This post is a response defining project-based learning (PBL), as well as listing key elements, affordances and constraints, and important aspects to consider about it based on various readings.
Project-based learning is a type of learning where students are critically thinking and actively engaged in questioning, understanding, and solving real world problems and typically results in a project as the product. The five elements of PBL are real world connection, core to learning, structured collaboration, student driven, and multifaceted assessment (Edutopia, 2014). Some key characteristics of real world connection is that students need to understand their audience outside the classroom; for core to learning, the teacher must be incorporating standards and providing academic rigor; for structured collaboration, scaffolding learning is key; for student driven work, the teacher must ask facilitate discussion through thought provoking questions; and for multifaceted assessment, students must be assessing themselves and the teacher should continuously have small check-ins on students’ progress. Affordances of PBL include students becoming self-directed learners, learning how to make connections and apply their knowledge in new situations, collaborating well with other students (Edutopia, 2014). Tobias, Campbell, and Greco (2015) state that students can think more deeply and working in the real world allows for authenticity in student learning. As a teacher, PBL empowers teachers to design original curriculum, work together with students on projects, and integrates standards well (Tobias et al., 2015). Some constraints of PBL are the difficulty of working with the school’s current schedule or pre-set curricula, involving and connecting with the community well, and getting out of comfort zones both as a student and teacher (Provenzano, 2018). A PBL designer needs to consider how to integrate standards into the process. They also need to understand the basic framework for PBL design (i.e. choosing a worthwhile topic, real-life context, questions, etc.). Planning ahead how to create rubrics and how to assess students through a process of feedback and reflection throughout the project is also key (Provenzano, 2018). Edutopia (2014, June 2014). Five keys to rigorous project-based learning (video post). Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnzCGNnU_WM Tobias, E. S., Campbell, M. R., & Greco, P. (2015). Bringing curriculum to life: Enacting project-based learning in music programs. Music Educators Journal, 102(2), 39-47. Provenzano, B. (2018, November 27). Project-based learning and the research paper [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/project-based-learning-and-research-paper A possible PBL-based project for my end of semester course proposal on songwriting could be students writing their own songs from the perspective of one of their classmates who is culturally different from them. The goal of this project would be for students to learn about empathy, gain skills in interviewing and generating thoughtful questions, and learning how to understand and converse about harder topics like race, gender, culture, etc. Students would choose a partner, then they would have to generate interview questions, interview their partner, analyze and define aspects of a good song, write lyrics (decide if there should be some initial format), and then combine it with music. Students could add different instrumentation or choose what genre or style they want to write in and research depending on their interests. As the teacher, I would mainly be the facilitator of songwriting and question asking, with some mini-lessons on parts of a song and interviewing. My first example of how I would use this in my future practice is creating a positive, supportive classroom environment for singing. If I were to teach a band class, I want my students to be comfortable singing because it provides a good foundation for students’ aural skills. The students might be uncomfortable with it at first because they chose to take a band, not choir, class. I would start with using my speaking voice in different ways to greet them and having them echo. Eventually we would echo melodic phrases to the point where they would be comfortable singing their parts. Another example would be using similar steps as the recorder example when teaching ukulele. I would start with learning the strumming pattern of DDUUDU, but be able to wind back to just down strums for students who need it. When learning chords, I would start with the ones using only one finger pressed on a string and then increase to more fingers for that same winding forward and backward effect. My last example of how I would use this information in my future practice is if I have a newcomers class where students are beginning to learn English because of their move to the United States. I would teach them simple words like high and low and have them differentiate between whether we are singing higher or lower. Then I could go into singing short melodic patterns for them to echo. Eventually the hope would be to learn an entire song in English and they could add their own hand motions for certain words. This post contains a summary of the chapter “Sequential Instruction for Older Beginners in Vocal and General Music” found in Winding it Back (Hammel, et. al, 2016), as well as examples of how I envision using this information in my future practice. Anderson, J. (2016). Sequential instruction for older beginners in vocal and general music. In A. M. Hammel, R. Y. Hickox, & R. M. Hourigan (Eds.), Winding it back: Teaching to individual differences in music classroom and ensemble settings. New York: Oxford University Press. Summary This chapter delves into the realm of secondary general music and choral ensembles and provides a variety of explanations and experience examples on how to foster a positive, creative, and meaningful music making environment for all students in the classroom. When teaching all students, there will be some learners who are older beginners (musical skill levels similar to younger learners, but age and developmental level are at a higher level) and some learners who have had more musical experience and knowledge. A challenge with older beginners is finding a way to teach basic aural skills and musical literacy while satisfying their need for musical depth and engagement. Music educators must provide well sequenced lessons with differentiation and winding back/forward to help engage these learners. Well sequencing is helping students who are facing challenges in a way that does not hold back the more experienced. The goal of winding back and forward is to accommodate to individual learning needs in a way that creates conditions for simultaneous learning with different levels of students. One aspect of creating a positive environment where students can grow in their music making abilities is to create a positive classroom singing culture. Another aspect is using movement to reinforce musical ideas. The chapter than provides an example of good sequencing with winding back and forward in a lesson plan for learning how to play the recorder. When winding, it is important to ask two questions, “What can the student do?” and “What are the fundamental goals for my student?”. When the educator determines what the goals are, they can better plan their lessons and activities. Anderson gives another example of a sample lesson plan for teaching rhythms in compound meter. The lesson plan looks good at first glance, but needed to be tweaked so that the teacher could have activities where students were fully engaged and successful. In a choral ensemble class, the main goal is to prepare and execute a quality performance. The chapter lists some helpful tips on how to deal with logistical/practical issues (seating arrangement, number of students), music learning challenges, and performance issues. Some tips include not being afraid to break from traditional structures and routines, creating a buddy system of learning, and being flexible and creative to balance quality performance with personal musicianship. Adaptations and Uses My first example of how I would use this in my future practice is creating a positive, supportive classroom environment for singing. If I were to teach a band class, I want my students to be comfortable singing because it provides a good foundation for students’ aural skills. The students might be uncomfortable with it at first because they chose to take a band, not choir, class. I would start with using my speaking voice in different ways to greet them and having them echo. Eventually we would echo melodic phrases to the point where they would be comfortable singing their parts. Another example would be using similar steps as the recorder example when teaching ukulele. I would start with learning the strumming pattern of DDUUDU, but be able to wind back to just down strums for students who need it. When learning chords, I would start with the ones using only one finger pressed on a string and then increase to more fingers for that same winding forward and backward effect. My last example of how I would use this information in my future practice is if I have a newcomers class where students are beginning to learn English because of their move to the United States. I would teach them simple words like high and low and have them differentiate between whether we are singing higher or lower. Then I could go into singing short melodic patterns for them to echo. Eventually the hope would be to learn an entire song in English and they could add their own hand motions for certain words. |
Davina MiawOn this page, I will present examples of my scholarship in the form of reflective essays and philosophical assignments. Archives
November 2019
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