Constructivism/constructionism employs many elements that support a learner-oriented environment. Students solve complex problems in a collaborative effort by investigating, hypothesizing, and creating external artifacts. In constructionism the learner is "an active builder of knowledge" (Orey, 2001 ). The learner is involved in real world applications so that they are more interested in what they are learning and are invested in the outcome.
I love the idea of the constructionist learning theory. Being an art teacher, I do teach Project-Based Learning. I am comfortable being the facilitator and allowing students the opportunity to learn through the process of creating something. I try, as often as possible, to allow students to choose their own subject matter and have them help each other before coming to me as a last resort. The main problem that I have with constructivism is the amount of planning time on the teacher end of things. I am by nature a procrastinator and know what happens when everything is not in order. I realize how important it is to have a rubric and clear expectations at the beginning of a project.
The different instructional strategies that were presented this week are good resources to use to help implement the constructionism theory. I especially like the Webquests and Primary Access (www.primaryaccess.org). The Primary Access site allows students to create their own movies about a particular subject. Students love to make movies and be creative with different genres so this would allow them to collaborate with each other and problem solve to create a final piece of work. Webquests allow students to work in groups to explore and solve a problem using today's technology while becoming independent learners. Students also could participate in a culminating activity/project using what they learned from the WebQuest. Questgarden is a good site to visit if you are interested in creating a webquest. They have a lot of templates to use and guide you through the process. There is a fee for using the site, but there is a free trial period to check it out.
Susan
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
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Susan,
ReplyDeleteStudent choice and student input while creating project ideas are often key parts of project based learning that are under utilized by teachers. Unfortunately, this is a missed opportunity to create buy-in and enthusiasm by students for doing the project.
I find this most often with teachers who are new to using constructivist type learning activities and they want to maintain complete control over a project. Often as they get more comfortable, many teachers will start to include students in the planning process and are more willing to let projects go in alternate directions.
I always tell teachers that with project based learning you never really know for sure where students will end up with a project but that is exactly one of the elements that make it exciting for both students and educators.
In terms of planning, you are absolutely correct that it takes significantly more when utilizing project based learning. The payoff is that when the students are actively engaged in working on their projects, you as the teacher can stand back and observe the ‘hum’ of activity going on in the classroom. I love those moments when all the students are actively involved and barely realize the teacher is in the room. Certainly, as facilitator, the educator is continually involved in asking questions and ensuring students stay focused on their tasks but they are not longer the center of instruction.
Kevin
Susan,
ReplyDeleteI am also a procrastinator! I am improving and know that I need to take much time to set up project-based and problem-based learning activities. I enjoy when students take interest in what they are learning. I like being able to provide them with options that allow for them to explore their interests. These types of activities allow for that.
I am a fan of using rubrics and my students have come to expect them for various projects. I wouldn't dare introduce a project without having my rubric ready or my students would be asking for one! Most students found it comforting to have expectations for the project in their hand so that they could keep it in their binder to refer to throughout a project. I have used rubistar.4teachers.org to create many of my own rubrics. I have found it to be simple and easy to use - very teacher friendly! My students have also formed the habit of attaching their rubric to their final product for scoring. I am eager to check out quest garden - thanks for the resource!
Kevin,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the best part is when the students are actively involved in their work and don't even realize that you are there. I do get lots of those moments in teaching since I do teach art, but it is really exciting to watch it gather momentum.
Susan
Susan, I wish I would have had you for an art teacher in school. It use to drive me crazy when my teacher would force us to make and do certain thing a certain way. I thought art was about learning to express ourselves and yet we were alsways told what to do and how to do it. We were expressing nothing. Allowing studetns to choose thier own subject matter adds a lot of meaning and motivation. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteI love what you are doing here, I agree with the other poster, I wish I could have been in your art class when I was a kid!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like you and I have the same problems with matching up your fantastic lessons with a clear and concise rubric. I always have difficulty setting up reasonable and fair expectations for my students. Sometimes I also have difficulty connecting my assessments directly to the standards or content that are supposed to be covered in the lessons. Nevertheless, I still value constructionism and constructionism methods, including the use of technology for projects and assesments. Thanks for the tip on questgarden!