Journal 4

Designing to Learn, A Focus on Design in Project-Based Learning by Diane McGrath

Diane McGrath is making the important point that good design is crucial to project-based learning (PBL). In fact, one might argue that good design is crucial to any kind of lesson being planned, but in this article, the focus is on PBL. Project-based learning is defined as that in which students, "construct artifacts to better understand a subject and then communicate to an audience what they have learned" (p.50). With regard to design of a PBL, McGrath focuses on four important features: design skills, planning, audience and standards.

The crucial component of the design skills feature is that the student is able to represent that which they've learned as an artifact. The design skills component includes all of the research and organizing skills required to complete the project. The planning feature involves helping students learn to break the project down into manageable pieces and learn to keep themselves on track. The audience feature involves not only an audience for the finished project, but also reviews by audiences (of any size) throughout the process. Finally, the standards feature involves making certain that the student focus is on acquiring knowledge and not just on creating the artifact. The artifact should be an outgrowth of knowledge gained, not just a project for project's sake.

Questions:
1. With regard to the standards feature, how does a teacher guard against projects for project's sake? I think a point made in the article addressed this question very well. The technology should not be the focus of the project, which it often is if the students are creating only one or two projects per year. Instead, the projects should be so numerous that, "the bells and whistles become old hat" (p. 53). Not that the students are pumping out projects left and right, but that the technology used becomes just another tool, like a pencil.
2. With regard to the audience feature, how can a teacher foster the concept of cooperative work in the classroom? At the beginning of any PBL, it is important to stress that all students will be audiences for other students in the class. The purpose of these audiences is to provide constructive feedback. This concept needs to be explained clearly to the class so that feedback does not become hurtful. A team-building exercise or two might help as will occasions where the teacher invites constructive feedback of his or her efforts, as well.