Success!

A participant wrote us just after the training with the following report:

I left the workshop about 2 hours ago. First of all, thank you for all you taught us. In the beginning I thought, "How will I ever be able to create something on the web?" But now, I've done it!!! And I've only been home about 45 minutes. I went to Blogger.com and created a sight for the students who have taken the GED exam to share information with the students who are preparing to take the exam.

We look forward to hearing more success stories!

Comments on this post so far:

Welcome

On September 24th I had the pleasure of leading a training for adult education and ESL teachers in Oklahoma City, along with my colleague Steve Quann.

The purpose of this two-part training was explore the pros and cons of project-based learning in the adult basic education or ESL classroom, and to look at how planning and building Web site projects might serve as a project-based learning activity.

We tried to present the material in a "project-based" fashion, highlighted in my mind, by some really excellent work during a hands-on storyboarding/site-mapping activity at the end of the day.

We finished up the session by asking participants to reflect on the following questions and to post their answers in the comments section to this post. Here are those questions:

• What are the opportunities and obstacles that you see in terms of project-based learning? In terms of a Web site project?
• What ideas do you have for a class Web site project?
• What other questions or concerns do you have?

Comments on this post so far:

Lynn Stewart (lstewart@lawtonps.org) writes:

Opportunities? Endless.

Obstacles? Endless, but then again it opens more opportunities. I will have to meet the local "experts" and have them come into the classroom to get it off the ground. Students will probably also know some "experts" and they can be the point of contact!

Ideas? As a class we have been in touch with the local Habitat for Humanity. We plan on being a group sponsor for the first Built by Women home in Lawton. The website project would be an excellent way to chronicle what we will learn, both on the building site and building the web site.

Questions? I won't know what they are until I am deep into the project.

Loved the book. The writing style was very conversational. It was like you were explaining the process just to me!

Jeff Carter (jcarter@literacytech.org) writes:

You bring up a good point -- sometimes there are students who have, or can bring in, people with some of the skills needed on a project like this.

Your project sounds ambitious, but pretty cool.

Linda Condor (lcondor@durantisd.org) writes:

PROJECT BASED LEARNING HAS OPENED UP A WHOLE NEW MEANING FOR OUR COMPUTER LAB. STUDENTS HAD BEEN USING THE LAB TO INCREASE READING SKILLS AND AT LEAST KNEW THE BASICS OF TURNING ON THE COMPUTER AND KEYING IN THEIR CODE TO GET ACCESS. USING PBL TO INTEGRATE SUBJECTS AND INCREASE RESEARCH SKILLS HAS REALLY BUILT CONFIDENCE IN SOME STUDENTS.

WE HAVE A FEW THAT REALLY WANT TO TRY THE WEB SITE PROJECT.

MOSTLY WE HAVE GOTTEN FAMILIAR WITH THE COMPUTER, INTERNET ACCESS, COMPLETING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND USING IT TO INTEGRATE SUBJECTS. THE WEB SITE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED. BUT A SPECIFIC PLAN HAS NOT BEEN FORMATTED. THE STUDENTS REALLY HAVE A BIG INTEREST IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND THE PLATFORMS OF THE CANDIDATES, DUE TO RESEARCH DONE FOR POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS.

WHATEVER DEVELOPS IT WILL BE INTERESTING.

Steve Quann (squann@worlded.org) writes:

Linda, I'd love to hear more about how you are integrating the computer use with your subject areas.

Also, make sure we connect so I can show you, if you don't already know, how you might be able to put the students' PowerPoint presentations on the web. My class loves showing their friends and relatives (often from other lands) what they are learning. See you soon! Steve

Kathy Lee (kathy@leearchs.com) writes:

My class (TANF clients) wants to take the GED as soon as possible. I love the idea of creating a web site but kept wondering how I could tie the project to exam preparation? Then I began wondering about creating a site where the students who have already taken the exam could talk about what they found on the exam; for example, essay topics, kinds of math, reading, social studies, and science topics. They could give suggestions for study and write about impressions. The GED candidates could refer to this information as a study aid. Anyway, it's a possibility. Kathy Lee