I wonder how much the SITE model has been considered in the development of Project Based Learning. It seems that the two are complementary to one another, though I’ve yet to find PBL literature that explicitly mentions SITE. The goal of building “transfer knowledge”, in particular, is the goal of the deeper learning for which PBL strives. In accordance with the SITE model, this transferrable knowledge can only be built when it’s taught within an appropriate social context.
Transfer Knowledge
My concern with transferrable knowledge is of particular importance to me, maybe for an unexpected reason: Since I have begun teaching in a PBL-format, I feel that my students are less and less prepared for standardized tests. That is not to say that their learning isn’t real, but anyone from outside my classroom could point to student test scores and wonder what it is we’ve been doing all year. What’s worse, after three years of PBL, they view CAASPP tests as exercises in failure, boredom, and humiliation. They might be able to transfer their knowledge to other real-world applications, but not the CAASPP test.
A Hard Lesson from CAASPP
Take this example: In November of last year, my students were well into the throes of an informational reading and writing unit. They had demonstrated (as documented in my action research) an increased ability to cite textual evidence, elaborate on its importance, and read closely for details. However, when I looked over their shoulders during our November interim assessment, I noticed that hardly any of my students realized that the type of reading and writing they had been doing, was exactly what the CAASPP was asking them to do. They had spent a month researching and writing explanatory responses for a month, but when asked to do it with a new piece of reading material (and in a text-response box), they froze. This would indicate that, despite our progress as a whole, their knowledge might be considered “inert”. Further, it suggests the importance of giving students practice questions in the CAASPP format, and showing them the connections between their PBL unit and the standards assessed on exam.
Application and Aspirations in My Classroom
I attended a PL day in January of this year, focused on Rigorous PBL as understood by Michael McDowell. He conducted his PhD coursework with John Hattie, and had some enlightening reframing of how the PBL process should look, in order to clarify learning goals and ensure real transfer. One of the key components he addressed was that of accurate peer feedback, which research shows can have a powerful impact on learning. When that peer feedback cycle is created, it builds a social context like that emphasized in the SITE model. This element is one I want to utilize in my classroom as I continue trying to make standards clear- and clearly achievable- within the context of PBL. I also see the value, now, in explicitly showing my students how to transfer their knowledge between contexts.