STEM PROJECT-BASED LEARNING STEM Project-Based Learning An Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Approach Second Edition Edited by Robert M. Capraro Texas A&M University, USA Mary Margaret Capraro Texas A&M University, USA and James R. Morgan Texas A&M University, USA SENSE PUBLISHERS ROTTERDAM / BOSTON / TAIPEI A C. record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-94-6209-141-2 (paperback) ISBN 978-94-6209-143-6 (e-book) Published by: Sense Publishers, P. Box 21858, 3001 AW Rotterdam, The Netherlands https://www.com/ Printed on acid-free paper All rights reserved © 2013 Sense Publishers No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. SPECIAL THANKS The Aggie STEM Team thanks all the teachers, students, and administrators, without whom this project would never have been completed. Among those schools that deserve mention are A.
Akins HS STEM Academy, Harmony STEM Academies in Houston, Dallas, Grand Prairie, and San Antonio, Energized for STEM Academy in Houston, and Rapoport Academy in Waco. Noteworthy districts include Dallas Independent School District, Harmony Public Schools and Waco Independent School District with whom we have had long-term relationships. And it is without reservation, that without exceptional administrative support and leadership, STEM education would struggle. Lois Bullock, Dr.
Kadir Almus, Dr. Royce Avery, Mr. Juan Gonzalez, Dr. Angela Reiher, and Dr.
Soner Tarim stand out as STEM leaders and innovators who foster and nurture STEM under their administrative leadership. TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface xi Chapter 1 Why PBL? Why STEM? Why Now? An Introduction to STEM Project-Based Learning: An Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Approach 1 Robert M. Capraro and Scott W. Slough Chapter 2 From the Project Method to STEM Project-Based Learning: The Historical Context 7 Lynn M.
Kelton Williams Chapter 3 Theoretical Framework for the Design of STEM Project-Based Learning 15 Scott W. Slough and John O. Milam Chapter 4 Engineering Better Projects 29 James R. Moon and Luciana R.
Barroso Chapter 5 W3 of STEM Project-Based Learning 41 Serkan Özel Chapter 6 Interdisciplinary STEM Project-Based Learning 47 Mary Margaret Capraro and Meredith Jones Chapter 7 STEM Project-Based Learning: Specialized Form of Inquiry-Based Learning 55 Alpaslan Sahin Chapter 8 Technology in STEM Project-Based Learning 65 Ozcan Erkan Akgun Chapter 9 Affordances of Virtual Worlds to Support STEM Project-Based Learning 77 Trina Davis Chapter 10 STEM Project-Based Learning and Teaching for Exceptional and Learners 85 Denise A. Soares and Kimberly J. Vannest Chapter 11 Classroom Management Considerations: Implementing STEM Project-Based Learning 99 James R. Morgan and Scott W.
Slough Chapter 12 Changing Views on Assessment for STEM Project-Based Learning 109 Robert M. Sencer Corlu vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 13 English Language Learners and Project-Based Learning 119 Zohreh Eslami and Randall Garver Chapter 14 Project-Based Learning: An Interdisciplinary Approach for Integrating Social Studies with STEM 129 Caroline R. Pryor and Rui Kang Appendix A. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics STEM PBL 139 Robert M.
Capraro and Scott. Ideation Rubric 153 Appendix C. Oral Presentation Rubric 155 Appendix D. Presentation Rubric PT1 Individual 157 Appendix E.
Presentation Rubric PT2 Group 159 Appendix F. STEM Project-Based Learning Storyboarding Guidelines 161 Appendix G. Crossing the Abyss: Popsicle Stick Bridge: WDO/IDT 163 Appendix H. Establishing Cooperative Group Behaviors and Norms for STEM PBL 171 Appendix I.
Building High Quality Teams 173 Appendix J. Personal Responsibility and Time Management Report 175 Appendix K. Accountability Record 177 Appendix L. Peer Evaluation Handout 179 Appendix M.
Leadership/Effort Bonus Worksheet 181 Appendix N. Simple Group Contract: Our Contract 183 Appendix O. Sample Group Contract 185 Appendix P. Team Contract 187 Appendix Q.
Self Reflections 189 Appendix R. Reflection on Team Collaboration 191 Appendix S. Teacher Peer Evaluation of STEM PBL Project 193 Appendix T. Project-Based Learning Observation Record 195 Appendix U.
Project Development Rubric 199 Appendix V. Who Killed Bob Krusty?: A Dynamic Problem-Solving Event 201 Christopher Romero Appendix W. PBL Refresher: Quick Quiz – Project-Based Learning 203 viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Appendix X. Teacher Project-Based Learning Checklist 205 Appendix Y.
Standards Based Projects 207 Appendix Z. Rubric for Well-Defined Outcome and Ill-Defined Task (WDO-IDT) 209 ix PREFACE: OVERVIEW FOR THE DESIGN OF STEM PBLS Well-Defined Outcome and Ill-Defined Task Our definition for STEM PBL drives all of the design and implementation decisions discussed in this book. Therefore, a quick deconstruction of our definition is useful prior to reading through the chapters, reviewing our sample PBLs or designing your own. As we were conceptualizing the book we did not want anyone to have to read the book in its entirety before beginning the planning and implementation process.
Instead, we envisioned strategic reading or just in time reading. We believe the layout of the book is mostly sequential, following the 7 Design principles. We also wanted chapters to be readily accessible when questions arise during the implementation phase. So in Chapter 1 we intend that this chapter will help to explain what STEM PBL is and the rationale for using it for classroom instruction.
Chapter 2 highlights the humble roots of STEM PBL and carefully articulates the history of the project method of instruction. In Chapter 3, it covers the theoretical underpinnings for designing STEM PBL activities and then to build on your first endeavor. Chapter 4 can be used to continually improve your projects. Once you build your own PBL and you want to start getting colleagues involved it provides the who, where, and when for using STEM PBL instruction.
Once you have colleagues on board it is important to deal with the issues surrounding interdisciplinary teaching and learning in Chapter 6. Then as a team of teachers begins to build toward fully implemented projects it is essential to understand the relationship between Inquiry Learning and STEM Project Based Learning and questioning. Chapter 8 details the important role technology plays, not as an add on, but as the means for facilitating the teaching and learning process. No book on STEM PBL or chapter on technology would be complete without the topic of virtual worlds.
The power of virtual worlds can energize STEM PBL instruction and maximize learning while providing important learning affordances. Because there are so many tangible instructional possibilities it is important to think about STEM PBL as an educational tool for all children, and Chapter 10 details the possibilities for Exceptional and Diverse Learners. Whenever a teacher tries to implement a new teaching method he or she often marks his or her success by the students’ behavior and not by an objective examination of the effect on student learning. So because students will likely have to learn how to learn in a STEM PBL environment Chapter 11 details classroom management considerations.
Hand in hand with classroom management are concerns for assessment, how, when, and what are explained in Chapter 12. The final two chapters deal with two issues of paramount importance, English Language Learners. These two topics are essential because STEM PBL should be for all learners and can incorporate what happens in the Social Studies class as well as be implemented into the social studies class. Finally, we provide many sample rubrics, forms, guidelines, samples, and preparation documents to assist you in implementing STEM Project Based Learning.
Well-defined outcome – The well-defined outcome comes from the dual influence of the engineering design process and high-stakes accountability and standards. An engineer always starts with an end in mind (e., span this river, minimize fuel consumption, etc.) and in today’s high stakes testing environment so should designers of instruction. Our STEM PBL design process always begins with a measurable object in mind and typically includes the design of summative assessments prior to instructional design to ensure that the students will in fact meet the objective. In the best scenario, these summative assessments will include open-ended assessments that look a great deal like learning activities from the PBL and multiple choice questions that are similar in style and content to local, state, and national assessments that students will be taking in the future.
This is NOT teaching to the test, it is designing to the objective. Because the majority of our work is in the state of Texas, we have chosen to use Texas state standards (http://www.us/teks/) to model our design process but other local, state, or national standards that guide your instruction would be the beginning of your well-designed outcome. All of our STEM PBLs start with a well-defined outcome (could have been labeled as the primary objective). The well-defined outcome was developed through the integration of the secondary objectives and it is the integrated well-defined outcome that initiated the design process, informed our summative assessment design and all subsequent instructional design decisions.
The secondary objectives are crucial as they define the integration and provide the STEM for our PBL. Group planning is also encouraged by including substantive secondary objectives. Secondary objectives are assessed to varying degrees (formative and summative) depending upon the intent of xi PREFACE their inclusion. Please resist the temptation to pull a single concept out of a secondary objective and implement the PBL with that as the primary objective.
If you change the well-defined outcome, you will need to change the PBL. Ill-defined task(s) – The ill-defined task(s) are essential to the inquiry process. Too often, hands-on activities are verification of known - or at least taught – concepts. The ill-defined nature of STEM PBL requires higher order thinking skills, problem-solving, and increased content learning.
One misconception about PBL in general is that it is chaotic or haphazard. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ill-defined is not ill- designed. The teacher must design tasks that allow for student investigation, multiple solutions, and engaging contexts all of which converge in a common understanding of the ill-defined outcome.
Putting it all together in a STEM PBL classroom – As a teacher, you and your students will need practice and support as you transition to STEM PBL tasks and learning. A simple suggestion, which may hasten the transition, is an extended 5-E model of instruction. We have chosen to use the 5-E model to communicate our design, but recognize that there are other appropriate inquiry models that can be modified to fit STEM PBL. Resist the temptation to tell the students what they are going to learn, let them learn it! But plan to let your students talk, plan to talk yourself, just don’t talk first, last, or the most.
We have included a limited number of examples of STEM PBLs that we have used in the past and recommend as well-tested exemplars for you as you learn to design and implement STEM PBLs. This is not a comprehensive list and we do not think that providing one would dramatically improve your chances of implementing STEM PBL. Your local and state standards are different, your resources are different, your potential partners are different … and thus your STEM PBLs should be different. Good luck! xii ROBERT M.
CAPRARO AND SCOTT W. WHY PBL? WHY STEM? WHY NOW? AN INTRODUCTION TO STEM PROJECT-BASED LEARNING: AN INTEGRATED SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) APPROACH INTRODUCTION The belief that all genuine education comes about through experience does not mean that all experiences are genuinely or equally educative. 25) STEM Project-Based Learning (PBL) requires a professional teaching force empowered with the skills necessary for designing learning experiences that maximize student potential. Therefore, effective STEM PBL requires teachers to experience high quality professional development to learn how to design high quality experiential learning activities.
Not all professional development activities are created equal (Desimone, Porter, Garet, Yoon, & Birman, 2002; Garet, Porter, Desimone, Birman, & Yoon, 2001) and not all enactments meet the expectations of high quality professional development (Capraro, Capraro, & Oner, 2011; Capraro, & Avery, 2011; Han, Yalvac, Capraro, & Capraro, 2012).