What is Project Based Learning?

Project Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional methodology encouraging students to learn by applying knowledge and skills through an engaging experience. PBL presents opportunities for deeper learning in context and for the development of important skills tied to college and career readiness.

Characteristics of Project-Based Learning

Here are three characteristics of meaningful project-based learning activities that lead to deeper student understanding:

1. Interdisciplinary

Project-based curriculum is designed to engage students using real-world problems. This is an interdisciplinary approach because real-world challenges are rarely solved using information or skills from a single subject area. Projects require students to engage in inquiry, solution building, and product construction to help address the issue or challenge presented. As students do the work, they often use content knowledge and skills from multiple academic domains to successfully complete the project.

2. Rigorous

Project-based education requires the application of knowledge and skills, not just recall or recognition. Unlike rote learning to assess a single fact, PBL assesses how students apply a variety of academic content in new contexts. As students engage in a project, they begin by asking a question. Inquiry leads the student to think critically as they are using their academic knowledge in real-world applications. The inquiry process leads to the development of solutions to address the identified problem. They show their knowledge in action through the creation of products designed to communicate solutions to an audience.

3. Student-centered

In PBL, the role of the teacher shifts from content-deliverer to facilitator/project manager. Students work more independently through the PBL process, with the teacher providing support only when needed. Students are encouraged to make their own decisions about how best to do their work and demonstrate their understanding. The PBL process fosters student independence, ownership of his/her work, and the development of 21st-century/workplace skills.

Written by Maggie O'Brien

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| Aug 20, 2020 6:27:00 PM

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