Project Based Learning (image from education-world.com) Project Based Learning (PBL) is a great way to teach students content, 21st century skills, and engage them in something fun and educational. I spoke more about PBL in an earlier blog ( and we had some great reader comments (Tech&Learning, May 2009, page 14). First of all, PBL can be used in any classroom, in any subject, at any grade level. PBL does take planning. For instance, I teach physics and developed a project for my classes on structures and stress and strain. Another example of PBL is having the students research a topic and present it to the rest of the class through a multimedia presentation, website, or poster. Start small. Another idea for projects is to look at your school or community and see what they need. An idea I got from my wife (a Biology Education student) is to have students create a lesson for other students about a topic. Some web resources to get you started:
A Step-by-Step Guide to the Best Projects Manor New Technology High School in Manor, Texas, is a 100 percent project-based learning school. They are part of the New Tech Network of schools and their approach has yielded remarkable results, including a 98 percent graduation rate, with all of their graduates accepted to college. The success of their PBL approach is largely attributable to the fact that their process is designed to stimulate student inquiry. Additionally, their process can be applied to any project in any subject, which means there is a consistent approach across grades and subjects at Manor. We followed a sophomore world studies class through a three-week project called Controlling Factors, created by teaching partners Mary Mobley (English) and Michael Chambers (world history). Here is a breakdown of key steps, with some examples from Mobley and Chambers's project: What do you think about this Schools That Work story?
Can Six Year Olds Really Demonstrate Their Learning? By Kathy Cassidy This week we finished up another one of our project based learning (PBL) or inquiry-based units in my first grade classroom. It had the grand title of rules, relationships and responsibilities. Why I Let Students Take the Lead in Learning Demonstration At the end of each of our units, I have the students create an artifact that can be posted on their blog to show what each of them has learned about our topic of study. Even as young as six years old, students begin to realize that they are stronger in some areas than others. Some students do like to write. For these reasons, I always let the students chose the way they present their learning. Setting Clear Expectations & Guidelines Promotes Success Before we began working, we talked about the options that might work well for archiving learning in this unit. We also discussed what needed to be included to make a good project. Students Exceeded Expectations & Demonstration of Learning
How to Make Your Classroom a Thinking Space Editor's note: The following is an excerpt from Thinking Through Project-Based Learning: Guiding Deeper Inquiry by Jane Krauss and Suzie Boss. It was published this month by Corwin. Take a moment and imagine a creative work environment. Was your mental picture anything like either of the workspaces shown in these photos? Photo of High Tech High in San Diego. Photo credit: High Tech High Think back to your mental image of a creative workplace. Fine-Tune the Physical Environment for PBL Birkdale Intermediate School in New Zealand has a long tradition of teaching through inquiry projects. This school has intentionally developed a climate and curriculum to encourage deep thinking, which is reflected by the physical environment. Many schools don't have budgets for this kind of wholesale remodeling. Small adjustments in the learning environment will better accommodate the various tools and patterns of interaction that come into play during projects. Independent work. Student presentations.
Students Redesign Their Own Schools Student-designed school bus shelter. By Chris Thompson Up until a couple of years ago, the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s strategies were pretty ordinary: tours of interesting buildings around Chicago, or publishing a high school architecture textbook. But the foundation staff wanted to do try more interesting, a project that would compel students to really be immersed in the world of architecture and to solve a problem. “A teenager doesn’t have much experience in a skyscraper,” says Jen Masengarb, the Foundation’s senior manager for educational research. Working under a teacher, students around the country have begun conceptualizing, redesigning, and ultimately submitting drafts for a variety of school functions: lockers, cafeterias, bike stands – even an entire technology wing. The projects stimulate three essential areas of learning. As students post every stage of their work online, working architects log on and offer suggestions, criticism, and feedback. Related
Project Based Failing: The Goal is NOT Student-Centered Over the past five years, I have spent a great deal of time shifting 20% of my class from being teacher-centered to student-centered. That was a fail. I’ve written a fair amount about the 20% Project and why I believed that it was important to have class time when the teacher is off center stage while shifting emphasis on the students. This model energized and liberated many of my students, while it confused and terrified others. The problem, though, is that a 20% Project should NOT be a student-centered project. However human-centered is a specific term that comes from the design-thinking framework that Molly Wilson introduced to our entire school last week. A student-centered project is one that focuses on the creator’s needs and desires, where an audience-centered or user-centered project focuses on the actual person who would use the project. Next year during the 20% Project, I would like to see empathy be a more structured component of the project.
Why I Love Project Based Learning I love project-based learning. Why? Because my students do. Some of my favourite PBL adventures are the Biology 30 projects due at semester’s end. For the past week, my students have been sharing their projects. The topic for this particular biology activity was body systems. One of my students created a Monopoly-type board game based on the nervous system. But the best part of his presentation, to me, was when he stated: “I really enjoyed doing this. Another student researched and created a model of the knee. A third student created two cakes (shown below) — each depicting a brain state. And this is yet another reason PBL can be powerful. This particular student chose this topic because her family has been deeply and painfully affected by depression. We also learned about hip replacements. My student created a playdough version of the pelvis & hip bones to show how hip replacements fit. While some teachers may wonder about the merits of PBL, I’m sold. About the author
PBL: Project, Passion, Play Based Learning Effective and progressive educators understand and attempt to implement PBL strategies and practices within their learning settings. What is PBL? Project-Based Learning? Project Based Learning Project Based Learning is an instructional approach built upon authentic learning activities that engage student interest and motivation. Here is a curated Scoop.It of Project-Based Learning Resources: Passion-Based Learning Today knowledge is everywhere – it’s easily accessible. Some resources and blog posts about Passion-Based Learning: Play-Based Learning The beauty of a play-based curriculum is that very young children can routinely observe and learn from others’ emotions and experiences. Play and its related benefits are not just for children. Resources: Caine and his Arcade have been given a lot of attention and press lately. Like this: Like Loading...
Digital Tools for Project-Based Learning in Primary Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss's book Reinventing Project Based Learning is a wealth of information about digital tools, the internet and Web 2.0 and how these tools can be used to meet the essential learning needs of 21st century students. Here are some ideas taken from Chapter 3 of the book, all of which I've used with primary students and which I have tried to align with the new ICT in the PYP strands. The need for ubiquity - ICT in the PYP strand: Investigate, Communicate Today's students want to be able to learn any time and anywhere. They access information on mobile devices and want to be connected to the web wherever they are. Tools that support this learning include using Google Docs and virtual desktops such as NetVibes. The need for deep learning - ICT in the PYP strands: Investigate and Organize, Students can be encouraged to find primary sources online. What are your favorite digital tools for project-based learning with primary students?