More important than a size fits all” definition for PBL is a description of what elements “one provide a good Project Learning experience for your students: Students are at the center of the learning process as recognition of their inherent desire to learn, their ability to do important work, and their need to be taken seriously. Students engage with the central concepts and principles of a discipline. The project work is central rather than incidental to the curriculum. Students investigate provocative issues or questions that lead them to in-depth exploration of real-world, important topics. Essential and skills, including technology, facilitate learning, self-management, and project management. Specific products that solve problems, explain dilemmas, or present information are generated through investigation, research, or reasoning. Projects yield multiple products that permit frequent feedback and consistent opportunities for students to learn from experience. assessments communicate high expectations, present rigorous challenges, and require a range of skills and knowledge. Students collaborate in some form, either through small groups, student-led presentations, or whole-class evaluations of project results. The body of research on Project Based Learning is growing and supports its use to cut absenteeism, increase motivation, and improve standardized test scores . The Principles of Design in Project Learning Planning for PBL is based on five dynamic principles, illustrated in Figure 1 below and briefly described in the following narrative. Figure 1. Design Principles of Project Based Learning Design Principle #1: Begin with the End in Mind
More important than a “one size fits all” definition for PBL is a description of what elements provide a good Project Learning experience for your students: Students are at the center of the learning process as recognition of their inherent desire to learn, their ability to do important work, and their need to be taken seriously. Students engage with the central concepts and principles of a discipline. The project work is central rather than incidental to the curriculum. Students investigate provocative issues or questions that lead them to in-depth exploration of real-world, important topics. Essential and skills, including technology, facilitate learning, self-management, and project management. Specific products that solve problems, explain dilemmas, or present information are generated through investigation, research, or reasoning. Projects yield multiple products that permit frequent feedback and consistent opportunities for students to learn from experience. assessments communicate high expectations, present rigorous challenges, and require a range of skills and knowledge. Students collaborate in some form, either through small groups, student-led presentations, or whole-class evaluations of project results. The body of research on Project Based Learning is growing and supports its use to cut absenteeism, increase motivation, and improve standardized test scores . The Principles of Design in Project Learning Planning for PBL is based on five dynamic principles, illustrated in Figure 1 below and briefly described in the following narrative. Figure 1. Design Principles of Project Based Learning Design Principle #1: Begin with the End in Mind
Using%20Collaborative%20Tools%20in%20the%20Classroom%20-%20Participant%20Manual.docx