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.
47
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
49
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
54
Lesson 5 LiveLesson ® Standard vs. Non-Standard
Measurement
Collaboration and
Community Building
55
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/
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