Group items tagged

A good discussion of what PBL is and how to implement it. "I see a lot of claims about PBL that are just not true. What bothers me about these claims is not that they are wrong but that these misconceptions lead to further problems when implementing PBL. I'd like to take some time to dispel some of these misunderstandings in hopes that they clear up other issues teachers may have with PBL."

"Providing your students with a public audience is not only a critical part of the project-based learning process, but it's also a great strategy for building authenticity into assignments to create work that matters. We often leverage our students' parents and guardians in this process because 1) they are easily accessible, and 2) they are our partners in their children's learning plans. Why not then continue and build this partnership in PBL? John Larmer wrote a great blog about how to build parent support for PBL, and one of the best ways he mentions is to keep them involved in the PBL project you launch in your classroom. Here are some strategies to consider as you leverage parents for your next PBL project."

"Project-Based Learning (PBL) has a long history, beginning with educational philosopher John Dewey, who called the practice "learning by doing."" PBL focuses on real-world problems and encourages students to explore authentic issues outside the classroom. This article helps explain why PBL is such a powerful tool for learning.

"We have assembled a wide array of PBL-related resources created by BIE and collected from fellow PBL travelers. The resources are organized into three broad categories: things to read, to watch, or to interact with. "If you would like to take a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approach to learning about PBL, then check out the recommend resources for teachers, coaches, principals, and district leaders. The featured resources have a note on "How Can You Use It?" We also suggest starting your DIY experience by purchasing one of BIE's books."

"One reason PBL might be hard for some teachers to start is that there's just so much stuff out there about it. Who has time to wade through it all? To solve this problem, I went out in search of the clearest, most authoritative information on PBL and put together a collection of materials that will help you get your feet wet, plus links to more resources for when you're ready to dig deeper." This article starts with a definition and gives teachers help in getting started with PBL.

"I'd rather see what students create to express their answer to a driving question than just read a summary of the project. I can find loads project ideas and descriptions online, but it's much harder to find quality end products by students. " This blog is a set of projects demonstrated by the student end projects, organized by grade level. Excellent examples of how PBL can work.

"Edutopia's curated compilation of online resources for understanding and beginning to implement project-based learning." A great list of resources to define and clarify what PBL is, examples of projects, and tips from teachers who use PBL.

First in a series of self-reflective notes on the experience of studying PBL and how it works with students and teachers. Some good templates and interesting reading.

"How are schools working to encourage the next generation of innovators? By developing unique, project-based learning opportunities that foster students' passion and creativity, teachers are promoting innovation and Deeper Learning. Deeper learning experiences help students master core academic content, think critically, solve complex problems, work collaboratively, communicate effectively, and engage in self-directed learning. " Good blog article showing the importance of PBL

Some nice ideas from R. Byrne on how to use comics for courses and activities -- literature, social studies, book reports, expressing feelings (and ideas). He includes 5 free comic-book makers. Some good examples of PBL.

Sponsored by the ISTE, PBL with Technology adds new links quarterly and has a nice back-log of projects on a variety of themes.

This set of questions is very inclusive and should help you creative good projects. The questions are conveniently categorized as "simple," "basic," etc. through "complex," so you can choose whether to do a quick survey of your planning or a thorough scan, perhaps for a more long-term project. These questions would also be useful for content-based learning.

"A project based learning method is a comprehensive approach to instruction. Your students participate in projects and practice an interdisciplinary array of skills from math, language arts, fine arts, geography, science, and technology. .... "To help you start using PBL, we've created age-appropriate, customizable project checklists for written reports, multimedia projects, oral presentations, and science projects. The use of these checklists keeps students on track and allows them to take responsibility for their own learning through peer- and self-evaluation. " This site contains numerous rubric starter templates for each of the grades and for a wide-variety of topics. A way to get started.

This article, based on friEdTechnology, has a quick side-by-side chart showing the difference between piece-meal projects and Big Question-driven PBL.

"You'll find all the resources you need to design and manage high quality projects for middle and high school students." Lern how to design a project with 21st century skills; search for projects made by others; learn strategies for online teaching and learning; review research and find Web resources.

A short video on PBL. Also links to an introductory aritlce and a longer video. Interview with Papert included.

This page has videos about a wide variety of PBL projects across the U.S. This is a great place to start in planning how to institute PB and content-based projectes in your school.

"What is it? Here's an article by BIE, updated from its original appearance in the September 2010 issue of Educational Leadership magazine from ASCD. Good for general audiences as well as educators, it explains the essential elements that make rigorous PBL different from "doing projects." Inquiry-based learning is rigorous and engaging for students. This downloadable PDF is a good read.

An interesting discussion of three different types of PBL and how they might be used for different purposes/students. Good reading for teachers from an experienced teacher and principal.

"One of the Eight Essential Elements of Project Based Learning is Revision and Reflection. This important element enables learners to improve their work through the use of feedback from multiple sources - peers, teacher, and expert. "However, giving and receiving feedback from others can be tricky. It can take time, and the giver might not know how to frame his or her feedback, both in terms of content and tone. The receiver might take critical feedback personally, or be misled by feedback that is off-target in some way. "One way to avoid potential pitfalls and help ensure feedback is "kind, specific, and helpful" (to quote Ron Berger) is to use a protocol. One of our favorite feedback protocols is the Gallery Walk. The basic idea is to post pieces of work on a wall - as in an art gallery - so people can move around and look at it. In BIE's "PBL 101" workshops, teachers use this protocol to give and collect feedback on their initial ideas for a project they're designing. "