are invested in, managing them is a lot simpler.<BR/><BR/>The last point I want to hit on is Michelle's. She said that our classrooms are not currently set up for PBL. She's dead on with this point. Not having the resources or the space, even, to pursue PBL is extremely frustrating for me, and I'm not yet sure how to effectively tackle it.Anna Janssenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12411782925968213352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-12928958357429980392008-07-15T11:45:00.000-07:002008-07-15T11:45:00.000-07:00this is a testthis is a testMs. Stephaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08427491482726709666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-91886809614509984002008-07-15T11:29:00.000-07:002008-07-15T11:29:00.000-07:00Here are some more websites with sample student pr...Here are some more websites with sample student projects and lesson plans: <BR/>http://pblmm.k12.ca.us/News/awards.htm<BR/><BR/>http://www.buddyproject.org/thematic/iditarod.asp<BR/><BR/>http://www.project-approach.com/examples/projects.htm<BR/><BR/>http://www3.cesa10.k12.wi.us/clustera/summer/2002/Nancy_Jim_Iditerod/LessonPlan.htm<BR/><BR/>http://www.lacnyc.org/resources/IT/pbl.htmReflective Studenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10130070279889154837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-87785560156988371712008-07-15T11:06:00.000-07:002008-07-15T11:06:00.000-07:00I too agree with my classmates that PBL is useful ...I too agree with my classmates that PBL is useful to teachers and students alike. <BR/><BR/>After reviewing one of the websites that Professor Gura mentioned in class, iearn.org, and viewing students' projects on that website, in particular, animated public service announcements focused on teaching lessons about natural disaster preparedness, it is clear to me that students involved in that project gained much more from doing the project than they could have from listening to a teacher teach about natural disasters and how to be prepared for such disasters. Students through such a project learned not only about the subject matter in their own city/state/country, but also learned about other students and the natural disasters those students could face in their respective countries as well as how those students would prepare for such disasters. Through this project, students were able to build collaborative relationships in the classroom, and become a part of a global audience. Students further learned animation skills, which include, drawing, knowledge of how to run and use animation software. <BR/><BR/>Just after looking at this one example of PBL, its amazing to me how many benefits students reaped from such a project that they could not have gained from traditional teaching. Traditional teaching divorces a task/skill from the real world. That's the problem. That's why our students are always bored and why they always ask us "why is this important?" or "why do I have to know this?" Most of the time, I say, "You have to know this because it will be on the regents." (Yikes, how regret giving such an answer.) PBL really is the answer. <BR/><BR/>I believe that the benefits that students gained from the above-mentioned project students are also gained through most other PBL. Through PBL, students are able to have authentic learning experiences that they are not likely to forget or gain through traditional teaching. Such experiences are likely to propell students to further pursue their interests. Isn't that the point of education anyway. Isn't it our job to create a spark in a child's mind, to show students a way to develop that spark , that interest in the real world. Students involved in such projects are now able to take the skills they learned and go on to bigger and better things. PBL is the way to go. <BR/><BR/>Now, having said all of that, I still struggle with finding ways to implement PBL into my classroom. I spent most of my first year teaching dealing with classroom management issues. Putting in place a long term project means that I will have to implement it successfully from start to finish. I'm not so sure I can do that at this juncture as a teacher. Understanding that, maybe the way to go is to develop a few smaller, short term projects that will allow me to get my feet wet with PBL and then be ready to implement it during my third year of teaching. <BR/><BR/>So, as I gain more experience in this profession, I hope to move my classroom away from the traditional teaching model to a pbl model. I expect though such a transition will be slow and steady.Reflective Studenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10130070279889154837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-5627427634487525662008-07-15T07:58:00.000-07:002008-07-15T07:58:00.000-07:00I agree with all of my classmates in regards to th...I agree with all of my classmates in regards to the benefits of PBL. Hands on experiences for an ESL learner really helps them to learn not only academic language but also content. However, I think teaching perfection had a good point when she mentioned the importance of starting off the school year teaching in the traditional format before moving into PBL. Children need a solid foundation first on content before they can start working on their projects. PBL will allow them to put into practice the skills and knowledge that they learned through the traditional format and really acquire that knowledge.<BR/><BR/>Mr. Gaulke brings up three problems in implementing PBL that I was concerned with as well. As a first year teacher, classroom management is still not perfect in my classroom. I teach first grade, and I learned that if I did not have strict rituals and routines for my students, they would go a little wild. I think that until I master classroom management, PBL would not be successful in my classroom because the students would be off task. I tried having my students work on several small projects throughout the year, and that work wasn't very successful. My students were motivated in learning, but when it came to doing work and research they wanted to play more. Currently I am still trying to wrap my head around the curriculum as well as the management aspect of a classroom, so PBL is something that I would like to do and implement in my classroom in the future once I got a grasp on everything else. PBL has to be very well thought out and planned in order to be successful, and currently I am still lost on a lot of things to have this work. <BR/><BR/>In regards to whether or not PBL is a fad or something that will stick in the future, I think that sadly depends on test scores. If teachers use PBL in their classrooms and scores improve, I think more schools will move towards this learning style. However, if scores do not improve a new teaching style will be implemented. I think that no matter what name is given to group work it will still exist in some form or fashion in the future.Julia Kravchikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17331182105327304425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-17678270597913854302008-07-14T07:45:00.000-07:002008-07-14T07:45:00.000-07:00The school I presently work at is a project based ...The school I presently work at is a project based school. That is what sets them apart from the typical Junior High School. The idea is that all the content areas should interconnect and as has been posted by several other students, be useful in real life situations. I believe that this is definitely beneficial to the students but should not completely replace a traditional education where drills, tests and practice all help to lay down a good foundation for all education. In my opinion a good balance would be beginning the year learning and practicing skills in a traditional format, followed by project based learning that incorporates the employing of those skills and the intermingling of other content areas utilizing those skills. This way the student receives a more broad based education and can witness the applications of the skills applied through all the content areas. The Ell, especially benefits from the tactile approach of project based learning.Teaching Perfectionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11351853810990191510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-89828582549252354252008-07-11T09:32:00.000-07:002008-07-11T09:32:00.000-07:00Indeed, I agree with my classmates that PBL is an ...Indeed, I agree with my classmates that PBL is an extremely beneficial way to synthesize and assess, especially for English Language Learners. It is the journey indeed. And at the beginning, the whole process is challenging for teachers and students alike. This first year, I tried an exit project in which students needed to research an ancient civilization and write a 5-paragraph essay and create a PowerPoint presentation. Some of the projects I received were just short of disasters: the students plagiarized, they used ridiculous slide backgrounds and graphics, etc. But at the same time, the students learned a bit more about researching, a bit more about forming their own opinions about events, etc. I learned that I have to structure the PBL much better (complete with rubrics, rituals, routines, peer review checklists, etc). Hopefully PBL is here to stay (although the products will most likely be completely virtual), and our ELLs will continue to benefit from such a hands-on experience.Jillsenseihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17081698233339063224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-75639808587757369532008-07-10T17:54:00.000-07:002008-07-10T17:54:00.000-07:00Most of us seem to agree that PBL looks very good ...Most of us seem to agree that PBL looks very good on paper; project- based learning and collaborative group work in all its glory can inspire students to direct their own learning and interact with their environments in creative ways. The reality of most of our school environments, however, is still far from being conducive to this type of learning. Coming from an elementary school that also relies heavily on scripted curricula and test prep, I recognize the structural limitations in implementing PBL in ESL classes. However, my experience with PBL in a supplemental enrichment program has given me hope that we are not necessarily so far away from being able to integrate this style of teaching into our classrooms. I found that the biggest challenge to PBL in making a documentary film with students was finding a balance between structuring activities and granting students unlimited freedom of ideas. Eventually it was possible to give students a heavily structured freedom that still allowed them to create original work but with guidance and a lot of management on my part. I don't think this is necessarily the answer to all of our issues with PBL, and unfortunately it seems as if it is still a model used primarily with gifted children that have time to explore ideas outside of test prep. But I observed so much student interest and enthusiasm in the course of our project, and students seemed to appreciate a chance to be in charge and create something that was truly their own. These students looked forward to coming to school to work on their film project. They did not look forward to coming to test prep sessions. I think there is a time and a place for more traditional academic preparation at school, but isn't it also our jobs to motivate students and help them to appreciate the learning process just a little bit? I strongly agree with others who have said that students tend to develop a higher level of motivation when they feel in charge of their own learning and recognize connections between school and the real world, and I think PBL is a great way to facilitate that type of ownership. Whether it will be available to our students is not entirely in our hands, but I do think it is promising.Michelle Manganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06921901206428165329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-55582478025873518672008-07-10T09:43:00.000-07:002008-07-10T09:43:00.000-07:00As we all know students tend to perform better at ...As we all know students tend to perform better at a task when they have more of a vested interest in the topic at hand. By giving students the choices and responsibilities that are inherent in PBL, I believe that we can promote self-actualization, autonomy, critical thinking and social intelligence. However, in order for PBL to be a success it must be a joint decision between administrators and teachers. <BR/><BR/>In the school that I work in we have gone through 3 instructional models within the past year. This constant shift has resulted in confusion among students and staff and has stifled the growth of first year teachers like myself. In consideration of my own situation, I think that PBL could be implemented in the future only if it is a natural step in the evolution of the school. If it is yet another model that we are trying out because the current model is not yielding results quick enough, then it will end up as just another fad idea.sewai yamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13131503269164522699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-22296392835188250762008-07-09T21:02:00.000-07:002008-07-09T21:02:00.000-07:00In my opinion, PBL learning is especially motivati...In my opinion, PBL learning is especially motivating because it can allow students the freedom to explore an area of interest within a subject area. They are learning in an authentic way through researching and collaborating with others and improving writing, technology and presentation skills throughout the process. This motivation they have for their topic of interest can help them through points of frustration along the way. It is also a good way for the teacher to really learn about the students, which is one of the keys to being a good teacher. <BR/>As I consider the challenges involved I agree with ohkono that students with IEPs may need lots of support during these projects. This is relevant to my situation next fall, because I will be team teaching a group of 25 special needs/ESL students. I think if I plan very carefully and go slowly, this could be an opportunity for kids who may lack confidence to really feel proud of themselves in front of the group after completing the finished product. For ELLs in general ed, I liked collegefootball's suggestion of a daily rubric to keep them on track. For my special needs students, I was thinking of just using a KWL chart which could<BR/>be used to guide learning and monitor progress.Deirdrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02712171147264967717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-20381459801923285292008-07-09T20:13:00.000-07:002008-07-09T20:13:00.000-07:00I agree with both Daniel Von Giecke and omgeducati...I agree with both Daniel Von Giecke and omgeducation that one of strong advantages of project-based learning is the creation of an authentic experience. In being given a long-term goal, collaborating in a group, and managing their time in reaching that goal, students are developing the skills that they will ultimately need for success on the college level and in the workplace. In addition, the students are given the opportunity to take ownership of the classroom and of their learning, and they may even gain a sense of responsibility for the other students in their groups. Then, too, PBL opens the door for real-world connections, allowing students to explore real social or political issues that they may not be exposed to on a daily basis - or even social issues that take place in their own neighborhoods.<BR/><BR/>While I am unsure as to whether it will be important down the road, I believe that elements of PBL will become increasingly incorporated into the classroom -- particularly the emphases on social responsibility and global connections.Hannahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05809650747720709371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-62032745726572951602008-07-09T17:06:00.000-07:002008-07-09T17:06:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Georgiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025245273352381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-25439514522240122782008-07-09T17:00:00.000-07:002008-07-09T17:00:00.000-07:00As someone who has never used PBL before I am curi...As someone who has never used PBL before I am curious about the assessment of project-based learning.How do you all provide feedback to students who will essentially produce work which represents their specific learning? Is it counter productive to establish what your expectations are before the project even begins?Georgiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12672025245273352381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-42275635607378634132008-07-09T14:49:00.000-07:002008-07-09T14:49:00.000-07:00ethan goldwater SAYS: You are all right on. PBL is...ethan goldwater SAYS: <BR/>You are all right on. PBL is brilliant way to organize activity (any activity, really). <BR/><BR/>It is essentially deconstructive, in the sense that the components of the learning process are made modular. Through each task, specific proficiencies, skills, and problem solving abilities become relevant to learn. <BR/>The student feels the freedom to problem solve in their own creative way, and the teacher can focus specifically on teaching the student what they need to know to better solve their problem. It may be a bit of a struggle... yet through this struggle the pragmatic student will have removed the obstacles in their way. The less pragmatic student may try to destroy the situation, but let us not become cynical. Projects help us overcome. <BR/><BR/>(the burden of boring worksheets, standardized tests, less futuristic visions, etc.)<BR/><BR/>That is to say, in a properly designed project there is space for creative solutions which reflect the different kinds of learners we are. In the exploration of a project, the end product may be an altered form. It is important for the teacher to punctuate moments of in which the student has progressed: this may be required for inspiration. The ways in which the teacher makes the sequence and the context of the flow of work time immediately structured in the project: this is the challenge the teacher has: to understand individual needs in their group's dynamic. <BR/><BR/>Technology serves a useful triangulator, as it mediates the dynamic of power in the teacher/student relation. The student is on the machine they know and feel powerful with. Really, students are on myspace and aim constantly, using it to get what they want. It is important to make references to prior knowledge when you do a project, in order to encourage the use of different kinds of knowledge.Goldwaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17831227181264511542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-59092827492661964972008-07-09T10:59:00.000-07:002008-07-09T10:59:00.000-07:00It seems that everyone agrees that PBL is an effec...It seems that everyone agrees that PBL is an effective way to teach. However, I know at my school we follow a strict curriculum that allows for little flexibility from the teacher. Hopefully PBL will become the new wave in education and therefore become adopted by more adminstrators. I also wonder if it is possible for PBL to become widespread while we still have such a large focus on testing. Although PBL would quite possibly help improve student scores, adminstrators seem to stick by tried and true methods to help them get their scores-based bonuses. - LINDSEYLindseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15118482428634792206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-31194578476736770152008-07-09T10:19:00.000-07:002008-07-09T10:19:00.000-07:00Like my classmates, I think one of the biggest cha...Like my classmates, I think one of the biggest challenges in implementing a project based framework is classroom management. As a first year teacher, this is something I struggled with throughout the school year. As such, I am wary of giving my students a lot of freedom in the classroom, which seems to be an inherent attribute of project based learning. On the other hand, I really agree with project based learning from a theoretical perspective; meaningful, collaborative work seems like a wonderful replacement for standardized testing preparation. Accordingly, I hope to be able enact effective classroom management that allows for project based learning and other tasks that encourage autonomy in my students. As to whether project based learning is merely a fad that will eventually go by the wayside, I am unsure. Certainly there are many trends in education that seem like the next big thing and subsequently fall off the radar. However, as we as a culture (hopefully) begin to realize that every man or woman for his or herself is not always the best option, collaborative styles of learning may become more the norm. So perhaps I am saying that I do not know if an emphasis on projects themselves will remain, but hopefully we will continue to value more collaborative learning. <BR/>-Julia HynesJuliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133545678434318487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4495828304128236746.post-27924892272620540552008-07-09T09:06:00.000-07:002008-07-09T09:06:00.000-07:00I see three problems in implementing a PBL curricu...I see three problems in implementing a PBL curricula:<BR/><BR/>1. PBL assumes the student possesses enough intrinsic motivation to explore curricula creatively through their work. Many students in our populations come to school with significant emotional challenges that might prevent this from happening. Too much freedom in creating assignments can be problematic for students at certain developmental levels.<BR/><BR/>2. PBL assumes that can work collaboratively. At our middle school, we have tremendous problems doing this as the amount of friction that can generate between cliques and individuals seems insurmountable at times. <BR/><BR/>3. As Mireia mentioned, PBL puts a much larger burden on the instructor for assessing as students will easily surpass an instructor's level of expertise and risks losing credibility in the eyes of the class. I don't mind looking incompetent in front of my kids, but I can't help but think they'll pay less attention to my lessons in the future.<BR/><BR/>These reservations aside, I do believe PB&L presents a superior teaching model. It might take me years however, to feel comfortable as a PBL implementer.Bob Gaulkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03402552379767358899noreply@blogger.com