PROBLEM/PROJECT BASED LEARNING UNITSMill Creek Middle School – Wizards Jeanine Lynch – August 22, 2014

INQUIRY INSTUCTION AND PBL Inquiry is a umbrella term that covers a number of other

approaches to teaching and learning. Teaching practices that utilize a disposition of inquiry learning include:

✦problem-based learning: learning that starts with an ill-structured problem or case-study

✦project-based learning: students create a project or presentation as a demonstration of their understanding

✦design-based learning: learning through the working design of a solution to a complex problem

http://www.teachinquiry.com/index/Introduction.html

Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to a complex question, problem, or challenge. Essential Elements of PBL include: Significant Content - At its core, the project is focused on teaching

students important knowledge and skills, derived from standards and key concepts at the heart of academic subjects.

21st century competencies - Students build competencies valuable for today’s world, such as problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity/innovation, which are explicitly taught and assessed.

In-Depth Inquiry - Students are engaged in an extended, rigorous process of asking questions, using resources, and developing answers.

Driving Question - Project work is focused by an open-ended question that students understand and find intriguing, which captures their task or frames their exploration.

Need to Know - Students see the need to gain knowledge, understand concepts, and apply skills in order to answer the Driving Question and create project products, beginning with an Entry Event that generates interest and curiosity.

**Buck Institute of Education http://bie.org/about/what_pbl

WHY?• MCMS Perception Surveys, and all other school’s

surveys, continue to indicate teachers, students, parents and community do not see a clear connection between what is being taught and the real-world—RELEVANCE!

• Increase teacher collaboration across disciplines• It epitomizes the middle-school philosophy• Create interest to carry over to Bandys new CTE

programs that are partnered with area businesses• Develop business relationships with community

schools• MCMS is farther ahead than the rest

WHY PBL THOUGH? Increases student engagement Increases student learning Increases student retention of what

they learn Helps to develop problem-solving &

critical thinking skills Promotes peer communication and

academic language in the classroom

PBL IN THE CLASSROOM

Photo credit: oregondot via flickr (CC BY 2.0)

EXPECTATIONS:• Attend training in PBL Wed, Sept 10 after school• Brainstorm and develop an integrated STEM PBL to

implement in January/February• Using content standards to develop PBL• Team planning focused exclusively for PBL

development 2-3 times in Sept-Oct • Team/student presentations to staff sharing the

implementation in February• “Tweek” the unit after implementation for the following

year• Expand PBL training/units throughout the rest of MCMS• A few surveys throughout the year

SUPPORT: Templates and examples will be provided to aid

in the development process I will attend all meetings for support and help.

I will find resources and serve as contact with business support as needed

Cindy Lancaster will be available for support using Google Docs for sharing among the team members

Mark Story – CTE director Maria Ballard is supporting your work

NEXT STEPS: Be thinking about problems issues,

possibly in our community, involving STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math)

Check out some examples on Buck Institute for Education – www.bie.org

Training will be Sept 10th – bring curriculum and/or SCOS