PBL... ?
"What do you notice is missing from the grade scale that you might be used to seeing?" I ask my General Music students on day 1 of class. They look at the "Welcome" sheet I've handed out with my classroom rules and basic rundown of what we'll be doing this term. "Participation - 30%, Classwork/Homework - 30%, Projects - 40%" They look back at me, eyes wide... "how much are tests?" they ask. "I don't do tests. No tests, no quizzes." I calmly reply. I love to watch their faces as they try to figure out if I'm kidding. Between tests and quizzes as assessments in other classes, and the bevvy of standardized assessments they take each year, these kids are tested to death and they've been conditioned to believe that the only way that they can "get" a grade in a class is by taking a test at the end of each unit. I respond to their chorus of "Seriously? Is this a trick? So what are we graded on?" by explaining to them that I stopped believing in tests in my classroom. For years I would give tests and quizzes, my first year I insisted that they study and memorize - all books and notebooks must be clear off their desks at test time. Students did pretty well, but by the time they left my room whatever they had been tested on was already gone - on the paper, out of their minds. So I switched to open-notes tests and told them at the beginning of the term that all tests and quizzes would be open notes so if they wrote it down, they would have all the answers. I hoped that if I could get them to focus on good note taking techniques they would retain more of the information for a longer-term. I told myself that I didn't need them to remember all this stuff, I just needed them to know how to find the information when they needed it. Grades were even better... and retention was still abysmal. Then finally it came to me... I didn't actually care if they could spit back the information to me at all! Their ability to name different time signatures, or list 4 bands of the British Invasion, or describe the parts of Sonata Form wasn't what I was really aiming for. What I really wanted was for them to be able to use that information in a new way. I started giving them projects so that they could demonstrate their learning, and their retention soared, by creating something new, they were understanding the information in a whole new way, a way that didn't fall out of their heads the moment they went on to their next class. I did away with the tests that weren't really telling me anything anyway so I could spend even more time on projects in my classroom.
I proudly told people that I had implemented Project Based Learning (PBL) in my classroom and felt proud of my cutting-edge-ness. My students were happy and learning more than ever, I was pleased with how smoothly my classroom was running and the ease of grading. Everything was going swimmingly! Then I read Bauer's (2014) description of PBL... and while I was hitting some of the points he described, I was definitely missing some others. I started digging deeper online about what PBL really is and it seems I have a ways more to go. While I'm having my students work on projects, it doesn't always cross the bridge into PBL.
Far from being discouraged however, I am more excited about implementing a real PBL model in my classroom. Many of my current projects need just a few tweaks to really improve them and push them to true PBL. I have spoken several times on this blog about the importance of imparting 21st century skills to our students, and PBL can really help students learn how to collaboratively solve problems - a 21st century skill if I've ever heard one. I am more than willing to put in a little extra effort for such a huge payout!
References:
Bauer, W. I. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Bauer, W. I. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteThis is great! You are so right that student's today are completely over-tested. In my district, grade level teachers actually have a master calendar to avoid subject area teachers giving tests on the same day. When I first started I gave open note tests. I felt the same way as you...I didn't really need my students to memorize every detail and spit it back to me. Then one year my district decided that EVERY class (specials included, even though we only see our students for 13 weeks) would give a mid-term and final, no open notes. This meant that my regular open note tests went out the window. I do sometimes think it's ridiculous that my student's are tested and I try to make it as easy for them as I can. However, this sort of defeats the purpose of the test. I have started to incorporate more projects as summative assessments and my students seem to like it. I'm so impressed with what you've managed to do in your classroom! Thanks for that link...I'm definitely going to look into it!
Christine
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how when you tell students straight that tests are not involved in what they are doing, how confused they are when they should actually be excited. I approached much of my music appreciation class, the way you have with your general music class. The population in my class is primarily EL learners, so tests and quizzes were not going to be the way to go, if I wanted the students to feel comfortable about the class and be successful. My approach to everything I did in the class became, "as long as they take something away from this class, then it was a success" so PBL seemed like the right fit. While the first class was definitely trial and error (mostly because I had planned for a class that was not predominantly EL students), some things worked and some things didn't, but it has definitely a class that I truly enjoy teaching and the students enjoy being in. Thank you for your thoughts!
-Melissa
Amanda, I agree with what you are saying. While I think quizzing and tests give some information about student learning, it is by far not the best tool to teach real-world application of these skills we are trying to achieve.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your insight. PBL is big in my building right now. Every time I meet with my administrator and say "I want to do this project," he says, "It sounds like you are talking about PBL" and hands me some literature or link to more information for developing the project. I like the visual aid your included comparing "Doing Projects" vs "PBL". I find myself in some of the same pitfalls.
You sound like a great teacher and your students are lucky to have someone so dedicated!
Katheryne
Good post! Student application is the authentic expression of knowledge.
ReplyDelete