{"id":8513,"date":"2019-03-15T20:19:08","date_gmt":"2019-03-15T20:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eltchat.org\/wordpress\/?p=8513"},"modified":"2019-03-15T20:19:08","modified_gmt":"2019-03-15T20:19:08","slug":"project-based-learning-summary-of-eltchat-in-june-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/2019\/03\/15\/project-based-learning-summary-of-eltchat-in-june-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Project Based Learning – summary of #ELTchat in June 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The summary was written by Khalil Zakari – @kzakari on Twitter – and is reproduced here with his kind permission <\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“Project-Based Learning\u201d deservingly got\nthe top vote on suggested topics list (June, 11th, 2018) @ELTchat<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chat started with a series of suggested\ntentative definitions of and thought-provoking questions about PBL as a\nformative assessment tool. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

English \nlanguage  educators have  been exploring  and exploiting the tradition of  project work since the mid-seventies\nwhen  ELT married  principles of learner-centredness, learner\nautonomy and task-based learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project-based learning is as a variable  tool to fully integrate language and content\nlearning for teachers working in a variety of instructional settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project \nwork  is “an approach to  learning \nwhich  complements mainstream\nmethods and which can be used with almost all levels, ages and abilities of\nstudents” (Haines 1989:1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo me, PBL is more or less TBL at a higher\nscale with the more extended time given to students. Just wondering how it can\nbe suitable for lower\/beginner levels?\u201d. \n(@Shujaat_English)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt would seem to me that you would just have\nto scale the project and language demands to their level. Or, if they are\nmonolingual, let them use L1 alongside English\u201d. (@AlphabetPublish<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes. Just what I was thinking. But maybe our\n3\/4 week teens could do it in the  summer\nschool\u201d. (@Marisa_C)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo evaluate or not to evaluate students\u2019\nproject work?\u201d was the question which has so far elicited more than three\ndozens Re-tweets on https:\/\/twitter.com\/ELTchat<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was much food-for-thought in the ensuing\ndiscussion, one must confess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStudents\u2019 project work, being a formative\nalternative assessment tool is best assessed as a process rather than as an\nend-product. There is need for a teacher-tailored checklist to use in order to\nassess and\/or evaluate each and every step the project has gone through,\nnamely, the selection of the topic, the brainstorming\/mind-mapping task which\nhelps generate main ideas, the search for and selection of relevant information\nto use, the mode of preparation and delivery, the target audience \u2018s feedback\nand the washback effect of the project\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(@kzakari)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Project-based learning?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u25ba Motivation is increased<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25ba All four skills are integrated<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25ba Autonomous learning is promoted<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25ba Tasks and language input are authenticauthentic <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25ba Interpersonal relations are developed <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25ba Content and methodology are negotiated<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image supplied by summary writer<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 Role of the Teacher<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u25baLanguage Consultant <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25baDesigner\/Engineer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u25baCoordinator<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25baResource Provider<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25baAssessor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Characteristics of a Successful Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u25ba Open-mindedness, respect for evidence <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25baContribution and participation by each and every individual in the\nproject <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25baGroup work requiring co-operation and development of interpersonal and\ncollaborative    collaborative skills<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assessing a Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Why assess?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n