Presented by: Zander Lyvers and Tim Eddy | American School of Madrid
Although project-based learning has been in the popular lexicon for decades, some teachers are still reluctant to relinquish control in their classroom, and for good reason. Without the appropriate scaffolds empowering students during the heart of the research process, an inquiry can fall apart and come out as a half-baked presentation.
The Buck Institute, a PBL think tank, admits, “at its best, PBL can be the catalyst for a engaging learning experience and create the context for a powerful learning community focused on achievement, self-mastery, and contribution to the community. At its worst, it can be a colossal waste of time.”
In this workshop, teachers will learn how to best support students during the most challenging moments of the research process. We will discuss strategies that empower students when developing their own driving questions and supporting questions, evaluating the usefulness of sources, and constructing the “need-to-knows” to complete an investigation.
Whether students are working on a graphic novel in a PBL unit, or a mock trial in a C3 unit, it is imperative for the foundation of the learning to be based on the process, which entails sound research and questioning skills.
Join this workshop if you would like to see models of how to structure a project in a way that allows for student agency, apply approaches and strategies to your own classroom, and help students move beyond the simplistic limitations of the C.R.A.A.P. test when pursuing an inquiry-based approach.
Target audience
Teachers who want to try teaching inquiry-based learning or project-based learning
Teachers who teach research skills
Teachers who are frustrated by simplistic tools for rigorous research projects
Teachers who might have EE advisees