Supporting Students' Sense-Making of Science Phenomena Using Multiple Literacies Project-Based Learning (ML-PBL)

• In Event: Teacher Change of Practice Across Contexts: Case Studies of Large-Scale Project-Based Science Curriculum Enactment

Abstract

Objective and Significance. Mr. Starr is an elementary school teacher in a mid-sized district. In this study, we reflected on his teaching trajectory by considering his use of multiple literacies project-based learning (ML-PBL) practices in his 3rd grade science classroom across three units of instruction. We focused on the question: ‘’How did Mr. Starr use ML-PBL practices in order to support students’ sensemaking and figuring out of a scientific phenomenon?’’ We provide insights for elementary teachers and researchers about how practical and feasible the use of ML-PBL practices are when supporting students’ sense making process.

Theoretical Framework. Project-based learning is an experiential, student-centered and inquiry-based learning approach to education. It supports students’ deeper and meaningful understanding of a phenomenon by providing students with an active exploration environment and real-world problems (Krajcik & Shin, 2014). We addressed science learning and teaching to provide students opportunities to engage in driving questions, have multimodal experiences, and discourse with other students.

Method and Data Sources. The study is a qualitative case study in nature. We used interviews with Mr. Starr, observations of his 3rd grade science classroom, and student work. In the analysis, we used anecdotes and quotes from his science classes. By focusing on different units during the school year, we present Mr. Starr’s maturation in relation to his ML-PBL experience.

Results. To explore Mr. Starr’s use of ML-PBL to support students’ sense making process, we focused on three different practices of project-based learning. First, he used a variety of driving questions from the squirrel to the bird unit throughout the year. By using driving questions like “How can we help the birds near our school grow up and thrive?”, Mr. Starr helped his students find the meaning and relevance of the phenomena and sparked their wonderment about the world. Since Mr. Starr’s driving and follow-up guiding questions connected to students’ real-world experiences, ideas, and observations, students’ voices and perspectives became prominent. Secondly, Mr. Starr used a variety of representations, such as multimodal texts like visuals, diagrams, videos and models to support his students’ sense making. He used representations as sources of evidence to help students back up their claims about a phenomenon. Mr. Starr also included mathematical literacy into his science classes by using multimodal texts which support their multiple literacies. By engaging with a set of multimodal experiences, they looked for evidence, observed and investigated different science phenomena across the units. Finally, Mr. Starr used discourse moves to cultivate students’ engagement to provide an interactive and collaborative learning environment. He helped his students to clarify their thinking, deepen their reasoning, and make students’ ideas public. These moves allow Mr.Starr to enrich opportunities for students to reason and express their thinking. Mr. Starr’s discourse moves act as an initiator for students for expressing their ideas and finding their own voices. These moves represent Mr. Starr’s teaching and facilitating trajectory but also show how students take ownership for their ideas, figure out the world around them, and exercise their sense of agency.

Author

• Selin Akgun, Michigan State University