Manor New Technology High School in Manor, Texas, is a 100 percent project-based learning school. They are part of the New Tech Network of schools and their approach has yielded remarkable results, including a 98 percent graduation rate, with all of their graduates accepted to college.
A helpful article for those who are about to begin their journey in implementing PBL with great resources and ideas to put into play to ensure success in the PBL classroom!
2016 Study Shows Project-Based Learning by Defined STEM has a Positive Impact on Student Learning Outcomes - See more at: http://www.definedlearning.com/research-report#sthash.KQgNy9ck.dpuf
Somewhat deceiving: Greatest gains were measured on assessment created by the organization performing the study. No pretest/posttest only
However, did demonstrate +5 points on standardized tests
These standards help conceptualize the key components of the pedagogy of PBL.
Teachers create or adapt a project for their context and students, and plan its implementation from launch to culmination while allowing for some degree of student voice and choice.
Teachers use standards to plan the project and make sure it addresses key knowledge and understanding from subject areas to be included.
Teachers engage in learning and creating alongside students, and identify when they need skill-building, redirection, encouragement, and celebration.
Teachers use formative and summative assessments of knowledge, understanding, and success skills, and include self and peer assessment of team and individual work.
Teachers employ a variety of lessons, tools, and instructional strategies to support all students in reaching project goals.
Teachers work with students to organize tasks and schedules, set checkpoints and deadlines, find and use resources, create products and make them public.
Teachers explicitly and implicitly promote student independence and growth, open-ended inquiry, team spirit, and attention to quality.
Project-based learning is a great way for English Language Learners to develop content knowledge and language skills. When done correctly, teachers are able to leverage the students learning in both English and the students' native language.
To succeed in today's complex, dynamic, and globally connected world, students need to have a depth of understanding and learning that is far more than memorization and recollection of facts and figures. Rigorous project-based learning (PBL), as well as the skills and resources for achieving it, offers a promising pedagogical approach to helping all students succeed.
Before we get into the *Here are The big buzz word: power of PBL*, this is a good time to remind you that I'm a special education teacher in an K-5 elementary building. I work with a wide variety of students with disabilities (learning and nonspecific) in their classes, my resource room, small group, and one-to-one.
I always find it helpful to watch instruction in action as I am trying to understand how the process works. The Teaching Channel has 16 videos on its site which are tagged as PBL. They cover a variety of topics.