PBL Driving Question
Driving Question
What are the Elements of a Successful Performance?
This week I examined several other PBLs before looking at writing a driving question and he sub questions for the week. Again I notice many parallels between PBL units and MYP (Middle Years Program) method of instruction. In fact all of the units I have created for my primary teaching website (www.music2theworld.net) have what are effectively driving questions and subquestions supporting them.
The main shift in my driving question this week is that I chose to add in the word ‘successful.’ Success is a relative term but I believe it’s important when doing a project of this scale for each individual to define and achieve a sense of success. In order to do that conditions for success must first be determined. Students will be encouraged to look at personal success, success as a team, and the success of the entire project. The conditions they decide upon will undoubtedly be based in their research and their individual tasks as team members and individuals. Hopefully, as students examine their own success they will develop a sense of purpose and drive that will, in turn, result in an incredible performance experience for everyone.
Here are some specific bullet points given his week for good driving questions and how I believe my driving question meets them:
- Driving Questions are Open-ended
There are many answers to the question of what makes a successful performance and what ‘performance’ really means so i would qualify this question as open ended. - Driving Questions are Provocative
I think the most provocative portion of my question is the word ‘successful’ because it implies that a performance can be unsuccessful and gives students an opening to the idea of defining for themselves what success is. It also asks what ‘performance’ is (implicitly [and explicitly in the sub questions]) which is another provocative thought for students to consider. - Driving Questions get at the Heart of a Subject Area
Music is known as a performing art so understanding performance, the traditions behind it, and how to create one tackles the heart of music as a subject. - Driving Questions are Challenging
It takes careful consideration, research, and collaboration to determine the elements, the meaning of success, and the many types and traditions of performances. These are challenging considerations that require research, collaboration, and decisive action to answer with any clarity. - Driving Questions need to Interest Students
I believe the shared goal of a performance will interest students in exploring what a performance is and the variety of performances found throughout the world. I believe the element of defining success will also help engage students in his PBL. - Driving Questions are consistent with Standards
The exploration of performance is a key standard in the MENC and the ‘success’ students will need to achieve will encourage them to utilize technology and approach 21st Century Learning Goals advocated in the driving question and the sub questions.
Sub- Questions
The subquestions I wrote not only support the driving question above, they are also divided into three distinct parts. The first part asks students to consider the performance practice aspect of the PBL (1-4). The second addresses the individual and their place in the larger context of their group and the project (5-8). Through completing my visual map of the project I found that question 8 actually fits into question group 2 and 3. Please see the project map for further details. The third question group deals with technical and technological aspects of putting on a successful concert (8-10). Many other questions could be asked about how this project will play out but these questions are meant to lead to others that will also need to be answered for this project to succeed. My hope is that all of these questions will set students down the right path and lead them to ask further about themselves, their place in the group, and what it means to perform. Once students have successfully answered these questions it is very likely they will have a well reasoned answer to the driving question itself.
- What is performance practice?
- How does performance practice vary and stay the same across time, place, and culture?
- In what ways can we show respect for and avoid disrespect of people from various performance traditions?
- What are some of the practical limiting factors of putting on a concert from the culture, place, and/or time period we are considering?
- What are some of the jobs that must be completed in order to have a successful performance?
- What skills or interests do I have that might be useful to the success of the performance?
- What are my team’s goals and how do they align with the success of our performance?
- What are my responsibilities to my team and how can I help others contribute to the success of our common goals?
- How can technology help me collaborate with my peers and help us achieve our common goals?
- Is there technological equipment, knowledge or skills that I would like to acquire or improve upon in order to aid in the success of our performance and how do I acquire them?
