ERIC Number: EJ722720
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004-Oct
Pages: 3
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0887-2376
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Creative Projects Stimulate Classroom Learning
Wilson, Staci
Science Scope, v28 n2 p41-43 Oct 2004
In a perfect world, what would a good classroom strategy look like? It would have to work for any teacher at any grade level in any discipline; be backed by current research in learning theory; be elegant and simple to facilitate but differentiate for each student; be cost effective but use a diverse selection of materials; and be active and promote inquiry. Students would be responsible for their own path to learning. They would teach and assess each other, and they would produce original, creative products. Incorporating student projects in the curriculum is one way of achieving these goals. Classroom projects are original pieces of student work that may be in the form of art, writing, models, experiments, and various other creative outlets. Projects created and presented by students, based on units being studied, stimulate learning and give students the opportunity to follow their own interests. Brain-based learning theories uphold that classrooms that are noisy, active environments where students are engaged in individual learning paths can be conducive to students learning at high levels. With projects, students choose their own path to learning by creating original products that will be shared and displayed for others to learn from them. Students take ownership in their learning by creating products that are designed with their own individual interests, talents, and learning styles in mind. Brain-based research also suggests that when students teach what they have learned, they use their whole brain to do it, which makes long-term storage and retrieval of information more efficient.
Descriptors: Teaching Methods, Student Projects, Learning Theories, Student Interests, Student Evaluation, Educational Technology, Units of Study, Science Education, Brain, Long Term Memory
National Science Teachers Association, 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000. Tel: 800-722-6782 (Toll Free); Web site: http://www.nsta.org.
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Middle Schools
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A