tailieunhanh - Managing Project Based Learning: Principles from the Field

The staff meeting is just coming to an end and there’s been a lively debate on the school’s system for end-of-course assessment. A lot of the teachers are unhappy with the present tests because they find them too grammar based and this doesn’t fit with the kind of communicative teaching that is used in class. However no one has any clear ideas about exactly what kind of system to replace it with So, it’s been decided to appoint a project group to make proposals. | Managing Project Based Learning Principles from the Field John R. Mergendoller . john@ Buck Institute for Education 18 Commercial Boulevard Novato California 94949 FAX John W. Thomas . jthom3815@ Mill Valley California FAX Keywords classroom environment classroom management classroom techniques problem based learning teaching methods Abstract This investigation describes classroom management techniques used by teachers who were expert in the use of project-based learning instructional strategies. The authors interviewed 12 teachers and subjected their descriptions of classroom practice to a qualitative analysis. Fifty-three classroom management principles emerged grouped under seven themes and 18 sub-themes. Themes included Time Management Getting Started Establishing a Culture that Stresses Student SelfManagement Managing Student Groups Working with Others Outside the Classroom Getting The Most Out of Technological Resources and Assessing Students and Evaluating Projects. Researchers are encouraged to include the wisdom of experienced teachers in future research on effective classroom practices. -1- Managing Project Based Learning Principles from the Field Reviewing several decades of classroom management research Walter Doyle concluded that the concept of classroom order provided the most fruitful way to consider the many factors influencing classroom organization and management 1986 p. 396 . Without order it is difficult for students to be productively involved in classroom learning tasks. Without such involvement little learning will occur Fisher Berliner Filby Marliave Cahen Dishaw Moore 1978 . Drawing attention to the specific contexts of student learning tasks classroom norms and expectations the nature of students in the classroom the history reputation and style of the teacher and the physical arrangement of the classroom Doyle portrayed classroom order as a delicate balance of .