PBL- Problem Based Learning by Mike Siekkinen

Many teachers may have heard the term Problem Based Learning (PBL) but have not attempted this somewhat-new educational strategy. Our school has been making the shift to PBL over the last three years, with the last teachers receiving formal training this past school year.

In a nutshell, PBL is taking real world problems and presenting them to students to research and attempt to solve. It involves all curriculum areas and can be done using a regular class schedule or as a part of a school day specifically set aside to do the PBL.

Ideally, a societal problem is addressed and then each curriculum area (math, science, social studies, and language arts) would determine, based on state standards, what part of the problem solving could be accomplished within their areas. Ideally all are involved, but sometimes this is not the case.

For instance, perhaps a science unit was covering water and teachers wanted to do a PBL on this topic. LA decides they will have students conduct research on water pollution and write a point paper on the subject using curriculum standards in the form of an informational essay. Science will do principles of fluid flow and have students use computer animations and hands-on displays of how water moves. Social studies could do water travel in the historical period they are studying and compare and contrast how things have changed. Perhaps math is not doing anything they can relate, so does not take part in this particular PBL unit.

The guidelines for PBL state that this is fine and curriculum areas need not “force fit” activities if they do not fit with standards taught. We found students enjoy choosing the direction they take based on interests. Guidelines with the PBL are such that standards relate to the unit but allow for some freedom of choice for students. If you have not tried this educational approach in the past, give it a shot. Our school is on board with this and it also works well with STEM activities.

Dr. Mike Siekkinen, a retired U.S. Navy submariner, became a teacher as a second career. He teaches history at St Marys Middle School as well as Adult and Career Education at Valdosta State in Georgia.

Genius Hour by Mike Siekkinen

My team did a Genius Hour program earlier this school year and it was both fun and educational for the students.

Genius Hour is an approach to learning built around student curiosity, self-directed learning, and passion-based work. In traditional learning, teachers map out academic standards, and plan units and lessons based around those standards. In Genius Hour, students are in control, choosing what they study, how they study it, and what they do, produce, or create as a result.

As a learning model, it promotes inquiry, research, creativity, and self-directed learning. Students spend time working on projects they’re interested in and passionate about. The study and work is motivated intrinsically, not extrinsically. Genius Hour provides students freedom to design their own learning during a set period of time during school. It allows students to explore their own curiosity. A distinction compared to more open, self-directed learning and user-generated learning experiences is that within a “Genius Hour” framework, this student-centered approach is only used a portion of the schedule, providing students a choice in what they learn and how they learn it during a set period of time within a school day.

We used an hour a day for a three week period as our time frame. Without teachers “packaging” content that frames and scaffold content, students are left to design their own learning experiences. Through surveying possibility, navigation of unfiltered content, gathering information, and narrowed research, students make sense of ideas that are important to them. This navigation and survey of possibility then leads to more narrow inquiry and research.

Whether students “make,” publish, design, act, or do, “creating” is core to Genius Hour. There is always a visible product or function of the learning as an end product. Students connect with teachers to plan, peers to produce, and experts and community members to establish a sense of purpose for their work. The only guidelines we gave students were the components of the project (a prototype, a written explanation and a presentation they needed to do presenting their ideas). The assignment was they had to make something that will help another person. The products students produced were excellent. The ideas they had and what they came up with were really outstanding. Along with this, students enjoyed the assignment making learning fun!

Dr. Mike Siekkinen, a retired U.S. Navy submariner, became a teacher as a second career. He teaches history at St Marys Middle School as well as Adult and Career Education at Valdosta State in Georgia.

Media Literacy by Jim Triplett

I was out with my family at a restaurant recently and could not help notice how many people were glued to their smartphones rather than engaging in conversation with those seated at their table.  I see this in my classrooms as students enter, find their seats, and wait for class to begin.  Students use their smartphones to connect with others, and they increasingly use them for learning activities; however, just because they are skilled at using their phones to stay connected, they should be careful to not assume this skill applies to information and media literacy. 

Media literacy is one's ability to utilize, examine, and analyze the media. This requires that he or she conduct research and compare information found with different sources using a critical lens. As part of the examination, it is important to evaluate bias within the media and explore how these views impact the information that is reported (Paul & Elder, 2008).  

Media literacy is also important because a good portion of our decision-making today is based on current information typically delivered by social media, among others.

Since social media is a significant source of current events for many, one within which confirmation bias is present, there exists a need for a critical lens for everyday decision-making by those who use it regularly. Confirmation bias is when people look for information that coincides with their established opinion, which can prevent a person from considering plausible views others hold.   Confirmation bias is also referred to as a form of self-deception, as noted in this Psychology Today article.

Media literacy involves knowing how to sort information into what is and is not valid and reliable, and it also involves being aware of the potential for confirmation bias (it can be very subtle).  Actively seeking opposing views is one strategy to address this form of bias.  Another involves creating a process by which information is assessed for validity and reliability, such as whether or not the messenger is credible and if he or she has a vested interest in advancing the information.

Consider who is on your friends list with one or more social media applications to which you subscribe.  Ask yourself where confirmation bias may be present in information you receive and how you may develop effective media literacy skills.

Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2008). The thinker's guide for conscientious citizens on how to detect media bias & propaganda in national and world news. Dillon Beach: CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking Press.

Jim Triplett is an author, instructional designer, and instructor in the areas of finance, economics, ethics, and critical thinking. Jim holds Masters Degrees in Finance, Organizational Leadership, and Instructional Design Technology, is ABD / PhD in Organization and Management, and is currently completing a doctoral degree, Ed.D, in Educational Leadership with a focus on Educational Technology.