How Important is Critical Thinking?

Question:  Is Project-based Learning a Bad Approach for Education?

Discuss:

"Critical Thinking?  You Need Knowledge" ~ Diane Ravitch, 9/15/09

G.O.T. Farms at Telstar

Click here for wide screen version.

TMS Art

Island Learning

North Haven, Maine has a unique K-12 school that might be a model for schools on the mainland.




North Haven Community School

Edutopia - "Treasured Island: Giving Students Real Skills and Real Responsibilities"

Edutopia - "How To: Raise the Educational Stakes with Project Learning"

NPR - Maine School Bind Isolated Island Together

What other models of project-based learning are there in Maine?

Photo Credit

Adult Ed Project Learning at Sanford

I spent Wednesday afternoon with Margie Genereux and her advanced applications adult education class. Students had already developed skills in Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher, Paint, and a number of other applications. In this advanced class, they were collaboratively working on developing the groundwork for a Sports Bar/Recreation Facility, making use of the tools they had learned, sharing and helping one another in pushing those skills to a higher level using the project as a focus. The motivation, energy and enthusiasm that comes through working in real-world projects was obvious. Love it!

We will be publishing their work here when it is completed. It involves floor plans, brochures, award certificates, emergency information, buying spreadsheets, job applications, menus, schedules, daycare information, a website, etc.

Margie explained that the adult ed teachers at SCAE (Sanford Community Adult Education) were involved in a PLC that is focusing on a more constructivist approach in working with adult learners. She introduced me to Best Practice: Standards for Teaching and Learning in America's Schools by Zemelman, Daniels and Hyde. The book is now on my must-buy list. It is about education in general, not just applying to adult education needs. I highly recommend it for groups involved in this kind of work.

Margie expertly introduced new possibilies to the class as the need occurred. Optional tools for those who could not afford Office: StarOffice, OpenOffice, Google Apps.

I loved one of Margie's quotes regarding using instructivism alone: "It's like following someone to a wedding . . . you'll never be able to get there again!"

Related links:

Constructivism
Instructivism
Constructivism vs Instructivism
Project-based Learning
Inquiry Learning
Essential Questions
Jim Moulton's Wiki on Project-based Learning
Educational Games Research: Constructivism vs Instructivism

A Penny for Your Thoughts

Bob Sprankle, technology integrator at Wells, reported on Bit by Bit a story of students in one of his schools who are collecting a million pennies in order to do some good work.

Want to donate?

Penny Activity Resources at LIM Resources Wiki

One-to-One in Alaska

Did you know that Alaskan schools have a 1-to-1 laptop program and standards-based learning combined, in several places, with an expeditionary learning model?

Check these links:

TechLearning - 1-to-1 in Alaska

Starting at the End

Educators' Resource Guide to the Alaskan Standards

Chugach School District

Making Performance-based Learning Work in Alaska

Does Maine have anything to learn from Alaska's model?

Perspective: Progressive Education in the 40's

Question: How does the philosophy of John Dewey fit into "21st Century Learning?"

Retrospect . . .





John Dewey Resources
Project-Based Learning
Inquiry Learning
Cooperative Learning
Essential Questions

What do you think?

A Day in the Lives . . .

Three things that continue to perplex me:

1. How many people there are who don't know how to copy/paste.

2. How many Maine citizens there are who are totally unaware of MARVEL.

and

3. How many who are still unaware of the powerful learning that is taking place at the Skowhegan Area Middle School using a project-based philosophy.

Recently Apple spent some time doing interviews and documenting the happenings at SAMS in order to create a video for their site. Check out this Skowhegan gem: Our Town Skowhegan Maine And this one: Archives. And don't forget this: Skowhegan Downtown Revitalization Project.

Additional information at MaineLearns

For still more information, email Laura Richter

Related Resources:

Video
Essential Questions
Digital Storytelling
Critical Thinking
Cooperative Learning
Process Skills
Inquiry Learning
Questioning
Constructivism