Concrete frameworks to support PBL
Overview of a possible paper content
Context
Service learning at higher education in the UK
Goals: building student agency and relevant skills
What is agency and how can student and other partners build it.
Process: What is the role of scaffolding (and dangers) in project based learning in general
Exploration of existing frameworks for scaffolding
A key challenge to project based learning is finding appropriate conceptual and practical frameworks to scaffold specific working practices [@barron_doing_1998].
Newman et al [@newman_construction_1989] outline three key types of scaffolding are available to support PBL: those related to process; support related to coaching; reflective frameworks.
Analysis of the resources of organisations which promote PBL feature the following variety of frameworks to support a broader process:
- Reflective frameworks aligned with the work of reflective practices[@gibbs_learning_1988; @schon_reflective_2017 ].
- Design thinking process-based frameworks [@luka_design_2019; @brown2008design]
- Competency based frameworks. E.g. 21st Century skills, and broad conceptions of graduate attributes [@luka_design_2019;]
The challenge of contexts
The frameworks listed above are widely used across different context, and thus by their nature, suffer from being too general to support context specific learning. A socio cultural approach to education values the process of a community based approach to learning experiences [@lave_situated_1991; @wenger_communities_2008]. Frameworks of too abstract a nature risk missing the contextual nature of the learning at work.
Concrete frameworks for PBL
To address this issue, it is of value to explore pedagogical frameworks which scaffold support the learner experience of creating projects in a way which is more directly related to the product or experiences they are creating.
Case Study - Campaign Fair
One example of this the the use of a framework to support the create of a campaign created as part of the EdLab Make it Count campaigns stall in partnership with Manchester Met Student Union. INSERT CASE STUDY HERE
Case Study - Using Game Design Patterns as a user-led framework for project production
A summary of Mick’s PhD findings about making games and using a game design patterns as a navigation and relational framework. INSERT CASE STUDY HERE
Potential hazards of over-specific frameworks
When engaged in project work. The details of the process of production can be absorbing. So much so that student may miss underlying learning opportunities. Barron et al highlight potential trade-offs between engagement via tinkering with student projects and more directive work to encourage students to undertake “principled understanding” of desired curricular or process related concepts [@barron_doing_1998, p.63].
Broad conclusions
SOME NOTES HERE ON conclusions
Mid level constructs, frameworks and case studies
There are several existing streams of research which explore this area which are potentially useful to draw upon.
- the use of design heuristics in Human Computer Interface work (HCI) [@dearden_pattern_2006; @wania_exploring_2019]
- the use of design patterns in computing education (Mick’s work)
- pattern based pedagogies in the design of learning management systems (LMS) and similar online systems[@mor_assessing_2014; @kali_collaborative_2006].
Design patterns have been explored as a form of scaffolding [@ertmer_scaffolding_2019] for project based learning experiences. Research on design online experiences shows value in interrelated scenarios, features and underlying patterns and principles [@mor_assessing_2014; @kali_collaborative_2006].
In computing eduction pattern based instruction has benefits of making complex problems more modular and concrete [@muller_almost_2004-1; @waite_teaching_2021].
Introduce the idea and examples of Case Studies of more specific frameworks that are more tied to the nature of the project itself - or the domain knowledge being explored (either to curricular concepts or specific design practices)
Putting this into practice
When engaging students in project based work there is a value in identifying key elements and characteristics of the kinds of products, experiences of other project outcomes that are recognisable by students.
Boiling down broad observations into a more limited, “curated” collection of characteristics as a framework or pattern collection is of value to avoid overloading students.
Activities which building familiarity with the element of these frameworks or collections are a useful starting point to design work. For example:
- analysing existing campaigns based on the framework
- analysing popular games based a framework of common game elements.