David Hutchison is a cross-appointed Professor in the Department of Teacher Education and the Department of Digital Humanities, where he serves as Director.
Project-based learning is a major focus of his teaching and scholarship. Hutchison applies project-based learning to many of the courses he teaches, recognizing its value in promoting 21st century habits of mind (e.g., collaboration and critical thinking). He also spearheads the Brock University Design Studio (BUDS) (brocku.ca/buds) that brings teams of students together from different Brock programs to collaborate on projects.
Hutchison provides the following definition for project-based learning: “Project-based learning empowers learners to collaborate in teams, mentored by their teachers, as they research real-world questions, pose solutions to real-world problems, and design real-world products in a rigorous way.”
Hutchison advocates scaffolding project-based learning through all levels of education (K – 20). “Students in elementary and high school are doing more and more project-based learning,” he says. “These students come to university and they expect to find project-based learning opportunities in their university programs.”
With support from his Chancellor’s Chair grant, Hutchison launched the EduProject website (eduproject.org) which fosters wide dialogue and information sharing about project-based learning across the teaching and scholarship communities. The website is a knowledge mobilization portal for project-based learning at the elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels. It features monographs by practitioners and researchers; links to professional development resources and open access research studies; a selection of videos with discussion questions; and an Amazon-powered project-based learning bookstore. Hutchison’s recently released handbook on project-based learning is also available for free download at the website.
In addition to holding a Chancellor’s Chair, Hutchison was recognized in 2016 for his inventive approach to teaching through project-based learning with a Brightspace Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning from the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, the same organization that awards the prestigious 3M Teaching Fellowship. He is the first Brock professor to receive the Brightspace award. Hutchison was also awarded the Faculty of Education Teaching Award in 2013.
READ MORE ABOUT DR. hutchison IN BROCK NEWS:
Hutchison to be honoured with Distinguished Teaching Award
https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2017/10/hutchison-to-be-honoured-with-distinguished-teaching-award/
Digital pedagogy conference to be hosted at Brock
https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2017/08/digital-pedagogy-conference-to-be-hosted-at-brock/
Brock prof receives international award for innovative teaching
https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2016/05/brock-prof-receives-prestigious-award-for-innovative-teaching/