Classroom learning is evolving. Each day more schools and teachers are pushing the boundaries of typical pedagogies and embracing methods that promote active learning and authentic engagement. One of these methods is Project-Based Learning, or PBL.
PBL is student-centered, inquiry-based pedagogy.
It promotes active and authentic learning. Students pursue an extended project driven by a real-world problem or complex question, and THEY help determine the project goals and outcomes.
Using a multi-disciplinary approach to learning is a closer approximation to the way learning works in the real world. The school work becomes more meaningful when it is done not just for the sake of compliance or a grade, but when it is literally preparing for the future.
Indeed, a recent collaborative study conducted by the University of Michigan and Michigan State University showed that proper implementation of “project-based learning” has a direct positive effect on student achievement.
1. It starts with a challenging question or real-world problem, which is the heart of the project and should be:
2. It engages a cyclical process of continuous inquiry., more coaching, as the teacher facilitates the development of badly-needed modern skills
such as:
3. It gives students a choice and a voice. Students have a say in the goals of the project and the nature of the product, as “finding their own solutions” is the primary focus of this approach.
4. It includes critique and revision. It’s important for students to receive frequent and relevant feedback from teachers and outside experts. They should also be engaged in self and peer assessment using set criteria and rubrics that enable them to revise and improve their ideas.
5. It ends with reflection and a better final product. The real learning comes from reflection upon the experience and the process, even more than from the insights it inspires. And additionally, when students must present their work to a real audience, they tend to care more deeply about its quality.
Need some examples for PBL?
Check out The Learning Network for some great sample projects for different subjects, from grade 8 to grade 12.
Did you find this article helpful? Could it be useful for someone you know? Forward it to a friend or colleague.
Solving real-world problems offers a good opportunity and experience to prepare students for their future. But it can also be a complex task to manage.
This is where your Aimee page comes in handy. Wherever you are, Aimee helps you:
If you have a few minutes to spare, check out The Premiere Project-Based Learning Conference, happening in Napa Valley California.
