From teacher-driven to student-driven.

The academic year that is drawing to a close has been a learning curve for both my students and me. The individual research project that the Grade 9 students had to complete for their Population unit was indeed one of the biggest challenges this year. This unit had been modeled on the philosophy of project-based learning which also blends well with the learning objectives of the new MYP Humanities guide.

Before starting their project, students were exposed to concepts.They learned that these are mental constructs that share common features. As Lynn Erickson states, concepts are:

• Timeless
• Universal (can be applied in different contexts)                                                             
• Abstract to different degrees
• Represented by 1 or 2 words.

By familiarizing themselves with the common characteristics of concepts, students were able to create conceptually-driven research questions. Students were given the freedom to create a product of their choosing that would address a target audience. They had to ensure, however, that their project addressed the unit question: When is populations a problem?

As mentioned in one of my previous posts the process was a bit bumpy at times, but the end results were comforting.

Students let their imagination run wild and created products that ranged from children's books to model wind turbines:

Emma wrote a children's book that talked about resource depletion caused by humans. She read this book aloud to elementary school students.  

Taesam created an animation video that explains the impacts of cattle ranching on sustainability  

Norah researched about space colonization and created illustrations to present her findings

Chris wrote an article on his website to discuss how flooding is one of the biggest causes of migration in Bangladesh

Nina created a model wind turbine. For her personal project, Nina will build a prototype wind turbine  which could be used in the impoverished areas of Lima.

In conclusion, even though some students were unable to create products that met their expectations, they still learned a great deal. At the end of the unit, I asked students to write reflections  and their feedback was insightful:

"This project was clearly more challenging than other projects because I made the whole outline for my product. This required me to think very carefully into each stage (research, investigating, and creating my product). I am not self dependent so I am not used to think with my own brain, I usually depend on others doing the work, that is why this unit was challenging but at the same time it triggered some kind of creativity because I had the opportunity to research about something I was interested on." Taesam

"From doing this project I have learned that as a learner once I get an interesting topic that I am fully invested in, I have no trouble continuing with the project. By staying invested into a topic of my choosing I can create the best final products to my capability and get the grade I deserve. Project based learning is a lot better than what I’m used to because it gives me a chance to think for my self and learn from mistakes I’ve made while doing the project. These projects aren’t easy but they help you think in ways you haven’t had to think before."  Nicole 

"Projects like this one prepare you for the real world because in the real world, we don’t get everything done for us, we have to do it ourselves." Antonella

"Up until this point, students—or at least this student—have been babied for the majority of their lives. Everything that they need to do has been given to them in the form of explicit, direct instructions with countless exemplars and checklists that were just handed to them. In the real world (unless your boss has very strong OCD) you will not be given detailed, step-by-step instructions about what you are supposed to do.  Most things require you to use your noodle to create a solution and/or plan to help you succeed. This kind of project takes the focus back off the process, and puts it on the product in a very similar way to real life. This helps ease the transition between schooling and life." Ashley