Monthly Archives: November 2016

Design Blueprint Document – Problem-Based Learning (PBL)

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Design Blueprint Document – Problem-Based Learning (PBL)

Study of Pollution

This PBL project on pollution provides opportunities for students to find multiple entry points into understanding. The problem is presented as a realistic scenario to drive the learning activity where solving it will require self-directed learning. Students’ own theories, photographs of pollution, and personal experiences will provide a meaningful building block for progressively solving the problem through the tutorial process.

The major components of the PBL tutorial process are present and connected to the theoretical framework and the activities. A clear progression of how the design and problem solving unfolds and what kinds of resources, collaborations, and scaffolds would be used along the way are provided.

Part I.  Overview of learning context and topic

1. Context for instruction

School: Jakarta Intercultural School, Jakarta, Indonesia

Subject: Grade 7 Science

Students’ composition: English speaking international and some local (Indonesian) students

Available technology/media: School-supplied iPads, access to Internet

Unit title: Pollution: Causes, impacts and solutions

2. Ill-structured problem

Type: Design (create an environmental action campaign).

Jakarta pollution index in mid-year 2016 is ranked 20th out of 78 cities in Asia or 27th out of 211 cities in the world (https://www.numbeo.com/pollution/rankings.jsp). There is compelling evidence that pollution has a negative impact on health, cost of living and quality of life. The problem is ever present around us.

Desired outcome: Students understand the causes and impacts of pollution in order to help reduce/stop pollution in their local community.

Part II.  Design Components (PBL)

1. Learning goals

  • Design an environmental action campaign on how to help reduce/stop pollution in their local community.
  • Discuss why it is important to keep the environment free of pollution.
  • Identify the sources of pollution.
  • Identify the different kinds of pollution.

2. PBL tutorial process

A. Problem scenario:

Homework:

Implement flipped classroom model to engage students in a relevant context to motivate learning by providing a framework of relevance. Use Khan Academy video lectures and other online sources on pollution as homework that will provide some background knowledge for activities in class:

In class activities:

Instruct students to download the following free mobile computer applications on their iPad:

  • Weather Station (by Netatmo)
  • Pollution (by aMobileFuture)
  • Plume Air Report (by Plume Labs)
  • World Air (by Digital Greenroom)
  • AirVisual (by AirVisual)

Individually, critically review each of the above apps.

Afterwards, encourage class discussions of their analysis and arguments for recommending (or not recommending) the use of each of the apps.

Use Poll Everywhere app (by Poll Everywhere https://www.polleverywhere.com/) to select the top 2 apps to use for this unit.

B. Identify facts:

Homework:

Capture photographic and/or video artifacts that represent students’ understanding of the cause and effect of pollution in their local community.

Field trip:

Field trip to a local market for sensory experience and observation of pollution on-site.

C. Generate hypotheses and

D. Engage in self-directed learning:

In class activities:

Make sense of the learning and observations by instructing students to post on their individual blog that was created for this unit:

  • Use Skitch app to annotate the photographic and/or video artifacts (for video please take a still image of the part of the video to annotate).
  • Share their knowledge and photographic and/or video artifact to:
    • Identify the different types of pollution they observed in their local neighborhood and at the local market.
    • Identify the source(s) of the pollution they observed.
    • Determine the impact of pollution in their local communities and globally.

E. Identify knowledge gaps:

In class activities:

Facilitate collaborative interactions by having each student comment on two (2) classmates’ blogs and provide responses to comments on their own blogs.

F. Apply new knowledge to problem:

In class activities:

  • Divide class into 3-member teams to collaboratively work on a project to produce local community relevant environmental action campaign “Let’s Stop Pollution”.
  • Search for more relevant info as needed.
  • Consider the best among the alternative media to convey the message across to target population group(s).
  • Provide argument(s) for the medium chosen and the message(s) conveyed.
  • *optional: contribute to Weather Station app (by Netatmo) by making your outdoor data public so that it can be shared on Netatmo world weather map.

G. Evaluate:

In class activities:

  • Present their environmental action campaign to class and receive constructive feedback.
  • Play the game SimCityEDU-Pollution Challenge (I have not experimented with this game, but based on what I read in one of my classmate’s posting in a previous module in this class, I would like to possibly use it in this unit).

H. Reflect:

In class activities:

Go back to student’s post on their individual blog to do another write up of their original posting based on what they have learned.

Part III.  Scaffolding

  • Communicating process: Articulating the process to students. Example: Provide explanation, examples and rubric on the task to be accomplished.
  • Coaching: Provide guidance while students are performing a task. Example: Walk around and observe what students are doing. If there is a general misunderstanding, conduct a class discussion to clarify the task.
  • Eliciting articulation: Ask students to explain. Example: During presentation of the action campaign, allow students and teacher to ask probing questions. Also during reflection, ask students to articulate their thinking and reflection.