Project-Based Learning: Kaylynn's Story

Challenge inspires change. Sometimes we need to change the way we think. At other times, we need to change what we do. Still, there are specific moments in our lives that inspire a holistic change. That means we need to change the way we think, what we do, and how (and what) we believe. Simply, we need to do things differently; and we need to do things better. More importantly, we need to do things differently because it is the right thing to do. However, change is often difficult, but it is possible. This story represents one of those times when change was needed. It was a time when I, and my daughter, needed to re-think learning and make it work.

This is also a story of how projects became a barrier to learning and how I used that barrier to provide my daughter with a better learning strategy. Projects are used as a means to reinforce content. This seems good in theory. However, what looks good on paper may not always manifest as a positive real-world experience, even in the classroom. Projects have been part of the educational learning culture for a long time. We will see how projects, as an add-on to the learning content, can be both frustrating and problematic for the learner.

Why projects? 

The process is straight-forward. First, the teacher introduces an idea and gives a lecture to the students. Second, there is an in-class activity that reinforces the lecture. The activity could be completing a set of math problems, writing a short essay, or drawing a map. There may be time for questions and answers, but this is mostly for students who do not fully grasp the content. We repeat the process until a unit of content is covered. Depending on the length of the unit, students may take a test or a few quizzes to assess their progress. Then, the teacher instructs the group of students that they will do a “project” at the end of the lesson. The intent of the project is to reinforce the entire unit. 

In this sense, the ‘project’ is designed so that students have the opportunity to review what they learned. Projects give students the opportunity to “build” something. Often, this is like arts and crafts, but with (hopefully) a purpose. Looking at the project through the eyes of the theorist, the project provides students with “experiential” learning. It is also a way to support differentiated learning – not every student learns the same way.

Experiential learning and differentiated learning experiences are a requirement in many schools. As an educator, I support this. Experiential learning produces better learning outcomes. Additionally, students have different learning styles. However, experiential learning is as much a process-design pedagogical learning platform as is project-based learning. This means, a project should not be a one-off or stand-alone activity left at the end of the module. If crafted in this way, the true impact of a school-based project is lost.  

Are projects really that bad? 

No, of course not. Projects are well intentioned. I, for one, love projects. I am able to get my “hands dirty”. I can create and build and craft something that is mine. However, school projects are a little different. They are already scoped – the project designer has already planned, designed, and created specific focus points for the project. The instructions and the materials list have been written. There is even a pre-determined time constraint. Again, all of this is understandable. I know classroom dynamics. But is there a better way.

My daughter – Kaylynn – and the class project.

The following describes my daughter’s project. The unit lesson focused on the Industrial Revolution (USA). Kaylynn learned about four inventors, their inventions, and the impact that each invention had on society. These were the project’s main content points.

1.     Cotton Gin

a.      Inventor: Eli Whitney

b.     Impact: The cotton gin turned a labor-intensive job into a profit-intensive job. Overall, good for landowners who could now make large sums of money from automating a time-intensive and labor-intensive work experience.

2.     Mechanical Reaper (agriculture)

a.      Inventor: Cyrus McCormick

b.     Impact: In 1831, Cyrus McCormick invented the mechanical reaper. A machine replaced humans in the harvesting of crops. By automating crop harvesting, landowners increased the profitability of their efforts. This also put many Americans in jeopardy, as their services were no longer needed. 

3.     Steam Locomotive (Train)

a.      Inventor: Peter Cooper

b.     Impact: The steam locomotive made traveling long distances easier and faster.

4.     Steamboat

a.      Inventor: Robert Fulton

b.     Impact: Robert Fulton invented the fully working model of the steam locomotive. As with the steam locomotive, the steamboat made water travel easier.

With this content, students were expected to do four things.

1.     Read and review the content.

2.     Copy some of the content onto a Google slide deck.

3.     Write a short persuasive essay to a hypothetical “producer”. The purpose of the essay was to convince the “producer” to create a documentary film about the content.

4.     Conduct a short presentation in front of the class.

Why am I bothered by this project?

I read through the project outline several times with my daughter. I listened to her teacher’s recorded instructions. I assessed the situation, and then reviewed the goal of the project with my daughter. Finally, I outlined the steps she needed to accomplish and complete the project.

This was a 5th grade project. I may be wrong, but I do not see the learning here. I understand students need to learn history. But students – and teachers – are burdened by a rote environment for delivering content and expecting students to develop their own value around that content. Adults need to share the true value of that content so that students understand the real-world relevance. We need to change the way we teach.

Why am I so passionate about project-based learning and PBL culture?

I wanted my daughter to have a better learning experience, so I reframed Kaylynn’s project (after her project deadline was over, of course). First, we talked about all of the things she takes for granted. She has a cell phone and an iPad. We have a conventional oven, a microwave oven, and a refrigerator in the kitchen. We have a television in the family room. There is a truck parked in the driveway. I asked her to look around the house – where did all of these things come from? Who invented them? Of course, she did not know. But now she was thinking about her world in a different way. They were not things that just magically appeared at some point. They were designed and created for a purpose.

With this in mind, my daughter and I took a hypothetical trip back in time – to the time(s) when each of these inventions (both in the house and as identified in the project) were created! Now the project had a whole new meaning.

Learning starts with a story and is followed up by questions. So, I asked my daughter some questions.

1.     How would we get anywhere without our car?

2.     What would happen to our food if we did not have a refrigerator?

3.     How would we cook our food without a range of oven?

4.     What do we use the microwave oven for?

In time, she began to understand how these “inventions” impacted society. With a better understanding of her present situation, she was able to understand how inventions throughout history impacted the people of their time.

Although I did not have her write an essay, we did have a lengthy conversation about why inventions continue to occur and their real impact on our lives. 

Credit for pictures: https://pixabay.com/