Introduction Icebreaker House keeping rules Who is Afraid of S.T.E.M: Project Based Learning Facilitated By: Darren J. Hamilton, Ph.D. & Tammorah Mathis Materials developed from Buck Institute for Education (BIE) Introduction Icebreaker House keeping rules

What is Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to a complex question, problem, or challenge. 

Essential Elements of PBL Significant Content - At its core, the project is focused on teaching students important knowledge and skills, derived from standards and key concepts at the heart of academic subjects.

Essential Elements of PBL 21st century competencies - Students build competencies valuable for today’s world, such as problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity/innovation, which are explicitly taught and assessed.

Essential Elements of PBL In-Depth Inquiry - Students are engaged in an extended, rigorous process of asking questions, using resources, and developing answers. Driving Question - Project work is focused by an open-ended question that students understand and find intriguing, which captures their task or frames their exploration.

Essential Elements of PBL Need to Know - Students see the need to gain knowledge, understand concepts, and apply skills in order to answer the Driving Question and create project products, beginning with an Entry Event that generates interest and curiosity. Voice and Choice - Students are allowed to make some choices about the products to be created, how they work, and how they use their time, guided by the teacher and depending on age level and PBL experience.

Essential Elements of PBL Critique and Revision - The project includes processes for students to give and receive feedback on the quality of their work, leading them to make revisions or conduct further inquiry. Public Audience - Students present their work to other people, beyond their classmates and teacher.

Why Project-Based Learning (PBL) Project Based Learning’s time has come. The experience of thousands of teachers across all grade levels and subject areas, backed by research, confirms that PBL is an effective and enjoyable way to learn -- and develop deeper learning competencies required for success in college, career and civic life. Why are so many educators across the United States and around the world interested in this teaching method? The answer is a combination of timeless reasons and recent developments.

Why Project-Based Learning (PBL) Today’s students, more than ever, often find school to be boring and meaningless. In PBL, students are active, not passive; a project engages their hearts and minds, and provides real-world relevance for learning. After completing a project, students remember what they learn and retain it longer than is often the case with traditional instruction. Because of this, students who gain content knowledge with PBL are better able to apply what they know and can do to new situations.

Why Project-Based Learning (PBL) In the 21st century workplace, success requires more than basic knowledge and skills. In PBL, students not only understand content more deeply but also learn how to take responsibility and build confidence, solve problems, work collaboratively, communicate ideas, and be creative innovators.

Why Project-Based Learning (PBL) The Common Core and NC Essential Standards emphasize real-world application of knowledge and skills, and the development of the 21st century competencies such as critical thinking, communication in a variety of media, and collaboration. PBL provides an effective way to address such standards.

Why Project-Based Learning (PBL) Modern technology – which students use so much in their lives – is a perfect fit with PBL. With technology, teachers and students can connect with experts, partners, and audiences around the world, and use tech tools to find resources and information, create products, and collaborate more effectively.

Why Project-Based Learning (PBL) PBL allows teachers to work more closely with active, engaged students doing high-quality, meaningful work, and in many cases to rediscover the joy of learning alongside their students. Current models of PBL are not like some past examples of “doing projects” in which student learning outcomes were not clear. More rigorous and effective models of PBL have been refined and tested in recent years in a variety of settings, subjects, and grade levels.

Connects to Academic Areas with Driving Question Begin with the end in mind Craft the Driving Questions Map the Project Plan the Assessment Manage the Process Implement Projects Math ELA Technology Science Social Studies Art Music Drama Health & Wellness Nutrition Character Education

Supported by the teacher through the entire process Teacher maintains on-going communication with the students supporting them in the following areas: Helping with research topics. Steering them in the right direction. Offering project ideas based on the students natural talents and/or encouraging them to explore new areas of creativity.

Support continued Working together with your students to create a Rubric. Decide on some check-in points along the way (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly). Encourage students during the process.

Developing the Rubric Begin with the end in mind Writing/Drawing Beginning/Middle/End Site sources Spelling/Grammar errors More Than 3 Paragraphs Voice projection Articulate 3 Body Part Movements Memorization Math Counting and Cardinality (K only) Operations & Algebraic Thinking Number & Operations Measurement & Data Geometry

Rubric continued Social studies connection Culture represented 3 or more facts about a specific group of people Clear purpose for what the audience will learn Visual or Performing Art Dance – fast and slow movement Music- is appropriate to movement Levels / high – low Smooth transitions Visual – full drawing/2 or more colors/relate to topic/must have a name

Assign numerical values to each area Research Cite at least 2 sources Presentation No less than 3 minutes No more than 5 minutes

Brainstorm Topics Develop a Project Questions

Let’s get started Decide on a topic Decide what your academic focus will be Think about a project you could create to inform, educate, and/or enlighten Start formulating/outlining your research

Materials to assist you with your Project 1. Examples of Multiple Products 2. Examples of Artifacts 3. Oral Presentation 1 4.. Begin with the End in Mind 5. Craft a Driving Question 6. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Write Rubrics a. Cognitive: mental skills (knowledge) b. Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas (attitude or self) c. Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (skills)

Materials to assist you with your Project 7. Blank Rubric 8. Map the Project 9. Manage the Process 10. Grouping Strategies 11. Creating a Rubric for Group Process 12. Creating a Rubric for Group Task 13. Group Observation Checklist 14. The Fishbowl Method 15. Project Grading Worksheet 16. End of Project Self-Assessment 17. Creating a Rubric for Individual Time Management

Conclusion Questions & Answers