MY EDUTOPIA EXPERIENCE

The Edible Schoolyard and A Night in the Global Villages represent just two video podcasts of children participating in a Project Based Learning series (PBL). The Integrated Studies and Social and Emotional Learning modules are only two categories offered in this program provided through the Eutopia.org website. It was very interesting to see the interest and enthusiasm exhibited by these children when put in an learning environment in which they controlled the experiment and outcome based on their participation. It was obvious that some students excelled in one or more particular skills, but how they put it all together in a collaborative effort was the most astonishing aspect for me.

Also interesting were the comments on the website that PBL has actually been around since the 50's. Boy was this a kick in the teeth! But then I started thinking about my high school Science Fair projects and I guess they were right. This was actually the original platform for PBL. Why then has it taken so long to actually see the results of what it is capable of doing today?

Other interesting comments relating to the best use of PBL were at the high school level, where the students have completed their core curriculum requirements and can now focus on real life situational projects and its effect on their future, not only in our communitites but in society as a whole. This is where I think I could use this type of learning to really benefit my students. Thank you Dr. John for exposing me to this.