Project-Based Learning

Enhance Learning with PBL

5 Myths About Project-Based Learning

1. PBL is the same as "making something," "hands-on learning" or "doing an activity."

2. PBL isn't standards-based. It focuses on "soft skills" like critical thinking and collaboration, but doesn't teach enough content knowledge and academic skills.

3. PBL takes too much time. 4. PBL is only for older students . . . or fluent English

speakers . . . or those who don't have learning disabilities. 5. PBL is too hard to manage and/or it would not fit with my

teaching style.

Source: John Larner, edutopia.org

What is Project-Based Learning…or PBL?

0 “A dynamic approach to teaching in which students explore real-world problems and challenges.”

0Rigorous projects are planned, managed & assessed for students to:0 Learn key academic concepts0 Practice 21st century skills (collaboration,

communication & critical thinking)0 Create high-quality, authentic products & presentations

Meaningful PBL Is…

Project Based Learning, Explained

Steps to Effective PBL…0 Step 1: Significant content. Start with the standards and

plan the project around content that is essential for students to understand about the topic.

0 Step 2: A need to know. Activate students’ “need to know” content with an entry event such as a guest speaker, a lively discussion, or a video that sets up the scenario. Initiate questioning to motivate students.

0 Step 3: A driving question. A driving question helps students to focus their efforts. Questions should be:0 Provocative0 Open-ended0 Complex0 Linked to what you want students to learn

Steps to Effective PBL…0Step 4: Student voice & choice. 0Step 5: Incorporate 21st century skills.

0 Collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and the use of technology

0Step 6: Inquiry and innovation. To encourage real inquiry, students develop questions, search for resources and discover answers. Then comes innovation – a new answer, a new product, a new solution to a problem.

0Step 7: Feedback & revision. Use rubrics and monitoring as well as peer feedback.

0Step 8: A publicly presented product.

Examples of Driving Questions and Project Ideas

0 Can the earth sustain our growing population?0 Uses math and science standards to focus on the population growth rate

and its effects on life expectancy, environment, etc. Students are tasked to lead a worldwide effort to face a global environmental crisis, using exponential functions and predictions in their final presentation.

0 How should we respond to pandemics?0 Integrates social studies, math and science in the creation of a

multimedia project analyzing the response of a world leader to the H1N1 pandemic, formulating a response to future pandemics for local communities, and developing predictions of possible challenges.

0 How do matrices contribute to the fight against terrorism?0 Students are members of an elite “Code Breaker” unit that needs to crack

the code, find the coordinates, and send a coded message to a supervisor who will send it to the President, FBI, Pentagon, and the Response Unit of Homeland Security. Combines math and geography in answering the driving question.

Examples of Driving Questions and Project Ideas

0 How do acts of courage benefit humanity and how can we honor courage in our community? 0 This ELA unit is based on the premise that hometown heroes exist and should be

honored. It is also based on the belief that teenagers desire to and can make a difference in their schools and communities. Students are asked to create a PSA to honor their hometown heroes. Teams of approximately four students who share common interests collaborate and conduct research and interviews to define courage and explain how courage benefits humanity. Finally, they use their research and collaboration to produce a video PSA to honor their hometown heroes.

0 How does technology affect the way we learn?0 This PBL unit centers around ELA standards and technology. Students will

investigate ways to use their “everyday” technology tools/games to create appropriate lessons for high school classrooms. As a group they will create a media presentation demonstrating how their choice of technology can be used to teach a 10th grade objective. Each student will write a persuasive essay concerning the uses of 21st Century tools in the classroom.

Notes to Remember…0 Start small. PBL does not have to take months to complete.0 Start with the standards. Find one or two that would allow

for in-depth inquiry over coverage.0 Plan ahead. PBL cannot be effective by planning a day in

advance. 0 Begin with the end in mind. Work backwards to have a

well-developed project ready for the classroom.0 Know the difference between PBL and projects. In PBL, the

project itself is the learning and you are teaching throughout the project, not teaching and then doing the project.

0 Break out of the mold. Approach other content teachers about the possibility of collaborating on PBL.

Resources for PBL

0Project-Based Learning by the BIE

0Edutopia

0Tony Vincent’s Blog – Learning in Hand

0PBL Examples - YouTube