Year 9 Project Based Learning

The importance of working in groups

One of the key requirements of Project Based Learning is that we work in groups.

Studies in education have shown that when working interactively with others, students learn to inquire, share ideas, clarify differences, problem-solve, and construct new understandings. Studies also show that students working together are more motivated to achieve than they would be when working individually. Thus, group work might serve as an incentive for learning, in terms of both academic knowledge and interpersonal skills.

At St Johns we want students who are motivated to learn and who are engaged in the process of learning and we believe that group work is the best way to do this.

At the moment, year 9 students are engaged in different projects. The Journey project looks at the issue of Refugees and the resources available to them in the Dandenong region and how to best increase people’s awareness and compassion to help them adapt to a new culture.

In the Future of Energy unit, students are Students must create a solution for a more energy-efficient home which, in reducing how much energy is used, can promote a more sustainable future. They must design an energy-efficient house and prove through an experiment that the house design can reduce the amount of energy needed to keep it warm or cool.

In the Future of food unit, students investigate how biomes have been altered and used by humans for agriculture. Students consider the sustainability of our agricultural practices whilst also exploring the need for increasing food production to feed a growing global population. Using what they have learned, students must develop a plan to more sustainably manage our biomes whilst also lifting food production.

Finally in the Outdoor World unit, students look at the conflict between our increased use of technology and its impact on reducing Physical activity in the population. They then look at possible solutions to the problem and aim to create an intervention to bring about awareness and change as a result.

All these projects require group work and collaboration as a key skill to be learned. As we continue our journey through 2021 we are becoming more aware of how the future of society is underpinned by our ability to collaborate with one another and learn to find our common ground. Project Based Learning is one way to do this that is effective and will give us a great foundation to solve the problems of the 21st century