Developing Surface and Deep Level Knowledge and Skill through Project

Based Learning

Michael McDowell, Ed.D.

How do we codify the most substantial research-based practices to support our learners in substantially progressing towards and reaching mastery in the economic, social, and civic demands of the 21st Century?

And, how do we ensure that

learners are engaged & motivated in their learning?

#AnnualVL2015

Expectations

Hypothesis

A problem or project based approach is “the great codifier” combining the beliefs and actions necessary to engage, motivate, and substantially enhance student learning in a breadth of outcomes.

Learning Intentions

By the end of the session, you will…

1. Understand specific practices that have a high probability for enhancing student learning

2. Understand specific theories that underpin such practices

3. Collect potential means for applying such understanding to your classroom (and site/district)

#AnnualVL2015

Success Criteria

By the end of the session, you will…

Building Knowledge• identify high impact strategies in PBL.• recognize key factors in project design and implementation that are

important to enhancing learning.

Making Meaning• relate the VL research to PrBL and PBL practices

Applying Understanding• Evaluate tools, processes, or protocols that will (may) enhance your

practice

#AnnualVL2015

Know Need to Know

• “Its unbelievable how much you don’t know about the game you’ve been playing all your life”

- Mantle

Face the Brutal Facts

Face the Brutal Facts

Effect sizes for teacher as activator and teacher as facilitator

Reciprocal Teaching  (.74)Feedback                    (.72)Direct Instruction   (.59)Problem Solving teaching (.61)Mastery Learning   (.57)Goals-Challenging   (.56)

Average activator      (.63)

Simulations and gaming (.32)Inquiry-based teaching   (.31)Individualized instruction (.20)PBL                                (.15)Web-based learning       (.09)Whole language-reading (.06)

Average facilitator    (.17)What are the key difference between these methods?The key is the role of the teacher…We go back to the story

Effect sizes for teacher as activator and teacher as facilitator

Reciprocal Teaching  (.74)Feedback                    (.72)Direct Instruction   (.59)Problem Solving teaching (.61)Mastery Learning   (.57)Goals-Challenging   (.56)

Average activator      (.63)

Simulations and gaming (.32)Inquiry-based teaching   (.31)Individualized instruction (.20)PBL                                (.15)Web-based learning       (.09)Whole language-reading (.06)

Average facilitator    (.17)What about at “deeper levels of learning?

#AnnualVL2015

Good News!

Surface Deep Transfer

#AnnualVL2015

Good News!

Surface Deep Transfer

#AnnualVL2015

Challenging News!

Surface Deep Transfer

- Where is the learner now?

#AnnualVL2015

Good News!

Surface Deep Transfer

Teachers need to be directive, influential, caring, and actively engaged in the passion of teaching and learning

3 Key Ideas for Implementation

Right Time

Right Intervention

Balanced Approach

Expectations

THE NAIROBI DECISION

Problem Statement

How will you advise the Kenyan national government in approaching“Nairobi Proposal”?

• Task: Present a solution, including a submitted literature review, to a committee that represents the interests of local communities, business, tourism, and science and technology.

• Expectations: The presentation will be held on________ and the government expects the following guidelines are adhered to_________.

Project-Based Learning Unit:

Project Launch

Entry Event and Rubric Create

“Need to Knows” and Next Steps

Activities

Workshops

Lectures

Homework

Benc

hmar

k

Research

Labs

Simulations

Discussions

Modeling

Reading

Benc

hmar

k

Interviews

Quiz

Refle

ction

on

Lear

ning

PRESENT

Creating

Feedback

Building

Writing

Preparing

Drafts

Project-Based Learning Unit:

Project Launch

Entry Event and Rubric Create

“Need to Knows” and Next Steps

Activities

Workshops

Lectures

Homework

Benc

hmar

k

Research

Labs

Simulations

Discussions

Modeling

Reading

Benc

hmar

k

Interviews

Quiz

Refle

ction

on

Lear

ning

PRESENT

Creating

Feedback

Building

Writing

Preparing

Drafts

Transfer Expectations

Surface- Deep- Transfer

Project-Based Learning Unit:

Project Launch

Entry Event and Rubric Create

“Need to Knows” and Next Steps

Activities

Workshops

Lectures

Homework

Benc

hmar

k

Research

Labs

Simulations

Discussions

Modeling

Reading

Benc

hmar

k

Interviews

Quiz

Refle

ction

on

Lear

ning

PRESENT

Creating

Feedback

Building

Writing

Preparing

Drafts

Project-Based Learning Unit:

Project Launch

Entry Event and Rubric Create

“Need to Knows” and Next Steps

Activities

Workshops

Lectures

Homework

Benc

hmar

k

Research

Labs

Simulations

Discussions

Modeling

Reading

Benc

hmar

k

Interviews

Quiz

Refle

ction

on

Lear

ning

PRESENT

Creating

Feedback

Building

Writing

Preparing

Drafts

• Establishes High expectations up front• Provides the opportunity for “intellectual dilemmas”• Right Time for Intervention through the progression of

surface-deep-transfer• Requires substantial utilization of feedback and

vocalization of student learning

The Microbial Jungle

Program Goal I

• Genetics, Traits and Evolution: Groups of living organisms change over time. These evolutionary changes occur at both the molecular/genetic and organismal levels of organization. Students will interpret evidence from each level of organization to explain a specific example of evolutionary change.

Program Goal II

• Levels of Organization: Living organisms are complex structures with interconnected levels of organization. Students will analyze the interactions between the biochemical and cellular levels of organization in a specific organism.

Program Goal III

• Chemistry of Life: Living systems are made of carbon-based molecules and have fundamental structures. Students will be able to identify and describe the important structures, properties and uses of molecules such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids.

What does the student need to know?

• The student:• Explains the relationship between changes in DNA structure, an organism’s

traits, and evolution.• Analyzes differences in DNA and protein sequences to infer evolutionary

relationships.• Analyzes structural differences from both living and extinct organisms to infer

evolutionary relationships.• Constructs cladograms to represent evolutionary relationships.

What does the student need to know?

• The student:• Describes protein synthesis and its relationship to cellular activity.• Describes photosynthesis and its relationship to cellular activity.• Describes cellular respiration and its relationship to cellular activity.• Demonstrates how cellular organelles and macromolecules work

to accomplish specific functions within a cell.

• 5 Key Messages to consider

Learning Schemas

Learning Centered Culture and Climate

Learning Networks

Enduring Understandings related to cognition

• Social Learning Theory: Human learners benefit enormously from social examples, from directed instruction, and from corrective feedback. Learning from exposure to the information provided by other people represents a fundamental aspect underpinning human adjustment and evolution; the more expert these ‘other people’ are in understand the progression of learning, the more effective is the learning.

• Hattie and Yates (2014)

Designing the

Learning

experience

Outcome Identification

Rubric Development

Driving Question Development

Assessment Development

Entry Event Planning

Exit Event Planning

Enduring Understandings related to cognition

• Role of Prior Knowledge: We naturally learn from exposure to information detected by our senses. But to increase our knowledge base, this information has to possess a level of organization which matches how our minds are structured and organized.

• Hattie and Yates (2014)

Project-Based Learning Unit:

Project Launch

Entry Event and Rubric Create

“Need to Knows” and Next Steps

Activities

Workshops

Lectures

Homework

Benc

hmar

k

Research

Labs

Simulations

Discussions

Modeling

Reading

Benc

hmar

k

Interviews

Quiz

Refle

ction

on

Lear

ning

PRESENT

Creating

Feedback

Building

Writing

Preparing

Drafts

Project-Based Learning Unit:

Project Launch

Entry Event and Rubric Create

“Need to Knows” and Next Steps

Activities

Workshops

Lectures

Homework

Benc

hmar

k

Research

Labs

Simulations

Discussions

Modeling

Reading

Benc

hmar

k

Interviews

Quiz

Refle

ction

on

Lear

ning

PRESENT

Creating

Feedback

Building

Writing

Preparing

Drafts

Surface Deep

Project-Based Learning Unit:

Project Launch

Entry Event and Rubric Create

“Need to Knows” and Next Steps

Activities

Workshops

Lectures

Homework

Benc

hmar

k

Research

Labs

Simulations

Discussions

Modeling

Reading

Benc

hmar

k

Interviews

Quiz

Refle

ction

on

Lear

ning

PRESENT

Creating

Feedback

Building

Writing

Preparing

Drafts

Surface Deep

Project-Based Learning Unit:

Project Launch

Entry Event and Rubric Create

“Need to Knows” and Next Steps

Activities

Workshops

Lectures

Homework

Benc

hmar

k

Research

Labs

Simulations

Discussions

Modeling

Reading

Benc

hmar

k

Interviews

Quiz

Refle

ction

on

Lear

ning

PRESENT

Creating

Feedback

Building

Writing

Preparing

Drafts

Creating intellectual dilemmas

Score Description

4 ExtensionApplying Understanding

3 RelationalMaking Meaning

2 Single/MultipleBuilding Knowledge

1 Direct Support

DEEP

SURFACE

Assessment TypesUnobtrusive Obtrusive Student

Generated

Applying Understanding

Making Meaning

Building Knowledge

Differentiation

Impact on PrBL/PBL: Intervention Practitioner

• Facilitate the problem solving process, direct the learning unapologetically.

• Access and utilize student’s prior knowledge in daily practice.• Students learn from experience, but that experience perceived

differently by all students. • Design the learning experience to focus on the cognitive aspects of

the work.

Building Blocks of Pedagogy

• Content/Skill Development (Workshops) - How do I develop student content knowledge and skill over time?

• Routines- What patterns of practice to I/we infuse in the classroom to enhance student learning over time?

• “Just in Time” Responses- When situations emerge in the classroom how I do/we respond to enhance student learning over time?

Project-Based Learning Unit:

Project Launch

Entry Event and Rubric Create

“Need to Knows” and Next Steps

Activities

Workshops

Lectures

Homework

Benc

hmar

k

Research

Labs

Simulations

Discussions

Modeling

Reading

Benc

hmar

k

Interviews

Quiz

Refle

ction

on

Lear

ning

PRESENT

Creating

Feedback

Building

Writing

Preparing

Drafts

Surface Deep

Aligning “High Probability Strategies” from the Art and Science of Teaching to Progression Levels.

Outcome Questions Activities

Applying understanding(Transfer)

What do I typically do to engage students in cognitively complex tasks involving hypothesis generation and testing?

Experimental-inquiry tasksProblem-solving tasks

Making meaning(Deep)

What do I typically do to organize students and deepen knowledge?

Venn diagramsComparison matrix

Building knowledge(Surface)

What do I typically do to identify critical information?

Identifying critical input experiences

Single/Multiple Ideas- What instructional approaches will support students in understanding foundational knowledge (e.g. facts, vocabulary terms) related to learning outcomes? Relating ideas- What instructional approaches support students in connecting and contrasting ideas? What are generalizations and principles that can be made about these ideas? Extending ideas- What instructional approaches support students in applying the learning outcomes to other contexts

Next Steps- Teachers

Progression Level

Single/Multiple Ideas- What strategies am I using that will support me in building knowledge and skills (e.g. facts, vocabulary terms) related to learning outcomes? Relating ideas- What approaches appear to be working or I should attempt to connect and contrast ideas? How am I going as related to making generalizations and principles? Extending ideas- What approaches support me in applying the learning outcomes to other contexts?

Next Steps- Students

Project Management

Assessment for Learning

Systemic Professional Learning Community Framework

Progress

Proficiency

What do we want all students to know and be able to do?

How do we know when students are learning?

What do we do based on such results?

How do we work together to review and respond to student learning?

What do we want all students to know and be able to do?

What do we do based on these results?

How do we work together to review and respond to student learning?

Common Outcomes

Common Scales

Common Intervention Criteria

Common Culture and Work

How do we know when students are learning?

Common OutcomesCustomized Instruction

Customized Assessment

Customized Collaborative Structures

Customized Intervention

Common Scales

Common Intervention Criteria

Common Culture and Work

Impact on PrBL/PBL: Intervention Practitioner

• Facilitate the problem solving process, direct the learning unapologetically.

• Access and utilize student’s prior knowledge in daily practice.• Students learn from experience, but that experience is perceived

differently by all students. • Design the learning experience to focus on the cognitive aspects of

the work.

Six Key Factors

Learning Schema Assessment Capable Learners (1.44)

Learning Partnerships and Networks Classroom Discussions (.82)Teacher Student relationships (.72)

Designing the Learning Experience Teacher Clarity (.75)Goals (.56)Mastery Learning (.57)Problem Solving Teaching (.61)

Differentiation Spaced v. Massed Practice (.71)Direct Instruction (.59)Metacognitive Strategies (.67)

Assessment for Learning Feedback (.72)

Systemic Professional Learning Community Framework

Teacher PLC (.93)Providing Formative Evaluation (.90)

Research GuidanceStrategy Effect

Teachers working together to evaluate their impact and responding to that impact 0.93

Teachers conduct pre-assessments, utilizing data to inform instruction, and providing students with a clear understanding of expectations for meeting learning outcomes (Where are we

going?, where are we now?, and what’s next?

0.77

Teachers using practices in the classroom that values errors and trust 0.72

Teachers receive feedback on their impact on student learning 0.72

Teachers are providing an appropriate proportion of surface and deep level knowledge 0.71

Providing students with challenge and practice at the right level 0.60

What do you need to know?

Learn more about Visible Learningplus at www.corwin.com/visiblelearning