These are the slides that I used for my presentation at the 2012 AATE conference. My presentation title is 'PBL: Is asking questions the answer?'

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8

5. THE BASICS

6. SIGNIFICANT
CONTENT

7. STUDENT
VOICE
& CHOICE

8. DRIVING
QUESTION

9. NEED TO KNOW

10. IN-DEPTH
INQUIRY

11. 21stCENTURY SKILLS

12. REVISION &
REFLECTION

13. PRESENTATION:
REAL-WORLD AUDIENCE

14. ASSESSMENT:
AS LEARNING
OF LEARNING
FOR LEARNING
(p.184 English K-10 Syllabus)

17. • plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts,
selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and
audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)
• plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing
appropriate content, including multimodal elements, to reflect a
diversity of viewpoints (ACEY1720, ACEY1731)
• use and reflect on metacognitive processes used for planning, including
brainstorming, mindmapping, storyboarding, role-play and
improvisation(EN4-9E)
• identify, plan and prioritise stages of tasks, making use if organisational
strategies such as drawing up a schedule, monitoring progress and
meeting deadlines (EN4-9E)
• understand the roles and responsibilties of individuals in groups,
performing an allocated role responsibly in a group and assessing the
success of individual and collaborative processes (EN4-9E)

18. The personal and social capability involves students
in a range of practices including recognising and
regulating emotions, developing empathy for and
understanding of others, establishing positive
relationships, making responsible decisions,
working effectively in teams and handling
challenging situations constructively.
The Australian Curriculum: English assists students to develop the
skills necessary to investigate, analyse and communicate ideas and
information related to sustainability, and to advocate, generate
and evaluate actions for sustainable futures.

19. OUR SHITTY WORLD

20. CREATORS OF KNOWLEDGE
=
OWNERS OF KNOWLEDGE

21. The HSC is a blunt
instrument ...
… and we are all being beaten to
death by it one mindless, pre-
prepared essay at a time.

22. I have enjoyed the fact that this project based learning seems to unite more the work done
in class and the work done at home. Especially when done with Edmodo, and in groups, the
classes and homework become less separate. Without this it is very much learning the
information at school and then working on something with that information at home to get a
good mark, whereas the project-based learning sort of unites these two better together, as
its all just working together with the class to create or finish something.
Has it challenged me to think differently as a learner or about English. I would have to say
probably not, but I don't think this is the fault of the project-based learning but rather the
fault of the way that teachers are required to teach in school. It seems to me that school is
completely driven by the HSC test at the end of the year. Far less do you hear a teacher say
"this is interesting to know" than you hear "you will need to know this for the HSC".
Since everything is focused around this test that gets you into university or tafe or whatever, I
don't really think you consider yourself as a 'learner' at school but rather as going through a
year of obstacles, that if you achieve well in, you will later be able to do the important
learning at university or tafe or wherever. Since school is run by the HSC people view school
as a means to get to a place where you learn, not as a place where you learn. So I don't think
under this that project based learning can change the way I think as a learner, because the
goal of school is only to get somewhere else, not to learn. This is in my opinion :P However I
would say that this is not true all the time :P

23. PBL = BOREDOM KILLER

25. PROJECT
OUTLINES

29. creative

30. lack of team-work skills from students
frustration of students
lack of research skills in students
passive learners
parents: is my child learning?
resistance from students frustration with systems

32. • EDUTOPIA:
http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-
learning
• BUCK INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION:
http://www.bie.org/
• PBL ONLINE:
http://pbl-online.org/
• BIE edmodo community

33. • edmodo:
http://davidson.edmodo.com/biancahewes
PBL 1001:
http://edmodo.com/join/a17ea1051863097ab6f
84afadc821b71
http://www.edmodo.com/publisher/biepbl
• twitter:
#pblchat on twitter
@biancah80 @betamiller @newtechnetwork
@edutopia @biepbl @suzieboss @gingerlewman

34. • blogs:
http://www.andrewkmiller.com/
http://deangroom.wordpress.com/
www.biancahewes.wordpress.com
http://reinventingpbl.blogspot.com/
http://shelleywright.wordpress.com/
http://biepbl.blogspot.com/

36. Year 8
Poetry – narrative poetry:
DQ: ‘Can storytellers change how we see the
world? ’
Product: Collaborative poem. Individual
monologue.
Audience:Present poems to class & year group.

37. Year 8
Shakespeare – A Midsummer Night’s Dream:
DQ: ‘What is true happiness?’
Product: 60 second Shakespeare skit.
Class documentary.
Audience: Family and friends.

39. Year 9
Poetry – protest poetry:
DQ: ‘Can people use their voices to bring about
positive change?’
Product: Collection of protest poems.
Audience: Published collection online: "Poems for
the Silenced." Selected poems published in
OzTeacher magazine.

40. Year 9
Literature Circles
DQ: What makes a book a ‘good read’?
Product:
Book trailer.
Audience: Online – book trailer uploaded to
YouTube.

42. Year 9
Passion Project: Cause We Care
DQ: How can we raise awareness In our local
community about a charity or cause we feel
passionately about?
Product: make posters, a documentary, a short
film, a PowerPoint, a prezi, a blog, a website,
social media campaign (etc.) to raise
awareness for cause/community
Audience:Online and news media coverage.

45. Year 10
Poetry:
DQ: ‘Can Cyborgs Write Poetry?’
Product:
Own poem conveying response to DQ.
Video representation of poem.
Audience:Online - video uploaded to YouTube.

47. Year 10
Poetry:
DQ: ‘Why do emos write poetry?’
Product:
Critical essay on two poems.
Collaborative podcast.
Audience:Present podcasts to guest expert Craig
Schuftan (author and producer at Triple J).

49. Year 10
Novel: Catcher in the Rye
DQ: 'Can stories help young people in the 21st
century develop resilience?’
Product:
Anthology of short stories published as an
eBook.
Audience:Book launch with family & friends.

51. Year 10
Shakespeare – Macbeth:
DQ: ‘Is the tragedy of Macbeth relevant today?’
Product:
Entry into a promotional poster design
competition.
Audience:Posters displayed in the library.

54. Year 10
AOS: Individual and Authority:
DQ: ‘How can we make a film for an online
community to change people's view on
individuals and authority?’
Product:
Short film.
Audience:Class film-fest and selected films
uploaded to YouTube.

56. Year 12 – EE1
Creative writing – Romanticism:
DQ:
‘Should artists challenge the ways of thinki
ng of their contemporaries?’
Product: Collaborative novella.
Audience: Published online as an eBook.

58. Year 12 – EE1
Critical composition & representation:
DQ:
‘How can we make a website that helps Year
12 students ace the EE1 elective 'Romanticism
'?’
Product: Build a website as a team.
Audience: Website launch with special guests – Prof
Will Christie, Dr Jen Scott Curwood, pre-service
English teachers and family.