Problem Based Learning

I found that the video, “Beginning the journey: Five-year-olds drive their own PBL projects” portrays the kind of classroom that every teacher would like to have. The students that attended this school we excited about coming to school and learning about the world because they were all topics that interested them. When a student is given the opportunity to create the topic they will be learning about, they are going to be motivated to hear what is being said. Technology in this classroom is very important in order for problem based learning to be successful. It gives the teachers opportunities to not only search for the information that is being taught, but also allows them to incorporate the students in the process of finding the information. In the video the teacher was using various websites to find information dealing with the topics being taught, while she is doing this, the students are watching was she is doing and learning how to use the various tools that are required for research starting at a young age.

Project based learning is an excellent concept where students are given the chance to “investigate” and learn more about topics that interest them. There are a few elements to this process that makes it successful in the classroom. For starters, it takes a topic that students are curious about and allows the teachers and students to develop a plan on creating an entire project/unit that revolves around their interest. The next element is to carry it through. This part gives the teachers the opportunity to teach students how to take the initiative on their own by using the various materials that are available for research and how to use them to find the answers to the questions they had. Students are then given a chance to work on numerous numerous skills that they will need in order to be successful in life such as written and verbal expression, cooperation with others, and problem solving/critical thinking skills.