PBL Resources

Read and annotated by Jane and Zena, these ten articles support both Dan Flockart's Fantasy Sports Math program and general project-based learning. Add to the list with more articles or websites. Keep the ball rolling!

Barr, J. (2006, December 9). Fantasy football adds up. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2680335. Fantasy sports math, begun by Dan Flockhart, inspires and engages at-risk students. Math based on fantasy football helps students --- even girls and nonathletic students --- to engage by giving meaning to the math that they are supposed to be learning. Schools have reported increases as high as 45% on standardized tests after using Flockhart's method. Links to videos included in article.

Botkin, B. (n.d.). Play ball -- and be smarter than a fifth grader. The Times Standard. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from Fantasy Sports Math.com: http://www.fantasysportsmath.com/pdf/TimesStandardArticle.pdf. Dan Flockhart's fantasy sports math methods are progressive, effective, and fun. Fantasy sports math uses the statistics from real teams. Students plug these stats into formulas and equations. Flockhart created the method to "narrow the gap between the haves and the have nots" and feels that every inner city school should be using his program.

Chen, C. (2008). Why do teachers not practice what they believe regarding technology integration? Journal of Educational Research, 102(1), 65-75. Retrieved October 30, 2009, from http://search.ebscohost.com. The teacher is the key factor in technology integration in the classroom. Three reasons contribute to the inconsistencies found in teachers’ expressed beliefs and practice. The Ministry of Education in Taiwan encourages teachers to utilize technology by providing technology-rich environments. Teachers’ beliefs impact their decision-making process in choosing technology for the classroom.

Clyde, L. (2005). Educational blogging. Teacher Librarian, 32(3), 43-45. Retrieved October 30, 2009, http://search.ebscohost.com. Blogs can aid teacher-librarians in scaffolding communication and research skills for learning. Blogs also provide structure in communication in the way they are organized with the most recent communication posted first. Blogs are currently used as learning projects for the classroom. The quality of the blog provider should be considered prior to project implementation.

Dyrud, M., Worley, R., & Flatley, M. (2005). Blogging for enhanced teaching and learning. Business Communication Quarterly, 68(1), 77-80. Retrieved October 30, 2009 from http://search.ebscohost.com. Blogs are considered a mainstream communication tool that is both trendy and functional. Writers may link to other sites to support ideas. Add-on tools such as audio posts are also popular ways to link material to blog sites. Blogs may facilitate the sharing of ideas amongst students and efficiently manage time spent creating a blog.

Gilbert, A. (2005). Blogging 101—Web logs go to school. CNET Online News. Retrieved October 30, 2009, from CNET website http://news.cnet.com/Blogging-101--Web-logs-go-to-school/2100-1032_3-5895779.html. Teacher Clarence Fisher will update his students’ blogs in addition to his regular grading tasks. Fisher believes that his classroom’s blogging project will engage the students. Blogs must overcome being viewed only as journals but rather as learning tools. Fisher has experienced responses to posts from people locally and as far as South America.

Halpern, D.F., Aronson, J., Reimer, N., Simpkins, S., Star, J.R., & Wentzel, K.(2007). Encouraging girls in math and science. IES Practice Guide. National Center for Education Research 2007-2003. Retrieved from Galileo. This research study reports that one recommendation for encouraging girls in math centers on "sparking and maintaining greater interest" in math by providing experiences and an atmosphere that develops interest. Activities that avoid gender stereotypes are beneficial. Project-based learning requiring group work and novel tasks promotes long-term interest. The study provides a checklist for activities that a teacher can implement in his classroom without first necessitating system-wide change.

Lonergan, M. (2007, Spring). The case for creativity in math education. Horace , 23 (2). Retrieved from Galileo. While seeking to make math classes relevant and more effective, Mark Lonergan's math department at Boston Arts Academy infuses creativity into cohesive projects that include the four Cs: content, connection, choices, and co-authorship. Students respond well and cease to ask how will they use the math in the real world. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from Galileo.

McPherson, K. (2006, November 27). Football scores big in classroom. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from Fantasy Sports Math.com: http://www.fantasysportsmath.com/pdf/FootballScoresBig.pdf. One student enthusiastically says regarding fantasy sports math that "it's better than math because it's less about math and more about the yardage." Students learn about math by engaging in formulas and equations with sports statistics. They do not have to know about a sport to play; students who are familiar with a sport serve as team captains.

Zawilinski, L. (2009). HOT blogging: A framework for blogging to promote higher order thinking. Reading Teacher, 62(8), 650-661. Retrieved October 30, 2009 from http://search.ebscohost.com. Blogging promotes Higher Order Thinking through a theoretical rationale that encourages students to approach technology autonomously. Blogs helps students to gather information to solve a problem. To begin a blog project involves a four-step process. Each step involves both traditional and higher order thinking levels.