Edwin ‘In Flight’ with Project Based Learning
To guide the digital transformation of our economy, we will need to reimagine education and empower our students to be co creators.
According to the World Economic Forum the number one skill students will need for 2025 to 2030 is the ability to have several learning strategies for rapid learning and reskilling. Students of today will need to understand how to own their learning and deploy learning strategies in new and emerging opportunities that were previously unseen. During the first 6 months of COVID-19, we experienced 10 years worth of advancements in the digital transformation of work. So, as you reflect on your teaching practice ask yourself, “Are we preparing students for 2019 or 2030?”
Project based learning and design thinking is the necessary starting point to prepare students for the rapidly emerging economy. Project based learning from my perspective is the co-creation of projects with the mutual needs of students and teachers being met. PBL allows for an increase in student voice, the construction of meaning as it relates to content, but more importantly it allows for the curation and aggregation of learning strategies, which is a hyper critical component for future success.
Edwin is a digital learning ecosystem that gives you curriculum-linked resources, interactive tools and curated collections to ensure your classroom is connected from anywhere. It is an amazing space to leverage design thinking and Edwin’s curation of curriculum linked collections as the foundation of our projects. Edwin is the bridge between traditional education and the emerging future of education. Using Edwin ensures that the projects can be connected to curriculum standards, but still allow for student agency. See how we do this at Tomorrow Now learning lab.
Design thinking is a mindset that is guided by a five-step iterative process. This process allows us to explore, define, ideate, act and iterate, to create relevant mental constructs and products. It praises the process and allows for multiple iterations over time to deepen the learning. It also has a built-in expectation for critical reflection and peer/teacher feedback.
We recently used project-based learning while doing a unit on flight. One student decided that they were going to build a plane that would fly inside their 3D model building simulator video games (Trail Maker) and create a collection in Edwin that could be shared with other students. We used design thinking to map out the project from start to the first iteration. We then set up milestones and check in times that kept the project on track. The first step was to empathize with the topic. To do this, we used the Q chart to generate 16 to 20 questions. We then searched up flight in Edwin collections. We used this as a base and then curated our own collections using Edwin as well as YouTube and other online sources. We then used what we learned to build and fly a physics based virtual plane. It took approximately 4 days in total. Once finished we created Vlogs of the experience and a few iterations of the plane build. The project was student led, purpose driven and technology augmented. This helped to create a deeper understanding of the content, but more importantly a deeper understanding of the process and learning strategies.
We can no longer have a conversation about the future of education without considering the rise of digital technology and its exponential transformative potential. Project based learning, design thinking and real “student world” innovations were combined with Edwin to connect generations, student culture, and curriculum in a much more engaging way than just the traditional model. The experience provided insights and perspectives, while enhancing the student voice and a more meaningful understanding of learning how to learn.
Dwayne Matthews
Education Strategist and Innovation Evangelist, XPRIZE Connect advisory board member, Future of Learning Lab
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Project-based learning is a creative way to engage students in your classroom and at home. We’d love to hear how you’re approaching PBL with your students. Please share your ideas in the comments section.