What is Project-Based Learning?
"In Project-Based Learning (PBL), students go through an extended process of inquiry in response to a complex question, problem, or challenge. While allowing for some degree of student voice and choice, rigorous projects are carefully planned, managed, and assessed to help students learn key academic content, practice 21st Century skills, and create high-quality, authentic products & presentations." Buck Institute for Education
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"Project-based learning hails from a tradition of pedagogy which asserts that students learn best by experiencing and solving real-world problems" Vanessa Vega Former Edutopia Senior Manager of Research
Project-Based Learning Involves the Following:
- students learning knowledge to tackle realistic problems as they would be solved in the real world
- increased student control over his or her learning
- teachers serving as coaches and facilitators of inquiry and reflection
- students (usually, but not always) work in pairs or groups
Project-Based Learning Development Process
REAL WORLD: Project-based learning (PBL) is grounded in providing learners with the opportunity to transfer their skills to real world, relevant problems. Depending upon the age and readiness of the students the "real world" could be more simulated than actual real world.
RIGOROUS CONTENT: PBL projects need to be grounded in rigorous content. Students would be working at the top levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. A PBL unit where students' end game tends to be about recall of information is not the purpose of a PBL unit.
ASSESSMENT: PBL is all about feedback and assessment. Throughout the unit you are constantly monitoring progress and providing feedback. Using a balanced assessment system model provides a PBL unit with structure that pulls everything together.
COLLABORATION: PBL units cluster students into work groups. It is critical to the success of your unit to have protocols and structures in place.
ENVIRONMENT: Your classroom environment needs to facilitate inquiry and independence. Thinking about how students can access materials as well as content resources will let you continue to facilitate learning.
RIGOROUS CONTENT: PBL projects need to be grounded in rigorous content. Students would be working at the top levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. A PBL unit where students' end game tends to be about recall of information is not the purpose of a PBL unit.
ASSESSMENT: PBL is all about feedback and assessment. Throughout the unit you are constantly monitoring progress and providing feedback. Using a balanced assessment system model provides a PBL unit with structure that pulls everything together.
COLLABORATION: PBL units cluster students into work groups. It is critical to the success of your unit to have protocols and structures in place.
ENVIRONMENT: Your classroom environment needs to facilitate inquiry and independence. Thinking about how students can access materials as well as content resources will let you continue to facilitate learning.