Large unit teaching, project based learning, thematic learning, interdisciplinary learning and other

Mondo Education Updated on 2024-03-07

δΈ¨"Beijing Normal University Project Learning" WeChat***Share:|Sang Guoyuan is a professor and doctoral supervisor of the Institute of Curriculum and Instruction, Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University.

Reading guide:

We can try to use the two-dimensional classification method to distinguish the concepts of project-based learning, subject practice, large-unit teaching, large-concept teaching, learning task group, interdisciplinary learning, thematic learning, STEM, integrated practical activities, and research-based learning from the content dimension and method dimension.

Project-based learning

Project-based learning can be understood as a new concept and new way of teaching and learning - in this process, students face challenging project tasks from the real world with the help of teachers, carry out a certain period of cooperative learning, complete project results, and obtain the coordinated development of knowledge, ability and literacy. Project-based learning encourages students to solve real, complex problems and gain knowledge and skills from them. Project-based learning is a comprehensive learning method based on and beyond disciplines, a learning method that is closely related to the real world and the reality of life, and a deep learning process that aims to transform the living space of human beings.

Discipline Practice

Discipline practice is a term widely mentioned in the new curriculum standards, but in fact, long before the new curriculum standards, similar topics of subject practice were proposed in the language unified textbooks, called comprehensive learning, such as the creation of poetry collections. Discipline practice refers to a big concept, as long as you do discipline-related activities, such as performance, investigation, design, including knowledge application, etc., it may belong to discipline practice activities. In other words, we can practice the subject in a variety of learning styles.

Large-unit teaching

If you dig deeper into the definition of the large unit itself, you will find that the large unit includes both natural units and the integration of natural units that are re-refined according to the theme. Therefore, "big" itself is a relative concept, sometimes it is for a certain unit to carry out teaching design, and sometimes it is necessary to integrate similar units to form a large unit. This is for "content". What are the methods that can be used to implement large units? Project-based learning, theme-based learning, task-based teaching in English, and our traditional teaching methods can all be applied to large unit teaching.

Teaching big concepts

The big concept corresponds to the big concept, which can also be understood as the big idea, the big theme, the big idea. Professor Cui pointed out that the big concept is the appropriate "main road" in the brain, guiding students to think like an expert, and if literacy is embodied in "doing", then the big concept is the "thinking" of the brain. Only when you think right, can you do it right. The process of constructing a large unit, which we just talked about, is actually looking for big concepts, big themes, and big ideas.

Learning task groups

Learning task clusters are for "content", which is a language-specific concept and a large unit concept. So what methods can be used to implement the learning task groups proposed in the new curriculum standards? Project-based learning is one of these methods.

Interdisciplinary learning

Interdisciplinary learning is an idea, neither a "content" nor a specific "method". Or, it's both "content" and "method". Nowadays, the establishment of so many disciplines has been gradually separated with the development of society and the progress of the times. Why is interdisciplinarity being advocated again? Because our disciplines are fragmented and fragmented, we need to have interdisciplinary literacy and ability in the process of solving problems.

Thematic learning

The "content" and "method" of thematic learning are available. Why? First, from the perspective of "content", it also emphasizes a big concept, such as the theme case of the traditional culture of the 24 solar terms that is often seen in thematic learning. Second, from the perspective of "method", some scholars have also proposed some specific methods, which are similar to the process of project-based learning, such as design, investigation, display, and so on. Therefore, thematic learning has now developed into a kind of learning that emphasizes both "content" and "method".

What are the similarities and differences between Theme-Based Learning and PBL? What they all have in common is that they both emphasize the process and that they all emphasize learning around a topic or a task. The difference between them is that project-based learning places more emphasis on solving a real-life problem.

stem

STEM includes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, all of which are related to creation, invention, design, and production, so STEM is the easiest to combine with PBL. For example, make a cultural and creative product with a beautiful design that reflects the characteristics of the school. However, in reality, many schools still do not follow the logic of PBL, and do not produce final results.

Integrated practical activities

Many teachers still have a vague concept of integrated practical activities. In 2017, the Ministry of Education promulgated the curriculum guidelines for comprehensive practical activities in primary and secondary schools, proposing that comprehensive practical activities are based on the real life and development needs of students, find problems from life situations, and transform them into activity themes. Through the means of **, service, production, experience, etc., the interdisciplinary practical courses that cultivate students' comprehensive quality. There is a reference to both interdisciplinarity and practicality.

From the above**, it can be seen that there are a large number of project-based learning themes in different grades in the process of carrying out different comprehensive practical activities. Therefore, project-based learning can be an important starting point for the implementation of integrated practical activity courses.

Research-based learning

Research-based learning is a part of the comprehensive practical activities section of high school, which includes project research and project design, which is divided into three organizational forms: group cooperative research, individual independent research, and a combination of individual research and whole-class research. Reading cured my mental exhaustion

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