This week we were asked several questions: 
With regards to Project-Based Learning, will my role in the teaching learning process change?
For most teachers, the answer is “yes”. Most teachers teach they way they were taught. We stand a lecture or walk around and assist students on work as they work individually. The role of the teacher in Project-Based Learning is more of a facilitator and/or manager. The teacher is a guide so to speak, leading the students through the process. I sometimes think of the bumper guards they put down when really young children bowl. These bumper guards keep the ball from going in the gutter. The teacher is there to guide the students through the process and keep the students from wandering “off in the weeds”. The teacher must also act as a manager helping the students groups work out problems and issues that might arise.
What are the skills of an effective facilitator?
For some teachers, the role of facilitator/manager may prove to be difficult. It will take some level or effort to move away from the “sage on the stage” model to the “guide on the side”. In a blog post by John Larmer, he addresses the importance of “knowing the students”. He stresses the importance of pre-assessing to know what your students know before beginning the project. Formative assessments throughout the project are also important to determine if you should move forward to spend more time on a particular skill. Another important skill is the ability to “guide”. It can be difficult for some teachers to “guide” students to think and answer questions rather than just providing the information. Allowing students to stretch and grow and search for the answers is an important skill. Infusing excitment into the project is led by the facilitator. Making the entry event something exciting that will get the students to buy-in on the task. Developing quality rubrics that allow students to know exactly what is expected provides students with the knowledge to create a project that meets the teacher’s requirements.
Will the students develop the competencies and skills needed to be successful?
If the teacher developing the PBL task clearly matches the activities and assessments to the standards that are being taught then yes, students will develop the competencies and skills they need. Through the guidance of the teacher and the formative and summative assessments students are led through a process that allows them to discover and practice the skills for the task. Students learn much more than just the content skills being addressed. They learn many important 21st century skills. They learn to collaborate with others, to think critically as they investigate, to communicate with other classmates as they work together, and to be creative and innovative in developing their project.
What changes will you need to make in order to become an effective facilitator in your PBL unit?
My greatest area of weakness is patience to wait on students to make the discoveries they need in the project. For all my teaching career, there has been pressure to cover the material required. There always seems to be a frantic push to get all the required standards covered. Taking the time needed to allow students to work, guiding the students through the learning process and allowing them to research and discover without directly providing the information is something I need to work on. Allowing the freedom to collaborate and work is important. I am excited to implement my first PBL task. I know I still have much to learn but I know the benefit to my students will be worth the effort.
Resources:
Larmer, J. (2016, January 29). Gold Standard PBL: Scaffold Student Learning. Retrieved July 30, 2016, from http://bie.org/blog/gold_standard_pbl_scaffold_student_learning
Debra Killen: EDTECH Learning Log 