|
Teaching
Strategies
Teaching strategies come to life through Iowa Public Television
resources. Problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning, interdisciplinary
instruction, and technology integration are cornerstones to Iowa
Public Television multimedia resources. Browse the list, check out
some links, pick up a new strategy or find out that you are using
a strategy effectively!
Problem-Based
Learning (PBL)
Inquiry-Based Learning
Technology Integration
Interdisciplinary Instruction
Student Projects
Problem-Based
Learning (PBL)
Motivation, relevance and context, higher-order thinking, learning
how to learn, and authenticity describe problem-based learning. Essentially,
students are faced with a problem that is ill-structured, can change
with the addition of new information, is not solved easily, and doesn't
have a "right" answer.
This student-centered, learning-centered strategy puts the challenge
of discovering and learning on the student and puts the teacher in
the role of a facilitator who asks questions and offers some guidance
in order to minimize frustration.
An astounding amount of information is available to educators via
the Internet. Following are links that have been successfully used
by IPTV staff.
Center
for Problem-Based Learning Core
Are you curious as to what problem-based learning is? This is a
great site with clear explanations and many resources including
training opportunities, books, and videos.
Kids
Make a Difference
This site provides examples of how kids make a difference through
problem-based learning examples. When students solve and share solutions
to problems that matter to them, they learn that knowledge and understanding
has value. They learn that they are part of a community and that
they have a stake in the world.
PROBLARC-
Problem Based Learning Assessment and Research Centre
The University of Newcastle (Australia) has established PROBLARC
to coordinate the development of problem-based learning methodology,
act as a professional development centre, disseminate products,
and support research and disseminate the results of the research.
Queen's
University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Problem-based learning has made its way into the School of Medicine.
View how medical schools are using this teaching strategy within
their curriculum to gain insight.
Schools
of California Online Resources for Education
This Web site looks at how to make effective problem solvers for
the Information Age. How can teachers foster problem solving ability?
Resources, lesson plans by grade level, standards, and several other
options are available. The focus in on social science, but many
curricular areas are included in the resources.
Problem Based Learning
Initiative -The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Another example of how a medical school is using problem-based learning.
University of
Delaware - Problem-Based Learning
Current information about how higher education is using problem-based
learning within their undergraduate programs. Check out the sample
PBL exercise "When Twins Marry."
top
Inquiry-Based Learning
An old adage states: "Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember,
involve me and I understand." This is the essence of inquiry-based
learning. Asking questions is natural for humans, especially children.
Inquiry-based learning uses this curiosity to facilitate learning.
As our world becomes more face paced, with information available
in a key stroke, children need to learn how to discern information
that is credible and serves their purpose, then use that information
to satisfy their curiosity. Learning how to find and use information
is becoming as important as learning to read and compute basic facts
mentally.
The following links have been assessed by IPTV staff to be worth
your time.
WNET
School
What is inquiry-based learning? How does it differ from the traditional
approach? These and many other questions are answers through text,
video transcripts, and a glossary of buzzwords within this Disney
Learning Partnership site.
Connect
Magazine
Connect Magazine is a journal supporting inquiry-based teaching
and learning. The issue features six case studies written by teachers
participating in the Institute for Inquiry's Teacher Learning Group.
The Getty's
Art Education Web Site
Our Place in the World within ArtsEdNet discusses how to use inquiry-based
learning in the art classroom. Lesson plans, thematic approach ideas,
assessments, and many other pieces are available at this site.
DICEP
Developing Inquiring Communities in Education Project (DICEP) is
a group of educational practitioners and university-based researchers
promoting inquiry as a key mode of learning and teaching at all
levels in education. Their publications and papers provide you with
valuable research.
The Center
for Learning Technologies in Urban Schools
Biology Guided Inquiry Learning Environments (BGuILE) is a collaboration
project designed to bring the best of inquiry into middle and high
school biology classrooms. Check out the curricula link for a look
at two curricula units. BGuILE learning scenarios include hands-on
discussion-based activities integrated with software investigations
of rich simulations and datasets.
SMSU
College of Natural and Applied Sciences
Southwest Missouri State University's College of Natural and Applied
Sciences has created this Web resource to share an overview of inquiry-based
learning, and the National Education Standards for Inquiry.
top
Technology
Integration
Integration has become a buzzword within education. Simply put, integration
is merging curricula or topics in order to study a topic within more
than one subject. Integrating technology into a classroom can pose
its own difficulties. Iowa Public Television has developed products
to assist with this integration. Additionally, these sites have been
found to be excellent sources of information.
Education
World
Education World has articles about curriculum; distance learning;
technology use, planning, tools, and experts; keyboarding, projects
and others. Knowledgeable educational-technology professionals voluntarily
contribute to share their expertise and experience. "How Can
We Eliminate Roadblocks to the Information Highway?" appears
at the link provided and discusses technology integration.
Education World features a second article "Incorporating
Technology Into Classroom Curriculum." Computers are here
to stay, and several entities have established ways to assist classroom
teachers with the charge of using technology hardware and software
effectively and efficiently to enhance the curriculum.
The National Centre
of Technology in Education
The National Centre for Technology in Education is sponsoring the
Schools Integration Project. Find information about the project
along with documents for planning guidance.
The Institute for
School Innovation
Preparing Today's Schools for Tomorrow's Challenges -- The Institute
for School Innovation is available to teachers and schools. Technology
intensified instruction at four grade level configurations makes
this a valuable source for ideas and examples.
top
Interdisciplinary Instruction
Making learning more natural, meaningful, and less isolated by content
lines when appropriate is the premise behind interdisciplinary instruction.
Planning around a theme, piece of literature, or unit can lead students
on a journey of discovery through the core subject areas and the arts.
Educators know that the more times content is experienced the better
students understand. And when the content is presented from different
perspectives, the learning becomes deeper. When connecting topics
across the disciplines, focus on making connections that are logical,
natural, and appropriate.
Core
Knowledge Foundation
What are the pros and cons of interdisciplinary or thematic instruction?
The use of this model has become a philosophy for some - leaving
behind the division between content areas. When curriculum is taught
this way, how do you know the students comprehend the connections?
Tampa
Bay Library Consortium
Interdisciplinary World Wide Web sites that offer resources for
application in the media center or classroom.
Why
Not Interdisciplinary Instruction
"Why Not Interdisciplinary Instruction?" is an article
that highlights experiences with interdisciplinary instruction in
a high school setting. Guidelines, or words to the wise, are also
shared.
Want to know
more?
Find an article or articles to satisfy your curiosity at these sites.
http://www.ssec.org
http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/ks4/tech/imym/
top
Student Projects
Inquiry-based learning, WebQuests, and Problem-based Learning can
lead to student-centered projects. As a culmination project, sharing
information in some way is the most used tactic.
Are you in need of ideas for helping students organize group projects
and present their findings? Would an assessment framework (rubric)
assist you in conveying your expectations?
Here are two resources developed by Iowa Public Television's staff
(and certified teachers). These Adobe pdf files may take a few moments
to download. (You need Adobe
Acrobat Reader to view these.)
 10
Steps for a Successful Group Presentation
Student
Production Assessment Framework
|
