My learning diary by Joana Gomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz Introducing PBL in my Classroom - learning is an adventure! en-us 2017-10-17 16:13:35 UTC 2025-11-15 14:59:03 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Planets.png About me JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/198165054 Hello everyone! My name is Joana, I'm 32 years old, I live in Lisbon, Portugal, and I teach natural sciences to students from 12 to 17 years old (middle and high school). My teaching experience is very diverse because I have already taught in some schools in my city and I had a very interesting experience of adult education in East Timor. At the moment, I work directly with teaching materials in a school publisher.
I have heard of project-based learning in my academic training, however I am very excited about the course, as I can learn other realities of teaching, develop my skills as an educator and thus contribute to a more inclusive and meaningful school for our children. This kind of initiative makes perfect sense to me. Learning is an adventure!
 
]]> 2017-10-18 11:27:31 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/198165054 What is PBL JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/198586851 Project-based learning has its center in day-to-day situations and solving real problems for more meaningful learning, taking an integrated view of knowledge. In this way, it avoids compartmentalization in disciplinary areas. It is more challenging for students and allows them to develop a set of skills, such as the ones we saw in the first video (critical thinking, collaborative work and communication) which are necessary in a professional context. They will become more autonomous, creative and effective. In the particular case of sciences, this methodology has special interest because it enables students to experience other dimensions of scientists' work (nature of science). In science it works in this way: questioning, collaboration, discussion (lots of...), presentation of conclusions. There is no point in promoting simple memorization of an endless list of concepts. On the other hand, other areas of knowledge can also benefit from this approach, because in real life knowledge is not in drawers. The citizen must be able to deal with a very broad and articulated set of concepts to decide consciously about the problems of contemporary society.
I can detect two initial barriers to its implementation. First, it is a methodology that lives on interdisciplinary knowledge, so teachers must also learn to work collaboratively. They also have to know how to work in this way, means I will not be able to teach my class in a PBL perspective if I can't apply this methodology in my own work. Second, it is easier to evaluate knowledge than skills and assessment is needed. Teachers need to know new tools and ways to evaluate these new learning contexts so that they feel confident that students will meet the goals set for their compulsory schooling.]]> 2017-10-19 10:21:35 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/198586851 Why use PBL - video JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/198740180 Some disadvantages for students - They have to be persistent and resist failure; - Cooperative work can make the weaker students not push harder and lean toward the stronger students who want to show that they know how to do; stronger students can be demotivated; - They have to be self-disciplined. Lots of advantages for students :) - Multidisciplinary design promotes an integrated view of knowledge; - problem solving enhances creativity; - PBL allows students to be more aware of the flow of information that exists today, but also more alert to the importance of selecting it properly, look for reliable sources, otherwise their problem is not solved; - PBL gives you an ICT perspective as a cross-cutting tool. - Collaborative work makes the moment of learning more similar to what will be their daily experience and will promote tolerance for different opinions. In this way, they can more easily find strategies for dialogue and consensus building among people, one of the qualities of a good leader.

Some considerations on evaluation
- Teacher can not lose control of the progress of all groups and should register information properly;
- They should talk to all members to understand the different levels of commitment;
- They should promote students self-evaluation.

]]> 2017-10-19 15:56:27 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/198740180 PBL motivation factors JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/199668524 - Multidisciplinary nature and social relevance of problems;
- Learning in social and community environment;
- Possibility of expression and defense of opinion;
- Possibility of communication;
- Perception of learning relevance;
- Feeling of discovery.

"Weaker" students are the ones who react the best!

]]> 2017-10-23 16:35:26 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/199668524 PBL Difficulties in implementation JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/199673971 - Curricular barriers;
- Schools' organization;
- Teachers' academic background;
- Availability of resources (suitable spaces, ICT resources)
- Student experience;
- Assessment of diversified learning;
- Change of roles in class: teacher - advisor; student - researcher.
]]> 2017-10-23 16:44:56 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/199673971 Components of Good PBL JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/199888125 1. Real world connection
The relevance of problems (real world problems) is crucial for the rigorous implementation of PBL. School curricula are not built around this mindset yet, which may imply that teachers must explore this methodology by themselves. It is one of the first difficulties. Even when there is willingness to implement the PBL (in Portugal, it is now starting to be implemented), official documents do not guide properly and there are no training initiatives by Ministry that complement the basic training of teachers. Teachers must be capable to select, adapt and build contexts that can raise problems that require learning the concepts we want to deal with. Nevertheless, I think we can start with small problem-solving activities in our class (few concepts and few competencies) in one discipline and then extend to a larger number of competencies and a multidisciplinary approach until it became our basic methodology.
2. Core to learning
Learning is more than programmatic content. In PBL, we can value many variants of knowledge: conceptual, procedural, epistemological, reasoning, learning to learn, social interaction, communication, etc.
3. Structured collaboration
Collaborative work has been highly valued throughout the learning history. Today we know that in the context of a community, cooperation is essential to survival and well-being. Thus, developing collaborative work in school is to prepare students for the future, for interaction with others. In a more specific context, is an excellent professional skill. Generally speaking, I think students like to work together. However, because they must be focused on solving their problem, teacher must follow, question, redirect, and support so that students do not lose their purpose.
4. Student driven
This implies a change of attitude on the part of the teacher, who may seem less active. However, in order to guide properly, it is necessary (before the lesson) to prepare the activities very well, to foresee doubts and difficulties, (during class) respond to students with tools and guidelines, record information about all groups and all members of the groups, to (after class) make your follow-up more personalized and with involvement. The student should feel challenged and supported in different situations throughout the year. This requires a very observant attitude and is not easy to operationalize in the beginning, as there are many focuses of attention.
5. Multifaceted assessment
Multifaceted assessment,  is one of the most complicated aspects of PBL and leads us to the importance of teacher education throughout his career. Today, assessment focus on contents, not in skills, but objectives of the curriculum involves contents and skills (not just one, but many), surprisingly. I think, content evaluation is much more objective (and then, easier), but PBL responds (much better) simultaneously to content and skills objectives. If teachers know what they have to evaluate and know how to do it, they will feel more confident in the implementation of this methodology.]]> 2017-10-24 08:47:09 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/199888125 Optional P2P - Reflections on our current teaching practice JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/200055538 I like to use different types of approach to programmatic content. I believe there are several different ways of learning and I recognize value in breaking the routine. When students do not know what to expect, they are more alert and learn better. I believe that predictability plays an important role in students' interest/motivation and involvement and heightens curiosity about what will follow.
My science classes always concentrate a lot of dialogue, research activities, cooperative work, problem solving that can involve laboratory, field and experimental activities, not simultaneously, but combined in different ways. Sometimes, there is a large problem which leads to this type of activity (similar to PBL), but usually there are several small problems that arise throughout the class and give rise to different activities planned by me.
I have used PBL in specific classes of transdisciplinary nature (named Project Area) and in certain subjects in science classes. I feel that sometimes when it is necessary in a short time to explain a topic of the program, the expository approach is still the simplest way to solve it, but I usually make an effort to define at least 3 or 4 different learning moments (actives from the student's point of view) other than simply listen to the teacher.
My attitude is different in every moment of the class, as well as my students’. We can talk openly about what happened the previous day, we can analyze a problem (arising from a video, news or image), research on a subject, discuss it. In a group work (3-4 students), students interact freely (with more or less defined stages) while I follow group works, record data for assessment and future activities and help them organize information in order to present the final result. Sometimes, when I feel it is necessary, I make a point of situation and systematize information so that students do not feel lost. Review moments are essential: a small conversation at the beginning of each lesson helps them focus on what to do next. student's notebook must be kept up-to-date so it can easily consult it. We must ask students to use it frequently throughout the work and so we will be sensitizing them to the importance of recording data (like scientists do :) ).
I think PBL is very useful. In science, problem solving or project work are already methodologies seen as good practice. The important point here is to make these methodologies the basis of the whole learning process and to include other disciplinary areas.
Almost all science subjects can be used for PBL, but I can suggest the theme of Natural Resources and Renewable Energies, in particular the concept of Ecological Footprint as a good starting point for a PBL activity for 8th grade students (middle school).

]]> 2017-10-24 15:45:48 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/200055538 Non-googleable question JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/200733573 Tomorrow you will have a family picnic. There will be your parents, your little sister, your grandfather and a funny neighbor known as the best swimmer in town. What would you choose to put in the basket of healthy meals?]]> 2017-10-26 10:03:52 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/200733573 Developing effective collaboration for PBL JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/200906999 This photograph represents the outcome of a group activity, in a cooperation initiative in education between two countries, East-Timor and Portugal. Teachers (my students) prepared a moment of a science lesson about ecosystems of their country and had to present it to their students in Portuguese! Although it is an official language, it is not sufficiently developed in this context. ]]> 2017-10-26 16:29:47 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/200906999 Effective collaboration JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/200909313 2017-10-26 16:33:38 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/200909313 Ideas for activities to develop effective collaboration JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/200917284 - Organize debates on topics related to ethics in science. Several groups work different social roles that are then confronted in a lively discussion. This learning environment is important for working on argumentation and improving communication skills when students are faced with divergent opinions.
- In a project class, several groups decided on their work for the year. One of them focused on creating an ice cream brand. They did a market study, created the concept, designed the logo, experimented with various recipes, and sold their product at school on several commemorative days.]]> 2017-10-26 16:46:57 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/200917284 Finding collaboration partners outside the classroom JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/201254858 2017-10-27 15:51:43 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/201254858 Driving question JoanaGomes https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/201641709 Inspector Green came to town! He wants to make it a more nature-friendly place, but he does not know it well, so he does not know where to start and what to do. If you were his special assistant, how could you help him?

8th grade

Content goals:
- Understand the concepts of ecological footprint and sustainable development. 
- Discover the environmental problems of the region where the school is located. 
- Plan measures to protect ecosystems in the area where the school is located. 
- Understand how a citizen can contribute to the implementation of measures to protect ecosystems.
- Understand how natural resources are exploited and what to do to make it a more sustainable exploration. 
- To know public organisms of protection and conservation of nature.

Skill goals:
- Imagine hypotheses. 
- Solve problems. 
- Analyze texts from diferent sources and select reliable information. 
- Built creative and personal aesthetic solutions. 
- Know how to communicate in a group and work in a multidisciplinary context. 
- Know how to plan, register and materialize ideas.
- Be informed, critical and interventional in the community

Multidisciplinarity: this project may have the collaboration of other disciplinary areas: maths, arts, languages,...]]> 2017-10-30 09:55:52 UTC https://padlet.com/JoanaGomes/lgaocdgbkkuz/wish/201641709