Hello, and thank you for joining me for connecting collaborative learning to problem-based learning. Today we will answer the following essential question of, how are the components of collaborative learning in PBL connected to the 4Cs of critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration?
Let's quickly review the 4Cs. Remember that these stand for the 21st century skills that we want our students to know. And they include critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration.
These are going to be connected with collaborative learning in PBL. I've gone ahead and created a chat for you. And please feel free to pause this tutorial and really look at it more in-depth. We're just going to run through it.
At the top, I've listed the six ISTE standards, as well as the 4Cs. And then on the left-hand side, I have included what that would look like in terms of collaborative group work in a PBL. So you can clearly see what aspects of collaborative group work in PBL-- which, again, are on the left-- connect to the different ISTE standards, as well as the 4Cs. So let's take a minute to just look at authentic problem solving.
So one aspect of collaborative group work of a PBL is that students are provided with authentic problems, and then they have to work together as a team to find a solution. And this connects directly to standard one of creativity and innovation, standard two of communication and collaboration, standard four of critical thinking skills, and it also connects to critical thinking and creativity of the 4Cs.
Another one worth looking at is interdependent work, peer communication, and stakeholder communication. So in this, the students are just working interdependentally with one another, and then they're communicating with one another, as well as outside sources, such as experts in the field, as they're working towards a solution. This connects to a lot of the standards.
It connects to the creativity and innovation standard. It connects to communication and collaboration standard. It connects to the research fluency standard. And it connects to critical thinking skills. For the 4Cs, it connects to critical thinking, creativity, and communication.
We're going to look at a specific example now of what collaboration in PBL might look like. And for that, I've also created a chart. Please feel free to pause the presentation and look at the chart more closely to enhance your understanding. So for this example, students are going to determine the costs, benefits, and disadvantages to installing wind turbines in their town.
So this is going to fall under the ISTE standards of creativity and innovation, collaboration and communication, and critical thinking skills. It's, for the 4Cs, going to connect to critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration because students will then research to determine the costs and benefits, as well as the disadvantages. And you can pause and look at the different skills-- and remember those of the ISTE skills-- and the different Cs from the 4Cs that that connect to.
Students are then going to seek input from stakeholders in the towns, such as city council members, citizens of the town, and more. They are then going to reach out to nearby towns who already have wind turbines, and get feedback from them. And if a nearby town doesn't have a wind turbine, they're going to look at towns who do, who share a similar geographic location. And then they might also talk to the stakeholders there, such as the city council and citizens.
Then they're going to develop a presentation that's going to defend their findings. And they're going to present this to the town council. And lastly, they have to offer alternatives if they find against the turbines. So this is what an actual example lesson would look like in terms of the ISTE standards and the 4Cs.
Let's take a moment to reflect. Do you think these standards and competencies will be something you will consider when planning lessons moving forward? Why or why not?
So to review today, we answered the essential question of, how are the components of collaborative learning in PBL connected to the 4Cs?
As you reflect on how this new information can be applied, you may want to explore the Additional Resources section that accompanies this video presentation. This is where you'll find links to resources chosen to help you deepen your learning and explore ways to apply your newly acquired skill set. Thank you for joining me, and happy teaching.
Overview
(00:00-00:17) Introduction
(00:18-00:34) 4Cs Review
(00:35-02:20) Collaborative Group Work Overview
(02:21-04:03) Collaborative Group Work Example
(04:04-04:17) Reflection
(04:18-04:45) Conclusion
Does Active Learning Work?
This article by Michael Prince is a review of the research that examines the effectiveness of Problem Based Collaborative Learning.
http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Papers/Prince_AL.pdf
Connecting PBL and STEM… 40 Free Engaging Resources to Use in the Classroom
Michael Gorman illustrates how to connect Problem Based Learning to STEM and provides useful strategies and resources. There are 40 apps and web based tools reviewed for teachers interested in implementing PBL connected to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in their classrooms.
https://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/connecting-pbl-and-stem-40-free-engaging-resources-to-use-in-the-classroom/