Discussion Board

Instructions: Reflect upon the question below and post your thoughts on the discussion board.

“What is one area of PBL you are still unsure of or feel like you need more information about to implement?”

The webinar series has been extremely informative and well rounded. I appreciate everything Iʻve been learning here. However, for my site specifically, I do not have access to a classroom. So we are set up outside under a large tent with picnic tables. Weather (wind/rain) aside, my biggest challenge is keeping my students interested in my projects when they have classmates running around playing tag, basketball, etc literally 10 feet away from them. How can I compete?

That’s a very challenging situation!  Outdoor management can eat up your time allowance too.
As for myself, I work as a homework tutor with small groups, as well as individual reteaching as needed.  I do have times when I assist other staff with their projects. I’m not yet sure how to work a project into this arrangement..
I have been a STEM teacher in the past and was able to conduct a long project for parent display.  The conditions really worked for me in that situation.

Monica:  What a challenging arrangement!  Some initial thoughts we had were to put up partitions or sheets/fabric to block students’ view.  Does anyone else have a suggestion of something they have used in the past that was successful?

Mondie:  It sounds like you have a bit of a challenge as well!  If you can’t facilitate your own project with students, perhaps you can provide some training on PBL for the teachers you work with or with the rest of the staff.  Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

“What is one area of PBL you are still unsure of or feel like you need more information about to implement?”

Although this webinar has been extremely informative and I believe I have a better understanding of what project based learning should look like.  I still feel unaware of how to develop an effective topic for a project based learning assignment.  I would want my students to truly benefit from this experience but, I do not want my lack of creativity to limited this process.

“What is one area of PBL you are still unsure of or feel like you need more information about to implement?”
 
I believe that the one area I feel I need more information about is how to ensure that the project is connect to the student’s interest.  I would like see how to gage the initial conversation in developing a topic to ensure that my voice or the voice of other staff members are not too represented because we want to see results.

Allyson:  Actually, it’s still early in our program, so as we settle into a routine, I’m hoping that an opportunity will present itself.  The site coordinator is supposed to plan parent-based and community based events, and I think that might give me a chance to try something.