Ascd2010

PBL in Cyberspace: Where Constructivism Meets Technology!

Dr. Kerry Rice, Assistant Professor, Boise State University

Barbara Frey, Founding Principle of Colorado Connections Academy

Agenda

1. Introductions2. Constructivist practices in a digital age3. Examples from Higher Education4. Examples from K-125. Resources6. Wrap up

It IS…• Learning that takes

place partially or entirely over the Internet

• Inquiry-based• Interactive • Collaborative

It is NOT…• Print-based correspondence• Broadcast TV and radio• Satellite Videoconferencing

(“yoked” or “hub & spoke”)• Videocassettes• Stand-alone computer

software

What is Online Learning?

LCP’s PBL Best Practice

21st Century Skills

How are constructivist practices translated to the online environment?

Learner Autonomy

Active Participation

Collaboration and

Community Building

Authentic Assessment

21st Century Skills

Department of Educational Technology, Boise State University

Communication Tools

Collaboration Tools

Writing and Reflection Tools

Web-Based Multimedia Tools

Virtual Icebreakers Project

Supported through:• scaffolding and careful guidance • learning aids • modeling and prompting• coaching strategies• reflective thinking and problem solving

The ability and motivation to take responsibility for one's own learning.

Learner Autonomy

Project Based Learning Handbook (2nd Edition), The Buck Institute for Education.

Learner AutonomyLearner

Autonomy

Project Based Learning Handbook (2nd Edition), The Buck Institute for Education.

Learner Autonomy

Learner Autonomy

Learner Autonomy

Learner Autonomy

“As I read through the reading materials for this week I kept a bit of a journal in a Google Doc. In doing so I noticed a change in my thinking that came from thinking about learning communities with remembrances of classes where community was not present.”

Supported through:• authentic projects and assessments• role assignments• teamwork• peer review• strategies to structure activities (consensus

building, Tuning Protocol, Fishbowl Method)

Strong feelings of community have been shown to promote a greater sense of well-

being among learners as well as increases in engagement, cooperation, commitment to

group goals, information flow, and satisfaction in group interactions.

Collaboration and

Community Building

Collaboration and

Community Building

Collaboration and

Community Building

Supported through:• Authentic, collaborative, inquiry-based

projects• negotiated learning outcomes • active research in the field• partnerships with the outside community

Interactions within the learning community as well as engagement

with the content being studied.

Active Participation

Active Participation

Active Participation

http://k12principles.pbworks.com/4-6+Principles

Active Participation

Supported through:• instructor and peer feedback• reflection• dissemination to “real-world”

audiences

Instructional environments that promote a process rather than an end product necessitate the

development of assessments that are progressive rather than summative.

Authentic Assessment

Authentic Assessment

Authentic Assessment

Supported in PBL through:• Habits of Mind• Communication• Collaboration• Technology• Task- and Self-Management• Problem Solving and Critical Thinking• Design

A major challenge facing educators in the 21st century "is how to design our educational system... in order to produce

graduates who are better prepared to take up jobs in a knowledge-based environment characterized by a pervasive

use of information communications technology" (Bodomo 2006, ¶1)

Supported in e-Learning through:• Information communication

technologies•text-based tools and web-based

video/audio tools support communication,

•critical thinking, •collaboration and •problem solving.•Computer technologies

21st Century Skills

Learner Autonomy

Active Participation

Collaboration and

Community Building

Authentic Assessment

21st Century Skills

K-12 PBL in Cyberspace

Introducing Connections Academy• Leading provider of K-12 virtual curriculum,

technology, and school management services• Founded by Sylvan® in 2001, first full-time virtual

schools opened in 2002• Partners with school districts, state

departments of education, and charter schools to operate virtual public schools and provide online courses

• Serving an estimated 25,000 K-12 students in 2009-10

Connections Academy

Connections Academy was the first program of its kind to be certified by the Commission on International and Trans- Regional Accreditation School Specific

Accreditations:

From Theory to Practice

Constructing Knowledge in K-12 Online

• Problem based learning, student centered teaching, collaboration, small group work and authentic performance based assessments all contribute to student academic performance (Lowes, 2005).

• Online learning can broaden the experiences and background of the learner.

Virtual Learning Scaffolding Model

• Student-centered learning

• Engage the learner• Construct active

learning• Supports learning

through varied instructional tools and strategies

Learner Autonomy

Learner AutonomyLearner

AutonomyLearner

Autonomy

K-12 Learning Management Systems

K-12 Instructional Teaching Aids

http://www.connectionsacademy.com/curriculum/instructional-tools.aspx

K-12 Instructional Teaching Aids

• http://www.connectionsacademy.com/curriculum/elementary-school/educational-materials.aspx

K-12 Communication and Collaboration

Multiplayer Gaming

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Map It Project

• Map It project was developed through a technology grant awarded to Connections Academy by the Denver Public Schools Information Literacy & Technology Department.

• Targets students in kindergarten through second grade

• Builds skills in math and geography using on-line and off-line instruction.

• Engages students in activities that connect what they do and see everyday with real world mathematical and geographical experiences.

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Project Overview Based on Learner Centered Principals and PBL Attributes

• Integration – Math and geography-based children’s

literature with hands-on related activities – Cutting-edge technology tools.

• Real-time visual and verbal communication:– teacher-to-students – teacher to student– student-to-student discussion in a small group

setting.

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LiveLesson ® activities focus on the student’s immediate environment using functions such as:

• chat • interactive whiteboard, • voice over IP• polling

Word processing, presentation software, email and message boards

Project OverviewCollaboration

and Community

Building

Active Participation

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Off-Line Lessons

• After each asynchronous lesson students are asked to perform one of the following learning activities: – complete a chart or study guide– read a book – write in their math journal in order to prepare

for their next LiveLesson®– Prepare for a discussion with the teacher and

the other students in the group– Post in the message board

21st Century Skills21st Century Skills

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On-Line Lessons

Each synchronous lesson also builds on skills from the previous lesson

PollingTeacher Led Discussion

Document Sharing

Student PresentationChat

Lesson Chart Constructs in Italics

# LESSON TITLE1 How Big Is a Foot? Active Participation

2 LiveLesson ®–Measurement Collaboration and Community Building

3 How Big Are the Beds in Your House? Learner Autonomy

4 Measuring with Animal Shapes Learner Autonomy Scaffolding

5 LiveLesson® –Standard vs. Non-Standard Measurement

Collaboration

6 What Measurement Tool Did You Choose? 21st Century Skills

7 Mapping Penny’s World Active Participation

8 LiveLesson ® – Measurement and Mapping 21st Century Skills

9 Create a Rough Map Sketch Active Participation

10 LiveLesson ® – Reviewing First Draft Maps Collaboration

11 LiveLesson ® – Putting it All Together Authentic Assessments

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Lesson One- How Big is A Foot?

• Read the book, How Big is A Foot? by Rolf Myller

Complete the study guide reproducible making notes

Post the answers to the study guide questions in theMessage Board

Prepare for LiveLesson ™Write in Math Journal explaining why

measurement is so important.

Active Participation

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Message Board Responses

• Message Board : View ThreadMessage Boards > Colorado CA Schoolhouse > Teacher Message Boards: How Big is a

Foot?• 2/21/2006 5:57 PM Sandra Reply • Quote • Edit •

1. The guy that made it had small feet. The King had large feet. 2. Because they didn't measure with the King's feet.3. They used a mold of the King's foot.4. 12"5. A ruler. Alex

• 5/2/2006 3:01 PM Ryan Reply • Quote • Edit • 1. The apprentice's feet were too small.2. They didn't have a yardstick.3. They made a copy of the king's foot.4. It was about one foot. It was about a foot on the yardstick picture.5. They use a yardstick. Ryan

• 5/2/2006 3:05 PM Ethan Reply • Quote • Edit • 1. The apprentice's feet were smaller than the king's feet.2. They didn't have any standard units of measuring.3. When the apprentice realized that the king's feet were bigger than his, a sculptor got a marble copy of the king's foot for the apprentice to use.4. It was obviously a foot. That's where they got the standard unit of measure, the foot.5. They use units of measuring such as yards, inches, and feet. Ethan

Collaboration and

Community Building

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Lesson 5 LiveLesson ® Standard vs. Non-Standard

Measurement

Collaboration and

Community Building

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Sample Benchmark Projects

MAGNIFICENT MAPS!

Authentic Assessment

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Alex’s Map

Driveway

House

T

Alex’s map

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Alex’s Key

KEY

• Chair• Bone• Tree• Trampoline• Table• Grass• Stones• Squeaky Toy

T

58

Andrew’s Map

Andrew’s Map

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Marieke’s Map

Katie’s Map

Chaz’s map

Resources• Connections Academy:

http://www.connectionsacademy.com/ • Boise State University, Department of Educational Technology:

http://edtech.boisestate.edu • PBL Website:

http://pbl-online.org • PBL Co-Laboratory:

http://pbl-online.org/CoLab/PBLCL-01.login.php • K-12 Online Teaching Strategies resource site:

https://sites.google.com/site/onlineteachingstrategies/

• krice@boisestate.edu • bfrey@connectionsacademy.com