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""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.""

"Perhaps that skills fits within a unit based on a topic or a theme, but each lesson works independently and can function without being embraced in a unit that connects them all in a learning story. " Personally I can resonate with this comment. I agree that most of the foreign language textbook are theme based, which put vocabulary and grammar within the given theme. But between different themes lack of coherence or connection. But using PBL might be an effective way to make an connection. I would like to share a own example of using PBL.The PBL is design a Travel Itinerary. Students impersonate travel agent to design a 2 days travel itinerary which includes 3 places to visit and 4 meals, provide price, compare different travel plans and persuade buyers to purchase their own travel plan. So in the PBL they are incorporate skills from different themes "Asking direction" "Travel" "Weather" "Shopping". It is also mentioned in the article that PBL "prepare the students for predicted the future", the PBL stays as authentic as possible. Also, as an ongoing assessment, the PBL can be used independently in each assessment and then at the end combined into a big assessments.

"In a growing number of schools, educators are echoing Papert's assertion that engaging students by starting with the concrete and solving hands-on, real-world problems is a great motivator."

What a cool collection of resources. I had never heard of the Buck Institute for Education but it looks like they've assembled a good collection of resources for Project Based Learning that will help make a teacher's life easier. They have everything from rubrics to planning forms that range from specific to generic. Other resources are available for teachers to watch on their own time or for teachers to use for interacting with other teachers or trainers. Definitely worth your time to check out, especially if you use or are planning to use Project Based Learning with your students.

" Projects are about the product, while project-based learning is about the process."

In this free classroom resource guide, you'll get practical tips across the K-12 spectrum, as well as a reading list and a variety of resources to help you learn more about this fascinating field. To help your students explore their own brain power, we've also included a bonus project that will get students thinking critically about how they learn.

A visual collection of resources to inspire educators to discover and fully understand the importance of brain based learning and its implications.

Found a video on YouTube which is 5:50 and it is about Brain Based Learning by Eric Jensen. I am putting the link as a book mark. The link is:

One thing that stuck with me throughout this video is to make sure as an educator you know how to get the attention of a student's brain and keep it. Another thing about brain based learning that intrigued me was that you need not get the kids to care or to "buy in" what you are teaching. If they do not buy into what you are doing they won't learn.

IN RESPONSE to Chris Berdik's excellent article, "The End of Kindergarten" (Ideas, June 14), it is worth noting the view of the renowned Swiss developmental psychologist Piaget, who did extensive research into mapping the stages of cognitive development in childhood.

"Called competency-based education, this new model looks at what students should know when they complete a certain degree, and allows them to acquire that knowledge by independently making their way through lessons. It also allows students who come into school with knowledge in a certain area to pass tests to prove it, rather than forcing them to take classes and pay for credits on information they already know."

What about the social factor?

"This knowledge base features learning theories that address how people learn. A resource useful for scholars of various fields such as educational psychology, instructional design, and human-computer interaction. "

" Classcraft, his classroom-based role-playing game for the past three years, and he says it creates a collaborative and supportive learning environment that can help turn around students who are failing."

" Within the design thinking model, individual learning styles can be validated through a project based learning experience. "

"Edutopia's list of resources, articles, videos, and links for exploring the connection between education and neuroscience."

"AlternativeTo is a new approach to finding good software. Tell us what application you want to replace and we give you great alternatives, based on user recommendations."

"Student-centered classrooms include students in planning, implementation, and assessments. Involving the learners in these decisions will place more work on them, which can be a good thing. Teachers must become comfortable with changing their leadership style from directive to consultative -- from "Do as I say" to "Based on your needs, let's co-develop and implement a plan of action.""

Found another video on brain based learning. This video is almost 15 minutes long. This video is about Learning about the brain changes everything by David Rock at TEDxTokyo.

I found the comments on how we get emotions wrong very interesting. The idea that emotions effect intelligence and memory. How should I as an instructor use that information to provide learning experience to my students?

Credit: iStockphoto You've surely heard the slogans: "Our educational games will give your brain a workout!" Or how about, "Give your students the cognitive muscles they need to build brain fitness." And then there's the program that "builds, enhances, and restores natural neural pathways to assist natural learning." Read this article to separate fact and fiction about the brain and how it functions.

"One way to create a fully student-engaged learning environment is to allow students to explore content in four brain-based learning areas"