PROJECT BASED LEARNING

Kateland SmithSavanah StarcherBrandee Malcomb

DEFINITION

• 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

• 21st Century competencies • Students acquire critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, communication

skills, and induces creativity

• Students have a “voice and a choice”

CONTINUED

• They understand the need to gain knowledge and understand concepts

• Ask questions

• Public audience • Students present work further than the classroom

IMPORTANCE

• Allows a wider perspective when using different types of learning methods and materials

• Students will have developed work habits, collaboration in a group, responsibility, communication skills, and be creative innovators - this builds confidence

• They will be better prepared for the workplace

• Those skills can be applied to all subjects in school throughout a student’s entire life in school and civic settings

21ST CENTURY EDUCATION

• “Those who can think critically and communicate effectively must build on a base of core academic subject knowledge” (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2011)

• Requires the development of core academic subject knowledge and understanding amongst all students

• Inspires students to want to learn more

EXAMPLE

• Students can:• Compare information before completing an assignment• Draw inferences • Solve complex problems• Provide feedback to other classmates• Produce own ideas on the process of solving problems • Prove hypotheses • Use other multimedia aspects in the classroom (Voki’s, blogs, WebQuests, etc.)

CONTINUED

• Students can be put into groups of four and will be asked to come up with their own ideas for different topics such as: how to recycle, how can they be re-used, why it would be useful, and what can people in your community do to help; use a survey

• Clear example of cause and effect

• Use of critical thinking skills to generate a notion

• Apply that concept learned in the classroom to everyday life

ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY

• Effective way to integrate technology into curriculum

• Engages students to be active in learning because its not dull

• Use of internet such as blogs, videos, etc. to research ideas or present them online

• Use of Smart Boards to present ideas to classroom

• Video cameras to show proof of true hypothesis• Can post videos or blogs online for more feedback around the world

WORK CITEDBIE. (2014). What is PBL? Retrieved from BIE (Buck Institute of

Education): http://bie.org/about/what_pbl George Lucas Educational Foundation. (2014). Why Teach with Project

Based Learning? Retrieved from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/project-learning-introduction

Great Schools Partnership. (2014). 21st Century Skills. Retrieved from The Glossary of Education Reform: http://edglossary.org/21st-century-skills/

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2011). Framework for 21st Century Learning. Retrieved from Partnership for 21st Century Skills: http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/1.__p21_framework_2-pager.pdf