Project Based Learning...What exactly is it?Students learning to apply knowledge to the real world: using it to solve problems, answer complex questions and create high quality projects.
Essential Project design elements- a challenging problem or a question which is explored through a sustained and authentic inquiry. Underpinned by student voice and choice alongside ongoing reflection. The final product should be made public. This encourages high quality work and creates a learning community. The final product can be a presentation or performance.
Teachers can modify PBL to suit student interest and abilities.
Benefits of PBL:
To inspire and motivate passive learners.
Allows teachers to teach in a satisfying way.
Prepares students for college careers and citizenship.
Increased interactions with the teacher.
Students experience success.
Students can use their knowledge to find an answer to a problem that really matters to them. If done well it yields great results.
Students are stimulated to increase their own cognitive skills.
More connections between school and work.
Some interesting thoughts on PBL:
Effective PBL should carefully incorporate; “a challenging problem or question, sustained inquiry, authenticity, student voice and choice, reflection, critique and revision and a public product.” (Gold Standard PBL: Essential Project Design Elements).
Deeper Engagement which encourages improved classroom management- less behaviour issues.(John Larmer, Why PBL? 2015)
The CORE components of PBL are “student learning goals,” “essential project design elements,” and “project based teaching practices.” (Gold Standard PBL: Essential Project Design Elements).
Some students do not have the creative knowledge or understanding required for these tasks. Teachers must model and guide their students in how to do this to ensure that the students do not lose meaning. (Galvan & Coronado 2014)
EDU elevator quote: "PBL is the act of learning through identifying a real-world problem and developing its solution. Kids show what they learn as they journey through the unit, not just at the end."
PBL is the ongoing act of learning about different subjects simultaneously. This is achieved by guiding students to identify, through research, a real-world problem (local to global) developing its solution using evidence to support the claim, and presenting the solution through a multimedia approach based in a set of 21st-century tools. Kids show what they learn as they journey through the unit, interact with its lessons, collaborate with each other, and assess themselves and each other. They don't just take a test or produce a product at the end to show their learning.
Our Tumu team have worked closely together to establish an exciting PBL for term 2. We have spent many hours deliberating it's content and working to improve the way we have posed questions and set tasks, as we continue to grow in our own knowledge and experience of a PBL approach.
Our Tumu team have worked closely together to establish an exciting PBL for term 2. We have spent many hours deliberating it's content and working to improve the way we have posed questions and set tasks, as we continue to grow in our own knowledge and experience of a PBL approach.
Another great post - there is a lot to think about as we begin to establish a culture of PBL in our school. Each team is tackling this from different perspectives and it is exciting to see the students engaging in these projects. Thanks for all the hard work you are doing!
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