In a constructivist classroom, the teacher is the facilitator. When I think about this, I always compare a facilitator to a coach. A coach is someone who instructs, motivates, supports, provides, and guides athletes throughout a season. A coach does not play. A teacher in support of constructivism does not do the thinking, the students do. Students in a constructivist classroom are active learners. They are collaborating, communicating, thinking critically, and reflecting on their experiences. Project-based learning allows this to happen.
Project-based learning allows students to discover their own learning. Glazer (2001) discussed three important models of problem-based inquiry; problem-based learning, anchored instruction, and web quests. In problem-based learning, teachers create settings that allow for prediction, testing, concluding, and reflecting. In my classroom, I have a forty minute block of time with my students every other day that is set aside for “problem solving.” The students are put into groups and a problem is displayed on the SmartBoard. The students have access to manipulatives and computers and have to figure out a way to solve the problem. The best part about this type of activity is that most of the time more than one way of doing a problem is created. This allows different learners to share the process they went through to derive at an answer.
When I first started implementing the problem solving tasks, I realized that I needed to be very clear on what the objective was for the task. Students needed to be able to ask questions to clarify any confusion prior to starting the task. Also, I made sure I mocked an example from start to finish on how to problem solve in a group. This gave students the chance to experience what the process looks like. I demonstrated the importance of talk, questioning, modeling, visualizing, and utilizing the resources available within the classroom. It was truly a successful part of my year and something that I will continue. Students gained confidence and took pride in their own learning.
Generating and testing hypotheses are instructional strategies that all teachers in all content areas can develop. Students need to be engaged in a variety of structured tasks for generating and testing hypotheses. Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn (2012) discuss the mistaken belief that hypotheses can only be related to science; however, it can be applied to all content areas. Teachers must build off prior knowledge or tap into student interests to create learning environments that allow students to explain their predictions and verify their conclusions. Technology plays a vital role in allow these types of higher level thinking to take place in the classroom. Teachers can use programs such as Kidspiration and Inspiration for a plethora of templates to organize student thinking, teacher-created spreadsheets to collect, organize, and analyze data, and Keynote on an iPad to create comparison charts.
Webinar on Common Core Standards and PBL:
References
Glazer, E. (2001). Problem Based Instruction. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved <insert date>, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2nd ed.). Alexandria , VA
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