Increasing Relevance with Project-Based Learning Daniel Gumarang School Improvement Facilitator, New Tech High Schools Los Angeles Unified School District

You know projects

Projects are large activities completed after the students have been pushed through homework assignments, lectures, and readings.

Usually a culminating event for a unit or semester.

Project Writing Exercise Lecture Textbook Activity Textbook Activity Peer Edit Writing Activity Lecture

Project-Based Learning

Students are pulled through the curriculum by a driving question or realistic problem that provides a “need to know” the material.

Lectures and readings are integrated into the problem as the students need the information.

Rubric Writing Exercise Textbook Activity Textbook Activity Peer Edit Writing Activity Lecture Entry Document NEED TO KNOWS

Project-Based Learning is effective because: Learning is partly a social activity Learners actively use what they know and build on it It reflects the environment in which we live and learn (plan, collaborate and communicate)

Examples of Project & PBL ProjectPBL Sound Pollution Listen to different sounds. Make a graph and identify features of common sounds that are disturbing to the ear. Identify 5 sound pollution in the community. Form a task force to investigate the problems and propose solutions for each. Geometry Observe and measure various school buildings and record data. Design a “School of the future” with scale drawings and models, taking into account the site and anticipated needs. Present plan to community experts.

Rubric Writing Exercise Textbook Activity Textbook Activity Peer Edit Writing Activity Lecture Entry Document NEED TO KNOWS

Entry Document Builds a scenario Outlines the problem Defines roles and tasks Sets expectations

Other Entry Document Webpage Guest speakers Newspaper/Magazine articles Job announcements Casting calls Video

Now what?

Writing Exercise Textbook Activity Textbook Activity Peer Edit Writing Activity Lecture Entry Document NEED TO KNOWS

What do you need to know?

Need To Knows Floor and wall covering? What is interior design? How to calculate area & perimeter? Material & labor cost? Cost analysis? Vice President, Human Resources?

Essential Features of an Entry Document Creates expectations Sets parameters NEED TO KNOWS Introduce rubric

Rubric Writing Exercise Textbook Activity Textbook Activity Peer Edit Writing Activity Lecture Entry Document NEED TO KNOWS

Making expectations clearer with rubrics

Assessment Writing Exercise Use of Spreadsheets Area Peer Edit Perimeter Units of Measurement Entry Document NEED TO KNOWS

Project vs. PBL PROJECTPROJECT-BASED LEARNING a culminating event after the unit has been taught traditionally project is introduced at the beginning of the unit, not at the end teach the material before the project is introduced projects are real-world applications of the course content requiring students students don’t know they need the information and therefore are not engaged in the learning process The role of the teacher becomes a guide or coach to the student, who now has a need to know the course materials

Assessment It’s all in the presentation!

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