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Научни трудове на Съюза на учените в България-Пловдив Серия A. Обществени науки, изкуство и култура том IV, ISSN 1311-9400 (Print); ISSN 2534-9368 (On-line), 2017, Scientific works of the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria-Plovdiv, seriesA. Public sciences, art and culture, Vol. IV, ISSN 1311-9400 (Print); ISSN 2534-9368 (On-line), 2017.
PROJECT BASED LEARNING IN SCHOOL PRACTICE
Zlatka Vakleva Plovdiv University "Paisii Hilendarski"
Abstract: The method of projects has long been applied in school practice, but in a relatively limited way. Recently scientists turn their attention again to this method and its capacity to correspond to the new educational requirements. Currently the project method has been revived again by the ideas of reformist education as a necessity for changes in the study process when working with students, and replacement of traditional teaching by new, innovative and interactive methods, an example of action oriented education. Keywords: project based learning, education reform
Introduction
Work on a project is not new in education and has become very popular nowadays. "Project-based training" or "Project-based learning" is the name of the mode of operation in the educational process using project work. Project based learning is a very good opportunity for learners to apply what they know into real life situations, to develop social skills. Work on projects is also an opportunity for the students to do something different and enjoyable.
The word project, in Latin "proiectus", is construed as conception, plan for the realisation of something, intention.
Historically, non-traditional pedagogy, which appeared in the late XIX th and the beginning of the XX-th century, confirmed the ideas of John Dewey for "democracy of education" and the need for "pragmatic pedagogy." J. Dewey's pedagogic system Dewey is the starting point for actively developed in our modern training methods - Problems and Project, which today are treated by many authors as a comprehensive concept for training. The greatest merit for the implementation of Dewey's ideas into practice is due to one of his close associates W.H. Kilpatrick (1952), who analyses The Project Method in detail. European representatives of non-traditional pedagogy also have a contribution in this direction, especially those in favour of the idea of "labour schools". The creators of this method of training present (M. Andreev, 1996) it as a comprehensive organization of education, whose main idea is learning by doing. Project based learning
The method of projects has long been applied in school practice, but in a relatively limited way. Recently scientists [11, 16] turn their attention again to this method and its capacity to correspond to the new educational requirements. In this respect, the research in Bulgaria of M. Andreev (1986), G. Bijkov (1994), L. Tsvetanova-Churukova (1994), L. Vitanov (1999) and. abroad P. Lobe (1985), V. Wessel (1992), F. Tsyulih (1992), D. Powell, M. Maklogning and E. Talbert (1993), S. Shapiro (1995), S. Barker and P. Elliott (2000), N. Matyash (2000) presents the essential characteristics of project-based learning.
Currently the project method has been revived again by the ideas of reformist education (S. Barker and P. Elliott, 2000; Wessel, V.- Lehrpfade - Lernpfade, 1992) as a necessity for changes in the study process when working with students, and replacement of traditional teaching by new,
innovative and interactive methods, (Lobe, P., 1985; Wessel, V.- Lehrpfade - Lernpfade, 1992; Westphal, J.,1992) an example of action oriented education. Projects are interpreted variously as:
♦ a versatile tool for exercising the mind and the development of thinking, creativity, development of independent activity and preparation of students for independent work activity; fusion of theory and practice in training;
♦ An approach whose goal is to find out which students individually or in groups can be assigned the responsibility for selecting, planning, execution and reporting of activities carried out or studied targets, thereby encouraging their targeted activity in the learning process. Work on a project incorporates best knowledge, skills and experience of real life into the overall system,
♦ a form of organisation of education, in which the students themselves undertake some projects and in the process of their execution acquire knowledge and habits;
♦ a system of individual training organization in which knowledge and skills are acquired in the process planning and execution of simpler to more complex assignments with vital practical importance".
School practice
The execution of projects is a very effective method. Through it the objectives and ideas for development of the trainees are converted into practical reality; Activity of the trainee, in the course of which under the guidance of the teacher are created material and spiritual values, representing a subjective or objective novelty; The project unlike the problem that exists in the minds of students in ideal form, in thoughts, is always directed towards the achievement of some utilitarian purpose. The stages in the development of learning projects are: determining the topic of the project in relation to current events or educational content, development of project plan, aimed at the formulated purpose; individual work or work in small groups, where certain educational techniques are brought to bear.
Requirements for the development of projects: S the project itself must extend not only to the application of already acquired knowledge and methods; S projects must be formed openly, so that the students could, in accordance with their problem-solving strategies, introduce innovations; S work on the project can be individual or group; S students endeavour to find the information necessary for the execution of the project by themselves; the teacher changes from lecturer-narrator into consultant-assistant; teachers discreetly guide the creative activity of students with advice, through the provision of materials; S the results of the design work are documented and evaluated by all participants.
Principles for selection of projects are: • the study problem to be developed should be chosen from life, should cover a variety of activities, augment individual development, lead to the solution of other educational problems, enable the improvement of educational techniques; • meet the social requirements; • develop good habits.
Requirements towards the teacher for the presentation of the project: it is necessary for the project to be written in the best possible format for reading,; the main points should be summarised in enclosed charts; the presentation should be made more interesting, using photos, drawings, maps, graphs, tables; the written material should be adapted for oral presentation; too, the time for presentation should be determined, as well as the intonation with which the presenter will emphasise the importance of some of the more significant moments; the presenter should also consider what questions the opponents may ask, and be prepared for response in the debates. Criteria for evaluation of the project are: 1/reasoned choice of topic, a practical focus of the project, importance of execution; 2/an adequate volume and completeness of development, all accepted stages of the project to be executed; autonomy, completion, painstaking preparation of presentation, material expression; 3/justified proposals for solutions, approaches, findings volume of bibliography; 4/a real and proven level of creativity, in all stages of work; 5/quality layout in accordance with standard requirements, the quality of the overall realisation, originality.
From the foregoing, we can sum up that the training through projects has the following characteristics: problems familiar to the children are solved, the process of training is characterized by openness, which allows for the transformation of knowledge on the part of students; requires internal motivation for successful realisation; points the attention of students to original objects and phenomena, which are examined and transformed; the development of the project engages the emotions, the will and intellect; work on the project pursues not only educational, but also training and developing objectives.
When the project is embedded in the learning process and has the already stated characteristics, then it becomes the so-called "concomitant learning".
Contemporary trends for the modernization of education, for combining theory with practice, for the formation not only of a system of knowledge, but also of skills of social value, raise the question about the place, role and importance of the method of projects in education. Nowadays this method is considered of great importance to England, France, USA and now the project is understood as a topic of study (research) in the context of didactic tasks (without opposing or eliminating the subject system of training).
Work on projects is now widely used, by itself or as an addition to the school curriculum. It is characterized by its active and pragmatic nature, realises the ideas of integrative education, learning through transfer and concomitant learning.
Based on the foregoing, we could summarise that the method of projects is an activity of a group of students (rarely of an individual student) for developing a project (on a given topic), in which independent research in the classroom is carried out. The main purpose of this activity is to link education more closely with life, to enable students to look for, process and assimilate knowledge, and find different ways to consider its practical application.
In specialised literature (P. Lobe, 1985; F. Tsyulih, 1992; S. Shapiro, 1995; Z. Vakleva, 2011) are examined various types of projects and possibilities for their application mainly in extracurricular and extramural forms of education and partly in-class lesson form. Recently the development of projects has become more widely used in WEB-based training.
Advantages of the method: it enables development of the whole personality, focusing on a number of student abilities: communicative; personal (thinking, imagination, curiosity, creative ambitions); social (ability for team work, self-discipline, tolerance to the opinion of others); literary-linguistic (description of ideas, improvising in the defence of the project); technological (visual memory, abstract-logical thinking). Carrying out projects, students learn to make decisions, assume responsibility. They become equal participants in joint activities with teachers, expand the sphere of their interests, form volitional qualities and sense of responsibility. Disadvantages: activities in project development require continued preparation, research, formatting and layout, and others. Conclusion
Undoubtedly project based learning can provide opportunities for multifaceted examination and variative solution for a number of problems of the ecological balance and sustainable development. Using the method in school practice will increase motivation and interest of students to the subject area.
Reference
Andreev, M. (1986). Integrative trends in education. Sofia, Public Education. Andreev, M. (1996). The process of education - Didactics. Sofia, "Sv. Cl. Ohridski". Barker, S. and P. Elliott. (2000). Adventures in environmental education. Sofia. Iskar. Bijkov, G. (1994) Education reform. Sofia, Education. Kilpatrick, W. H. (1951). Philosophy of Education. New York: Macmillan
Lobe, P. (1985). Example of informal environmental education focused on action. Perspectivas, XV, №4, pp. 661-666.
Matyash, N. (2000). Design method of teaching. Education, pp. 38-43.
Powell, D., M. Maklogning and E. Talbert. (1993). Construction of individual learning environment. Compas, Vol. 1-2, pp. 37-45.
Shapiro, S. (1995). Environmental education. Sofia, Open Education. Tsvetanova-Churukova, L. (1994). Non-traditional pedagogical approaches. Sofia, MP - SD. Tsyulih, F. (1992). Spaces for freedom and internal reforms in the school. Education, Vol. 10, pp. 37-44.
Vakleva, Z. (2011) Environmental education. Plovdiv, Macros. Vitanov, L. (1999) Productive strategies of learning. Sofia, Veda-Slovena. Wessel, V.- Lehrpfade - Lernpfade (1992). Ein Projektangebot. Biol. Schule. Vol. 9, pp. 296300.
Westphal, J. (1992). Jugendliche und Schule heute Uhterricht in der Sekundarstufe. Pedagogik und Schulalltag, vol. 4, pp. 406-415.
