A Problem-Based Learning
Approach for Integrating Technology
John Henry
Judith Zirkle
Challenger Learning Center
South Jersey Technology Park at Rowan
University

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Technology, at CCTEC
History and Process
• Analyze low academic areas of performance
• Core teachers to be trained and form PLC’s or VLC’s
• Recognize the need to integrate and improve math and science performance across the curriculum
• Focus on Problem Based Learning as an integral part of the
Improvement plan
• Real-world situations using a Problem-Based Learning approach and technology using the school and the surrounding area as the learning laboratory
• Raise interest and relevance for students

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Technology, at
CCTEC
History and Process
Professional Development utilizing existing resources of the school focused on…
3 areas
•Content
•Pedagogy
•Assessment
Integrating web 2.0 technologies to support the 3 areas
Outcomes
• Developed a portfolio of PBL projects and lessons demonstrating best practices

PBL
Lecture…Sit and Get

Bloom's Taxonomy
New Version
Blooms Taxonomy
Old Version

In 1956, Benjamin Bloom headed a group of educational psychologists who developed a classification of levels of intellectual behavior important in learning.
During the 1990's a new group of cognitive psychologist, lead by Lorin Anderson (a former student of Bloom's), updated the taxonomy reflecting relevance to 21st century work. http://www.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy.htm

Problem Based Learning addresses many of the 21 st Century Skills

Standard 9: 21st-Century Life and Careers includes six strands, which reflect the
Framework for 21st Century Learning :
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Creativity and Innovation
• Collaboration, Teamwork, and Leadership
• Cross-Cultural Understanding and Interpersonal
Communication
• Communication and Media Fluency
• Accountability, Productivity, and Ethics http://www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/2009/final.htm

21st Century Framework http://www.p21.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254&Itemi d=119

Content Pedagogy Assessment
Technology

What is Problem-Based
Learning?
Finkle and Torp (1995) state that "problembased learning is a curriculum development and instructional system/process that simultaneously develops both problem solving strategies and disciplinary knowledge bases and skills by placing students in the active role of problem solvers confronted with an ill-structured problem that mirrors real-world problems"

Why Do PBL?
Think critically and be able to analyze and solve complex, realworld problems
Find, evaluate, and use appropriate learning resources
Work individually and cooperatively in teams and small groups
Demonstrate versatile and effective communication skills, both verbal and written
Use content knowledge and develop skills to become life-long learners in order to succeed in a global economy

Problem Based Learning
Begins with an “ill-structured” problem
(A Scenario or a problematic situation that needs resolution scenario)

Project and Problem Based Learning
• Project and problem based learning have many similarities
(CCTEC project based)
• Capitalizes on Student Interest using real-world problems
• It is a “process” approach rather than a “product” approach
• Students acquire knowledge by using processes such as exploration, research and collaboration
• Arrive at conclusions and communicate finding to others
(shared knowledge)

Project and Problem Based Learning
• Just enough information to entice students but not guide them
• Student always need more information that what is initially presented
• Interesting to the student to capture their attention
• Be age appropriate and scaffold for success

Project and Problem Based Learning
• Be curriculum based
• There is no right or wrong ways to study a problem.
The process sometimes depends on the problem itself
• The problem and the direction may change as information is collected
• There are no right or wrong solutions only good and poor choices

Project and Problem Based Learning
• Students learn to formulate problem statements,
• develop action plans
• conduct information searches
• analyze and use data
• find and apply resources
• work collaboratively with others both within and outside the school (beyond the walls of the classroom)

Project and Problem Based Learning
• Is student centered and teacher facilitated. Students take the lead in planning, directing, tacking and completing their work
• Helps students connect new information to concepts they already know
• Is often used as an engagement tool connecting relevance to content and other skills

Project and Problem Based Learning
• Is standards based, but not all of the standards may be completely known at first
• The teacher must be willing to work with a degree of vagueness and uncertainty
• Integrates web 2.0 technologies

Haddon Heights has recently had a forest fire.
5000 square feet of forest have burned to the ground. The townsfolk have taken a vote and decided that, to put this recently cleared area to best use, they are going to create a new recreational facility. This facility will cater to children ages 9-18, because the current park is made for early childhood students. Your job is to design this new facility.
Rowan SJMP 6 th Grade, Math

You are the curator for the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The National Treasure has just been found! Your job is to design a room in the museum that will display all of the artifacts. The area of the room is 450 square feet. What shape, length, and width should the room be? You need to present the floor plan model to the owners (teacher and class) of the museum by Friday. Your presentation can be in any format you would like to use.
Rowan SJMP Grade 5 and Grade 3 – Social Studies,
Language Arts, Math, and Art

It is April 1, 2008 and you wake up feeling groggy from the night before. You did not sleep very well. You stagger downstairs into the kitchen and get a bowl out of the cabinet. As you reach for the Fruit
Loops you realize there is an empty box. So you go upstairs to ask your mother where there is another box and find an empty bed. Your parents are nowhere in sight. However, on their bed there is a note that said, “Lauren and Matthew, Mom and Dad had to go on a TOP SECRET mission. No one can know we are gone. We have left you $3,000.00 cash in the freezer to pay the monthly bills and take care of yourselves for the month. We will be back on May 1, 2008. Remember, you cannot tell anyone and if you have any questions, you can only call us once and ask two questions. We love you very much and can’t wait to see you.
Love, Mom and Dad”
What are you going to do?
Rowan SJMP, Grade 3 - 5 Mathematics

Develop, design, and demonstrate the feasibility of a self-contained, selfsustaining human community in a place that is not yet considered habitable.

The Caribbean, a region of islands populated by English, French, and
Spanish-speaking inhabitants, is the former home of many of our students or their parents. Our school library does not contain materials that adequately reflect the culture of this region, and you have been asked to submit a plan for remedying this situation.

New Jersey Department of Education (DoE) would like to design a classroom of the future and has selected this group to create the learning environment.
What will you do to help the DoE?

CCTEC Wiki http://cctec-pbl.wikispaces.com/ http://pbl4teachers.wikispaces.com/

Ms, McIntyre introduced a “project” to her students. She plopped a packet of papers on each student’s desk and explained that each student would create a poster about water-borne bacterium and how it can be harmful to humans.
The packet included assignment sheets with due dates and grading policy, a guide for designing the poster, and a list of websites and books to use.

PBL is not…
Giving students a project, that is hands-on, with step by step instructions, designed and guided by the teacher that results in a student produced product. This process is missing student voice and choice, and may not be authentic or relevant

Ms, McIntyre introduced a “project” to her students. She plopped a packet of papers on each student’s desk and explained that each student would create a poster about water-borne bacterium and how it can be harmful to humans. The packet included assignment sheets with due dates and grading policy, a guide for designing the poster, and a list of websites and books to use.

PBL Instructional Designs
Name of Author: Carlos Morales
Grade Level and Content Area: 11 – 12 grade
Relevance: The information the students gather through research will provide knowledge on how to reduce energy consumption in their school, home, business, etc.
The Scenario : Nathan’s parent recently bought him a laptop, a gaming desktop, an xBox, and a laptop for each of them. His parents wonder if it’s ok to keep these devices on at all times?

PBL Instructional Designs
Name of PBL: Green Rays
Name of Author: Judith Perella-Zirkle, M.Ed., CDA, RDA
Grade Level and Content Area: 11 th and 12 th Grades – Dental Assisting
Relevance: By going “green” in the aspect of dental radiology, students will gain a better knowledge of the environmental benefits due to the use of less chemicals and the recycling of lead and silver products. The student will be exposed to safer materials and techniques while in the dental radiology lab.
The Scenario: You were just hired in a local dental clinic and your main priority is to transform the radiology area into a green environment. The office has both traditional and digital machines and does not plan to transform completely to digital in the near future. Your job is to ensure that all products and techniques are environmentally friendly.

Name of PBL: Low-sodium Meals
Name of Author: Valerie Leek
Grade Level and Content Area: Grades 11/12 Certified Nurse Aide/Home Health Aide
Relevance:
• As primary caretakers in nursing homes, nurse aides must be mindful of the therapeutic diet.
• Recognizing foods that are low in sodium is essential when caring for clients with congestive heart failure, renal failure, edema or hypertension.
• Mathematical calculation of sodium content by assessment of food labels
The Scenario: The learners are presented with a (recycled and reused )bag of groceries that includes entrees, snacks, and beverages. The learners will be randomly assigned to groups of five and receive their bag of groceries. The assignment will be to “Design a low-sodium meal by choice of foods, calculation of sodium content to keep sodium at less than 4 grams per day for a client with congestive heart failure, Keep in mind this is one meal. Prepare to use technology creatively and in a visually-appealing manner to disseminate this information to other students or used as an educational product for clients.
A green-technology approach to materials and technology will be utilized”.

PBL Instructional Designs
Name of PBL: Going green in the automotive shops
Name of Author: Dan Riley & Tony Bermudez
Grade Level and Content Area: High School
Relevance: Automotive work and automotive repair shops have always been called “ Dirty “. In fact mechanics have been given such names as “ grease monkeys “. Over the past few decades we have learned how important it is to clean up the entire automotive service and repair industry. Gone are the days of washing parts in gasoline and billowing clouds of asbestos brake dust in the repair shop. These and other practices such as discharging toxic chemicals on the ground and into sewers have impacted our environment and can no longer be tolerated. We need to change these things to promote better health at work and at home.
The Scenario: Our automotive programs here at CCTEC are not green at this time. As part of a team you will need to upgrade the automotive shops and replace our toxic chemicals and shop practices by going green.

Name of PBL: Cultural Interactions
Grade Level and Content Area: Adult, Nursing
Background:
Historically student nurses have experienced an elevated level of anxiety when entering the clinical portion of their educational experience. Some of this anxiety can be directly related to the student nurses lack of experience/interactions with persons of different cultural groups. This lack of interaction can result in preconceived bias, fears, or assumptions that may interfere with the student nurses ability to communicate effectively.
The Scenario: You are a nurse in your communities local hospital.
You have received a new admission who has just moved to your community. Your patient not only has difficulty with the language, but has different customs and health care habits that are foreign to you. How are you going to ensure that you are developing a relationship of mutual respect and trust by communicating effectively with your patient, ensuring they not only receive appropriate care but that you will also attempt to honor their personal beliefs and customs and are concerned with their overall well being?

By Genesis & Tiara


Change from chemistry or film based environment to a digital system for imaging

Using your classroom, the school or the your local community as a context for learning, write your own PBL Scenario
Include…
1. Background Information
2. Student Relevance
3. Scenario

John Henry
EIRC jhenry@eirc.org