1. Read the Introduction. What "dominant paradigm" is showing signs of wear?
The dominant paradigm that is showing signs of wear is the instructional model of teaching where the teacher and the textbook are the primary sources of knowledge for the students. In this model the students receive knowledge through teacher lectures and reading. There is little to no group work or complex thinking skills.
2. According to the research, how does Project-Based Learning support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies.
One benefit to Project-Based Learning is that it increases critical thinking skills and confidence in students. They are able to construct knowledge on their own instead of just memorizing facts out of a textbook. The Shepherd (1998) study followed 4th and 5th graders over a nine week period and found that students involved in the project based learning scored higher on a critical thinking test.
Another benefit to Project-Based Learning is that students have a more flexible kind of knowledge. They are able to explore concepts and apply them to other real world situations. In the Boaler (1997) study followed students over a three year period and found that the project based students performed better on conceptual problems.
A third benefit to Project-Based Learning is the students are given opportunities to use multimedia in their education. They use technology to conduct research, communicate, and present information. In the Penuel, Means, and Simkins (2000) study students who used multimedia in their projects performed better on content, design, and reaching their audience.
3. According to the research, how does Problem-Based Learning support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies.
One benefit to Problem-Based Learning is that it supports more flexible problem solving. There are many possible solutions to one problem; there is no designated right answer. Students have the chance to use their knowledge and creativity to find solutions. (Dochy, Segers, Van den Bossche, and Gijbels, 2003).
Another benefit is that students are better able to make hypotheses and explain their reasoning for their hypotheses. Instead of having the teacher or the textbook tell them what is happening, they have the opportunity to explore on their own and construct their own knowledge. (Hmelo, 1998b; Schmidt et al., 1996).
A third benefit is that students are better able to support their findings with well-reasoned justifications. They are critically thinking about their problem to come up with a solution, and because it is their own reasoning, they are better able to articulate it more so than if they were just trying to repeat something they read in a book. (Stepien et al., 1993).
4. According to the research, how does Learning by Design support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies.
One benefit to Learning by Design is that students have the chance to design artifacts that show their understanding of knowledge. They get to use their creativity, and the teacher can see if they are grasping the concept in a real world situation. (Fortus and colleagues, 2004).
Another benefit is that through Learning by Design activities, students get to become experts on the concepts that they are working on. In order to create their artifact they must do research and collaborate with others to find information they will need. (Hmelo, Holton, and Kolodner, 2000).
A third benefit is that design activities help students better in understanding complex systems. They are able to look at the problem from different perspectives, and if one solution isn’t working they can make revisions and try again. (Perkins, 1986).
5. What are the differences between the three approaches?
In Project-Based Learning students will complete a series of tasks that will result in one final product or presentation. In Problem-Based Learning students will be given a real life problem and they have to come up with a solution. There are many ways they can approach the problem, and not everyone’s solution will be the same. In Learning by Design students create an artifact that demonstrates that they understand a concept and how to apply it.
6. In your opinion, what is the most important benefit to learning that is common across the three types of inquiry-based learning approaches?
I believe the most important benefit across all three approaches is that in all three the students are constructing their own knowledge and they are active participants in their own learning. They aren’t just sitting there listening to a lecture or reading from a book. They are presented with a problem and are given the freedom to explore different solutions.
Source
Barron, B., & Darling-Hammond, L. (n.d.). Teaching for meaningful learning: A review of research on inquiry-based and cooperative learning. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teaching-for-meaningful-learning.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment