PBL Report No 1Project-based learning is a dynamic classroom approach in which students actively explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire deeper knowledge. During the project they develop the following “soft” skills:

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Collaboration across Networks and Leading by Influence Agility and Adaptability Initiative and Entrepreneurialism Effective Oral and Written Communication Accessing and Analysing Information Curiosity and Imagination

Our first PBL project in Science, “Heart to Heart”, with Year 10 students was in Term 3, 2014. Our Science teachers worked in collaboration with the PBL team to develop the project program over a term in term 2. Under the topic, “Biotechnology’, the Science teachers wanted to work on a mini-campaign to raise awareness of the lack of organ donation within our country. The students’ final product was a poster to educate the public about organs that are currently being transplanted, and also to explore innovative practices around the globe.

We liaised with Transplant Australia to have a heart recipient come to talk about his transplant experience as our “hook” event. Geoff Bromley was absolutely fantastic! Students were inspired by his story to start their journey of learning full of excitement.

The posters had to be accompanied by a fact-sheet, in which they had to have the following information:

1. Organ transplant process2. Identify conditions that would require the need for an organ transplant3. Benefits and problems of organ transplantation4. Future direction of organ transplant5. Bibliography

At the exhibition students had to present their posters and the fact-sheets then tell the audience the following:

Explain the design choices of their poster, present the information on the factsheet Present the information on the fact-sheet Discuss social and ethical considerations Explain how this learning had shaped their opinion Describe wht aspects of PBL they liked, found interesting and challenging

This is the link to the article that was written about it at the time: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/south-west/st-johns-park-high-students-design-organ-donation-posters-so-good-theyre-being-used-in-hospitals/story-fngr8hxh-1227063001031

Here is a list of few things that students had to say about the experience:

“Found the research interesting” “Having many teachers in the room was a positive” “Special guest was interesting: real-world connection made the project exciting” “’Changed our minds’” about our attitude for donating “Working in a group to have more than one brain working on it AND share the responsibility of the project” “Being able to learn at your own pace in your group rather than feeling like the only one not to know” “Being able to talk about the challenges with your group was helpful” “Public presentation of our final products was good” “Conducting our research in the language that we understood (previously learnt from textbooks which was quite

difficult) was a plus” “Expanded our knowledge beyond prescribed content: ICT skills, Research skills, etc” “Liked how interactive it was” “Learning things at our own pace as the need arose was good” “Having the freedom in choosing which ICT software to use to complete the assessment task was great!”

Our first PBL project was a great success and our students’ work was truly inspiring!