Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Blog Post Assignment #9 - Things I Have Learned from Anthony Capps' and Dr. Strange's Audio Recording

Project Based Learning


There are several things I learned about Project Based Learning from listening to Anthony Capps' and Dr. Strange's audio recording. The main three topics I learned are how a teacher can begin PBL in their classroom, how students and parents are reacting to PBL, and how administrators can implement PBL in their schools.

Anthony Capps' first advice for a teacher who would like to begin Project Based Learning in their classroom is to pace yourself. He recommended going to the Buck Institute for Education to find the eight aspects of PBL, and addressing one aspect a week. Address the essential question of the project with the students in week one. Then in week two continue with the aspect from week one and add another aspect. Continue to add a new aspect each week until all aspects are covered. This ensures that students do not become overwhelmed with all aspects in the first week and then become disinterested. Mr. Capps also recommends only adding one new tool for PBL a week. Model the tool with the whole class so that students can become familiar with it, then allow them to become proficient with the tool by exploring it in groups or on their own.

For the most part, students' and parents' reactions to PBL are positive. Anthony Capps said that he knows students like PBL because it is exciting. He also said that recently he had to back away from PBL for a few weeks and he feels the difference in his students. He said that "the buzz in his classroom is not there." Parents also like PBL because their kids are excited about coming to school and that their kids have never been more engaged. Although Anthony Capps' experience with PBL has been positive, there is the case of the disinterested student. His advice for the disinterested student is to make sure that the essential question is relevant to the students so they will be engaged. Also, give the students plenty of options to choose from for their project, called "Student Voice and Choice." Lastly, give a reasonable amount of work for each student by breaking the project into small parts and give check-in dates throughout the project to keep them accountable. This also keeps the students from becoming overwhelmed. The major negative parent reaction that Anthony Capps addressed was questions on assessing the PBL. Since he knows that parents aren't sure about the assessments, he is proactive by keeping the parents informed. He said that in this year he has had three parent orientations to inform the parents when he is changing his assessment methods. He sends handouts and rubrics in multiple ways to the parents so that they will know exactly how their child will be graded on their project.

The last question is how can an administrator implement PBL in their school. Anthony Capps' answered this question by outlining how the administration implemented it in his school, Gulf Shores Elementary. The principal first started with a small group of teachers that volunteered to be educated on PBL and then implement it their classrooms. Then, the administration blanketed PBL over the entire school and required all teachers to attend professional development on PBL.

From this interview I learned that PBL requires much planning for a teacher to begin it in their classroom, students and parents are loving PBL so it must work, and in order for students in a school to get an effective education from PBL, all teachers in the school must adopt a PBL style of teaching.

2 comments:

  1. Very well done Sarah! You did a great job letting us know about the interview. Do you think you will implement PBLs in your school? I know I have used PBLs a few times and I love it! I know the kids love it too!

    Great job.

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