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Activity 3: PBL and higher order thinking

Reading: 1 hour
Evaluating project: 1 hour
Evaluating own project: 1 hour
Reflection: 30 min

3 hrs 30 mins



 

  • How can a PBL approach promote higher order thinking?
  • What kinds of questioning promote real thinking?
  • What kinds of activity require learners to process information in constructive, challenging ways?

When learners are given a project, they are usually asked to answer a question or series of questions. The kind of questions asked will affect the way that the learners think while doing the project. 

Although learners need to know certain facts and information, it is much more valuable for them to know how to think and solve problems. Facts change, and can easily be found out, whereas problem solving and thinking skills are ever-important life skills. By asking questions which require higher order thinking, learners get to practise thinking rather than just remembering. The more open-ended a question is, the more challenging it is in terms of the thinking it requires.

Click here to see a diagram of Bloom's Taxonomy, a way of organising kinds of learning activities in terms of the kind of thinking they require. It also has some examples of activities for each level on the taxonomy. For more information on Bloom, study this article on Bloom's Taxonomy.

Project based learning can be an effective way to promote learners' thinking. In this activity you first evaluate the "If I were the President." project in terms of how it promotes higher order thinking, and then build this aspect into your own project. 
Activity
  1. Use your e-diary to make opening comments about this activity.

    Case study

  2. Evaluate the "If I Were The President.." case study in terms of the kinds of thinking it requires of the learners by completing the evaluation template.

    • Fill in examples of each kind of thinking from the activities in the project (a particular activity could involve more than one level of thinking);
    • In the suggestions column, add ideas for how the project could be improved so as to include thinking levels omitted, or else ideas as to how a particular activity could be improved. Save it in your home folder as Bloom.


  3. List possible questions for use in a typical project using the second table in the file that you saved in step 1 (note, you can include more than one question for each level of thinking).
  4. Once you have completed the table, save the file again as Bloom. Share the document online with your group (using the subject heading "Bloom") for feedback comments. Incorporate good feedback into your table when you receive them.

    Planning

    As part of the requirements of this module, your class will participate in a Learning Circle (inter-classroom collaboration) project, using ideas and principles as illustrated by the above case study.


    Your tutor will set up and including your class in a Learning Circle group at this stage. You will receive a message asking to confirm that your email address is correct, to which you should respond.

    To learn more aboute learning circles see the Bridges of Learning website.



  5. Open the Project planner and save it in your home folder (you will use this file throughout the module). Using the knowledge of focus questions and levels of thinking that you have gained so far in this activity, complete the section on Higher level thinking.

  6. Use your e-diary to make closing comments about this activity.
 

NEXT

Once you have completed this activity, click here to move on to Activity 4: The Information Process.
 
Learning with Projects
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