The 8 Elements Project-Based Learning Must Have If you’re contemplating using Project-Based Learning or are already trying out the latest craze to hit the modern classroom, you should know about this checklist. It details if you’re actually doing it correctly. For example, does your project focus on significant content, develop 21st century skills, and engage students in in-depth inquirty (just to name a few)? If not, you might want to reconsider your PBL approach. See Also: What Is Project-Based Learning? The checklist is by the PBL masters over at BIE and they’ve outlined 8 different ‘essential elements’ that must be present in a project in order for it to be considered PBL. These elements are actually useful for even more than PBL. What do you think about this PBL Checklist? Via TeachBytes and BIE.org
Project-Based Learning Research Review Editor's Note: This article was originally written by Vanessa Vega, with subsequent updates made by the Edutopia staff. Studies have proven that when implemented well, project-based learning (PBL) can increase retention of content and improve students' attitudes towards learning, among other benefits. Edutopia's PBL research review explores the vast body of research on the topic and helps make sense of the results. In this series of five articles, learn how researchers define project-based learning, review some of the possible learning outcomes, get our recommendations of evidence-based components for successful PBL, learn about best practices across disciplines, find tips for avoiding pitfalls when implementing PBL programs, and dig in to a comprehensive annotated bibliography with links to all the studies and reports cited in these pages. What is Project-Based Learning? Learning Outcomes Keys to Project-Based Learning Success
A Detailed Visual Guide To Distributed Project-Based Learning Project-based Learning is a passion of ours at Edudemic. We’ve seen how effective it can be in and out of the classroom. Quite simply, it provides the opportunity for students to learn from each other, get their hands dirty, work in an active learning environment, and to simply have fun at school. What could be better than that? PBL teachers are typically on the lookout for PBL-aligned apps and web tools that can bolster their powerful learning environment. This chart reminds me a bit of the popular ‘Padagogy Chart’ by Allan Carrington we shared here on Edudemic. This diagram breaks down the different phases and goals of PBL into bite-size chunks. As you can see, the tools and apps are all organized quite neatly into each phase. Each tool and app is organized into these types of phases and goals. Want a bigger version of this incredible diagram? Otherwise, click the image to enlarge it. Source: Visual.ly
10 Apps For More Organized Project-Based Learning Project-Based Learning, by definition, is flexible. It encourages learner-centeredness, provides the possibility of more authentic work, and allows learners to self-manage and self-direct in places they used to have their hands held. But this has its drawbacks. Learning is a capacity-building endeavor that seeks to, well, build capacity will ironically depending on that same capacity to progress, There are a variety of ways to support students in project-based learning, including organized digital learning spaces that support creative thinking, collaboration, and ultimately project management. 1. Platform: iOS How It Can Help: Pure overkill for most classrooms, but if an extremely powerful productivity and project management is what you need and you’ve got a $50 iTunes card burning a hole in your pocket, this could be just what the doctor ordered. 2. Platform: iOS 3. Platform: Android & iOS How It Can Help: 4. Platform: iOS 5. Platform: Android & iOS 6. Platform: Android & iOS 7. 8. 9. 10.
The Differences Between Projects And Project-Based Learning There’s a big difference between using projects in the classroom versus project-based learning in the classroom. What are those differences, you ask? Lucky for you, friEdTechnology (great name) whipped up this snazzy side-by-side comparison outlining the biggest differences. In the visual, they describe what ‘projects’ are and how they work in the classroom. For example, projects can be done at home without teacher guidance or team collaboration. They are based upon directions and the folks from friEd say they’re “done like last year” (curious if you agree with that or not!) On the flip side, Project-Based Learning is a fluid technique to enhance learning that really looks nothing like projects as they’re described below. As you can see, this is quite a slanted look at how projects are different from project-based learning but it’s interesting nonetheless.
Excellent Poster Featuring The 7 Essentials of Project Based Learning Hi everybody, I am sorry I am very late in posting my articles today as I have been very busy preparing my PhD research plan and a paper for a conference I participated in this morning. The paper was on the use of digital technologies to facilitate project based learning. I will share with you the slideshow together with an attached Google Doc probably tomorrow or the day after. One of the things I talked about in my presentation are the 7 essentials of project based learning as advanced by the folks in BIE. This graphic is created by Davidleeedtech.
How To Use Project-Based Learning To Redefine Learning It almost seems too good to be true… Students asking for more work? Using emoticons to describe an assignment? Taking pride in their work? But it’s not a just a dream, it’s reality. “This was the best project I ever did! “It was the best project I have ever done” – Patrick G. “We should have more projects like this” – Giselle G. “:D” – Jack M. These were the results when I completely redesigned a unit to incorporate Project Based Learning using technology. “It helped me understand how to take information from research and apply it to a real life product.” – Julia K. “I knew I had to get good information because other people were going to be looking at the website, so if it wasn’t good, people wouldn’t want to look at our website.” – Erin M. A Case Study in Your Own Classroom This year, instead of doing a literature circle unit based on the novel Under the Persimmon Tree, by Suzanne Fisher-Staples, I decided to try something new. Technology is a natural fit for Project Based Learning.
We Don't Like "Projects" So I recently quit my job and started my own school with the support of a local media company, the second largest school district in Iowa, and a groundswell of community interest. Our philosophy boils down to a fairly liberal project-based learning environment. As I began the marketing push to enroll students, I uncovered some frankly stunning assumptions that many students have about learning: The word "project" is not a happy word. I'm not complaining -- in fact, these assumptions are the reason that I struck out on my own in the first place -- but I was flat-out surprised by their ubiquity. Let’s break each assumption down. 1. The word "project" gets thrown around quite a bit and literally could mean any person, place or thing depending on who's doing the talking. In short, we seem to have students who believe that projects are for assessment purposes only. To appeal to the concreteness of most teenagers, we've begun sharing examples, workflows and projects with potential applicants.
What Keeps Students Motivated to Learn? Educators have lots of ideas about how to improve education, to better reach learners and to give students the skills they’ll need in college and beyond the classroom. But often those conversations remain between adults. The real test of any idea is in the classroom, though students are rarely asked about what they think about their education. A panel of seven students attending schools that are part of the “deeper learning” movement gave their perspective on what it means for them to learn and how educators can work to create a school culture that fosters creativity, collaboration, trust, the ability to fail, and perhaps most importantly, one in which students want to participate. Project-based learning is the norm among these students, but they also have a lot of ideas about what makes a good project work. “Treat students like adults. At first Chavez wasn’t excited about the project, but she ended up enjoying it because she loves art. Related
Practical PBL Series: Design an Instructional Unit in Seven Phases As a new teacher, I once believed that teaching and learning were one and the same. I taught, and the students learned. In creating a student-centered classroom, I began to embrace project-based learning. However, I did so in a very superficial way. I thought I had PBL nailed if my students did a presentation or poster at the end of an instructional unit. I enrolled in professional development courses, started a graduate degree, and collaborated with more experienced colleagues. In the spring of 2008, my colleagues and I were approached by a local university to participate in designing a project-based learning course. The Seven-Phase Model You can transform your classroom. To begin, ask yourself these questions: What instructional unit do I want to transform? Phase 1: Introducing the Driving Question The instructional unit must have a strong driving question. Phase 2: Introducing the Culminating Challenge Phase 3: Developing Subject Matter Expertise Phase 4: Doing the Culminating Challenge
What is PBL? To help teachers do PBL well, we created a comprehensive, research-based model for PBL — a "gold standard" to help teachers, schools, and organizations to measure, calibrate, and improve their practice. In Gold Standard PBL, projects are focused on student learning goals and include Essential Project Design Elements: JustinCrawford.co | Project Based Learning Ideas BIE Tools – PBL Project Search – Here you will find a collection of 450 proven lesson plans to set any PBL desire into action. Look at the database found on the right hand side of the page. West Virginia PBL Project Data Base – This is a wonderful site where teachers can search through the subjects of reading, language arts, math, science, social studies, dance, visual arts, theater, and music. You can select from grade two all the way through grade twelve. These are PBL projects made by teachers for teachers! Learning Reviews – This website claims to connect kids to learning on the web. Here are more than 30 websites with free PBL examples, guidance, rubrics, and templates.
The Difference Between Projects And Project-Based Learning The Difference Between Projects And Project-Based Learning by TeachThought Staff Projects in the classroom are as old as the classroom itself. “Projects” can represent a range of tasks that can be done at home or in the classroom, by parents or groups of students, quickly or over time. While project-based learning (PBL) also features projects, in PBL the focus is more on the process of learning and learner-peer-content interaction that the end-product itself. The learning process is also personalized in a progressive PBL environment by students asking important questions, and making changes to products and ideas based on individual and collective response to those questions. By design, PBL is learner-centered. The chart below by Amy Mayer is helpful to clarify that important difference between projects and project-based learning. What’s the Difference Between “Doing Projects” and Project Based Learning ?
Get started with project-based learning - Support Project-based learning emphasizes long-term, multidisciplinary assignments and activities that are student centered and focus on real-world problems and issues. The teacher serves more as a facilitator and assigns students tasks that need to be solved by conducting independent or group research. As a result, a project-based learning curriculum does the following: Addresses real-life issues A key to successful project-based learning is to assign projects that connect to real-life scenarios or topics relevant to the student. For example, take the time-honored student assignment of writing a state report. However, a teacher who uses project-based learning might approach this task from a different angle. Why use project-based learning in the classroom? Project-based learning encourages students to think analytically and incorporate current technologies in their assignments. Types of project-based learning frameworks Getting started with project-based learning