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__**5.1 Introduction to Project Based Learning**__
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What opportunities for project based learning currently exist within your department?

Using the materials from History Alive lends itself well to Project Based Learning since much of the series is set up this way. There are projects for every chapter and mini-projects within those.

Additionally, the 7th grade piloted the Model UN this year which encompassed several different topics requiring research and cooperative learning.

What opportunities does project based learning provide for our students?

I'm a firm believer in project based learning since it provides students with a well rounded, deeper learning experience. History, and Social Studies in general, is often trivialized in the real world and many students approach history from a fact-finding perspective. Projects make students learn at a deeper level, apply the information they've learned, increases motivation, lends itself to cooperative learning and, ultimately, students retain more of what they've learned.

What potential weaknesses exist in this approach to education?


 * Projects require a tremendous amount of planning and more of a "hands-off" approach than many teachers are used to or are comfortable with. Projects can't be done haphazardly or without clear expectations. Students need to have a clear focus to be successful.


 * Another potential weakness is equality in student participation. Partners for projects should be chosen wisely since the workload must be equal. If allowed to choose their own partners, students sometimes choose the "cool" kid who may or may not be invested in the work.
 * While teachers should maintain more of a hands-off approach than direct teaching, they still must check in periodically to guide students who have wandered off topic or are completing the work incorrectly.

__** 5.4 Glogging **__
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