Podcast

Podcast information:
Talk about what project-based learning is - one concept from the book and how it relates to pbl and our project.
free music from the lecture with fading
use of audacity


concepts ideas:
promote inquiry and deep learning 106
higher-order thinking questions 114
optimize technology, even the podcast is mentioned here... discuss what technology you are using, chapter 7, pg 119-121


Possible Script:


Hello and welcome to our Gardening Team here at ____ Elementary. My name is Kyla Marshall and my name is Jessica Morse. We wanted to talk to you today about elements of Project Based Learning.


First, What is project based learning? Project based learning is an inquiry based process for both teaching and learning. Students focus on a question of their choice and use technology to find, organize, and present answers through a collaboration process of investigation over an extended amount of time. During the inquiry process, students learn content, information, and use higher-order level thinking to develop conclusions and answers to their focus question or problem.


Jessica: As teachers, we found that collaboration is a major concept in Project Based Learning regarding both students and teachers. First, by having students work together, they are able to build information with each other's help which includes students talking through their own ideas. By expressing themselves through web-based communication tools, students can also collaborate with other members of society. Students are also able to work collaboratively in a group and learn together. As for the benefits, they are able to learn new patterns of thinking, learn from others in a group, and most importantly how to learn together.
We have incorporated these benefits by connecting with students in Brazil, South America. Each of the students in the classroom have pen pals with a classroom in Brazil to which they can talk about the different cultural aspects considering gardening. Students have also been working in groups throughout the term to build and communicate ideas between one another and themselves. Second, Collaboration and communication amongst teachers are essential for this practice to be able for students to achieve the learning goals. Collaboration allows the opportunity for teachers to provide and receive constructive criticism and feedback on what they may have not thought about in their own lesson plans. In the end, all of these ideas were put towards the goal of the students learning the curriculum.

Another major Project Based Learning concept is higher order thinking questions. As a teacher it is important to Project Based Learning that questions posed to individual students, small group and even whole group get the students to think. This requires asking questions that put them in the investigator and researcher roles. This will require helping students develop these skills. A way to help develop the skills for this higher order of thinking is to ask students to analyze, compare, elaborate and evaluate the work they are doing.

A way that we have created higher-level thinking in our class is by consistently asking students to tell us more. Once we ask a deeper question, it probes all students to think and start to ask each other how they found their answers and what happens next. 

Thank you for listening to our ideas about project based learning and important concepts that are needed to make PBL a successful learning tool.