Phenomenon-Based Learning

Holistic approach to real-life topicshttp://ilmiopohjaisuus.ning.com/group/

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Esko Lius 24th August 2014, Prevallë KosovoKosovo Twinning project, CC-BY, esko@lius.fi

Phenomenon-Based Learning

• combines project-based learning andinquiry-based learning

• curriculum area collaboration• authentic, meaningful contexts• usually extends beyond the ordinary formal

learning environment towards the community

Phenomenon-Based Learning

• Not about teaching • Not about certain curriculum contexts

• About learning something that is important to students, individually

Case: “Welfare State”

• Upper secondary phenomenon-based topic• Not a ready-designed “course” as such• In this case mostly online• The student’s approaches are very personal

and differ from each otherwill give study credits to subjects / curriculum topics

that are present in that particular learning processaffects assessment

• A topic that has a personal relation to every student (in Finland)

Case: “Welfare State”

The crew• two teacher-tutors giving individual support• variety of upper secondary teachers

(according to needs)• two external experts (sociologists)• other external resources that students found

along their studies

Preparations

No content / learning material / detailed study plan

1. Primers for “Welfare State”

2. Reflect on these and discuss online

• What is a “welfare state”? What do you regard as welfare, and what is the role of the state in it?

• What emotions or thoughts did the primers bring to your mind? or: What is a particularly important theme of the welfare state for you?

• Formulate one question about welfare state that you’d like to know more about.

…processing the topic…

• concepts • own take on the subject– different teacher resources involved to help in

different project works• discussing and sharing the process online• assessment– self-assessment– peer-assessment– teacher-assessment– credits: eg. 60% sociology, 20% history, etc.

“Single-parenthoodIn Finland”

”Apartment prices appear to change according to waves”

”Design as aComponent ofWelfare State”

Learning outcome shared in online-PLE

Peer discussion andpeer assessment

Learning outcomes

• Students were very motivated• Fear for open social media use was overcome• Helping students in technical issues/questions

kept us busy until we learned to help them to help each other

• Requires more guidance and resources than ordinary teacher-talk method

• Suits distance-learning well• Generated deep and meaningful learning