Technology Supported Project Based Learning

Over the past few days, I have been thinking about the final topic or project I would like to develop for an intermediate/advanced ESL academic writing course. The learning objectives that students must meet were developed to facilitate the successful transition of international students into mainstream freshman composition and all other undergraduate general education courses. A few of the course objectives on which I would like to focus include:

1. Paraphrasing and summarizing ideas from texts using correct citation format
2. Integrating appropriate quotes into essays in order to support claims
3. Demonstrating the appropriate use of lexical items on Coxhead’s (2000) academic word list
4. Interpreting information from readings and other media to select and evaluate ideas for writing

There are three factors that need to be considered when approaching the implementation of PBL in this ESL course:

1. Students come into this writing course with no previous experience with the skills mentioned in the course objectives, so they are learning these skills as they progress through the course
2. I would have to implement PBL during the last half to last third of the course after students have been introduced to these skills and have had ample opportunity to practice them.
3. Content-based language learning is the preferred method of instruction so unit themes can be varied (This is a positive aspect . . . I think.)

One theme around which this project may revolve is discrimination and racism. I touched on this theme briefly in Ed Tech 502 but I would like to develop it into something with more substance. I thought this topic might be relevant because of random conversations among some of my students, my own interactions with friends who were brought up in other countries, and anecdotes from other ESL instructors. It seems that many international students

1. have a very cursory understanding about discrimination and racism in general
2. believe that discrimination and racism is a problem unique to the U.S.
3. believe that there is no discrimination and racism in their own cultures.

A second theme I am considering is academic integrity/plagiarism and intellectual property. I thought this might be relevant as this issue is an already major concern in institutions of higher education across the U.S.

I am not sure what the final project would be in either case; however, I do know that whatever it is will be used in conjunction with the final exam in the course, so this is an additional factor I would have to consider.