Why is celebration at the end of a PBL experience so important?
I had a hard time narrowing down the list to just a few. It seems like PBL can teach all of those habits of mind but I decided to pick out a handful. Habits of Mind
The first I picked out was Persisting. I know a ton of students AND adults that give up when things get hard, or choose to take the easy way out. PBL Projects are very important because they are very open ended. The student is in the driver's seat. That being said, the ability to persist through difficulties and troubles is essential to a successful PBL project. If you can't persist through the project, the project will not get done. This is a skill that is necessary in life. It teaches you to keep trying toward your goal and to never give up!
The second I picked out was Listening to Others with Understanding and Empathy. As we have already discussed in this class, the ability to relate to others is extremely important in life. PBL helps develop those skills. It helps students talk through problems and to see things from other's perspectives. This is necessary to working as an effective group and being a problem solver.
The third I picked out was Questioning and Posing Problems. Part of problem solving is knowing what questions to ask. They can ask these questions to themselves, teachers or their peers. Recognizing what they do not know helps them start to find the information they need to complete the project. In order to create a solution to a PBL lesson, they need to know what questions to ask.
Creating, Imagining, and Innovating is the next I chose to discuss. The whole purpose of Problem Based Learning is creating and innovating a solution to a challenge/problem. Each student's solution might be drastically different from other student's work. This is the goal. Each student comes up with a unique and innovative solution to a challenge. This is at the heart of PBL.
Thinking Interdependently is the final habits of the mind that is essential to Project Based Learning.
Sometimes it is very hard for some to work in groups. Those that are more introverted have a harder time working with others. PBL can be used to develop those social skills and teach students how to successfully work together. This skill is vital in life. Throughout life, students are going to have to work with people, PBL allows students to practice and develop this skill.
Good problem solvers realize that all of us together are more powerful, intellectually and physically, than any one individual. We find ourselves increasingly more interdependent and sensitive to others' needs. Problem solving has become so complex that no one has access to all the data needed to make critical decisions; no one person can consider as many alternatives as several people can.
Rubric criteria and categories retrieved from PBL Rubrics. I read through some of the Rubrics on the www.pbl-online.org website and found some that match the habits of mind. These habits of mind can be measured using the following categories.
Persisting
- sets appropriate and realistic goals
- works independently with minimal supervision
- perseveres appropriately
- carries out tasks carefully and diligently
- meets deadlines
- searches for a variety of perspectives
- solicits and uses feedback
- group members facilitate each other's participation
- all group members participate in project work
- work is distributed and completed
- group uses member's strengths effectively
- group members resolve conflicts successfully.
Questioning and Posting Problems
- Appropriate questions about information
- seeks assistance when needed
- provides sufficient evidence to support claims
- Accesses a variety of information sources
- creates a convincing, authoritative argument
- exhibits creativity in composition
- puts information into own words
- provides sufficient evidence to support claims
- provides examples and concrete details
Thinking Interdependently.
- solicits and uses feedback
- group members facilitate each other's participation
- all group members participate in project work
- work is distributed and completed
- group uses member's strengths effectively
- group members resolve conflicts successfully.
It is important to celebrate the end of a PBL because it takes a ton of work to complete a project. In the end, the students created their won unique solution to a challenge or problem They should look at their work and be proud of what they accomplished. There should be a student showcase of these great solutions and they should be put on display. The students should value the hard work they did! The completion of anything worthwhile should be celebrated!!!
Costa, A.L. and Kallick, B. (2000). Habits of mind. virginia: association for supervision and curriculum development. Retrieved from http://pbl-online.org/end_in_mind/emexplore/charts/habits_of_mind.htm
Creating rubrics. (2000). Retrieved from http://pbl-online.org/PlanTheAssessment/assessmentTools/assessmentTools.htm
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