PBL at Griffith University

I’m fortunate to work with the wonderful staff at Griffith University in 1299edn. This course is for first year pre-service teachers to understand how technology can enhance their teaching and learning.
The course is a mix of on-campus and online where students’ complete tasks and upload their responses into an ePortfolio. This trimester the students have found an eSafety resource and how it could be used with students; completed a video analysis from the fabulous webshows by TeachTechPlay; created a resource in Educreations for students to access to support their learning and completed two web hunts on Scootle and Digital Technologies Hub. These activities guide pre-service teachers to powerful tools to support their teaching.
Collaborative Task day provided an opportunity for students to learn by ‘doing’. The students were invited to pair-up and create a video in response to an inquiry question. This gave the students a feel for PBL (Project Based learning or Passion Based learning or Problem Based Learning). Craft materials, iPads (with a variety of apps), lights, green screen, play dough, Lego, toys, puppets were just a few of the materials and equipment available to be creative and make videos.
It was delightful and encouraging to see how these young adults engaged with the task and were able to see and understand how constructionism enhances a child’s ‘fun’ of learning.
Some examples the students created in a very short time:

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Jackie Child
Jackie Child has been teaching primary aged students for 40 years in a number of countries. She is passionate about how children learn through constructivist pedagogy. She is a Teacher Librarian at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School and a sessional tutor at Griffith University for pre-service teachers. Jackie doesn’t believe in standing still, there is always plenty to ‘do’ and learn!

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