Sarah Hughey's Reading Reflection #1

          When reflecting on the reading assigned for this week, the first thing that comes to mind is that I need to make an effort to be open to what the book has to teach me about the Project-Based Learning (PBL) method of teaching.  When I started reading this book, I was immediately turned off by two things: 1) the book’s reliance on personal testimonies and case studies to promote PBL rather than referencing peer-reviewed studies and research on PBL versus traditional teaching and 2) the tone that any teacher who is not using PBL is doing something wrong.  I personally believe that if a teacher finds a research-backed manner of teaching that s/he is comfortable with and finds that her/his students are successful with this method, then no one should be shaming that teacher for his/her work, so I am extremely tempted to just remain close-minded to the rest of the book after feeling like the opening chapters stigmatize those who choose a different method of teaching.  This was a less-than-positive way of starting my journey through PBL, and I have to make sure to not let the bad first-impression stop me from really considering what this book has to say.

          Something that will help me stay open to listening to what the book has to teach me is to remind myself what the overall benefits of the PBL approach are.  With projects, students can use technology in ways that can lead them to learning or experiencing things that the teacher would not have been able to take them, meaning that teachers learn along with the students and are able to meet required benchmarks in more ways than one.  It would be exciting to see where a lesson can go and reach rather than just stick to a pre-determined plan all of the time.  Teachers are also encouraged to collaborate with each other and with sources outside of the school, ex. experts in the field or other schools in different countries, which can lead to better results and exploration than what could have happened if the teacher had no feedback.  And with these benefits, teachers using PBL report feeling more fulfillment and satisfaction with their jobs.  Perhaps PBL can even reduce rates of teacher burnout!

          Along with the previously mentioned benefits, there are also many benefits that the students get from PBL as well.  As the book states, students not only gain skills in teamwork, research, communication, and applying their knowledge to the “real world”, but they also are able to self-manage and monitor their progress better.  All of these skills are great and will help them succeed in everyday life and in the workplace, but I believe that the self-management and time-management skills are what may give PBL a step above some other teaching methods; I believe that these two skills will help students gain more independence, confidence, and less frustration in just about any facet of life.  And combined with the encouragement for students to become active rather than passive learners, these benefits for students make PBL a viable option to consider when choosing a teaching method.

          However, beyond just considering the benefits, there are also issues to be considered with the PBL approach.  The reading emphasized that PBL takes an extensive amount of preparation and planning on the teacher’s part, and I get the feel that it is much more than what needs to be done with a traditional lesson.  This tells me that teachers have to be prepared to put in much more time and effort using PBL, and they also have to be ready to make mistakes and be open to a lot of change.  PBL also means that the teacher has much less control over the classroom and the lesson, as students are in charge of their learning with the teacher as more of a guide.  Having less control over the classroom honestly sounds a bit scary, so teachers need to be ready to fight the temptation to take back the power from the students.  Also, a teacher using PBL has to be ready to explain why s/he is using this method of teaching and have answers ready for skeptical parents and/or colleagues.  These issues are the ones that I consider the most pressing when it comes to considering the use of PBL in my future class, but they are not enough to completely stop me from keeping the option of PBL open.

          Finally, the last topic I will reflect on is how New Technology High is an example for the New Technology Model.  The items that stuck out to me the most on how this school embodies the New Technology Model are how PBL and real-world applications are the focus of the entire curriculum rather than just an option or a side piece, how students have access to computers and their “project briefcases” whenever they need it yet the focus doesn’t shift to the technology, as it is seen as a tool and not the goal, and how collaboration and constructive feedback takes precedence over grades.  All of this tells me that the students under this model are going to be well-prepared for the workforce in terms of not just technological savvy but also in terms of their readiness for tackling projects and receiving/giving constructive feedback, and the fact that this model is financially backed by for-profit businesses shows that these skills are highly sought after.