The first week of classes has come to an end. I can honestly say it looks as if this year will be a year that all of my students will be able to take part in all assignments and will actually want to learn. In years past, lets say the past three years, I haven't had more then one class that I could perform projects and experiments due to behaviors and lack of interest. I am extremely exited and so are the students. Friday I had the students decide what project they were going to due for the first chapter of our text; The Metric System. I was so dumb founded to hear the excellent suggestions that these students wanted to perform. For my action research I decided to try to implement Project Based learning into my curriculum. To make this a valid experiment I chose three or the five classes to perform this in; Three classes that I chose where just by picking out of a hat. The main reason I state that I am excited as these students is due to the fact that they were able to come up with the different projects to perform. The first class decided to get into groups of two and find a country to explain why they use the metric system, how its used in that country, and the differences between the United States and their country. I thought this was an excellent idea, but the next two classes decided on projects that blew my mind. The next class decided to research a foreign car company. Once they find that car company they will explain how that company uses the metric system to build and implement into the cars. Unbelievable idea I thought! the last class decided to discuss shoe sizes from the various countries within their shoes. On the tab in your shoe are the various sizes from different countries. The students decided to find out how each number is found using the metric system and explain the differences. I immediately thought "wow, this is going to be a fun year." I am exited to see if project based learning will be a better way for my students to learn. I figured this is a step in the right direction. Now I have to wait and see if the students try to do their best along with learning the material. Well, this was my first week and I am excited to see how my research project will pan out.
I found six steps that could help in the planning of the project.
1. Develop a project idea
2. Decide the scope of the project
3. Select standards
4. Incorporate simultaneous criteria
5. Work from project design criteria
6. Create the optimal learning environment (Markham 2009)
I feel that if I am able to follow these simple steps the students will thrive and their projects will be outstanding. In contrast to this way of teaching can be found in Texas. At the Meadows School of Arts the faculty was told to “teach naked”, meaning without the aid of any machines. Jose Bowen the dean of the school stated: “ Just because you have a Power Point presentation doesn’t mean you have a good lecture (Greenberg 2009). Personally, I think this man is a moran. We live in the age of technology and he doesn’t want his teachers to use it? He must be seventy or eighty years old and scared of a computer. In my honest opinion he is hurting the chances his students would have to excel with the use of technology.
Reference:
Greenberg, Susan (2009). Taking Technology Out of the Classroom. Found September 13, 2009 on the website www.eschoolnews.com
Markham, Thom (2009). Project Based Learning. The Buck Institute For Education. Quinn Essential books and Printing Inc.California.
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