Trends in Contextual Learning and Projectbased Curriculum

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Trends in Contextual Learning and Project-based
Curriculum

• Sandy Mittelsteadt, Moderater
• Eliza Fabillar
• Ford PAS/Education Development Center
• Donna Gilley
• Overton H.S., Nashville, TN

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Video of students

• 30 sec-1 minute video clip

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• School should be less about the preparation for
  life and more like life itself.
• John Dewey

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Trends in Contextual Learning and Project-based
Curriculum

• Definition
• Research
• Challenges
• Curriculum Design that Supports PBL
• An Example Ford PAS
• Professional Development

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Definition

• Problem-based learning involves complex tasks,
  based on challenging questions or problems, that
  involve students in design, problem-solving,
  decision making, and investigative activities,
  which result in a realist product.
• Jones, Rasmussen, Moffit, 1997 Thomas,
  Mergendoller, Michaelson, 1999

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Why Project-based Learning?

• The majority of students in our schools are
  unable to make connections between what they are
  learning and how that knowledge will be used.
  Students desperately need to understand the
  concepts as they relate to the workplace and to
  the larger society in which they live and work.
• www.cord.org

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Research on PBL

• Project-based learning designs, because of their
  emphasis on student autonomy, collaborative
  learning, and assessments based on authentic
  performances are seen to maximize students
  orientation toward learning and mastery.
• Blumenfeld et al, 1991

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Research on PBL

• Evidence shows that PBL enhances the quality of
  learning and leads to higher-level cognitive
  development through students engagement with
  complex, novel problems.
• In addition to research, convincing reports have
  come from teachers that PBL is a rigorous,
  relevant, and engaging instructional model that
  supports authentic inquiry.
• www.bie.org

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Challenges to PBL

• Classroom management groups and time
• Student autonomy self-directed inquiry
• Making Connections connecting day-to-day tasks
  to the underlying subject matter concepts that
  give rise to the project

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• Simply doing a project does not guarantee that
  learning is taking place.
• How can day-to-day activities be understood as
  interconnected pieces that build upon each other
  to support the goals of a student project?

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Curricular Design that Supports PBL

• Focus PBL needs to be central to the curriculum
• Problem-based Activities involve students doing
  in-depth real-life investigations of a problem or
  challenge
• Scaffolding Curriculum needs structures to
  support learning and help students acquire
  knowledge and skills required of the project
• Interdisciplinary Students learn topics and
  concepts in more than one discipline

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Curricular Design that Supports PBL

• Bridge Learning and Application Projects involve
  student application of knowledge and skills in
  real world context, including links to local
  community/businesses
• Learning Goals Project goals are explicit to
  students and connect to standards
• Performance Assessment and Reflection Frequent
  opportunities for formative assessment--self,
  peer, teacher
• End Product Projects can have different outcomes

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An Example Ford PAS

• Challenging academic content in mathematics,
  science, social studies, language arts
• Concepts from business, engineering, technology,
  and related career fields
• Integrated approach that encourages inquiry- and
  project-based learning
• Partnerships with local organizations and
  businesses
• 21st century skills

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Sample Ford PAS Project

• Module 7 Managing and Marketing with Data
  Planning for Business Success
• Project Students develop a financial and
  marketing plan for their business idea.

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Module 7 Project and Activities

• Explore case studies of successful and
  unsuccessful businesses.
• Engage in computer simulation to make marketing
  decisions for fictional rock band.
• Apply the 4Ps of marketing to different business
  situations.
• Evaluate a market research survey using
  statistics.

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Module 7 Project and Activities

• Determine costs and profits for different
  businesses situations.
• Conduct an interview with a business employer.
• Read a case study about the start-up company and
  analyze its financial plan.
• Examine examples of promotional materials and
  discuss their effectiveness.
• End-product Financial and marketing plan for
  your own business.

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Professional Development to Support PBL

• Without adequate attention to ways of supporting
  teachers and students, the project-based approach
  will not be widely adopted.

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Ford PAS Professional Development Developing a
Community of Practice

• Weeklong summer institute focusing on pedagogy in
  the context of Ford PAS modules
• Teacher blog on PBL
• PodcastDiscussion among PBL expert and Ford PAS
  teachers
• Ford PAS Web sitelist of resources, including
  links to other sites, and student work
• www.fordpas.org

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Ford PAS and PBL

• I use many of these strategies, but Ford PAS
  has validated these and given me the supporting
  rationale for using project-based learning.
• Ford PAS Teacher
  Nashville, TN

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Career Academies and Small Learning Communities
Leading Efforts in PBL

• Problem based learning in real-world contexts
• Career focus
• Business/community partnerships
• Emphasis on applying 21st Century skills through
  authentic projects
• Students supported in real-world investigations
  by teachers, peers, and other adults
• Connection between CTE and academics