Second Life PBL Group Photo
Looking back at my scholastic mathematical history, I was lead to believe that mathematics only dealt with absolutes. And those absolutes carried over into the methods used to solve complex problems. There was a right way to solve the problems and there was a wrong way. If a student solved it any other way than the teacher had demonstrated on the blackboard, the student was doing it wrong. It did not matter whether the student had the correct answer or not. We were expected to memorize the process and it did not matter if we did not understood why. Because of this some mathematical concepts like proportional reasoning, fractions, and percentages never seemed to stick with me. I could work through problems on worksheets and regurgitate the correct answers onto the test pages, but after a short period of time, I would forget how to do it.
After working through these same concepts in my college math class using a project based learning approach, I have developed a deeper conceptual understanding of the variety of methods that can be used to solve the same problem. I was also able to discover for myself a meaningful way to solve not only a single problem about percentages, but I now understand the relationship between other concepts and can figure out the most efficient way to solve it. I no longer feel that I am regurgitating what I have put into my short term memory banks. I have taken these mathematical concepts and made them my own. I will be able to use these strategies long into the future to solve complex problems that occurs occasionally in my everyday life.
Please view an example of a problem based learning project that a group I belong to created by clicking here. There are many other examples that can be found but doing an internet search. I found engineering projects that would give meaning to mathematical concepts. For more information on how to create your own PBL click here.
As part of the assignment to create a PBL, my group was allowed to begin the planning process face-to-face. But to put the project together we had to find some other way to communicate. We choose to use Google Docs. This was the first time for most of us on Docs. I really found it useful. We completed our project over the weekend in our own homes. There is a chat feature on Docs which was our primary form of communication. I did not realize that Google Docs has a feature that allows you to write notes on the document. I will use that feature next time because it permits a person to write suggestions or to draw your collaborators attention to items without having to worrying about it showing up on the final document. This would also lessen confusion when two or more people are working in the same areas. My roll in this project was to create the time-line and to develop strategies to keep the students on track. Creating a PBL for very young children was not easy. But I feel with a little creativity, it can be done and it is well worth it.
As part of the assignment to create a PBL, my group was allowed to begin the planning process face-to-face. But to put the project together we had to find some other way to communicate. We choose to use Google Docs. This was the first time for most of us on Docs. I really found it useful. We completed our project over the weekend in our own homes. There is a chat feature on Docs which was our primary form of communication. I did not realize that Google Docs has a feature that allows you to write notes on the document. I will use that feature next time because it permits a person to write suggestions or to draw your collaborators attention to items without having to worrying about it showing up on the final document. This would also lessen confusion when two or more people are working in the same areas. My roll in this project was to create the time-line and to develop strategies to keep the students on track. Creating a PBL for very young children was not easy. But I feel with a little creativity, it can be done and it is well worth it.
I have to tell you that I was quite impressed with how your group completed the whole project in your own homes.
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