PBL Inspires

The mediocre teacher tells.

The good teacher explains.

       The superior teacher demonstrates.

The great teacher inspires.

-William A. Ward 

How many people can remember their favourite teacher? Whether they did not give as much homework, never underestimated your abilities, assigned fun projects etc., each person will remember all the wonderful traits of this teacher. However, so often when we think back to our schooling, the stories we all tell are the bad stories. The teachers that were awful, the teachers that made us cry and left a bad impression on us, or the teachers that were rude. It is those teachers who have shaped peoples perspective on education. So, the question is, how do we engage students in education to make them appreciate learning and gain an in-depth understanding of the 21^st century?

The answer lies in project-based learning. Project-based learning is a more comprehensive approach that is grounded in constructivist learning, content mastery, and critical thinking (Drake, Kolohon, & Reid, 2014). Students will gain the skills and knowledge for real world applications. PBL follows the guidelines of 21st century skills such as inquiry, research, critical thinking and problem solving, organization, collaboration, and communication. How would our classrooms look if each one was centred around PBL? The teachers role shifts from from a director to a facilitator. In doing so, students become critical thinkers, problem solvers and social, physical and cognitive learners. This student-centered approach, which includes small group work, student collaboration and teamwork, will ultimately present students with a more holistic and educative experience. With this meaningful, purposeful and authentic learning model, students will gain a more comprehensive experience in their education classes.

Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8

Here are the key elements of PBL: 

• Key Knowledge, Understanding, and Success Skills 
• Challenging Problem or Question 
• Sustained Inquiry 
• Authenticity 
• Student Voice & Choice 
• Reflection 
• Critique & Revision 
• Public Product

Retrieved from: https://21centuryedtech.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/pbl.jpg 

An article by the TEDx Youth Conference, offers a powerful way to make learning relevant to students’ lives. The teacher presents the students with a 13 week project. Each student will create a TED talk based on wellness, nutrition, physical education, and social-emotional learning, which shows the impact on an individuals overall social, emotional and physical well-being. Each student is presented with a driving question in which they research, explore and assess by gathering information about the topic and prepare for the final stage of presenting what they have learned. This method of teaching follows the exact guidelines of PBL. How many of you have experienced this in your schooling? This to me is what classifies a great teacher. Students will remember this teacher not because of the work he does, or the way he interacts with the students. but because he inspires. He will leave a lasting impression on each and every one of these students that will hopefully pass on a legacy. I can not even imagine what it would be like to direct my own learning. How many students would be more engaged in school if this was the case? 

I would love to hear your thoughts about this 21st century way of teaching. Do you think we should be implementing this into all classrooms? Will it work for all students? 

References 

Drake, S., Kolohon, W., & Reid, J. (2014) Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21^st Century Learner. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.

Jha, R. (n.d.). 23 Defining Traits Of Your Favorite Teacher. Retrieved October 6, 2015

Parker, I. (n.d.). How a TEDx Mission Makes Learning Relevant To Students' Lives. Retrieved October 6, 2015.

Why Project Based Learning (PBL)? (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2015.

Take care,

EJD