Double Journal Entry #6

     The 'dominant paradigm' that is showing signs of wear is the traditional model of the teacher using a textbook as the primary source of knowledge for students. In a world that is gowing rapidly, in the technology sector, education was falling short. This is due to the lack of growth that was occuring in the education sector of the world.
     Project Based Learning is more beneficial to student learning than traditional approaches because "students who engage in this approach benefit from gains in factual learning that are equivalent or superior to those of students who engage in traditional forms of instruction (Thomas, 2000)." Students "developed a more flexible, useful kind of mathematical knowledge that engaged them in "exploration and thought" (Boaler, 1997, p. 63)."The article also states that students in the "multimedia program earned higher scores than the comparison group on content mastery, sensitivity to audience, and coherent design. They performed equally well on standardized test scores of basic skills (Penuel, Means, & Simkins, 2000)."
     Another form of learning that is more beneficial to students is Problem Based Learning. This type of learning is focused on reasoning and resources to solve a specific problem. Students usually work in smaller groups to investigate realistic problems, their solutions, and strategies to acommplish the solution. "This approach has been found to be better, though, in supporting flexible problem solving, application of knowledge, and hypothesis generation (for a meta-analysis, see Dochy, Segers, Van den Bossche, & Gijbels, 2003). Also,"students who participated in problem-based experiences are better able to generate accurate hypotheses and coherent explanations (Hmelo, 1998b; Schmidt et al., 1996) and to support their claims with well-reasoned arguments (Stepien et al., 1993). They also experience larger gains in conceptual understanding in science (Williams, Hemstreet, Liu, & Smith, 1998).
     Learning by design is another strategy that doesnt conform to traditional teaching tactics. In this strategy learners design something that reflects the knowledge they have learned. Students make several drafts, create prototypes, develop plans for through storyboards, and set up constraints. Fortus and colleagues (2004) "found that both higher- and lower-achieving students showed strong evidence of progress in learning the targeted science concepts, and that students were able to apply key concepts in their design work". Hmelo, Holton, and Kolodner (2000) "found that the design project led to better learning outcomes than the traditional approach to instruction".
     These strategies are different in many ways. For instance, in problem base learning students investigate real world problems by working in smaller groups whereas, in learning by design students create a product that has been perfected through many drafts and storyboards. Learning by design is best fit for topics in science and technology. Project base learning is best fit for mathematic topics.
         In my opinion, the most important benefit these types of learning have is the fact that students are actively involved in their learning. They benefit from doing hands-on projects rather than worksheets. They can use their knowledge to help gain a deeper understanding of the concept. Lastly, the students are taking charge of their learning and the teacher is only their for guidence. When students play and active role in their learning then they are benefitting greatly.