10th International Science Symposium – Project Learning
CREATIVE IDEAS IN FORM OF INTERDISCIPLINARY CORRELATIONS OF
MODEL PUD-BJ »FROM IDEA TO PRODUCT«
Prof. Tamara Jurič, Ass.Prof.Ph.D.Ph.D. Jožica Bezjak, Assoc. Prof. Ph.D. Mirko Slosar, University of
Primorska, Faculty of Education Koper, Slovenia
ABSTRACT
Changes in society interfere with life and work in school and also influence school's organization and relations. This is
the reason why contemporary school needs to assure conditions for acquisition of knowledge and whole, optimal
personal development of pupil. Classical school cannot realize this task, as it is oriented in teaching the contents of
single subjects only, which is not in accordance with beliefs of the contemporary school. Therefore, we have to find a
new path, a new method that will enable pupil to develop as a whole.
All these criteria fulfil project work, which we used in practice. We presented and tried out creative ideas in the form of
interdisciplinary correlations of model PUD-BJ ‘From idea to product’ on twenty products, which are suitable as a
present. Products can be made during technical and cultural days in school, which are novelty in new, nine-year
primary school. All products are made with an innovative plan; they demand the use of different tools and instruments,
various environment friendly materials and finally develop skills of pupils and participants of project.
Project work provides learning from own experience what increases the quality and long term acquired knowledge.
Children learn most with this kind of learning, which was established and confirmed on the exhibition that we made at
the end of our project.
Key words: project work, interdisciplinary correlation, technical and cultural days, creative ideas
1
Argumentation of the project
In this project we focused on the elaboration of creative products, made from paper. The material is easy to access and
close to all pupils; products are simple to make and at the same time practical and suitable as a gift.
Through the elaboration of these products pupils gain experience, knowledge, skills and abilities and also form personal
characteristics. Therefore they develop as a whole. A process that is so whole covers the contents of interdisciplinary
correlations. The intention of elaboration is not only to get to know the project work, to present the unlimited
possibilities of paper use and to get to know the tools and instruments that are being used, but also to show that this kind
of method covers the contents of interdisciplinary correlations much more than any other method or classical school.
2
Concept of the project
Celebrations are not invention of modern society as people have always given presents to each other. Today gifts
represent a symbol of celebrations. Every time when holidays or some other occasions are approaching we wonder what
to give as a present. Children in school would also like to give something to their relatives. They have lots of ideas, but
it usually stops at buying the materials. Some of them are too expensive and inaccessible for schools what in many
cases results in impossible creating. Paper is far the cheapest material in school but we often use it only for writing and
drawing. That is the main reason we have decided to present the products which are made out of paper, are cheap,
suitable as a present and can be made during the technical days. The project does not finish when products are done, on
the contrary every celebration is closely connected with music and dance and here we can see the interdisciplinary
correlation between products, realized in project work and music.
10th International Science Symposium – Project Learning
3
Macro preparation of the project
Pupils and teacher together prepare a macro preparation which is a draft of the project. In this stage pupils exchange
their ideas and thoughts and decide what they will work. The macro preparation is usually made in the shape of the
poster and it hangs in visible place.
What do we know?
 Products are unique and suitable
as a gift,
 we dance and sing at
celebrations.
What do we want to we want to find
out?
 The technology of making the
products,
 what kind of songs do we sing at
celebrations,
 what kind of dances we dance at
celebrations.
Paper products
What will we do?
 We will make paper products which will be
suitable as a gift,
 we will learn songs and dances,
 we will organize a show, where we will
exhibit our products, sing and dance.
10th International Science Symposium – Project Learning
4
Micro preparation of the project
In micro preparation we precisely foreseen the process of work and assignments that we will do during the project.
What?
1st partial activity
MAKING PAPER
PRODUCTS
 the planning of elaboration
 choosing the material and
tools
 making the products
2nd partial activity
LEARNING SONGS AND
DANCES
 searching for songs and
dances at celebrations in
literature
 learning songs and dances
3rd partial activity
CELEBRATION





 with one’s own work
 with creativity
 by listening, exploration,
observation



Where?
 with one’s own work
 with teacher’s and other
pupil’s help
 with consideration of safety
at work
 in the classroom
 in the classroom
When?
 during the technical days
 during the technical days
Who?
 pupils
 primary teacher
 pupils
 primary teacher











 with different paper
materials
 with different tools and
instruments
 with use of literature,
internet, video material,
conversation
How?
With what?
Why?
5
 to develop skills, abilities
 to get to know different
elaborations,
 to get to know different
tools and materials
 to make a product, suitable
as a gift
 to get to know and learn
songs and dances suitable
for celebrations
 to remember the true
meaning of celebrations:
joy, socializing, having fun





arranging the room
exhibition of the products
evaluation of products
invite parents, friends to
celebration
performance of program and
celebration
with one’s own work
with creativity
with presentation
in the school hall
in the gym
in the classroom
in the corridor
at open doors day
during the technical days
at celebration
pupils
primary teacher
other pupils and teachers
parents and other visitors of
celebration
with products
with music and dance
with posters, invitations,
photographs
with presentation
to show other pupils,
teachers, parents and other
visitors what we made and
learned during the whole
project
Realization of the project
We perform project work during the technical days. They demand teacher’s profound preparation. At project work a
pupil is active all the time: he cooperates at finding the idea, material and at elaboration of products. Pupil is the main
carrier of activity; teacher is an initiator, adviser and also the one who suggests the theme to pupils. Together they form
and express an idea. Then they prepare the plan, material and tools that are necessary for realization of the project.
Teacher prepares pupils for group work, divides them into groups and gives further instructions. Pupils inside the group
settle about the course of the work and a plan of it. During the process it is necessary to take into consideration safety at
work. At the end of the project each group reports about their work. Products must be also evaluated either with
successfully done, very successfully done or innovatory done. The nature of work disallows us from giving pupils
negative grade.
10th International Science Symposium – Project Learning
5.1
Technology of elaboration: The basket
1st stage
Fold the paper upon both
diagonals. Roll up the
corners until middle.
2nd stage
Bend all four sides
towards the middle. Pull
hardly with your nails or
fingers across the edges.
Then lean back the bended
sides.
3rd stage
4th stage
Open two contrary
corners. Cut two fields
deep left and right from
corner.
Bend twice the rest two
corners towards the
middle. Put the sides
upright and bend inwards.
Turn up the rest corners
over all free upright sides.
5th stage
Cross two purple strips of
crepe paper. Glue the box
in the middle.
6th stage
Cut longitudinally all four
strips on same parts- first
on half, then each half
again on halves.
7th stage
Cut the stripes out of blue
crepe paper. Glue ends of
stripes on the box. Then
start knitting the blue
stripes with purple stripes.
8th stage
9th stage
We make one more strip
and wrap it up with crepe
paper. Glue it on the
interior of the box. That’s
the handle of the box.
Shorten the too long
stripes. Then glue their
ends inside the box. Tick
all over the interior of the
box with purple or blue
paper.
Final product
10th International Science Symposium – Project Learning
5.2
Finished products
Picture 1: A photo frame
Picture 2: Pumpkin lights
Picture 5: A gift box
Picture 6: A book
Picture 7: A decorative
vase
Picture 8: A gift bag
Picture 9: A Santa Claus
Picture 10: A bowl
Picture 11: A panel
Picture 12: A stamp
Picture 13:
A toy
Picture 14: A book mark
Picture 15: A bunch of
flowers
Picture 16: A greeting
card
Picture 17: A necklace
Picture 18: A base for
napkins
Picture 19: An Easter
surprise
Picture 20: A basket
Picture 3: Adornments for
Christmas tree
Picture 4: A wrapping
paper
10th International Science Symposium – Project Learning
6
Enclosure
Other paper products suitable as a present are shown in the table.
Picture 1: A lantern
Picture 2: Toys
Picture 3: A whistle
Picture 4: A surprise box
Picture 5: A weather man
Picture 6: A window
decoration
Picture 7: An Easter bus
Picture 8: A bowl
Picture 9: A small purse
Picture 10: Mobile
Picture 11: Chest of
drawers
Picture 12: New Year’s
candles
Picture 13: A photo album
Picture 14: A hat
Picture 15: Flowers
Picture 16: A photo frame
Picture 17: A bottle
decoration
Picture 18: A piggy bank
Picture 19: A pot for pens
Picture 20: A cake
10th International Science Symposium – Project Learning
7
Conclusion
Due to its characteristics project work exceeds classical school which is oriented mostly into teaching the contents of
one subject only, so it does not show the connection between different chapters and knowledge. Also it does not quote
searching the point which is what contemporary school tends to. Project work on the other side is directed to pupil’s
independence and activity. During the whole process pupil gain experience, skills and knowledge from different fields:
when pupils are seeking for and expressing an idea, they gain at linguistic area; when they are planning the elaboration
of product, they gain at natural science; when they are making a product they get to know the materials, tools, their
characteristics and use - they gain technical experience; when they use and play with products, they gain at cultural area
and also gain skills and abilities. We can see that all subjects interweave: Slovene, Mathematics, Nature science,
Sociology and Art, Technical and Musical education. Project work is usually performed during the technical days, but
due to its openness we could call them cultural-naturalistic-technical days as they ladle out the contents of all three
areas: cultural, naturalistic and also technical. This way of learning gives a possibility to learn from personal experience
which enables not only the interdisciplinary correlations but also possibility to transfer the later knowledge and
experience to other situations. Project work allows more learning connections, so acquired knowledge is not broken and
crumbled as it is in classical school. Project work crosses the frontier of separated teaching the same themes and brings
them all together.
Unfortunately the organization of school life is not in favour of project work as there are some elements that prevent its
performing. We believe teachers are the ones who could change that by using more project work in school and to
influence in this way on pupil's integrity.
8
Literature
















Bezjak, Jožica. Contemporary forms of pedagogigc - PUD-BJ. Klagenfurt: LVM, 2009. 66 str., ilustr. ISBN
978-961-6397-12-4. [COBISS.SI-ID 245921280]
Bezjak, Jožica. Project learning of model PUD-BJ - from idea to the product. Klagenfurt: LVM for Verlag S.
Novak, 2009. 74 f., ilustr. ISBN 978-961-6397-11-7. [COBISS.SI-ID245920768]
Bezjak, J.: Materials in Technics, Tehniška založba Slovenije, 2003, Ljubljana.
Bezjak,J.: A different way to knowledge, Project based learning – from idea to the product – connections
between subjects and intercultural connections, 2006, Somaru.
BEZJAK, Jožica. A different way to knowledge: project based learning BJ – from idea to product. Ljubljana:
Somaru, 2006. 1 el. optični disk (612 str.), barve. ISBN 961-91750-0-X. [COBISS.SI-ID 224452352]
BEZJAK, Jožica. Idea projects in technical days, (Project based learning III). Ljubljana: Somaru, 2003. 138
str., ilustr. ISBN 961-238-213-1. [COBISS.SI-ID 125291264]
BEZJAK, Jožica. Project learning. Klagenfurt: Fakultät für Kulturwissenschaften, 2004. 1 optični disk (CDROM). [COBISS.SI-ID 5610313]
BEZJAK, Jožica. Die Entwicklung der Didaktik des Schulpraktikums. Ljubljana: Somaru, 2007. 1 CDROM
(130 str.). ISBN 978-961-91750-9-5. [COBISS.SI-ID 231526656]
BEZJAK, Jožica. Didactics of Technics, Pedagogical practice in Teachnics lessons. Ljubljana: LVM, 2001. 40
str., ilustr., tabele. ISBN 961-6397-08-7. [COBISS.SI-ID 114333440]
BEZJAK, Jožica. Project learning work: from idea to product. Klagenfurt: Fakultät für Kulturwissenschaften,
2003. 1 optični disk (CD-ROM). [COBISS.SI-ID 5285705]
BEZJAK, Jožica (ur.). Technical creativity in school's curricula with the form of project learning "From idea to
the product": from the kindergarten to the technical faculty: proceedings: 5th International science symposium
18.-20. april 2007, Portorož, Slovenia. Ljubljana: Somaru, 2007. 1 CDROM (1010 str.), ilustr. ISBN 978-96191750-7-1. [COBISS.SI-ID 231414784]
Bruner,J.S.: Process of education, Harvard Universitx,Press,1966
Piaget,J.: Intelligence Psychology/Structuralism/Child’s Intellectual Development
Vygotski,L.S: Thoudt and language. Cambridge, MA:MIT Press.
Vygotski, L.S: Mind and society: the development of higer psychological processes. Cambridge: Harvard
University Press.
http://www.zptu.si/~jozicab/