Technology Enhanced Project Based Learning Review

    The concept of Technology Enhanced Project Based Learning (TEPBL) is derived from Project Based Learning (PBL) itself.  PBL has been around for some time in education.  It is in essence, giving students an open ended approach to learning.  The students are able to delve into an area they are interested in and engage in learning based on the questions they encounter while researching their project.  They are responsible for the direction of their content and presentation, but at the same time, are cognizant that they are given an area or topic (example: a strand from Science and Technology) to focus on.  Expectations from other subject areas can be included in the project.  To allow students benefit from learning, it is important they know what is expected of them.  The technological aspect of the project will no doubt enhance the presentation, but also provide children another tool for learning.  TEPBL also allows students to be competent with technology as they enter the workforce.  For this reason, TEPBL does have a practical value as it relates to the world.

    As Howard Gardner states in Introducing Technology Enhanced Project Based Learning: Introducing Project-Based Learning, it is important for children to ask questions in order to learn effectively.  I definitely believe in this philosophy and have integrated it into my class, especially in Language Arts.  During the last school year, my students participated in Literature Circles and ask questions regarding the three R's, Retell, Relate, and Reflect on the five books I had selected.  They really enjoyed it and some actually used technology to produce works in preparation for the discussion.   In the end, students were very much interested in reading more books, however, the school year was coming to an end.  Many students who pursue post-secondary education must have the foundation of being able to ask questions on their findings and interpret the answers to them.  This will ensure students to become lifelong learners as they leave the classroom and enter the workforce.

    Neil Rudenstine's view of Students as Researchers compliments the idea of students becoming more responsible for their learning and instead of being spoon fed the information, they have to perform the actual research.  I know this is not the traditional approach to learning, however, I do believe there are many children out there, including my students, who are struggling with the Ontario Curricula.  The last thing they need is another teacher directed lesson.  I actually believe some expectations related to technology were included in the Curricula to compliment some of the more difficult expectations not normally covered through regular resources (e.g., books).  If students are intrigued by technology and used it for school projects, they will become more enthusiastic about learning.  TEC Lesson Plans is a site which demonstrates great strides to integrate technology into unit plans.  Educators see the benefits of integrating technology in order to help students become lifelong learners and to enter the workforce knowing they can adapt easily into a technological environment.  There are quite a number of unit plans found at this site covering areas from elementary to high school.

    In Sharing Research through Multimedia, the main points are responsibility and direction of the content and presentation.  Students are given the responsibility of engaging themselves in learning and finding meaningful ways to present information through the use of multimedia.  They must learn to refine their research because of the large amount of information out there via multimedia sources (Encarta, Internet, other educational software, etc...).  By learning how to refine their research and creating a multimedia reports, students will have little difficulties performing research as they attend post-secondary institutions.  Relating the use of research through multimedia was almost impossible to do in my class.  I did not have enough computers in class or library for the students to use, however, seventy five percent of the students had computers at home.  The mini project I assigned was Missionaries (Social Studies - Medieval Stand), I had the kids perform research at home via internet and other sources.  Three quarters of the class handed in reports typed and on diskette.  They had also handed in printouts of their research from the internet.  I did limit the research in terms of providing them with questions.  They were able to select from a list of Saints of the Medieval Times.
As for the upcoming year, we will receive our new computers.  Once these computers are networked ready, I will be able to use the unit I created (module 3) integrating the use multimedia.
 

    In Assessing Project Based Work, the main idea is having the students offer their input on the rubric so they know what to expect when being assessed.  They will also be able to receive feedback from their peers, teachers, and themselves.  I do believe in the importance of having the students know what is expected of them.  For projects and major assignments, I normally hand out rubrics and have a discussion so that they understand what is expected.  We normally brainstorm on what might be a level one, two, three, and four on the rubric.  I have never tried the approach Jim Dieckmann uses in his classroom where he asks his students to create the rubric.  It does make sense to have the students decide what the rubric should be since they are the ones who will be completing the projects.  The teacher also saves time trying to think of expectations for multimedia.  However, for the content portion of the rubric, the expectations have to coincide with those found in the Ontario Curricula.  I have a rubric I used for Literature Circles - Response Journal.  We discussed each expectation and the levels that accompanied it.  Perhaps, for the upcoming year, I will ask students first on their input before handing out the rubric.  Their responses would likely be general (e.g., spelling, punctuation, etc...), but they'll feel more responsible for their learning having contributed to the rubric discussion.

    Of all the ideas behind TEPBL, I welcomed the idea of Learning to Work as a Team.  I am quite adamant on the idea of co-operative learning.  I had researched this topic in the mid 1990's by comparing two education systems (Canada and Japan).  Japan discouraged the "I" and "me" approach and adopted the "we" and "us" since people entering the workforce would work as teams.  I found this idea fascinating and practical, but wonder why my associate teachers would stress individual activities.  I have used the team approach at every opportunity.  I promoted this concept not only in Science and Language Arts, but also Math, Physed, Social Studies, and Health.  Students learned from one another.  However, there were a few instances where one student (behavioural) did not want to co-operate and therefore completed an independent study project.

    In Engaging Parental Involvement, parents meet with teachers regularly in an open forum environment. They discuss plans and innovations in relation to the curriculum.  These meetings seem to establish good relations between the school and parent community.  At my school, we have an evening dedicated for this, but it is held in the classrooms.  We do not have all the teachers on the stage collaborating with all the parents.   I do not believe it is a viable option to have the whole parent community in a gymnasium since parents are mainly concerned with only their child's current situation.  If I had a child in Grade 7, I would not want to sit in and listen to a Grade Four teacher discussing plans for the current year.  At the same time, if all parents were listening on the plans and innovations from each teacher and one plan was well received, other teachers would feel pressured to change their style of teaching.  I know some of my colleagues are not inclined to accept change.

    Linda Darling-Hammond mentions the role of a teacher will need to include understanding what the student is thinking about in case problems arise.  In The Changing Role of the Teacher, a problem arises when Albert constantly tells Jim Dieckmann his group has not captured the wasp.  Dieckmann suggests a bee since it is related to the wasp.  He attempts to make the situation positive even though Albert is still discouraged about not capturing the wasp.  In essence, Jim Dieckmann is acting as the facilitator, a role we are in almost all the time.  This role is definitely not new and therefore I would have to disagree with Linda Darling-Hammond on her comment regarding it.  Nonetheless, there are other roles of the teacher that have changed, especially with the introduction of the Ontario Curriculum.  A case study by the Huron Public Education System (1996) shows there are major changes (see chart) not only in the role of the teacher, but also in how things are done.

    In The Project's Culmination, we see the class is linked with two scientists at a local university.  The scientists interact with Albert's groups and discuss the mouth of the specimen.  In this case, it is a bee instead of a wasp.  Dr. Kathy Williams shares information and asks important questions that will allow the group to synthesize and respond based on what they have learned over the last few months.  It is a great idea to finish the project with this innovation.  Having scientists share information via link up can have very positive outcomes in student learning and achievement.  It is also an excellent idea to involve experts whenever appropriate.  I recall at the end of the Geology unit, I had a Scientist in the School come into the class.  She brought in microscopes, which our school lacked, and rock specimens.  The kids enjoyed her expertise and the activities.  I know the innovation between Jim Dieckmann's class and the scientists can be established, however, we do not have the proper resources to complete something of this magnitude.  Governments will have to offer more funding in order to accomplish this innovation.

    Overall, I believe technology enhanced project based learning is an area teachers must focus on.  We live in an everchanging society where technology is a constant.  Most of these students have grown up with technology and therefore want to complete tasks, assignments, and projects using it.  For the older generation of teachers, it can be difficult.  Just as the generation of teachers from the early nineteen eighties had to learn to integrate multimedia (VCRs, TVs, Tape Decks, etc...) into their plans, we will need to adapt new innovations in order to keep up with the twenty first century.