Truth be told, this is the first time I hear about Project-based Learning. Or maybe I had a rough idea on alternative means of assessing students different from the exam-oriented ones but I just didn't have a name for that. Through this course I had the chance to learn a LOT about project-based learning, alternative assessment tools and rubrics!
Recently, in Kuwait, students turned into robots with minimum amount of creativity and innovation. They study for exams; to do well and graduate with flying colors. By doing so, and actually asking them to study just for exams we are reinforcing low-level thinking skills (knowledge, comprehension and maybe a little bit of application?) No critical thinking or problem-solving skills are being taught, therefore no actual learning is taking place.
During this week we managed to work on so many topics and tasks. It was a very fruitful week, at least for me, and I measure that by the relatively large amount of information I learned. I created my own rubric (Well, not from scratch, it was more of an editing) using Rubistar.com which is an extremely useful tool if you plan on adopting the PBL approach. You will need to create rubrics to provide your students with details on how they will be evaluated and what is expected of them.
I also worked on my first WebQuest; a web-oriented lesson format where students are provided with unlimited amount of information that basically come from the web to help them increase higher order thinking skills. My WebQuest has to do with both reading and writing skills; analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and creating skills. It can be found HERE!
I'm currently thinking of preparing a workshop on PBL for teachers of all grades to introduce the approach to them and hopefully encourage them to embrace it?
It's high time we changed the way we teach and understood the way our students "learn".
hello wadha i do really agree with your points! they just amazing! thsee week showed us alot of new tings which are with no doubts great things to add to our learning spices. really thanks for sharing these wonderful insight about this week!
ReplyDeleteThank YOU Brahim for passing by. Day by day my faith in and admiration of technology is growing bigger and bigger, thanks to this course.
DeleteDear Wadha,
ReplyDeleteIt is not the first time I heard of PBL, but I certainly feel that I should apply it more often in my teaching. I agree with you that school education is turning students into robots. Also I very much admire your enthusiasm for promoting PBL.
Yiling
Taiwan
Thank you Yiling for passing by. When I like an idea that proves to be successful I really do my best that my teachers do embrace it, too.
Deleteregards,
Wadha
Dear Wadha,
ReplyDeleteYour reflection rightly states that we had too many things to do, but as you mentioned it was really fruitful throughout. Though we bother too much about the expansion of technology we should not be worried for we are learning to exploit technology to maximize learning opportunities and situations for the learners. I appreciate your work as a colleague.
All the best
Esala
Sri Lanka
True what you said, Esala. Technology is never the end but it's rather the means through which we hope that the best learning experiences are taking place.
DeleteHello Wadha,
ReplyDeleteYou've identified a difficulty that is also a big problem in my country's educational contexts. We also need to reinforce creativty as we are also more focused in preparing students to pass exams. Luckily, times are changing,there are new approaches in education and communities are getting more involved with the new tools available on the media. Teachers have an important task: we have to lead new generations of students and make them be independent and reflexive.
Juan Pacheco
Colombia
Very true, Juan. Time IS changing and so should the mentality of every teacher. Unlike what some teachers think, once they get licensed to teach they just stop there, it is a must that you update your knowledge constantly. Teachers who don't, usually, lag behind and bring down their students.
DeleteThanks for passing by.
Wadha
Hello Wadha,
ReplyDeleteAs you mentioned this week was very fruitful for all of us. You did geart job! Congratulations! I like very much your WebQuest. It is incredibly great. I am sure that your done tasks can motivate not only your students but also, your colleagues as well.
Best wishes
Madina
Uzbekistan.
Hi Madina! I'm glad you did like my WebQuest. And I'm really happy to be a source of motivation :) Reading your words made my day!
DeleteWadha
Hello Wadha,
ReplyDeleteI also regret that we are turning our students into "robots" by failing to explore their potentialities through traditional teaching practices. I agree there is no actual learning for life. I feel sorry for my students who make painstaking efforts to by heart all those lengthy answers and prepare for the exams to achieve more marks. There exists no real learning.
New generation: New Thought. Unfortunately, my country is also following the same plight. We are somewhere in 70s so far educational contexts are concerned.
I appreciate your positive attitude for change. Congratulations for the wonderful WebQuest you have created.
Kiran
Nepal
Hello Kiran, You're not alone and your country is not the only to turn students into robots. As you may have read in the previous replies, other colleagues do argue that they suffer from the same problem. It's our duty to make change and to have a stand! I'm sure we're all capable of doing that :)
DeleteWarm regards,
Wadha
Hello Wadha!
ReplyDeletePlease can you advise me how to add extra information to my WebQuest. My job is not done. So I have to work on it But now I cannot login. It is giving error.
I look forward to hearing from you
Best regards
Madina
Uzbekistan
Hello Madina, How can I help you exactly with the WebQuest page? If it gives you an error message then maybe it has to do with the internet connection? Or did you forget your password?
DeleteHello Wadha,
DeleteThank you for reply. I do not forget the password but anyway it is giving an error.
Hi Wadha I added information on my WebQuest
ReplyDeleteThanks
Madina