Teaching Adults Through Projects

Workforce Center Benefits From Project-Based Learning

Last summer, I agreed to participate in Project IDEA. Through my participation in this professional development opportunity, I have acquired insight about project-based learning (PBL), the instruction of adults, and my own instructional practice.

Initially, I was skeptical about participating in Project IDEA and project-based instruction. I thought my students would not be willing to stray from upgrading their basic skills or their GED goals. I could hear the litany in my mind, "All I need is my math to finish my GED and then I can get a job." With the support and guidance provided by Project IDEA, I was able to introduce the project concept to my students. Right away, the students and I brainstormed a mini-project - a Halloween party for the students and their children. Our mini-project was a great way to get the students into the project mode.

It was during the planning of the Halloween party that my students decided on their next project. On October 12, 1999, our county was stricken with tragedy when three local lawmen were killed in an ambush outside the city limits of Pleasanton, Texas. The horror of the event was a shock to the entire community. Students in my multilevel ABE/GED decided they would create a mural highlighting the community they live in and paying tribute to the officers slain in the line of duty.

Students are shown with the mural they created in tribute to slain law enforcement officers.

• Students created a mural highlighting their community and as a tribute to honor law officers killed in the line of duty.
• They were able to unveil the mural at an Open House which they helped plan and host.
• They presented color photos of the mural to the wives of the fallen officers.
• Students gained knowledge and experience in various areas, but the most impressive gain was in their self-esteem. Many of the students commented that they finally felt like they were part of something special and meaningful.

Upon completion of the project, the mural was publicly unveiled at an Open House held in our learning center. As a result of publicity from that day's events, my students were approached about helping put together an area job fair. This provided my class with a new project to work on right away.

• Working in cooperation with the Texas Workforce Center and the Texas Department of Human Services, students helped organize a local job fair.
• The students created and implemented a phone script and survey to contact and recruit local businesses interested in taking part in the job fair.
• Students designed the registration package for the Job Fair, which included an information letter, an agenda, and a registration form.
• Before the Job Fair, students helped by stuffing bags with promotional items and brochures for distribution to job seekers and employers.
• During the Job Fair, the students helped direct the job seeker to appropriate areas and served as "gofers" to the employers.

Both projects were huge triumphs for my class, and helped me realize the potential of project-based learning to better serve adult students of our Texas Workforce Center.

Everyone benefits from using PBL in the workforce center classroom, as they would in any setting. As an instructor, I have learned that my participation in professional development activities like Project IDEA provides a model of lifelong learning for my students. I have also improved my computer skills by incorporating a computer literacy segment into our projects and introducing students to particular application programs. I now know that in order to optimize learning, I must balance instructional techniques and hands-on experiences. This is exactly what PBL encourages. Additionally, I realize that reflection is a key component of learning. After each lesson, my students and I should reflect on the following: How did the lesson turn out? Was it successful? What could be made better? Because of my participation in Project IDEA, I am now incorporating reflection into my class as an essential part of each lesson.

In addition to advancing my professional practice, my students also benefited greatly from PBL. Through participating in the mural project and the job fair, they gained knowledge and skills in:

• Visual, written, and verbal communication;
• Teamwork reaching and implementing consensus;
• Planning, production, and dedication to a project;
• Computer knowledge and skills;
• Research tools and techniques;
• Public relations, professionalism in appearance, and speaking skills; and
• Time management and event planning.

As an added bonus, my sponsoring program also benefits from PBL by having an instructor with more experience, knowledge, and a broader range of instructional techniques in my repertoire. Now I can serve as a resource to other instructors in my area who may be interested in incorporating a project-based curriculum into their practice. It also follows that if we can increase student's motivation through project-based learning, then our attendance and retention will reflect these positive influences.

Other benefits to my workforce class were:

• Students were empowered by dealing with an issue that was important to them.
• Students gained valuable skills through hands-on experiences.
• Individuals with limited work experience developed new skills or discovered talents they never knew they possessed.
• Participants had the opportunity to see the world of work from an employer's point of view. As a result, they better understood what an employer would be looking for in a prospective employee.

What learning adventures will our next project provide? I excitedly wait to see what will develop!

Irene E. Ramos is an Adult Education Instructor and teaches a TANF class at the Texas Workforce Center in Pleasanton, Texas. She has worked with Employment and Training (JTPA/WIA) and Adult Instruction for ten years. Most recently she has been facilitating staff development training as an ABEPDC Trainer for Educational Service Center Region 20. Irene received her associate's degree from Palo Alto College and a bachelor's degree in Education from Our Lady of the Lake University. Both institutions are located in San Antonio, Texas. Irene is an advocate of art in education and has studied Visual Communications and Fine Arts at various institutions around the state of Texas including Corpus Christi State University (now A&M), San Antonio College and The Art Institute of Houston. Beyond her love of art, Irene's interests include toy collecting, baking, herb gardening, candle making and being a Girl Scout leader. She has two daughters (Xoe, 10 and Azure, 8) and one son (Tristan 18 months). She gets much support and understanding from her wonderful husband, Ed, who is an artist, sculptor and dreamer.