Project-Based Learning in a California school
How do I implement project-based learning into my units that offer opportunities for my learners to practice critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity and problem-solving? - Jeremiah
I am currently teaching economics to 11th and 12th graders at a private school in San Francisco. To be honest, it’s a dream job and comes with all the resources I need. This gives me the privilege to think big and ask a lot from my learners.
First, the exams they take are open-note and completed in teams of 3. This encourages them to be diligent in their note-taking during the unit and they are motivated by their peers to show up on exam day and solve problems together. It also removes much of the stress associated with learning and test-taking. I am inspired by the way they dive into this process: listening to each other, attempting to understand different viewpoints, and ultimately giving their test answers through collaboration.
For each unit we study in economics, the content portion is always followed by a project opportunity where learners can apply their new understandings, and this typically ends in a group presentation in front of the class so they can practice these important communication skills. One example: to apply the concept of cost-benefit analysis, they were assigned to play the role of a major stakeholder trying to decide whether the $80 billion Grand Inga Dam project should be constructed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which could potentially create 45 GW of power but also would have a long list of problematic effects. Playing roles such as the World Bank, the Chinese construction company, an environmental NGO, the national assembly of the DRC, and the South African government (who wanted to purchase the power), they used the internet and sources I compiled for them to craft a list of pros and cons and then argue their points of view in front of the class using a slideshow presentation. This is followed the next day by a symposium discussion where they sit in a circle and deliberate. The project ends with the learners writing an argumentative paragraph on whether this dam is a good idea or not.
In this project, students are researching, collaborating, thinking critically, creating a slideshow, role-playing, and communicating throughout the project’s various steps.