Yes! I love the idea of using Challenge-based Learning in my classroom; and, will do so this 2017!Blog: Share your musings about flipped teaching and CBL (vs PBL?) from the context of your classroom, your teaching practice and your student's learning experienceFlipped Learning is an approach I have been using in my 4th grade classroom since 2009 as part of my Math instruction. What students and parents have told me over the years is how much they appreciate the ability to go over materials in a preview, practice, and review manner so students can develop mastery and learn at their own pace -- which is a key factor for differentiated instruction that is highly personalized, uses technology, and includes peer-to-peer coaching! The websites my students and I have used included but are not limited to enVision Math, Khan Academy, Sumdog Math, and ST Math. Parents say they are able to see how engaged their child is while at home doing homework because their children are using the computers for the Math practice games that are also available as a part of their learning!
I use our August/September Back-to-School Night to introduce this Flipped Learning approach and use our October Parent-Student-Teacher Conference (PSTC) time to go over their child's progress up to that point. Usually, parents and students are initially apprehensive about this approach, but then realize soon after the PSTC that the Flipped Learning approach is a marvelous way to maximize learning time during and after school. I believe Sir Ken Robinson and Atty. Daniel Pink would be thrilled this approach is used in my classroom because of the intrinsic motivation that is activated in my students' personalized learning. Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) is in my opinion quite similar to Project-based Learning (PBL) because they are both Inquiry-based Learning. The students in my 4th grade classroom have been doing PBL since 2009 because it was introduced to our school district through the Buck Institute for Education and then gently supported by our New Tech Network and LeanIn Napa partners. Three to four PBL topics are worked on each year covering (1) the school-wide behavior expectations of being safe, respectful, and responsible; (2) California Regions, Spanish Missions, and/or the Gold Rush; (3) students' choice of topic for the California Project; (4) Electricity & Magnets; (5) Water/Drought in California and Prevention of Water Pollution; and/or (6) the Advanced Learner Project Zone where our District's identified advanced learners in 4th and 5th grades at our school have a voice/choice of what they want to study with teacher approval for at least 30 minutes every day. What intriques me about CBL is its novelty for me, and it "feels" like it has a more community-based, problem solving focus than our usual two to three PBL topics we have covered each year. Maybe I feel that way because of the CBL videos I watched, which I believe had important solutions that students created. I would like to incorporate CBL into my classroom this coming school year and eventually into all of our 4th grade classrooms at Canyon Oaks by informing our PLC and students of my intentions. I sure hope they'll agree for all of us to do it!
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Perception is E V E R Y T H I N G !!! (Check out my screencast on this brain-based learning topic by clicking HERE.)
Learning is context-based! Although there are exceptions, most students tend to learn well in a multi-sensory environment that activates several parts of the brain at the same time. |
AuthorJulie C D Meyer-Houston began her exciting journey during Spring 2016 as a grad student in Touro University - California's Innovative Learning program to earn her Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree, which focuses on Social Justice & Equity and the use of technology in education. Archives
May 2016
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