P, P, or PBL – My Thoughts
I’m always forced to stop and think (a good thing, perhaps) about the similarities and differences between the ideas of project, product, and problem-based learning. For my own understanding, I always seem to think of them as fairly similar – the main differences being that in problem-based, there may be no final answer or product, and the learning starts with a problem or question (very much like the scientific method). For product or project-based, a student is looking to show learning (perhaps still based on a question) by the creation of some artifact. If I’m off the mark, help me out.
That being said, here are my succinct thoughts on PBL, based on the MET program…
You know things are easier to remember when they’re put to music? I see products / projects as music. They are both a vessel and vector for information. I couldn’t tell you all the theories of all the thinkers I’ve come across in MET thus far (off the top of my head), but when it comes to things like Moodles, videos, VoiceThreads, CMaps, blogs, etc., I am more prone to remember the information that went into one of those artifacts (or “songs”) than just “random” information. I have something to associate it with… to attach meaning to… to give it heft. With those experiences and memorable objects, I am able to better retain and use the information I have encountered.
A good site to compare the three P’s:
http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Project-Based_and_Problem-Based:_The_same_or_different%3F
Posted in: Week 10: Product-Based Assessments
Doug Smith 7:50 pm on November 8, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks for the link!
In my mind, sometimes we are a bit too succeptible to reductionism, where we try to make too many subdivisions in something that doesn’t need it. I can continue along these lines with some of my own music analogies. I used to dj house music and sometimes myself (or others) would be a bit bothered by too much segregation of house genres. It created divisions and lines where they didn’t really exist. For the most part this wouldn’t matter, but sometimes it leaves use with false restrictions.
When working through this project, I think we also felt the pressures of division between problem, project, product etc. A lot of this is a bit nebulous and not strongly defined, either by academia or, more importantly in our context, by EVM. From my perspective, I think it is better to do something that makes sense and fits right. Kind of what it looks like you are doing when find something for attaching meaning.
cheers
Doug
Kristopher 5:58 am on November 9, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I think you touched on the essence of PBA– that the assessment is meaningful and authentic. It is much more a focus on assessment for learning than it is an assessment of learning.
I would add Performance to you P’s as well, but like Doug says, we’re really creating divisions where divisions aren’t all that necessary. If we can find a way to focus instead on the outcomes (authentic learning, etc.) instead of how to get there, we don’t need these definitions. Now the question becomes this week, how can one sell this type of assessment?
kstooshnov 9:46 pm on November 9, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
hi Kristopher,
It is interesting to hear the analogy between the many different P’s to be found in assessing students’ learning, and agree with Doug’s comparison to the many different (yet essentially the same) brands of house music. Different ways to assess learning eventually lead to the same place: is someone able to do something or not? As much as educators are responsible for finding effective ways to get students on the able side of the equation, I find myself confused between one brand of PBA and another, as if I can’t hear the melody for all the musical variations.
Kyle
mcquaid 3:57 pm on November 13, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
It’s fitting, too, Kyle, that different people may have issues with understanding different “songs” or products. Since different cultures have different musical scales, some things just don’t seem as tuneful to others. I think of skilled immigrants who come here and are unable to get work in their field because their skills / degrees aren’t valued the same way here as they are somewhere else. I wonder if there are (or could be) standard products for certain jobs that would put a person on equal, qualified footing almost anywhere in the world.