Project-Based Learning Learning In Action! Copyright © 2003 The George Lucas Educational Foundation

“The biggest obstacle to school change is our memories.” -- Dr. Allen Glenn Obstacles

 Creating schools for the 21st Century requires less time looking in the rearview mirror and more vision anticipating the road ahead.  Teaching has been an activity undertaken behind closed doors between moderately consenting participants.  Technology enables students, teachers, and administrators to reach out beyond the school building.  Innovative classrooms are not defined by fixed places but by their spirit of curiosity and collaboration among students, teachers, and others in a true learning community. Excerpts from Edutopia

Change “We must be the change we want to see in the world.” -- Mahatma Gandhi

Project-Based Learning (PBL)

What is Project-Based Learning?  PBL is curriculum fueled and standards based.  PBL asks a question or poses a problem that ALL students can answer. Concrete, hands-on experiences come together during project- based learning.  PBL allows students to investigate issues and topics in real-world problems.  PBL fosters abstract, intellectual tasks to explore complex issues.

How Does Project-Based Learning Work?  Question  Plan  Schedule  Monitor  Assess  Evaluate

Question  Start with the Essential question.  Take a real-world topic and begin an in-depth investigation.  Make sure it is relevant for your students.

Plan  Plan which content standards will be addressed while answering the question.  Involve students in the questioning, planning, and project-building process.  Teacher and students brainstorm activities that support the inquiry.

Schedule  Teacher and students design a timeline for project components.  Set benchmarks.  Keep it simple and age-appropriate.

Monitor  Facilitate the process.  Mentor the process.  Utilize rubrics.

Assess  Make the assessment authentic.  Know authentic assessment will require more time and effort from the teacher.  Vary the type of assessment used.

Evaluate  Take time to reflect, individually and as a group.  Share feelings and experiences.  Discuss what worked well.  Discuss what needs change.  Share ideas that will lead to new inquiries, thus new projects.

Let’s Begin Think BIG! The Question is the Answer! What is the Question?

 You’ve read “More Fun Than a Barrel of... Worms?!”, “The Jason Project,” and “Journey North”“More Fun Than a Barrel of... Worms?!”, The Jason Project,” “Journey North”  Now let’s see these examples of project-based learning in streaming video, looking for: 1. Evidence of effective learning 2. Criteria of good projects  Which of the projects you just read about ‘grabbed’ your attention. Why?  What ideas do you have for a project? What question will you ask your students? Let’s check it out!

 Brainstorm new project ideas and record your ideas.  Record questions that will launch project-based learning.  Choose one of your questions and create a Project template.  What content standards will be addressed? What subjects can be woven into the process? Group Project

 On the GLEF site ( go to the Video Gallery; select Interviews; select Project-Based Learning as a topic.  Read and talk about the questions and responses of one expert. (There are several options: focus on national experts such as Howard Gardner, Seymour Papert, and Sylvia Chard. Focus on individual school personnel (principals and/or teachers and/or students). Or choose two or more experts within a category so that participants can compare/contrast their comments.)  Present your findings to the class. (You may develop a PowerPoint presentation, role-play an interview, or report your findings in other ways.) What do the experts have to say about the effectiveness of project-based learning activities?

References  Edutopia: Success Stories for Learning in the Digital Age The George Lucas Educational Foundation Jossey-Bass, Copyright © 2002 Edutopia: Success Stories for Learning in the Digital Age  The George Lucas Educational Foundation Web site  Why We Assess Students - And How McLean, James E. and Lockwood, Robert E. Corwin Press, Inc.  Learning By Heart Barth, Roland S. Jossey-Bass, Copyright © 2001