EDUC 2010 - Project-Based Learning with Children

(CU-CEL, CU-UGR)

Winter. 2 credits. Letter grades only.

Permission of instructor required.

B. Duff.

A multi-disciplinary team of students spends a week over winter session at an elementary school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The school integrates project-based learning and the arts into its curriculum. While on site, the team works directly with children to model the use of high- and low-tech resources for organizing and inspiring the tough work of learning through complex projects. In 2017, the team focused on video filming and editing; in 2018, the project was writing, illustrating, and binding short stories. Pre-departure seminars near the end of the fall semester familiarize students with the project, the school’s background and strategic plan, and basic classroom-management skills.

Outcome 1: Describe the academic and other standards to which elementary school students and their teachers in Louisiana are held accountable.

Outcome 2: Explain the history, demographics, current student performance data, and rules and protocols for the elementary school.

Outcome 3: Discuss advantages, disadvantages, and challenges of engaging in participant-observation as a method of understanding a context such as a school

Outcome 4: Explain why it’s valuable to, engage in critical reflection during and after a community- engagement experience.

Outcome 5: Give clear directions and ask clear questions that help students complete the different parts of a multi-faceted project.

Outcome 6: Describe the challenges and benefits—for students, education professionals, and schools—of enacting project-based pedagogy (vs. more conventional direct instruction.

Outcome 7: Demonstrate modeling skills for elementary-age students.

Outcome 8: Examine the daily challenges of school professionals (teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals) and be more comfortable and skilled at interacting with them