PBL Fotis Pontikakis by Fotis Pontikakis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8 Learning diary about Project Based Learning en-us 2017-10-17 17:47:44 UTC 2024-12-07 21:56:46 UTC hello@padlet.com My name is Fotis Pontikakis. ponfotis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/197941476 I am a primary education teacher, with a degree also in Psychology, Pedagogics and Philosophy from the Aristoteles University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
I live in Chania in the island of Crete in the south of Greece.]]> 2017-10-17 17:51:43 UTC https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/197941476 Current work ponfotis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/197943498 I have worked for many years as primary education teacher in Greece.
The past few years I have been working as Head of the Environmental Education Center of Vamos, that is located in the Kefalas village, in the western part of Crete island, in the Chania Prefecture.
In this Center, 5 educators from primary and secondary education cooperate, designing and offering environmental education programs for school teams from all forms of education.]]> 2017-10-17 17:54:48 UTC https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/197943498 A few things about Chania and Crete ponfotis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/198109268 Chania is the second biggest city in the island of Crete, situated in the western part.
The city has been inhabited since the Minoan era, some 5.500 years ago and has many monuments from several cultures and civilizations: Venetian monuments, old mosques and christian churches (both orthodox and catholic), remains of byzantine and venetian walls.
Nowadays the economy is based mostly in tourism and agriculture.

]]> 2017-10-18 07:03:05 UTC https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/198109268 Module 1.1 ponfotis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/198446831 I hope to learn more about Project Based Learning. I work in an Environmental Education Center and Project Based Learning is considered to be one of the most important methods to use in Environmental Education. We aim to develop critical thinking, collaboration and communication, because we need active citizens with such skills in order to survive climate change and change the world]]> 2017-10-18 20:05:19 UTC https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/198446831 1.2 Why PBL is not adopted ponfotis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/198458575 The main reason for not adopting widely PBL is because this method prepares active future citizens with creative and critical thinking. This kind of citizen is not easily controled by the big political parties and whoever has the power. Such citizens would try to change the world, would question the power, would demand more peoples participation in the decisions made about their future. That is the main reason PBL is not widely adopted. It is the same reason why Environmental Education is not also widely adopted, because it uses such methods and is an obstacle for people and corporations in power.]]> 2017-10-18 20:47:33 UTC https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/198458575 1.3 Reflections on our current teaching practice ponfotis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/199079909 The most common teaching strategy we use in our Environmental Education Center is an acquaintance game at first, a powerpoint presentation, worksheets and a workshop or visit to a natural site and educational games there.
Alternatively, we offer 4 environmental educational programs that take place outdoors, in a natural site (wetland, cave) or old traditional cities of Vamos and Chania. In these outdoor programs students are divided in groups and play educational games or take part in a treasure hunt in the old cities, using maps and compasses, finding old buildings and monuments and learning about them.
We already use PBL approaches in two of our programs in the one about Recycling and the one about Climate Change. In these two programs, after some Erasmus+ courses we attended, we developed a program using the logic of Multiple Intelligencies, so we have activity cards (with the use of Multiple Intelligencies). The students divide into groups and each group has to discuss, investigate, plan and present to the other groups something (the results of their group) in a different way, according to their activity card: Using music, poetry, texts, theatre, pictures etc.
I hope after this course we will be able to use more PBL strategies in all our educational programs for schools, for students, teachers and adults
]]> 2017-10-20 14:38:47 UTC https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/199079909 1.4 Components of a good PBL ponfotis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/199091696 In my current school, the Environmental Education Center of Vamos, we have the opportunity to choose our themes and design our teaching strategies as a Pedagogical Team, all five educators working there from primary and secondary education. In regular schools in Greece this would be very difficult because of the exams, the summative assessment and pressing curriculum.
We do not have all these problems in an Environmental Education Center, but inspiring pupils and educators to collaborate is always a difficult task.
But whenever we give space to discussion, research, critical thinking and expression of opinions, we always have nice results.]]> 2017-10-20 15:03:37 UTC https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/199091696 MY DRIVING QUESTION ponfotis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/202701129 "Some say that the recent floods in our region were a result of climate change. Can you find results of climate change in our region? What can we do to address climate change in our region?"
I plan to implement this in our educational program about Climate Change. The student ages that this driving question is addressed is 11 or older, because it requires the use of critical thinking skills that are considered to be developed by that age. 
The learning goals for this activity for the students are:
-To learn about climate change.
-To investigate the causes of climate change and the human influence on climate change.
-To discuss possible impacts of climate change in humans, in economy, in nature in our region.
-To suggest solutions to address problems that are or can be caused by climate change in our  region.
]]> 2017-11-01 20:07:31 UTC https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/202701129 2.4 Finding collaboration partners outside the classroom ponfotis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/203562849 In our Environmental Education Center we collaborate with many local institutions like the Technological University of Crete (Natural Resources Department), the Archaeological Service, the Municipality's Recycling Enterprise, the Mediterranean Agronomical Institute of Chania, the Natural History Museum of Crete.
 We also cooperate with NGOs like the Ecological Initiative of Chania and the local branch of WWF, cooperatives such as "Gaea" cooperative of organic agriculturers and consumers etc.]]> 2017-11-04 19:00:33 UTC https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/203562849 Never give up on a problem ponfotis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/204591762 Like Maribel from Spain, I failed too in my first attempt for a KA1 project. 
I decided to apply three days before the deadline and I did not manage to finish in time the application (if only I had one more hour!). 
Next time I started preparing the application weeks before and I managed to get it all right and in time. Our proposal was approved! 
So, we must devote time and not get disappointed whenever we fail. We just have to try again and learn from our mistakes.
]]> 2017-11-07 21:02:29 UTC https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/204591762 Developing student resilience ponfotis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/205039771 There are many ways that we, as teachers, can weaken our students' confidence and independence.
One thing is our negative comments or judgements, especially when they are made in public, in front of their classmates or parents.
Our face or movements might also weaken our students' confidence and independence: They might see in our face or movements, or if we do not pay attention to them when they are speaking, a form of disapproval.
Another way we weaken our students' confidence and independence by not giving them the chance to express their thoughts or work in pairs and groups. If we insist in teacher-drived lessons, just teacher speaking and students listening and answering our questions, they lose confidence and interest in our lesson.
We also weaken their confidence and independence when we do not use a variety of methods and techniques. They get easily bored by the daily repeated routine.
I think these are just some of the mistakes we might make.]]> 2017-11-08 20:14:10 UTC https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/205039771 My Learning Design ponfotis https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/207355235 You can see my Learning Design (a PBL about Climate Change) in the following link https://v.gd/WD4JhH]]> 2017-11-15 18:14:22 UTC https://padlet.com/ponfotis/gmarjw4yn6v8/wish/207355235