Problem Based Instruction: Making Learning Real

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Problem Based Instruction Making Learning Real

• Violet Harada and Linda Kim
• AASL Conference
• Kansas City, MO
• October 25, 2003

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Essential question
What makes learning real for students?
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What makes learning real?

• Deals with a problem or issue with which kids can
  connect.
• Allows for students making choices.
• Involves hands on and minds on tasks.
• Requires problem solving in teams.
• Results in sharing new knowledge with real
  audiences.

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This type of learning can be achieved through
problem based teaching.
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Session goals

• What is involved in problem based teaching and
  learning?
• What does it look like in practice?
• How can you and your teachers transform research
  topics into problem based projects?

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What is involved in problem-based teaching and
learning?

• Identify the problem or issue.
• Link to content standards.
• Discuss the reasons and implications presented by
  the problem.
• Discuss how to solve or improve the situation.

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What is involved in problem-based teaching and
learning?

• Identify the big questions addressed by the
  problem.
• Find out what students already know.
• Agree on how to assess final solution.

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What is involved in problem-based teaching and
learning?

• Brainstorm what information is needed and how to
  find it.
• Collect and organize information.
• Create product or performance.
• Continually assess and evaluate work.
• Consider next steps.

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About the School

• Mililani Waena Elementary School
• located in Central Oahu
• Current enrollment is 680 students
• in grades Pre K (SP ED) to 5
• Certificated staff of 43 plus 2 administrators

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Teacher

• Leila Robello, 5th Grade Teacher
• 21 years as a 5th grade teacher
• 16 years at Mililani Waena
• Language Arts Cadre member for 2 years

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LMS

• Linda Kim, Librarian
• 19 years as a librarian, K-12
• 14 years at Mililani Waena Elementary
• Elementary teacher for 13 years
• Standards Implementation Design Leader and
  Language Arts Curriculum Chair for last 3 years

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Collaboration

• Background Worked together on the Language Arts
  Cadre for 2 years
• Planning Met after school, on the fly, at
  recess, email, phone calls
• Goal Make learning real and authentic for
  our students.

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Roles

• T/LMS/Students Identified the problem
• T/LMS
• Developed unit
• Devised assessment tools
• Connected with content standards
• Co-taught the unit
• Co-assessed the work
• Teacher strength knowledge of students
• LMS strength knowledge of resources

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• Whats the problem?
• Students wanted fresher cafeteria lunches with
  more variety.

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• Whats wrong
• with the lunches?
• Food is cold.
• Food tastes old.
• There isnt enough variety.

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• What do students do
• as a result?
• Students throw away a lot of food.
• Students bring home lunches.
• Students go hungry.

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• What can we do
• about this problem?
• We can create new school menus that are
  nutritious AND delicious!
• We can present the menus to the cafeteria
  manager and principal.

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• What questions do we need
• to answer?
• What makes a nutritious lunch?
• What foods appeal to kids?

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• What do we already know?
• What is the food pyramid?
• What does a balanced meal look like?
• What makes a meal nutritious?
• What steps do we take to solve our problem?

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• How will be know if our menus are good enough?
• It must include foods from each food group.
• It must be something that students want to eat.

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• What do we want to find out?
• What are students favorite meals?
• How does our cafeteria manager create the menus?
• How can we create a balanced lunch?

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• How are we going to
• find the information?
• Interview the cafeteria manager.
• Survey students.
• Search the Internet.
• Watch a video.
• Find recipe books for healthy meals.
• Read food labels.
• Interview chefs, cooks, nutritionists.
• Look at menus from restaurants.

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• How are we organizing
• our information?
• Use graphic organizer for food pyramid.
• Tabulate survey data on favorite lunch foods.
• Create menus that are both nutritious and
  appealing.

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• How do we know if
• we are doing well?
• Take pre-post tests.
• Keep logs.
• Assess menus using met/not met checklist.

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What could we tackle next? Work on a
healthy and tasty lunch menus for our own
families. Study how exercise helps develop
a healthy body.
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How can you and your teachers transform research
topics into problem based projects?
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Todays challenge

• Work with an elbow partner or two.
• Pick one of the suggested research topics--or
  select your own.
• Complete the brainstorming organizer.

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Sample topics

• Life cycle of the butterfly (lower elementary).
• 50 states (upper elementary).
• Biography of a famous person (middle school).
• World War II (high school).

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Brainstorm the following

• Transform the topic into a related PROBLEM or
  ISSUE.
• Identify a BIG or ESSENTIAL QUESTION for this
  problem.
• Decide how students might PRESENT their findings.

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EXAMPLE

• Transform the topic into a related PROBLEM or
  ISSUE.
• Topic Water
• Issue Quality of drinking water in our community

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EXAMPLE

• Identify a BIG or ESSENTIAL QUESTION for this
  problem.
• Essential question
• How safe is our drinking water?

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EXAMPLE

• Decide how students might PRESENT their findings.
• Culminating product slide show presentation on
  the quality of water in the community for the
  local board.

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Topical vs. Problem Based
Topical Problem Based
Students regurgitate information. Students solve problems.
Teachers dispense information. Teachers guide and coach.
Information is through textbooks. Information is accessed globally.
Learning focuses on answers. Learning focuses on questions.
Information is the goal. Knowledge is the goal.
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Benefits

• Higher levels of comprehension.
• Improved teamwork skills.
• Greater content mastery.
• Increased self-direction and motivation to learn.

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To contact us. . . .

• Linda Kim, Library Media Specialist, Mililani
  Waena Elementary
  E-mail Linda_Kim/MILWAENA/HIDOE_at_notes.k12.hi.us
• Violet Harada, Associate Professor, University of
  Hawaii, Library Information Science
  E-mail vharada_at_hawaii.edu