Project Based Learning

In this blog I will explore the weakness, strength, similarities and differences of project based learning.

The first project based learning activity that I explored is called World Connection. This project is based on student’s communication with other student from a different country for one month. They are to learn how another teen lives and how their culture is different from what they are use to. At the end of the project they are to put together a project about the new perspective they learn.

The second project is Changing Season project. Elementary student make a photo album or art work of the seasons around the world. Students are to explain the changes from place to place and describe an activity that they do during that season.

I am very interested on how this project works.This project is called World Connections. I think this a great way to experience what other teens are going though across the world. I feel you learn more from your peers than you do from a text book. Within this project the teacher makes sure that each student has the rules and what they are suppose to do and learn from this project. A Strength that I found in the project is that each week the student will have a journal, blog reflection papers and at the end a movie. This project has some on the IT goals which are improving higher-order of thinking skills, participating in a project, and developing a portfolio. Students are able to be a part of the community that can be a across the world and develop expertise in what they learning about a culture. This project is a perfect example of project based learning because they are answering questions and working with people outside the classroom. Students are able to voice their own opinion and show their work in a video or their choice of media.

Changing season project is a good Project based learning project for elementary students. It gives them the opportunity to express themselves and observe the thing around them. I came across some photos from a summer camp that wanted to share their season, but they are not elementary students. These students took pictures of the landscape and shared it in a picture slide show. This project gives student the chance to be part of a project and community. The down falls to this project is that student are not devolving any kind of expertise. I can see where they are learning about the season but I see this more as activity than a project-based learning. An activity is like busy work to me, while PBL is learning a tool. I feel as if this project would be better if students went outside during certain season and found a object or a flower and sent a picture where they found the object/ flower/ plant, and explain why it was there, why it was growing in this season and what it means to the student. With doing this student are able to see and observe, read and understand what happens in that part of the world during that season. With just a little more information or work to the project students will be able to answer a question that can reflect on learning.

Overall i think project based learning is good for all ages. It helps students think outside the box and teaches them how to work with others. I wish i had more classes in secondary school were teachers use PBL. When i do become a teacher i would use both on these projects, they have great ideas for high school and elementary students.