Session2: PBL and UDL

Project Based Learning

There has never been a better time to implement Project Based Learning (PBL) in the classroom.  Educators with computer access in their classrooms have never had a wider variety of tools available to meet the needs of their students, to engage their learners, or to differentiate instruction to make learning relevant and meaningul for every student.  One concept that I really thought was critical to the success of PBL from a student standpoint would be that of empowering learners through 'voice and choice.'  When students have some ownership of their work/projects they are much more motivated and involved.  Such ownership affords students the opportunity to choose projects of interest in line with their preffered learning modes and individual strengths.

As a teacher, I think I'm well on the path to PBL, but have to determine how to move further down the road.  Due to the fact that I am elementary and very interested in infusing technology into the curricular content, I do much of the initial instruction on using various technologies such as databases, online encyclopedias, Microsoft PowerPoint, etc.  I may be wrong, but currently I feel that this instruction is critical as how can they use what they do not know.  If I don't teach them how to use the tools and give them opportunity to practice, how would they be able to manage PBL with no 'bag of tricks' so to speak?  The time factor is also an issue as I have a fixed schedule in which I only see my 4th/5th graders for instruction every other week.  I expose them to as many difference resources and tools as I possibly can to prepare them for middle school, but employing full blown PBL given these time constraints is a challenge.  Some of my lessons already cover 2 to 3 sessions meaning a time lapse of 4-6 weeks.  Certain lessons can be adapted for such a schedule, others not so much.

Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a great way to build student enthusiasm for learning.  As our student population and their needs become more and more diverse, it is an exciting concept to build learning opportunities that allow students celebrate their uniqueness and talents while extending the range of tools available to meet various learning styles and intelligences.  I like that all tools are available to all students so those with special needs have a better opportunity to blend in rather than be singled out. 

I was able to bookmark several sites, some under Planning Resources and others under UDL that provided multiple resources, templates, and professional development oppportunities to help me continue to broaden my understanding and application of PBL and UDL in my library.  I believe that if more teachers applied the concepts of PBL and UDL with  incorporation of 21st century skills, we would see the dropout rate decline and that the increased engagement of students would translate into a better prepared workforce. 

In conclusion:
One of the things that bothers me about education in general is how many classrooms today still look like the classrooms of my youth.  To think that so little has changed in these classrooms with all of the technological advances of the past 20 years is both insane and criminal.  Our nations' dropout rate speaks for itself.  Too many learners are checking out leaving their futures grim and society picking up the tab for lost productivity, social assistance, and overcrowded jail cells.  We need to do a better job of engaging all learners and maximizing the development of individual intelligences therefore increasing the number of successful and productive citizens.

We are losing too many learners, as Daniel Pink, author of Drive:  the Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, states that the secret to high performance and satisfaction whether at school, work, or home is our need to direct our lives, to learn and create new things, and to enrich ourselves and our world.  I interpret this to mean that our students win when PBL, UDL, and 21st Century Skills are the core of their learning.  What is more powerful and more critical to the future success of our nation than empowering today's learners and tomorrow's leaders?