When mentoring our
pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both
research-based and clinically tested best practices, and demonstrate how these
best practices can be applied in the real (i.e. physical) and virtual (i.e.
online) classroom for both teaching and teacher training. The combination of
face to face instruction in a physical setting and online learning is called
blended learning. In this section of the blog we will describe how the internet
can serve as a supplemental resource for instruction and the mentoring of
pre-service and in-service Jewish educators. In this post we will discuss how Problem-based Lewish Learning, an online authentic learning
instructional strategy, can be used for Judaic instruction and the
mentoring/teaching of pre-service and in-service Jewish educators.
Assumption: The teacher or mentor teacher has an interactive
white board (i.e. SMART Board, Promethean, etc.), a Tablet PC (also called a
Slate or Blade), a computer presenter or computer with internet access attached
to an LCD projector in the classroom. It would be ideal if students or mentees
had access to their own laptop computers or Ipads. Given parental and
school approval, and the development of specific guidelines, smartphones can be
used to enhance instruction as well.
Note: Although Problem-based Jewish Learning can be
applied in the Judaic Studies blended learning classroom, it can be also be
used for training pre-service and in-service Jewish educators for professional
or staff development. It is our hope that Jewish educators around the globe
will form an online community of
practice, a CoP, a group of people who share an interest, a craft,
and/or a profession, to enhance the delivery of instruction and training of
Jewish educators. For example, here is
a CoP you might want to join.
Before we explore Problem-Based Jewish Learning, let’s
define problem-based learning.
What is Problem-based
Learning?
According
to Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem-based_learning
Problem Based Learning is defined this way:
Problem-based
learning (PBL) is a
student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject in the
context of complex, multifaceted, and realistic problems (not to be confused
with project-based
learning). The goal of PBL are to help the students develop flexible
knowledge, effective problem solving skills, self-directed learning, effective
collaboration skills and intrinsic motivation.[1]
Working in groups, students identify what they already know, what they need to
know, and how and where to access new information that may lead to resolution
of the problem. The role of the instructor (known as the tutor in PBL) is that
of facilitator of learning who provides appropriate scaffolding and support of
the process, modelling of the process, and monitoring the learning.[2]
The tutor must build students confidence to take on the problem, encourage the
student, while also stretching their understanding.[3]
PBL was
pioneered in the medical school program at McMaster University
in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in the late 1960's by Howard Barrows and his
colleagues.[4]
The PBL curriculum was developed in order to stimulate the learners, assist the
learners in seeing the relevance of learning to future roles, maintain a higher
level of motivation towards learning, and to show the learners the importance
of responsible, professional attitudes (Barrows, 1996).
Problem-Based
Learning subsequently has been adopted by other medical school programs
(Barrows, 1996), adapted for undergraduate instruction (Boud and Feletti, 1997;
Duch et al., 2001; Amador et al., 2006) as well as elementary and high school
(Barrows, 1996; Gasser, 2011). The use of PBL has expanded from its initial
introduction into medical school programs to include education in the areas of
other health sciences, math, law, education, economics, business, social
studies, and engineering (Barrows 1996; Gasser, 2011). The use of PBL, like
other student-centered pedagogies, has been motivated by recognition of the
failures of traditional instruction (Wingspread, 1994; Boyer, 1998) and the
emergence of deeper understandings of how people learn (National Research
Council, 2000). Unlike traditional instruction, PBL actively engages the
student in constructing knowledge. PBL includes problems that can be solved in
many different ways and have more than one solution. [5] A
good problem is authentic, meets students level of prior knowledge, engages
students in discussion, and is interesting.[2]
The Six
core characteristics of problem based learning: [6]
-consists
of student-centered
learning
-learning
occurs in small groups
-teachers
act as facilitators or guides (referred to as tutors)
-a problem
forms the basis for organized focus and stimulus for learning
-problems
stimulate the development and use of problem solving skills
-new
knowledge is obtained through means of self-directed
learning
In PBL,
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 while simultaneously
fostering the development of communication, problem-solving, critical thinking,
collaboration, and self-directed learning skills.[7][3]
PBL may
position students in a simulated real world working and professional context
which involves policy, process, and ethical problems that will need to be
understood and resolved to some outcome. By working through a combination of
learning strategies to discover the nature of a problem, understanding the
constraints and options to its resolution, defining the input variables, and
understanding the viewpoints involved, students learn to negotiate the complex
sociological nature of the problem and how competing resolutions may inform
decision-making.
Schmidt (1983) describes the process of Problem-based learning
as being seven steps:
-
clarifying and agreeing on terms and concepts that are unclear
- define
the problem and review terms which need more depth or explanation
- analyze,
brainstorm and create potential hypothesis
- discuss,
evaluate and organize possible explanations into potential hypothesis
- generate
and prioritize learning objectives, divide research workload
- private
study time to research objectives
- during
next tutorial report back gained information, create an explanation and
synthesize new information in relation
to the problem
Problem Based Jewish Learning (PBJL) or Problem Based
Learning from a Judaic Studies perspective is a particular instructional
approach to implementing Jewish
Integrated Experience Education (JIEE) . It involves engaging students in
the investigation of a real problem or issue facing the Jewish people (e.g. the
existence of Israel, terrorism, Judaic literacy, anti-semitism, acculturation,
poverty, alcoholism, etc.) collecting and analyzing print and web resources,
primary sources, plus empirical data, presenting and disseminating their
conclusions or solutions to the problem studied. Ultimately students create a
web-based Judaic knowledge product (i.e. movie, poster, audio recording,
graphic organizer, multi-media presentation, power point presentation, etc.)
which is shared with others on the internet.
To see an example of
Problem-based Jewish learning clink on this link: http://vimeo.com/channels/158770/39003870
On the next
post we will begin our exploration of new web tools for collaboration.
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