Software to Support PBL

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THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOFTWARE TO SUPPORT TEACHERS AND THEIR
STUDENTS IN PBL: 
“THE GOLDEN WAY”

Loria, Y., Shaltiel, L., Pieterse, E.
Association for the Advancement of
Science Education in the Upper Galilee
MIGAL
Kiryat Shmona, Israel

and

Rosenfeld, S.
Department of Science Teaching
Weizmann Institute of Science
Rehovot, Israel

Background and Aims

During the past 5 years, we have worked with teachers to incorporate research and project-based learning (PBL) in their science classrooms (e.g., Navon, D. and Eylon, B, 1995; Rosenfeld, Pundak and Loria, 1995). Our experience has shown us that, in order to succeed in PBL, teachers need to address a wide range of pedagogical needs.

In trying to meet these needs, we and our colleagues have developed, “The Golden Way: A Software Environment for Project-Based Learning in Science and Technology.” In our paper, we start by describing the design criteria and the software’s actual design. We conclude by discussing the results of a related study and the educational significance of our work.

The Design Criteria

We designed our software environment to address the following design criteria, which relate to the pedagogical needs of teachers. Specifically, we designed the software to:

  1. emphase the process and products of PBL, which are common to many different content domains,
  2. structure guided activities, at different stages,
  3. offer diverse opportunities for diverse learners,
  4. provide feedback and evaluation throughout the process, and
  5. help teachers to simultaneously manage different student projects.

We developed the software in three cycles of research and development, during the last three years. In each R&D cycle, we tested the software with target populations of students and teachers.

Software Design

Metaphors play an important role in software design (Laurel, 1990; Winograd, 1996). The metaphor chosen for PBL is one of a “guided journey.” Students and teachers are invited to bring to their “journey” a given content area (or areas) in science and technology. Given this content, they engage in PBL by “traveling” through task pathways of their choice (See Table 1.). Each pathway is organized around a different PBL “how to” question and consists of guided tasks. Each task includes a common structure, as outlined in Table 2. This structure is based on the principle of “coaching,” i.e., improving desired process and products, based on feedback and reflection as they relate to specific student performances.

For example, one task pathway, “How to ask a guiding question?” has two tasks. The first task is for students to ask many interesting questions. This task is presented as a request to “prepare a bank of at least 10 questions that interest you.” An example is given. Students are then guided use tools, such as a “topic wheel” to help make a “sun map” of many topic associations. Using a “question guide,” they can generate many questions relating to each of these associations. If needed, students can use other tools to generate more questions. The second task is for students to choose a “guiding question” for their project. They are asked to categorize their bank of questions and are given an example. If needed, they can use a “decision-making tool,” a table with specific criteria which can be self-graded to assist students to make their choice.

Other design features of the software are given in Table 2.

Research Results

In one of our studies, conducted at 9 schools (with 10 teachers and 80 students), we found that:

(a) students internalized the “language” of the software and felt comfortable with it,

(b) teachers developed a heightened awareness of the need to structure the building of student skills in PBL, and

(c) regardless of their high satisfaction with the PBL software, the overwhelming majority of students still felt they needed additional guidance by their teachers in their PBL work (Table 2).

We concur with students that the software cannot replace the personal guidance students need from their teachers. Moreover, our R&D experience has convinced us that “The Golden Way” is appropriate primarily to assist teachers and secondarily to assist students. Put differently, without teacher development and student guidance, the software alone will not be useful to students in their PBL work.

Educational Significance

Although project-based learning has great potential, it is also clear that PBL demands significant requirements from students, such as “considerable knowledge, effort, persistence, and self-regulation” and it also imposes significant difficulties for teachers, who “may need help with content, with new instructional forms, and with implementation and management of projects” (Blumenfeld et al., 1991).

The development of “The Golden Way” represents an effort to help address these requirements and difficulties. But our experience shows that teachers first need to develop (a) the awareness of the typical challenges and difficulties associated with PBL environments and (b) the desire to personally address these challenges and difficulties. Under these conditions, combined with long-range teacher and staff development programs in schools, we believe that “The Golden Way” can make a significant contribution in improving the quality of PBL in schools.

 

References

Blumenfeld, P., Soloway, E., Marx, R., Krajcik, J., Guzdial, M., and Palincsar, A. (1991). “Motivating Project-Based Learning: Sustaining the Doing, Supporting the Learning.” Educational Psychologist, 26 (3 & 4), 369-398.

Laurel, B. (1990). The Art of Human-Computer Interface Design. New York: Addison-Wesley.

Navon, D. and Eylon, B. (1995). “Learning How to Ask Questions in the Natural Sciences: a Basic Step in Developing the Scientific Thinking of Teachers through Creative Pedagogy.” In: Loedwijks, et al., Learning to Learn and Teaching How to Learn: Conference Proceedings of the 5th European Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction. University of Nijmegen, Netherlands.

Rosenfeld, S., Pundak, D., and Loria, Y. (1995). “Preparing Teachers to Cultivate

Student Learning and Research in the Natural Sciences.” In: Loedwijks, et al., Learning to Learn and Teaching How to Learn: Conference Proceedings of the 5th European Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction. University of Nijmegen, Netherlands.

Winograd, T. (1996). Bringing Design to Software. New York: Addison-Wesley.

Acknowledgements. We would like to acknowledge our colleagues and the teachers and students who have given us significant assistance in the design and development of the software.

 

 

STAGES IN THE JOURNEY
TASK PATHWAYS
X Choosing a Direction and Question

u How to choose an interesting direction?

u How to expand personal knowledge?

u How to ask a guiding question?

u How to identify interesting problems?

X Information-Search and Planning
u How to gather and organize information?u How to choose an appropriate method?u How to plan a project?u How to prepare a proposal?

X Implementation
u How to gather data?u How to build a model or prototype?
X Data Analysis and Conclusions
u How to analyze data?u How to reach conclusions?
X Project Presentation
u How to summarize?u How to present the project?
X Evaluation
u How to evaluate the product and process?

Table 1The Journey of Project-Based Learning (PBL). The PBL journey is composed of various stages, each containing one of more task pathways. Though the six stages are organized in a logical fashion, users are expected to access the different task pathways as needed, and not in a linear order. Each task pathway contains several tasks, which include a desired product and feedback to the student. In the software, each task is presented with a common structure. (See Table 2 and a description in the text of the task pathway, “How to Ask a Guiding Question?”)

 

Design Features

u Navigational Map of the PBL Process

The software is based on the “journey” metaphor.

The map presents the stages and pathways of the PBL journey.

u Visitors Center

Before engaging on the journey, visitors can get an overview

of Project-Based-Learning as well as the software from several different perspectives, including “PBL stories,” photo galleries, classroom mini-projects, and map overview.

u 6 Major Stages of the PBL Process

These stages are: (1) Choosing a direction and question,

(2) Information-Search and Planning, (3) Implementation,

(4) Data Analysis and Conclusions, (5) Project Presentation

and (6) Evaluation.

u 15 Task Pathways

Each major stage is linked to one or more “task pathways.”

See Table 2 for details.

u Concept Dictionaries

The software contains 3 separate concept dictionaries which are linked to appropriate locations in the task pathways, i.e., concepts in PBL, experimental design and statistics, and technology.

 

Structure of Each Task

u Representation of the Task

u Example of the Desired Product

u Guided Implementation

u Self-Check (Quality Control)

u Recommendations and Tools for Improvement

u Student Presentation of Desired Product

u Feedback and Reflection

 

 

Table 2Design Features of the Software. Each of the “task pathways” presented in Table 1 has a common structure, as shown above and represented in the text. Other

Design features of the software are listed above.

 

Questionnaire Statement
Percentage of Students Who Agree (N = 80)
1. I like working with the PBL software because I like working with software applications.
84
2. I like reading the instructions on the computer screen.
80.7
3. I prefer instructions from a computer because of the quick links and the graphics.
77.3
4. I prefer receiving instructions in a booklet.
27.3
5. I prefer receiving instructions directly from the teacher.
29.7
6. While working on my project, with the help of the PBL software, I need additional guidance from the teacher.
86

 

Table 3Student Attitudes on PBL in a Software Environment.

Although participating students feel comfortable using the software environment (statements 1-3) and do not prefer receiving instructions a booklet or directly from the teacher (statements 4-5), they agree overwhelmingly that they need additional PBL guidance from the teacher (statement 6).

Author: Sherman Rosenfeld

Dr. Sherman Rosenfeld is a biologist and science educator.