Problem-Based Learning 2006

Syllabus
DATE	TOPIC	ASSIGNMENT
November 14	Getting Organized Introduction to PBL	Read Chapters 1, 2, and 3 in textbook. Read two handout articles: "Developing a Community of Learners" from April 2003 Learning and Leading with Technology, and "Dan Tries Problem-Based Learning: A Case Study" from University of Delaware
November 28	Understanding by Design Essential Questions WebQuests - design, taskonomy, review and evaluate existing WQ's	Find an exemplary WebQuest online that represents PBL; email link to Doreen Fritz by 12/4 Think of a unit or lesson that you could teach using a WebQuest
December 5	Review WebQuests (see list at bottom of the page) Start Planning your own WebQuest - determine goals/learning objectives, devise an essential question. FrontPage mini-lesson; How to name and save your files	Briefly draft the rest of the WebQuest – determine tasks, resources, process, and assessment tools
January 16	Share WebQuest introductions ("hooks") Search for resources; view Teacher Resources webpage Review assessment options for WebQuests Continue working on your own WebQuest	Complete all components of your WebQuest. Deliver WebQuest to Doreen Fritz by Monday, January 29th. (via e-mail, on flash drive, or on Shared Teacher drive in Doreen's folder - make your own sub-folder. Or provide me the link to the QuestGarden site.) Read Chapter 6 in textbook.
CHANGE IN SCHEDULE - We are Canceling the January 23rd session - too many people have conflicts
January 30	View and assess at least four of your classmates' WebQuests New topic: "PBL Lite" - one-day assignments; apply what you learned about Essential Questions and Understanding by Design to this lesson Review required elements of a PBL lesson What is the teacher's role? Talk about observation expectations	Read Chapters 4 and 5 in textbook Arrange for observations Research and brainstorm to find possible topics for your big PBL project Here's a link to some sample PBL-Lite assignments created by RB's previous PBL class in 2004. They might help you to get an idea for an assignment.
February 6	Huge, long-term projects for PBL - learning over time The difference between the ideal and the real PBL lesson (i.e. what is practical?) Begin to design your own PBL unit/lesson - include the essential elements	Gather resources, further define, continue to work on your unit.
February 13, 20	Work on your PBL Unit	Have you finished your observations? This is your last chance! Finish your PBL Unit before next Tuesday. Deliver to Doreen Fritz to be posted on this webpage.
March 6	Final presentations, evaluations, reflections.	Celebration!

Resources
People:	Instructors are Troy Gobble, Dan Mancoff, and Doreen Fritz
Textbook:	Problems as Possibilities: Problem-Based Learning for K-12 Education (2nd edition), by Linda Torp and Sara Sage
Essential Questions Resources:	Essential Questions and Problem-Based Learning - handout that includes definitions and characteristics of Essential Questions (Word document) More about Essential Questions - Description, and Samples (I converted the handouts to a webpage)
WebQuest Resources:	Locating WebQuests Bernie Dodge's site has examples of WebQuests (Click *Find Webquests* (left), then search by grade level and subject) Dr. Alice Christie's Matrix of WebQuests - Arizona State professor posts her students' projects Education World WebQuests - Created by editors, and links to site of teacher-created WebQuests TechTrekkers Webquests - Sorted by curricular area Best WebQuests.com - sorted by subject and grade level Learning About WebQuests The Ultimate WebQuest Site - the most helpful site for learning about WebQuests. Developed by Bernie Dodge, one of the originators of WebQuests. Hosted by the Educational Technology Department of San Diego State University. Bernie Dodge's Taskonomy - the short version (with examples about teaching poetry) (Word document) A WebQuest about WebQuests - we use this website on November 28 to preview the format, identify necessary elements, and give you a WebQuest experience. What IS a WebQuest? - Six essential parts Kathy Schrock: All about WebQuests - definition, examples, resources, and more Creating a WebQuest QuestGarden - Create and post your own using Bernie Dodge's template
FrontPage Resources:	About Webpages you create for the PBL Class (Word document) FrontPage Basics for the PBL Class (Word document) FAQ's about Using FrontPage (Word document) Link to Dan Mancoff's list of graphics websites he has used in building webpages
Edline	Login to Edline and find the link to the RB University PBL Class under My Activities on the left.

Completed Assignments and Observations
	WebQuest	PBL Lite	Big PBL Unit	Obs. 1	Obs. 2
Rachel Bernstein	Road Trip Through History	Poverty in the Richest Nation	Holiday Shopping	Melquist	Sterling
Whitney Carlson	A World Without Hippies	No Pearl Harbor Attack!	Issues of the 1960's	Sterling	Gouwens
Laura Drzonek	What does it mean to be healthy?	Cellulite	The All-Peanut Butter Diet
Cara Gallagher	Cold War WebQuest
Geoff Geltner	Different Ways of Representing Data	Will I Ever Use Math?	Building a House with Math	Melquist	Mancoff
Mark Gouwens	"What does this have to do with me?"			Hosted observation
Mindy Hart	Dance at a Glance	Movement Literacy	Movement: A Universal Language	Mancoff	Mancoff
Jame Holt	Illinois Biodiversity	Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration		Hosted observation
John Izaguirre	Give a Boy a Gun
Mike Melquist	NA	Heat of Fusion (pdf file)	Save Mr. Tickles OR Unknown Compound found in DesPlaines River	Hosted observation	Waldock
Dan Monahan	The Significance Project	Who's Qualified to be President? Give students cards with un-named candidates Give students worksheet to rank the candidates Here are the names of those un-named candidates	The Gilded Age - Chicago-Style	Gouwens	Holt
Kristi Sterling	Genetic Disorder WebQuest	Jerry Springer Studies Genetics	Classification Assignment Diagram for Step 1 Chart for Steps 2 and 3	Hosted observation	Carlson
Jen Waldock	Population Predictions		Apes Throwing Cabbage	Hosted observation

Exemplary WebQuest examples suggested by your classmates:
Rachel Bernstein	History of Fashion; could be adapted for any history lesson
Whitney Carlson	Causes of World War I
Cathryn Center	Never Again! Again? - WebQuest about genocide
Laura Drzonek
Cara Gallagher	Freedom Fighter or Terrorist?: A WebQuest on Telling the Difference
Geoff Geltner	Geometry in Real Life March Madness - math and NCAA basketball Call Me - do the 10-10 numbers save money?
Mark Gouwens	Civil Wars in Great Britain
Mindy Hart	A Dance WebQuest from San Diego State University
Jame Holt	Biomes of the World Me? Live in a Rainforest?
John Izaguirre	Frankenstein 2018 - focusing on Shelley's novel, and film adaptations
Mike Melquist	The Great PVC Controversy Food Additives - do we really need them?
Dan Monahan	Social Security - a New Challenge for the 21st Century
Ann Roth	Wild Things in the School Grounds Notes about webquest: easy to read/follow--not cluttered. Teacher section with helpful notes for teachers for each portion of the quest. Calls out specific learning standards the quest meets (quest created in Australia ) The quest allows for investigation and first-hand inquiry. Students use school grounds so it can be done anywhere. The results will vary so students can be creative. The quest has students collecting their own data as well as doing research using books, web, and live experts. I like the part of the process that has students create a plan to help the "wild things" in the area by the school. Students feel empowered to help the natural world around them.
Kristi Sterling	Outbreak: A WebQuest about Epidemics
Jen Waldock	Making Sense of the Census