Project Based Learning and Technology

It has been a long time since I last posted - a little over a year.  My last post was about optimism for the 2012 Blue Jays season.  If you follow baseball the Jays still aren't giving much reason to be optimistic as a fan.

I am getting back into my blog again for a couple of reasons:

• it seems like the right thing to do again
• I intend to use this blog to record my reflections and my journey as I dive into completing my Masters of Education Portfolio through Lakehead University about Project Based Learning and how technology can support the learning
• I was also inspired by many great people and educators as I attended PBLWorld in June who blog on a regular basis. - for a summary of the Coaching Academy that I attended at the conference please visit the blog of Bianca Hewes who is an avid blogger, and PBL leader
• I want to use this blog as a platform to get my thoughts and the resources that I gather organized and consolidated in one spot

Over the next several months, I will be working at answering the following Driving Question;

How can I use literature and PLNs to develop a rationale and provide examples for educators to incorporate technology into PBL?

If you wish to read my full proposal it can be found here.

My hope is to develop a sound rationale for using technology to support Project Based Learning as well as to provide video tutorials of specific technologies that support PBL - like a how-to video. The Buck Institute for Education has an well respected and robust model of PBL and it is their model that I will be using as I continue my work.  For more info on their model please visit http://www.bie.org/about/what_is_pbl/ .

The BIE does provide an info-graphic of their model which outlines their 8 Essentials of PBL. The video tutorials that I create will be related to these 8 Essentials.  

I am beginning to dive into some of the readings to help develop the rationale. Here are a couple of the articles that I currently thinking about.

• Assessing the impact of online technologies on PBL use in US high schools
• Is there a best way to develop the 4Cs in all students?

The next steps for me are to continue on in my readings and researching how technology supports learning and specifically Project Based Learning.  I will also be developing a rubric/metric to help find appropriate technology that educators and students can use in their projects. 

I will be using my Personal Learning Network (PLN) of learners and educators to bounce ideas off of and to solicit opinions, ideas and resources.  If you are reading this then I hope that you might also take the opportunity to become of my PLN. This is most easily done by commenting on this blog or by following me on twitter @hblyleven