The cerebrum -- which is just Latin for "brain" -- is the newest (evolutionarily) and largest part of the brain as a whole. It is here that things like perception, imagination, thought, judgment, and decision occur. I hope you are thoughtful as you leave your comments on this blog.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Project Based Learning
Critical thinking, collaboration, and communication are some of the hallmarks of Project Based Learning.
Watch this common craft video and write your thoughts about where you might go with regard to a PBL experience you might create for your class.
Project Based Learning is essential for the future of our education system. Right now we are teaching our students to memorize information that they can get whenever they need, but we are not teaching them how to build a shed, or the most effective place to throw the snow when shoveling, it is little things like these that can make all the difference. We need to incorporate projects into our teaching methods so students can learn how to find solutions and critically think about the problem. Even though this is an excellent idea, how to we incorporate this methods into our everyday classroom. We all know we should, but are we, as teachers, being trained to do so? What about being a new teacher, is it worth putting your job on the line, especially if your experimenting with PBL because you were not taught how to bring this into your everyday classroom effectively? I think these are part of the reason why we have not seen PBL in more classrooms.
I like yet dislike PBL. Why? Well I like it as a future educator because it helps to develop skills that will be essential later on in life while creating an understanding of the curriculum. But, on the other hand, as a student I do't like it. I hated and still hate when teachers create assignments like that. In one of my current classes its constant pbl type assignments and I actually try to avoid that class as much as possible. I don't learn well in collaborative assignments and discussions. I am a type of student that either needs to sit at a desk, be lectured at, and then later tested on or one that can go home and teach myself the material by reading experimenting, and repetition. I can spit formulas and random information at you that I memorized throughout my life. Anyone remember the binomial probability formula? I do. f(x)=n sub c times sub x times P exponent x times (1-P) to the exponent n minus x. I learned that through simple memorization many years ago. Yet, can I tell you what i learned in my pbl assignment that I had last week? Nope. I think the effectiveness of pbl is really dependent upon the student and how that student learns.
As a future math teacher I believe that Project Based Learning is a helpful and creative way for students to learn math. Math is a subject that many students do not like, have a hard time understanding and is a subject in which students love to say “when are we going to use this?” That is why PBL should be used. This way of learning will allow students to learn math in a way that is interesting to them. If students are interested in what they are learning and see how math can be useful in their lives then they can’t ask “when are we going to use this?” Project Based Learning provides students with a different way of looking at the problem. Learning math not only gives students the knowledge of interesting theorems and formulas that can be used but it also gives the students the ability to think logically. Problem Based Learning is the best way for students to think logically. Connecting math to real world problems or creating puzzles that teach the students the math facts allows students to think differently. Math is more than just plugging numbers into a formula. The subject of math in school can be totally different and looked at in a different light if the teachers used PBL in their classrooms.
I think that project based learning is a great instructional technique for any grade level. Through project based learning students will have the chance to work on problem solving, collaborating with others and thinking creatively. All three of these skills are extremely important for when students enter the “real world” and I believe they are underrepresented in the classroom. Also, pbl is almost like training for when students enter the workforce. Every job that I have had has required me to work with others whether it was my retail job at tjmaxx, working as an assistant teacher or substitute teaching. By giving students more opportunities to collaborate and communicate with others we are setting up a foundation that they can carry with them throughout their lives. I think the reason that teachers may be hesitant to incorporating project based learning into their classrooms is simply because they are unsure of how to implement it affectively. During my undergraduate studies, my methods class for math and science elementary education required us to make a ten lesson unit on a science topic. My professor also gave us the option to incorporate a pbl instead of five lessons. I am sorry and embarrassed to say that I opted out of the pbl for two reasons, one because I thought it would be more work and two because I was unsure of how to create one. If I knew at the time all of the benefits to project based learning and how to successfully make and administer one I would have definitely created one. I think with some instruction and a little creativity project based learning can be a successful learning tool.
I happen to like Project Based Learning. I think that it should be used more in classrooms than it currently is. I feel that teachers who have been teaching for a long time don't want to teach that way because they are not comfortable with it for a couple of reasons 1.they are scared of losing control over the classroom 2. They have been getting the results they want and don’t want to change that. 3. They already have lessons to use from the previous year. I think these are totally valid reasons, so what can we do to fix this? I was talking to a chairperson of a mathematics department the other day. He told me that he knows it’s not realistic for teachers to make interactive lesson for every lesson, but he does expect his teachers to come up with one great unit a year. He said that by encouraging teachers to do this after 5 years, that teacher has 5 great units. I think this is a very realistic goal and after teachers create a few of these lessons they will see they are not only fun for the students, but for them too. I also understand that not everyone learns the same way, so when teachers shoulduse many different techniques in the classroom.
I am a huge fan of PBL, because it teaches students how to critically think. Such a huge problem with the way our education system is structured is that you are either right or wrong and there is no in-between. So many students are afraid to put down a wrong answer they might learn from because grades are stressed WAY too much these days. Students are becoming afraid to think and think outside the box. While project based learning shouldn't' be the only curriculum (too much of something is never good), its synonymous to technology; it's great as a supplement. I also believe that PBL should be used not only for subjects like math, science, reading, etc. Teachers forget that they need to teach their students to be good citizens. It always bothers me when schools do mass collections for the poor, sick, etc but the students never have a clue what they are doing. PBL should be incorporated into community service as well. Maybe have each class plan their own fundraising activity or go into the community and work. In terms of curriculum, PBL could prove especially useful. Putting students in situations where they don't realize they are learning important skills, often makes them utilize these skills and learn from them much more. I used to take part in a business learning competition called DECA in high school. We had to essentially take the role of a business person, and the experience was fun as well as useful in developing many skills. As a future educator, PBL is something I would jump on board with!
Project Based Learning certainly sounds like a great idea and I have seen this type of learning successfully utilized as a student. However, I wonder if there is a difference between PBL and group projects. Both the PBL shown in the video and group projects include critical thinking, collaboration, and communication, but can PBL also be done on an individual level? Surely a student can think critically on his or her own, then collaborate with peers or experts through research, and finally communicate his or her findings through a report. But would this still be considered project-based learning? My reason for making this distinction is that I have seen many group projects become more of a burden and a deterrent to learning than an individual one. Sometimes one member takes over control and not all students benefit from the experience while other times the ability to meet as a group to work on the project is not possible for the students or even the parents of the students. I think that PBL if used appropriately and in moderation, like any teaching technique, can be very successful and refreshing for students.
The comments are great but please commment on each others comments. There are some very differing viewpoints such as... I will teach how I learned best (paraphrasing of course) and "one great unit a year is acceptable to me."
You will get most of your "training" by reading and staying up to date on the latest research and ideas... EdWeek, ASCD, CEC, etc. are great places to start. Don't wait for great professional development, it does not often occur.
We also cannot go on with memorization tasks as the jobs that require these skills either do not exist, will not exist, or will not pay. Critical thinking, collaboration, and communication are not "experimental"... they are real life skills that are needed more than ever.
I find Patti's argument very interesting. PBL is very similar to group projects and I am pretty sure everyone has had the experience where their is either someone who takes control or those who just let others do the work. I think PBL could be more successful on an individual level oppose to a group level because as an individual you are completely in charge-whatever you say goes and you can really get creative. On a group level, I suppose a way to avoid this issue of dominance is to have a group discuss all the options and vote on what is more favorable, or if students were reluctant they could do an anonymous vote to make it more honest
I also found Kelly's argument as a half supporter of PBL quite interesting. While it is known that students learn in different ways, she makes an excellent point that there are students out there that wont particularly like PBL concepts. While it may prepare students to think critically, there may be students where the memorization, drilling information thing works.
Kelly's comment is an excellent example of how every student is different learner. I think it is all about finding balance in the classroom. Not every student is a memorizer and can benefit from PBL or even another creative, hands-on activity.
The main goal of schools is to prepare the youth to face the real world. A school’s job is to prepare them for careers and other opportunities they may have in their future. The only problem is that schools today do this by sitting students in a class and lecturing them. If we think about it, the current, traditional way of teaching isn’t preparing them for the real world because the real world consists of problems that need to be solved, having to collaborate with others and many other things that can be learned through project based learning. I think PBL deepens their knowledge because they learn the subject while doing a project as opposed to just memorizing facts during a test. When learning through a project based learning method, they can apply what they learn to the project. This helps them see the importance of what they had learned, the reasoning behind it and an application of it in the real world. Also, creating a project that could capture the students’ interest on the subject would not only keep them engaged in the subject but it would also make them actively participate in their educational experience. Mathematics is such a difficult subject to get engaged in and students usually want to stay away from this subject. If we can create math projects that are related to real world situations, this could encourage students to be interested in the subject and then want to go on to study higher levels of math. Math is actually a subject that requires a lot of creativity but this is really hard to see by the way it is being taught now. If more project based learning techniques are used in mathematics classrooms I know that we can change the bad reputation that is given to this subject and allow students to enjoy it as much as they enjoy other subjects. I think Kristen made an excellent point as to why we are still not seeing PBL in classrooms. It is really hard for new teachers to do this during their first year especially if the school they begin at has a certain specific structure to the way they teach.
PBL is a great way to teach in the classroom, but not the only way. I am the type of student that understands a lot when I am apart of a group discussion and not just be lectured to. But I also need a lecture here and there to understand a topic more. I think that PBL should be incorporated into the classroom but being lectured to should not be stop fully. PBL is said to deepen the knowledge of the students. It makes the students think critically, work together, and communicate with each other on the topic. PBL can be very hands on for many students who need that. When watching this video I thought to myself, I wish that my teachers in elementary school used this method of teaching. All they did was read from the textbok or have us copy notes. I can't say that this kind of teaching was effective on my education. PBL is something I would definately incorporate into my lessons.
I think it is important for students to learn to collaborate with each other. In the future, they will have to work with people and it is a great way for them to learn this skill. I think that PBL is a difficult task for the teacher and it might take a lot of time. I think there should be workshops for teachers in order for PBL to be successful in a classroom. I think the PBL projects should be projects where students are thinking critically and learning something. Sometimes teachers use these types of projects and the children learn nothing. I think it gives children a chance to come out of their "shell" as well because they are forced to present it in front of teachers, parents, or other students. PBL can give students a chance to speak within a small group if they don't normally speak within the whole class.
PBL is one of the first things I learned in my education courses. At first I was very against it, thinking that it would consist of useless projects, much like the ones I had to do back in middle and high school. Grade fillers so to speak. However, after a little investigation and some real life examples, I realized that PBL is the best way to effectively teach mathematics, and perhaps other subjects. It provides students with the opportunity to use what they have learned to develop their ideas into visible representations. It also allows them time to use what they have learned in several different classes in one project. Students are finally able to see how useful everything is in real life. The problem with PBL could be the timing, the inclusion of it, the corrections that are always necessary when making projects form year to year. I know that other people have blogged that they are unsure of how to use this in their everyday classroom. I think that PBL could be used piece by piece. Start the lessons that do not require fundamental basics with exploration. Instead of teaching them triangular theorems, why not let groups explore. The cumulative "test" could then be a huge PBL project which could demonstrate their knowledge across many topics learned. I don't want to use this during the beginning months; I want this to be a growing, living project that students think about and work towards throughout the year. There are schools in Washington (state) which use this idea. Students design their own school or air plane wings and then have architects and engineers come in to look, help, and evaluate their work. PBL can help make school more realistic, relatable, and worthwhile for many students.
I feel that PBL is a great way for students to learn. It encourages students to ask why? or ask questions in general. If a teacher is teaching a topic and feels that the students are not grasping the ideas, by incorporating PBL, it gives the students the chance to find the answers to a topic and question, presented to them, on their own. It helps enhance students critical thinking skills, researching skills, and communication skills, not only with their peers but with adults and teachers as well.
I find Kelly’s stance to be interesting. I agree that there is definitely something to memorization at times. What’s missing, however, is understanding of the material memorized. I would much rather be able to recite a formula because the method behind creating it makes sense to me rather than just knowing it. For example, I know how to solve a Rubik’s cube, and many people are impressed. But they shouldn’t be at all. All I did was memorize algorithms. Muscle memory helps, too. If I’m not paying enough attention and suddenly realize I made a wrong turn, I can’t look at the cube and fix it. I have to start from square one all over again. So I KNOW, but I don’t UNDERSTAND. I think we need to seek both. All that being said, I am very glad Kelly brought up that some of the “traditional” methods of teaching are effective for some learners. Thank you for that reminder.
Due to the fact that students learn and understand things differently, is more the reason why we should try and integrate PBL into our curriculum. As Tortora mentioned, we can start by focusing on one unit a year and see how it works. From this, we can make revisions and critique what works and what doesn't. I also believe it is important that students collaborate with one another in the classroom and are exposed to working together. Collaboration helps prepare children for the real world. In the workforce, we are forced to collaborate on a daily basis and realistically, sometimes we have to work with people we don't get along with or agree with. PBL prepares children and exposes them to these types of situations in the classroom. I also agree with Kelly and understand that not everyone learns best when working in a group setting, and that is why the curriculum does not have to end all, be all PBL.
20 comments:
Project Based Learning is essential for the future of our education system. Right now we are teaching our students to memorize information that they can get whenever they need, but we are not teaching them how to build a shed, or the most effective place to throw the snow when shoveling, it is little things like these that can make all the difference. We need to incorporate projects into our teaching methods so students can learn how to find solutions and critically think about the problem.
Even though this is an excellent idea, how to we incorporate this methods into our everyday classroom. We all know we should, but are we, as teachers, being trained to do so? What about being a new teacher, is it worth putting your job on the line, especially if your experimenting with PBL because you were not taught how to bring this into your everyday classroom effectively? I think these are part of the reason why we have not seen PBL in more classrooms.
I like yet dislike PBL. Why? Well I like it as a future educator because it helps to develop skills that will be essential later on in life while creating an understanding of the curriculum. But, on the other hand, as a student I do't like it. I hated and still hate when teachers create assignments like that. In one of my current classes its constant pbl type assignments and I actually try to avoid that class as much as possible. I don't learn well in collaborative assignments and discussions. I am a type of student that either needs to sit at a desk, be lectured at, and then later tested on or one that can go home and teach myself the material by reading experimenting, and repetition. I can spit formulas and random information at you that I memorized throughout my life. Anyone remember the binomial probability formula? I do. f(x)=n sub c times sub x times P exponent x times (1-P) to the exponent n minus x. I learned that through simple memorization many years ago. Yet, can I tell you what i learned in my pbl assignment that I had last week? Nope. I think the effectiveness of pbl is really dependent upon the student and how that student learns.
As a future math teacher I believe that Project Based Learning is a helpful and creative way for students to learn math. Math is a subject that many students do not like, have a hard time understanding and is a subject in which students love to say “when are we going to use this?” That is why PBL should be used. This way of learning will allow students to learn math in a way that is interesting to them. If students are interested in what they are learning and see how math can be useful in their lives then they can’t ask “when are we going to use this?” Project Based Learning provides students with a different way of looking at the problem. Learning math not only gives students the knowledge of interesting theorems and formulas that can be used but it also gives the students the ability to think logically. Problem Based Learning is the best way for students to think logically. Connecting math to real world problems or creating puzzles that teach the students the math facts allows students to think differently. Math is more than just plugging numbers into a formula. The subject of math in school can be totally different and looked at in a different light if the teachers used PBL in their classrooms.
I think that project based learning is a great instructional technique for any grade level. Through project based learning students will have the chance to work on problem solving, collaborating with others and thinking creatively. All three of these skills are extremely important for when students enter the “real world” and I believe they are underrepresented in the classroom. Also, pbl is almost like training for when students enter the workforce. Every job that I have had has required me to work with others whether it was my retail job at tjmaxx, working as an assistant teacher or substitute teaching. By giving students more opportunities to collaborate and communicate with others we are setting up a foundation that they can carry with them throughout their lives. I think the reason that teachers may be hesitant to incorporating project based learning into their classrooms is simply because they are unsure of how to implement it affectively. During my undergraduate studies, my methods class for math and science elementary education required us to make a ten lesson unit on a science topic. My professor also gave us the option to incorporate a pbl instead of five lessons. I am sorry and embarrassed to say that I opted out of the pbl for two reasons, one because I thought it would be more work and two because I was unsure of how to create one. If I knew at the time all of the benefits to project based learning and how to successfully make and administer one I would have definitely created one. I think with some instruction and a little creativity project based learning can be a successful learning tool.
I happen to like Project Based Learning. I think that it should be used more in classrooms than it currently is. I feel that teachers who have been teaching for a long time don't want to teach that way because they are not comfortable with it for a couple of reasons 1.they are scared of losing control over the classroom 2. They have been getting the results they want and don’t want to change that. 3. They already have lessons to use from the previous year. I think these are totally valid reasons, so what can we do to fix this? I was talking to a chairperson of a mathematics department the other day. He told me that he knows it’s not realistic for teachers to make interactive lesson for every lesson, but he does expect his teachers to come up with one great unit a year. He said that by encouraging teachers to do this after 5 years, that teacher has 5 great units. I think this is a very realistic goal and after teachers create a few of these lessons they will see they are not only fun for the students, but for them too.
I also understand that not everyone learns the same way, so when teachers shoulduse many different techniques in the classroom.
I am a huge fan of PBL, because it teaches students how to critically think. Such a huge problem with the way our education system is structured is that you are either right or wrong and there is no in-between. So many students are afraid to put down a wrong answer they might learn from because grades are stressed WAY too much these days. Students are becoming afraid to think and think outside the box. While project based learning shouldn't' be the only curriculum (too much of something is never good), its synonymous to technology; it's great as a supplement. I also believe that PBL should be used not only for subjects like math, science, reading, etc. Teachers forget that they need to teach their students to be good citizens. It always bothers me when schools do mass collections for the poor, sick, etc but the students never have a clue what they are doing. PBL should be incorporated into community service as well. Maybe have each class plan their own fundraising activity or go into the community and work.
In terms of curriculum, PBL could prove especially useful. Putting students in situations where they don't realize they are learning important skills, often makes them utilize these skills and learn from them much more. I used to take part in a business learning competition called DECA in high school. We had to essentially take the role of a business person, and the experience was fun as well as useful in developing many skills. As a future educator, PBL is something I would jump on board with!
Project Based Learning certainly sounds like a great idea and I have seen this type of learning successfully utilized as a student. However, I wonder if there is a difference between PBL and group projects. Both the PBL shown in the video and group projects include critical thinking, collaboration, and communication, but can PBL also be done on an individual level? Surely a student can think critically on his or her own, then collaborate with peers or experts through research, and finally communicate his or her findings through a report. But would this still be considered project-based learning? My reason for making this distinction is that I have seen many group projects become more of a burden and a deterrent to learning than an individual one. Sometimes one member takes over control and not all students benefit from the experience while other times the ability to meet as a group to work on the project is not possible for the students or even the parents of the students. I think that PBL if used appropriately and in moderation, like any teaching technique, can be very successful and refreshing for students.
Hi Everyone -
The comments are great but please commment on each others comments. There are some very differing viewpoints such as... I will teach how I learned best (paraphrasing of course) and "one great unit a year is acceptable to me."
You will get most of your "training" by reading and staying up to date on the latest research and ideas... EdWeek, ASCD, CEC, etc. are great places to start. Don't wait for great professional development, it does not often occur.
We also cannot go on with memorization tasks as the jobs that require these skills either do not exist, will not exist, or will not pay. Critical thinking, collaboration, and communication are not "experimental"... they are real life skills that are needed more than ever.
I find Patti's argument very interesting. PBL is very similar to group projects and I am pretty sure everyone has had the experience where their is either someone who takes control or those who just let others do the work. I think PBL could be more successful on an individual level oppose to a group level because as an individual you are completely in charge-whatever you say goes and you can really get creative. On a group level, I suppose a way to avoid this issue of dominance is to have a group discuss all the options and vote on what is more favorable, or if students were reluctant they could do an anonymous vote to make it more honest
I also found Kelly's argument as a half supporter of PBL quite interesting. While it is known that students learn in different ways, she makes an excellent point that there are students out there that wont particularly like PBL concepts. While it may prepare students to think critically, there may be students where the memorization, drilling information thing works.
Kelly's comment is an excellent example of how every student is different learner. I think it is all about finding balance in the classroom. Not every student is a memorizer and can benefit from PBL or even another creative, hands-on activity.
The main goal of schools is to prepare the youth to face the real world. A school’s job is to prepare them for careers and other opportunities they may have in their future. The only problem is that schools today do this by sitting students in a class and lecturing them. If we think about it, the current, traditional way of teaching isn’t preparing them for the real world because the real world consists of problems that need to be solved, having to collaborate with others and many other things that can be learned through project based learning. I think PBL deepens their knowledge because they learn the subject while doing a project as opposed to just memorizing facts during a test. When learning through a project based learning method, they can apply what they learn to the project. This helps them see the importance of what they had learned, the reasoning behind it and an application of it in the real world. Also, creating a project that could capture the students’ interest on the subject would not only keep them engaged in the subject but it would also make them actively participate in their educational experience. Mathematics is such a difficult subject to get engaged in and students usually want to stay away from this subject. If we can create math projects that are related to real world situations, this could encourage students to be interested in the subject and then want to go on to study higher levels of math. Math is actually a subject that requires a lot of creativity but this is really hard to see by the way it is being taught now. If more project based learning techniques are used in mathematics classrooms I know that we can change the bad reputation that is given to this subject and allow students to enjoy it as much as they enjoy other subjects.
I think Kristen made an excellent point as to why we are still not seeing PBL in classrooms. It is really hard for new teachers to do this during their first year especially if the school they begin at has a certain specific structure to the way they teach.
PBL is a great way to teach in the classroom, but not the only way. I am the type of student that understands a lot when I am apart of a group discussion and not just be lectured to. But I also need a lecture here and there to understand a topic more. I think that PBL should be incorporated into the classroom but being lectured to should not be stop fully.
PBL is said to deepen the knowledge of the students. It makes the students think critically, work together, and communicate with each other on the topic. PBL can be very hands on for many students who need that.
When watching this video I thought to myself, I wish that my teachers in elementary school used this method of teaching. All they did was read from the textbok or have us copy notes. I can't say that this kind of teaching was effective on my education. PBL is something I would definately incorporate into my lessons.
I think it is important for students to learn to collaborate with each other. In the future, they will have to work with people and it is a great way for them to learn this skill. I think that PBL is a difficult task for the teacher and it might take a lot of time. I think there should be workshops for teachers in order for PBL to be successful in a classroom. I think the PBL projects should be projects where students are thinking critically and learning something. Sometimes teachers use these types of projects and the children learn nothing. I think it gives children a chance to come out of their "shell" as well because they are forced to present it in front of teachers, parents, or other students. PBL can give students a chance to speak within a small group if they don't normally speak within the whole class.
PBL is one of the first things I learned in my education courses. At first I was very against it, thinking that it would consist of useless projects, much like the ones I had to do back in middle and high school. Grade fillers so to speak. However, after a little investigation and some real life examples, I realized that PBL is the best way to effectively teach mathematics, and perhaps other subjects. It provides students with the opportunity to use what they have learned to develop their ideas into visible representations. It also allows them time to use what they have learned in several different classes in one project. Students are finally able to see how useful everything is in real life. The problem with PBL could be the timing, the inclusion of it, the corrections that are always necessary when making projects form year to year. I know that other people have blogged that they are unsure of how to use this in their everyday classroom. I think that PBL could be used piece by piece. Start the lessons that do not require fundamental basics with exploration. Instead of teaching them triangular theorems, why not let groups explore. The cumulative "test" could then be a huge PBL project which could demonstrate their knowledge across many topics learned. I don't want to use this during the beginning months; I want this to be a growing, living project that students think about and work towards throughout the year. There are schools in Washington (state) which use this idea. Students design their own school or air plane wings and then have architects and engineers come in to look, help, and evaluate their work. PBL can help make school more realistic, relatable, and worthwhile for many students.
I feel that PBL is a great way for students to learn. It encourages students to ask why? or ask questions in general. If a teacher is teaching a topic and feels that the students are not grasping the ideas, by incorporating PBL, it gives the students the chance to find the answers to a topic and question, presented to them, on their own. It helps enhance students critical thinking skills, researching skills, and communication skills, not only with their peers but with adults and teachers as well.
I find Kelly’s stance to be interesting. I agree that there is definitely something to memorization at times. What’s missing, however, is understanding of the material memorized. I would much rather be able to recite a formula because the method behind creating it makes sense to me rather than just knowing it. For example, I know how to solve a Rubik’s cube, and many people are impressed. But they shouldn’t be at all. All I did was memorize algorithms. Muscle memory helps, too. If I’m not paying enough attention and suddenly realize I made a wrong turn, I can’t look at the cube and fix it. I have to start from square one all over again. So I KNOW, but I don’t UNDERSTAND. I think we need to seek both. All that being said, I am very glad Kelly brought up that some of the “traditional” methods of teaching are effective for some learners. Thank you for that reminder.
Due to the fact that students learn and understand things differently, is more the reason why we should try and integrate PBL into our curriculum. As Tortora mentioned, we can start by focusing on one unit a year and see how it works. From this, we can make revisions and critique what works and what doesn't. I also believe it is important that students collaborate with one another in the classroom and are exposed to working together. Collaboration helps prepare children for the real world. In the workforce, we are forced to collaborate on a daily basis and realistically, sometimes we have to work with people we don't get along with or agree with. PBL prepares children and exposes them to these types of situations in the classroom. I also agree with Kelly and understand that not everyone learns best when working in a group setting, and that is why the curriculum does not have to end all, be all PBL.
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