D-+Project-Based+Learning

Project-based learning (PBL) is a model for classroom activity that shifts away from the classroom practices of short, isolated, teacher-centered lessons and instead emphasizes learning activities that are long-term, interdisciplinary, student-centered, and integrated with real world issues and practices.
 * 1. Define and describe the theory and it's key features.**
 * **Curricular content** is the PBL feature for which teachers and students may be held most accountable. Successful integration of content learning requires projects to be based on standards, to have clearly articulated goals, and to support and demonstrate content learning both in process and product.
 * The **multimedia** component gives students opportunities to use various technologies effectively as tools in the planning, development, or presentation of their projects. Though the technology can easily become the main focus of a given project, the real strength of the multimedia component lies in its integration with the subject curriculum and its authentic use in the production process.
 * The **student direction** component is designed to maximize student decision-making and initiative throughout the course of the project-from topic selection to design, production, and presentation decisions. Projects should include adequate structure and feedback to help students to make thoughtful decisions and revisions. By documenting students' decisions, revisions, and initiative, teachers (and students) will capture valuable material for assessing student work and growth.
 * PBL accommodates and promotes **collaboration** among students, between students and the teacher, and ideally between students and other community members as well. This component is intended to give students opportunities to learn collaborative skills, such as group decision-making, relying on the work of peers, integrating peer and mentor feedback, providing thoughtful feedback to peers, and working with others as student researchers.
 * The **real world connection** component can take on many forms, depending on the goal of the project. PBL may connect to the real world because it addresses real world issues that are relevant to students' lives or communities. A project may be connected to real professions through use of authentic methods, practices, and audiences. Real world connections might also be made by communicating with the world outside the classroom, via the Internet or collaboration with community members and mentors.
 * An **extended time** frame builds in opportunities for students to plan, revise and reflect on their learning. Though the time frame and scope of projects may vary widely, they should all include adequate time and materials to support meaningful doing and learning.
 * With its innovative approach to learning, PBL also requires an innovative approach to **assessment.** Just as learning is an ongoing process, assessment can be an ongoing process of documenting that learning. PBL requires varied and frequent assessment, including teacher assessment, peer assessment, self-assessment, and reflection. Assessment practices should also be inclusive and well understood by students, allowing them opportunities to participate in the assessment process in ways not typically supported by more traditional teacher-centered lessons.


 * Discuss and explain how the theory operates**

Project-based learning begins with an idea and an essential question. You design the project and the essential question to address as many content standards as possible. With these standards in mind, you then devise a plan that will integrate as many subjects as possible into the project. You must keep in mind what materials and resources will be accessible to the student and how much time you can devote to the project. Next, students will need assistance in managing their time -- a definite life skill. Finally, have multiple means for assessing your students' completion of the project: Did the students master the content? Were they able to apply their new knowledge and skills? An important concluding component of all project based learning is an open, and often student created, rubric for assessment.

Here are steps for implementing PBL:
 * Start with the Essential Question
 * Design a Plan for the Project
 * Create a Schedule
 * Monitor the Students and the Progress of the Project
 * Assess the Outcome
 * Evaluate the Experience


 * An example of project based learning in action.**

As part of the Religion and Ethics unit, in the 9th grade humanities class at Gateway High School. teachers use a PBL model in which students will become experts on a world religion of their choice. Working in groups of three, students spend five weeks exploring and researching that religion; they also investigate first-hand how religion affects people’s choices and ethics by interviewing a practitioner of that religion. Ultimately, students are responsible for developing a website that educates others about the religion and encourages visitors to think critically about how religion impacts choices/ethics.

http://www.gatewayhigh.org/www/academics/hum9.php


 * Analysis of application of project based learning.**


 * //"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." (Confucius)//**

The research literature specifically on project-based learning is somewhat limited in breadth and depth. Thus, it is important to study the research on closely related approaches to education. Research in each of the following areas contributes to the assertion that PBL is effective.


 * Constructivism and Situated Learning.
 * Motivation Theory (intrinsic motivation).
 * Inquiry & Discovery-Based Learning.
 * Cooperative Learning.
 * Peer instruction.
 * Individual & Collaborative Problem Solving.
 * Rubrics—clearly defined (not hidden) expectations.
 * Multiple forms of assessment. Authentic assessment. Clearly defined rubrics facilitating self-assessment, peer assessment, assessment by the teacher, and assessment by outside experts.
 * Direct research studies on PBL.

Project-based learning is learner centered. Students have a significant voice in selecting the content areas and nature of the projects that they do. There is considerable focus on students understanding what it is they are doing, why it is important, and how they will be assessed. Indeed, students may help to set some of the goals over which they will be assessed and how they will be assessed over these goals. All of these learner-centered characteristics of PBL contribute to learner motivation and active engagement. A high level of intrinsic motivation and active engagement are essential to the success of a PBL lesson.

From the student point of view. PBL:
 * Is learner centered and intrinsically motivating.
 * Encourages collaboration and cooperative learning.
 * Requires students to produce a product, presentation, or performance.
 * Allows students to make incremental and continual improvement in their product, presentation, or performance.
 * Is designed so that students are actively engaged in "doing" things rather then in "learning about" something.
 * Is challenging, focusing on higher-order knowledge and skills.

From the teacher point of view, PBL:
 * Has authentic content and purpose.
 * Uses authentic assessment.
 * Is teacher facilitated—but the teacher is much more a "guide on the side" rather than a "sage on the stage."
 * Has explicit educational goals.
 * Is rooted in constructivism (a social learning theory) and gives careful consideration to situated learning theory.
 * Is designed so that the teacher will be a learner, learning from and with the students.


 * My personal understanding of the theory**

PBL is an important and widely heralded (although not often practiced) application of constructivism. Constructivists believe that all learning is derived from reflection on experiences. Students “construct” an understanding of the world around them by reflecting on these experiences. Piaget also showed that developing children build cognitive structures, mental maps, or schemes to understand the physical experiences within their environment (Driscoll 2005) Since people construct their own knowledge individually, students may at times develop concepts, based on untested assumptions, that differ from the one that the teacher is trying to present in the lesson. By developing and challenging these concepts in a guided inquiry way project based learning allow students the opportunity to construct schemes, or networked concepts based on the experiences derived in the actual classroom. In a study conducted in a tenth grade physical science class, students investigated properties of light using only an investigative, inquiry based project approach. After building personally meaningful explanations for phenomena, students then read textbooks explanations, consulted with their teacher, and modified ideas (schemes) when necessary. These modified concepts were then published in a web based format. Follow-up test results showed that the group of students who learned using the PBL approach scored significantly higher than did students who were taught using traditional teaching strategies. In a multi-year study of college chemistry students using a PBL approach to studying chemistry, it was noted that students finishing this class had a better “conceptual” understanding of the content than “traditional” students. (Bopegedera, 2007) The implication of this research, and many other examples, is that using a constructivist, PBL approach in the classroom can increase student achievement both in conceptual understanding and formal assessment. For me, as a science teacher, I separate the concept of knowing about science (knowledge) from knowing how to DO science (practice). PBL allows students to model the practice of being a scientist (question->Investigation->analyze->report) while studying the state mandated content.