Педагогические науки/5.Современные методы преподавания.

Тімкова Ю.М.

Сумський національний аграрний університет, Україна

Benefits of Project-Based Learning

Project Based Learning is an instructional approach built upon authentic learning activities that engage student interest and motivation. These activities are designed to answer a question or solve a problem and generally reflect the types of learning and work people do in the everyday world outside the classroom. Project Based Learning is synonymous with learning in depth. Project Based Learning teaches students 21^st century skills as well as content. These skills include communication and presentation skills, organization and time management skills, research and inquiry skills, self-assessment and reflection skills, and group participation and leadership skills. Project Based Learning is generally done by groups of students working together toward a common goal. Performance is assessed on an individual basis, and takes into account the quality of the product produced, the depth of content understanding demonstrated, and the contributions made to the ongoing process of project realization. Finally, Project Based Learning allows students to reflect upon their own ideas and opinions, exercise voice and choice, and make decisions that affect project outcomes and the learning process in general. Combining these considerations, we define Project Based Learning as: a systematic teaching method that engages students in learning essential knowledge and life-enhancing skills through an extended, student-influenced inquiry process structured around complex, authentic questions and carefully designed products and tasks.

Project-based Learning offers a wide range of benefits to both students and teachers.
A growing body of academic research supports the use of project-based learning in a university to engage students, boost cooperative learning skills, and improve academic performance.

For students, benefits of project-based learning include:

· Increased attendance, growth in self-reliance, and improved attitudes toward learning.

· Academic gains equal to or better than those generated by other models, with students involved in projects taking greater responsibility for their own learning than during more traditional classroom activities.

· Opportunities to develop complex skills, such as higher-order thinking, problem-solving, collaborating, and communicating.

· Access to a broader range of learning opportunities in the classroom, providing a strategy for engaging culturally diverse learners.

For many students, the appeal of this learning style comes from the authenticity of the experience. Students take on the role and behavior of those working in a particular discipline. Whether they are making a documentary video about an environmental concern, designing a travel brochure to highlight sites of historical significance in their community, or developing a multimedia presentation about the pros and cons of building a shopping mall, students are engaged in real-world activities that have significance beyond the classroom. So, students are excited, enthusiastic and empowered about their learning, dig more deeply into a topic and expand their interests, retain what they learn, make connections between different subject areas and other aspects of their life, gain confidence and improve social and collaborative skills.

A professional development presentation developed by Intel® Teach to the Future (2003) describes a classroom where the teacher is using the project-based learning model effectively. In such a setting:

· There is a problem with no predetermined answer.

· There is an atmosphere that tolerates error and change.

· Students make decisions with a framework.

· Students design the process for reaching a solution.

· Students have a chance to reflect on the activities.

· Assessment takes place continuously.

· A final product results and is evaluated for quality.

For students accustomed to a more traditional learning experience, this means a transformation from following orders to carrying out self-directed learning activities; from memorizing and repeating to discovering, integrating, and presenting; from listening and reacting to communicating and taking responsibility; from knowledge of facts, terms, and content to understanding processes; from theory to application of theory; from being teacher dependent to being empowered.

For teachers, additional benefits include enhanced professionalism and collaboration among colleagues, and opportunities to build relationships with students. Additionally, many teachers are pleased to find a model that accommodates diverse learners by introducing a wider range of learning opportunities into the classroom. Teachers find that students who benefit the most from project-based learning tend to be those for whom traditional instructional methods and approaches are not effective.

Thus, knowledge of modern teaching methods, and willingness to experiment with non-traditional teaching practices are powerful tools for the achievement of teaching aims, such as increased motivation, interest, and performance in the hands of teachers. Much progress can be achieved if a project-based work is used in everyday learning.

References:
1.Brophy, J. Motivating Students to Learn. - New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2002.- 245p.

2.Larsen-Freeman, D. Techniques and principles in language teaching. - Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000 – 145p.

3.Lee, I. Project work made easy in the English classroom. - Canadian Modern Language Review, 2002. – 290p.