Seven Essentials for Project-Based Learning

5 Keys to Rigorous Project-Based Learning Five Keys Video Series See Edutopia's core strategies in action with our Five Keys video series. Take a deeper look at each strategy as we share the nuts and bolts of program implementation, give voice to examples from schools around the country, and illuminate the research behind the practices. VIDEO: Establishing Real-World Connections in Projects (Keys to PBL Series Part 1) Students are more engaged when learning relates directly to the world they live in. Integration Strategies for PBL This series is about taking your PBL projects "up a notch." I wrote a blog about how to get started, but after you get started and are familiar with the benefits of keeping it small and focused, what are some of your next steps? One area where I see teachers taking their PBL projects up a notch is through integration. However, integration is actually quite complicated and includes many levels of implementation. Here are some tips to consider for integrating content areas into your next PBL project. Know Your Level of Integration

Classroom Guide: Top Ten Tips for Assessing Project-Based Learning (now available in Spanish!) Facebook Edutopia on Facebook Twitter Meeting the Common Core Through Project Based Learning Editor’s note: This post was originally published on The Buck Institute for Education’s blog. In the age of standardized testing and with the move toward the Common Core for the majority of states, the driving question for many teachers is: “How can I best prepare my students to meet these demands?” While core content area teachers feel the most impact, with math and English Language Arts being the most scrutinized, Common Core makes it the responsibility of all teachers to ensure our students are meeting proficient and advanced standards. One of the best ways to share the responsibility for Common Core is for teachers to design interdisciplinary Project Based Learning units. In addition to serving as an authentic purpose for the math and ELA skills in the Common Core, PBL, no matter what content area is the focus, promotes the acquisition of critical thinking skills needed by students. PBL Enthusiasts: We want to hear how you’re meeting the rigor of the Common Core Standards.

The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM As more schools are shifting to include a STEAM approach, there’s a general question that many start to ask: Who are the STEAM teachers? Then, of course, we start to explore follow up questions like: When does STEAM occur? Is it a class or is it throughout the day?What makes a person qualified to teach STEAM? New Website Launch to Further Project Based Learning in North American Schools (PRWEB) November 24, 2012 PBL, Project Based Learning (PBL), or Problem Based Learning is a method of instruction where student learning is based upon real world experiences. PBL helps to bridge the gap between the classroom and real life, as students design, create, collaborate and solve problems rather than sit as passive listeners. Battelle for Kids P21’s Frameworks for 21st Century Learning were developed with input from teachers, education experts, and business leaders to define and illustrate the skills and knowledge students need to succeed in work and life, as well as the support systems necessary for 21st century learning outcomes. They have been used by thousands of educators and hundreds of schools in the U.S. and abroad to put 21st century skills at the center of learning. Battelle for Kids looks forward to engaging yet again with educators and other experts to update the Frameworks. We encourage personal use of these Frameworks by all who can benefit: Permission for Use Permission for commercial use and/or distribution of these resources or other information produced must be made in writing to Battelle for Kids with a clearly defined request and description of how the material will be used.

Ramping Up Technology for Your Next PBL Project In my last post about taking PBL projects up a notch, I focused on integration of subject matters and disciplines. Fittingly, this post focuses on integrating technology. Teachers often adjust and improve projects by finding new and innovative ways to infuse technology into the PBL process and products. However, it's not about more technology tools, but about the intentional use of the tools available. In my classroom, one of the driving forces for reflection in terms of technology integration is the Technology Integration Matrix from the Florida Center for Instructional Technology. What is Project Based Learning? How does PBL differ from “doing a project”? PBL is becoming widely used in schools and other educational settings, with different varieties being practiced. However, there are key characteristics that differentiate "doing a project" from engaging in rigorous Project Based Learning. We find it helpful to distinguish a "dessert project" - a short, intellectually-light project served up after the teacher covers the content of a unit in the usual way - from a "main course" project, in which the project is the unit. In Project Based Learning, the project is the vehicle for teaching the important knowledge and skills student need to learn.