Project Planner Project Based Learning | BIE Project Planner Sign In Forgot Password? Sign Up By logging in, you agree to BIE's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Company About BIE What is PBL? Resources Blog Documents Videos Project Search Project Planner Google Hangouts Webinars Recommended for Teachers for Principals for District Leaders for Coaches for Gold Standard PBL Read Watch Interact Services Services Overview Core Services PBL Institutes Systemic Services Events Request Info Shop Books Curriculum The 8 Elements of Project Based Learning: A Model Project | As most of you know, the uber gods of PBL are BIE. I was first introduced to the BIE PBL ‘model’ from mate Dean Groom who handed me over what I still refer to as my ‘PBL Bible’ – a ring-binder full of the BIE Freebies that help teachers plan effective projects and keep students on track as they move through the different phases of each project. The cool thing is that you can use as much or as little as you want … PBL is a very personal process that (like all good teaching) should be tailored to the expertise and needs of the teacher and students. A typical unit with a “project” add-on begins by presenting students with knowledge and concepts and then, once gained, giving students the opportunity to apply them. I ripped the image below from the BIE website, you should really visit it cos it outlines the 8 Elements in a super-clear way: What is PBL? The Emo Project Here is the project outline that I gave my students: Does the project teach significant content? Yes! Yes! Like this:
PBL Mania … Online Planning Form, Free Webinar, Edmodo Community, Twitter Chat Night, New Conference, And More Welcome to another post which is the start to a series I know you will enjoy. On Wednesday, January 25 I will be presenting a webinar on Integrating PBL and Technology for Ed Tech Leaders On-line. It will be a must see webinar for anyone interested in PBL. I will also be presenting this topic in Chicago at the NICE Conference on January 28 and will soon be facilitating an ISTE online PBL course incorporating the NET-S standards. I have met many of you in PBL trainings I have conducted for the BUCK Institute (BIE). Below, you will find some amazing tools and some great opportunities. The BUCK Institute (BIE) presents the On-line PBL Project Planner BIE Electronic Online PBL Planning Site - The BUCK Institute has created an awesome place to plan your PBL Unit. EdTech Leaders Online Presents: Free PBL Webinar: Connecting Technology and PBL – by Michael Gorman Webinar Link Info – Please join me for this special free webinar. 21centuryedtech Presents: PBL and Technology Series Like this:
What Is PBL Really? Do you want to engage your students in Project Based Learning (PBL)? Maybe you are asking yourself what is PBL really? Am I doing it right? Well, first of all, the most important thing to understand is that PBL is a construct made up by human beings and so there are lots of variations! And you are entitled to construct your own version, too, within some parameters. My suggestion is to study many of the great resources that are available to you and then create your own working definition and effective PBL practice. Some Parameters to Consider I have created this diagram, enhanced by the critical eye of Brenda Sherry, which may be useful as you consider what is important to you and to your students. We like to think with the frame of continua rather than dichotomies simply because things are rarely on or off, black or white, ones or zeroes! You could likely add other dimensions to consider as you build your own understandings and beliefs! Trust Who is in control? Questioning Collaboration
Summer PD: How to Build a Calendar for Project-Based Learning This post originally appeared on Edutopia, a site created by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, dedicated to improving the K-12 learning process by using digital media to document, disseminate, and advocate for innovative, replicable strategies that prepare students. View Original > Teachers want to know what the day-to-day looks like. “The project went longer than I thought.” “I forgot a lesson, or didn’t think that the students would need it.” These all stem from rushing too quickly to the calendar. Begin with the End in Mind Look at the products students are creating. Open Your Filing Cabinet Please, please, please don’t reinvent the wheel. Plug and Play This is the most gratifying step, because now, building the physical calendar is easy. It’s a Reframe We’ve all been there.
How to select great topics for PBL in Australia | The Playable Classroom The driving question is always a sticking point for teachers new to PBL. Writing a few powerful words in a sentence or two, powerful enough to charge curiosity and enthusiasm is a skill. This is why great copyrighters get paid vast sums for writing relatively little. The driving question, I always found to be an awkward and misleading term. What PBL is trying to do is drive a topic, not a reply to a philosophic question. Kids are not tested on their philosophic ponderings by the machine. I prefer to think about topics. PBL in Australia is significantly different to the US (warning to those gazing at US consultancy networks for the answer) – our and their frameworks are significantly different as is the culture and side of the road we drive on. PBL is better (in Australian contexts) to be thought of as topic based. Not every aspect of the Australian curriculum (or a topic in it) is suitable or needs it! So what is the criteria for topics? Like this: Like Loading...
Atlantis Remixed Transformational play involves the use of virtual worlds to help people learn and grow in a context where they can fail safely. Theory At its core, transformational play is a learning and empowerment philosophy that is grounded in the belief that each one of us is capable of, wants to, and deserves to achieve, great things. Unlike any other form of curriculum, these games offer entire worlds in which learners are central, important participants; a place where the actions of a ten-year old can have significant impact on the world; and a place in which what you know is directly related to what you are able to do and, ultimately, who you become. The theory highlights relations among the three interconnected elements of person with intentionality, content with legitimacy, and context with consequentiality. Research Manuscript (PDF) Teacher Manuscript (PDF) Engine Key features of the 3D engine include: Key features of the facilitator dashboard include: Key Game Mechanics: Projects The Doctors Cure
In defence of PBL Over the last month or so, I’ve felt increasingly like I’m on the defensive when it comes to project-based learning. I guess the fact that it is starting to become more well-known and teachers outside of the online clique are starting to get interested is turning some people off. No one wants to get caught out supporting a ‘hip’ edu fad, right? But I’m stoked that it’s coming to the attention of more teachers, and even better that it’s coming to the attention of teachers not in the ‘clique’ of online edtech peeps. So what are some of these criticisms I’m hearing? Having been in the classroom now for nearly eight years (and actually using a project-learning approach to teach English for nearly three of those years) I think I have a place in saying that PBL really can transform how a teacher sees her role in the classroom. Like this: Like Loading...
Projects As of July 1, 2013 ThinkQuest has been discontinued. We would like to thank everyone for being a part of the ThinkQuest global community: Students - For your limitless creativity and innovation, which inspires us all. Teachers - For your passion in guiding students on their quest. Partners - For your unwavering support and evangelism. Parents - For supporting the use of technology not only as an instrument of learning, but as a means of creating knowledge. We encourage everyone to continue to “Think, Create and Collaborate,” unleashing the power of technology to teach, share, and inspire. Best wishes, The Oracle Education Foundation
Venturing into Project Based Learning I’ve been reading about Project Based Learning for some time now, and I struggled trying to find a way to integrate this kind of pedagogy into my regular classroom practice. I think I do a fairly good job of challenging my students and getting them to think beyond the obvious, but my English classes do tend to follow what would be perceived as traditional structure. This last term we studied Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. We did make a decision early on to plan the unit using the principles of Understanding by Design (Wiggins & Tighe) and this meant we had a driving question to help us focus. Our question was, ‘What drives the choices we make?’ It took us some time to get to this question in one of our planning sessions, but I’m so glad we went to the effort of doing this. Ramping up our multimodal task I’m sure we’ve all been there. A “Main Course” project: These points are elaborated here – I suggest you take a look. Sharpening the hook Our student assignment Week 1 – Investigation