e-Learning Ecologies MOOC’s Updates

Project-based learning in teacher education

I believe active knowledge making is feasible and desirable. However, it is something we need to get used to. Maybe because historically we have been knowledge consumers, it is difficult for us to articulate ideas and become knowledge producers. This is not only a fact in general education, but also in teacher education, which does reflect what takes place in education in general. And this is a pity! But it is also possible to change the focus from knowledge consumption to production though it is a long-term change. After all, as mentioned in the second video, we need to build up habits...and that does take time.

One possible way of doing so is through the use of Project-based learning, which, for me is a way of building up learning as having as an output an artifact which was achieved as part of a long-term assignment for which some kind of research was conducted. I have had the experience of using project-based learning in teacher education, in which in-service and pre-service English teachers got together and designed classes, discussed them after they took place and kept preparing other classes. There was continuous collaboration and projects were developed throughout the process. That way, the traditional model of teacher education was redesigned, considering the shift in focus: from knowledge consumers to producers.

  • Ajitha Nayar