Promoting Project-Based Learning in the Philippines

 









UNESCO Bangkok conducted a "Capacity Building Workshop on Project-Based Learning and Telecollaboration" in Manila, Philippines last 31 May to 3 June 2010. De La Salle University-College of Education hosted and coordinated the workshop. 

The definition of project-based learning (PBL) from Wikipedia is provided below:

"Project-based learning (PBL): best defined as instruction relating questions and technology relative to the students' everyday lives to classroom projects. Students form their own investigation of their own group which allows students to develop valuable research skills. The students engage in design, problem solving, decision making, and investigative activities. It allows students to work in groups or by themselves and allows them to come up with ideas and realistic solutions or presentations. Students take a problem and apply it to a real life situation with these projects.

Project-based learning (PBL) provides complex tasks based on challenging questions or problems that involve the students' problem solving, decision making, investigative skills, and reflection that include teacher facilitation, but not direction. Project Based Learning is focused on questions that drive students to encounter the central concepts and principles of a subject hands-on.

With Project-based learning students learn from these experiences and take them into account and apply them to their lives in the real world. PBL is a different teaching technique that promotes and practices new learning habits. The students have to think in original ways to come up with the solutions to these real world problems. It helps with their creative thinking skills by showing that there are many ways to solve a problem." (from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Based_Learning)

Thirty-two teachers and principals from eight schools/colleges (see list below) participated in the workshop. One participant commented "I learned a lot from this workshop. It is an opportunity to enhance my skills in research, instruction, pedagogy and ICT application. As a teacher, this will improve my teaching-learning approaches and strategies that I apply in the subject that I teach. I think this will open a wider door for my students to develop 21^st century skills".

1. College of Immaculate Conception

2. Columban College - Olongapo City

3. Elizabeth Seton - Las Piñas City

4. Hope Christian Academy - Quezon City

5. Lasallete of Cabatuan

6. Lasallete of San Mateo

7. Marist School - Marikina City

8. St. Paul College of Parañaque

The eight schools were each given a partner, forming four groups. Each group designed a PBL activity (see below) gradually improving it during the course of the workshop. On the last day, the participants presented their outputs including the action plan they will implement after the workshop. 

a. Home and School Collaboration project
b. Personal and Social Impact of Online Gaming
c. Helping Street Children
d. Waste Management

UNESCO and DLSU will closely monitor the implementation of "projects"during the next six months. UNESCO also arranged two Intel follow-up trainings on project-based approaches (PBA) to strengthen the teachers’ skills on designing and implementing PBL. One training will be in Metro Manila and the other in the province.