Blog Post #9

What can teachers and students teach us about Project Based Learning?

In the article Seven Essentials for Project Based Learning, the authors give insight as to what makes a good project. They give seven parts of a project that should be present at all times:

1. A need to know
2. A driving question
3. Student Voice and Choice
4. 21st Century skills
5. Inquiry and Innovation
6. Feedback and Revision
7. A publicly presented product

In each of these, students will conduct a project on something the teacher feels is important to their education, and they will work to answer the question in which the project is based on. They will use their own creativity to properly finish the project while collaborating with groups. The goal is for students to come up with more questions as they learn, which increases their need to learn more about the topic. They give feedback to their peers and help one another revise, and then present the finished product to the class.

In Tony Vincent's video, project based learning is question-driven, and given out over a period of time. It requires application of knowledge and evidence to answer the questions. Questions must be inquiry-based and open ended, problem solving and personalized. According to Vincent, students learn a set of skills while doing each project:

• Collaboration skills 
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Career and life skills

He encourages us as teachers to question, investigate, share, and reflect during project based learning. He teaches us that students are in charge of their own learning. As Einstein said, "I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn." Tony Vincent believes that PBL is giving students a voice and choice in their learning, just as the authors do in Seven Essentials for Project Based Learning. 

As a future Physical Education teacher, the most interesting advice came from Project Based Learning and Physical Education. Based on the seven skills listed above, it was easy for author Andrew Miller to explain how each could be incorporated into a PE classroom in a high school. "The driving question: How can I create the best exercise program for middle school students?"

In a blog post called Project Based Learning in PE, the author agrees that students could benefit in many ways from creating an exercise program for middle school children. Not only will they learn teamwork skills, they will learn what it is to be healthy, which may cause them to lead healthier lives as they grow older. What was the most blaring part of this blog post was the statement that "Physical activity and fitness is a literacy in our world today." 

In the video What Motivates Students, students are asked what motivates them to do well in school. 

What each student said:

• When given positive feedback and congratulations
• Success later in life
• To get into college and get a degree 
• Fear of a lack of freedom

Growing up, I had many of the same motivators as each of the young students who spoke. Also, positive rewards are a great reason for students to repeat what good they have done. 

All in all, I have learned a lot from both students and teachers. I have learned how to better motivate students, what kind of projects I can give in my Physical Education classes, and the basic guidelines to follow with giving Project Based Learning assignments.