Hello everyone,
Here are some project based teaching and learning approaches on which I've done some research. I'd like to share some ideas on how these theories can be used in the classroom.
1) Project Based Learning: an approach in which students actively explore real-world problems and challenges to acquire a deeper knowledge. In this learning process, students gain knowledge and skills by working to investigate and respond to a complex question, problem, or challenge. Project work is focused on an open-ended "driving question."
Example: In a French class, students can create a children's book. During the learning process, pairs or small groups of students can be assigned different groups of basic vocabulary (e.g. colours, animals, etc.), create a list of commonly used words in this group, and present a mini-lesson to the class. Students can use their newly acquired vocabulary to work together to create children's books and possibly share their books with another class (for example, write books for younger kids and share with them, share with a younger French immersion class, etc).
I got this idea from a similar project done in a Spanish class: http://www.hightechhigh.org/unboxed/issue3/cards/8.php
2) Problem Based Learning: an approach based on solving complex problems in the real world. Problems are raised at the start of a new topic, before students have been taught some of the relevant knowledge. Students develop skills around finding information, identifying what information they need, and possible sources of that information.
Example: Students can investigate this guiding question: “How can we use our knowledge of math to convince our families, our school, and our community to go solar?” This problem-based investigation can give students a real-world application for math and science.
I found this idea and a list of others here: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/a-world-of-project-ideas-to-steal-suzie-boss?crlt_pid=camp.Z8ONXRQKaZzO
3) Inquiry Based Learning
Examples:
1) During one of my teaching placements, an associate teacher who I worked with did this inquiry-based activity with her Grade 9 enriched English class. They read the short story “The Sniper,” which is set during the Irish Civil War. Then they completed an inquiry cycle: first, students asked questions about things they wondered about the text or issues raised by the text, then they did individual research to try to answer these questions and learn more, each student created a unique display of their new knowledge (I saw some timelines, posters, etc.), then as a class they shared their new knowledge.
2) During the same teaching block, I introduced this inquiry-based project to two Grade 10 Applied English classes, but only got to see the beginning stages. The project is called Genius Hour or 20% Time, and the idea is that students get an hour a week to work on anything they’re interested in. First, I showed a Ted Talk video explaining the project, then students brainstormed “bad ideas,” then brainstormed good ideas. Next, they worked on a project proposal focused on a guiding question about their topic. This was as far as the students got in the process while I was there, but after that they would have an hour a week to work on their proposed project, recording their learning each week (they could record it on a blog, in a journal, etc.). One example of a question some students had was “How can we improve our physical health?” so they designed a project where they would go running together each week and try to eat healthier. Another student asked “How can I start a business?” and designed a project centered on that question.
The project proposal that students did for Genius Hour looked something like this:https://www.pinterest.com/pin/415879346816444508/
Here are some Ted Talk videos about Genius Hour; I started the project by showing students the first video:http://www.edutopia.org/blog/five-minute-film-festival-genius-hour
4) Design Learning
Example: Students can learn about earthquakes and how to minimize the damage they do by doing a design challenge in which they work in groups to design and build earthquake resistant structures using index cards, tape and paper clips. Then, they can evaluate their structures’ effectiveness.
A detailed explanation of this design challenge can be found here: https://gse-it.stanford.edu/research/project/dbl
5) Experiential Learning
Example: Students can plant and tend to a school garden or classroom plants, depending on resources that may be available (I recently did a teaching placement at a high school that even had a school greenhouse and a course where students worked in the greenhouse). This can be linked to science, environmental studies, healthy eating, and more.
6) Makerspace Learning
Students are given materials and a space to make things. Some examples of things students could make are anything related to woodworking, robotics, rewriting books, making things from cardboard, etc.
I found this explanation of what a makerspace is and how you could go about setting one up:http://www.edutopia.org/blog/designing-a-school-makerspace-jennifer-cooper
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