Design Project Proposal – Abstract

Topic:                         Problem-based Learning Through Digital Photography

Learners:                   Grade 11 and 12 Students and in small groups.  According to (Wyse-Fisher et al., 2005), younger students respond better to teacher centred whereas more senior high school teacher are better suited to a student centred.  The teacher is seen as a facilitator who gradually relinquished control or knowledge building to students.  As such the students become active learners who pursue and build knowledge through practice.  Students are viewed a mature learners who are or viewed as critical thinkers capable of effective social interaction resulting in problem solving through discussion (Anisef, P., et al., 1993).  Through critical thinking students are able to solve the problem at hand and determine the appropriate means of achieving the task at hand – in this case capturing images using a digital SLR camera.  Learners are also expected to be able to recognize and identify paths or strategies to solve problems and attain goals through higher order thinking.

Learning space:         Computer Lab, studio, on and off-site field studies

Lessons:                      Modular/Theme based

Through the use of modules and themes, students will develop experience by building and constructing knowledge and skill with the emphasis on various photographic themes and situational conditions.

Platform:                    MOODLE – Open Source Course Management System

We will be using MOODLE CMS that has already been set-up.  The link to our course design is http://johnoliverschool.ca/moodle.

Rationale:                   Digital Photography or photography in general requires independent critical thinking that is developed over time and experience.  This experience is often learnt through trial and error as the setting, subject, or environment as well as lighting conditions are often in constant flux – the photographer must adjust and tap into her/his repertoire to adequately select settings on the camera to capture the image with optimal exposure.  Problem-based learning is the most effective way of teaching photography (North Carolina State, 1988) due to the situational changes.  The theory behind photography is consistent regardless of camera model or equipment utilized, but the photographer must determine the best theory or practice to adequately meet the needs of the subject or theme. By hosting the course and content in MOODLE, the instructor and students can leverage technology to communicate, share ideas, house data, and building knowledge through a learning community.

Theories involved:    Constructivist, situated-learning, scaffolding, task-based, student-centered, and problem-based learning.

Our main focus is Problem-based learning, we know that learning and learning theories do not exist in isolation and we will touch upon other theories in our design.  Our definition of Problem-based Learning is derived from Wikipedia:

According to Wikipedia (Problem-based Learning, 2009),

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered instructional strategy in which students collaboratively solve problems and reflect on their experiences. It was pioneered and used extensively at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Characteristics of PBL are:

• Learning is driven by challenging, open-ended problems.
• Students work in small collaborative groups.
• Teachers take on the role as “facilitators” of learning.

Accordingly, students are encouraged to take responsibility for their group and organize and direct the learning process with support from a tutor or instructor. Advocates of PBL claim it can be used to enhance content knowledge and foster the development of communication, problem-solving, and self-directed learning skill.

Problem-based learning (PBL) is typically organized with small groups of learners, accompanied by an instructor, faculty person, or facilitator. During this process, a series of problems are provided to learners with guidance early in the PBL process (with introductory problems), and then later guidance is faded as learners gain expertise (Merrill, 2002). Guidance is faded as group members feel more confident with the subject matter and become more competent with the learned procedures.

Merrill (2007) suggests beginning with worked examples and then later, introduces students to smaller less complex problems. But as the process progresses, Merrill suggests changing problems by adding components to make them more realistic (Merrill, 2002, 2007). Thus it is important to begin with simplified versions of real world problems to progressively add components. This progression and fading motivates learners as they slowly gain expertise and take ownership.

During the PBL process learners should discuss problems, define what they know, generate hypotheses, derive learning goals and organize further work. Results may be subsequently presented to larger groups (under guidance from an instructor). A PBL cycle should conclude with learners reflecting on the learning that has taken place.

From a constructivist perspective Problem-based learning (PBL), the role of the instructor is to guide the learning process rather than provide knowledge (Hmelo-Silver & Barrows, 2006). From this perspective, feedback and reflection on the learning process and group dynamics are essential components of PBL.

Problem-based learning is the theory behind our approach, but we intend to use a task-based instructional strategy to achieve our goal. Our second approach or strategy offered by Merrill (1999), elaborates the first four ripples in this design model: (1) specify a real-world task, (2) identify a progression of tasks, (3) specify component knowledge and skill for each task, and (4) specify an instructional strategy for task-centered instruction. It should be noted that the first three phases in the Pebble model are concerned with the task-centered, first principle and specify the subject matter content to be taught before there is consideration for how this material will be taught. Starting with whole tasks assures that the component knowledge and skill to be taught are relevant and integrated (Problem-based Learning, 2009).