What Is Project Based Learning?
Project based learning is a way of teaching where students learn academic content and skills for an authentic purpose, with a goal of answering a real-world question, challenge, need, or problem. Students gain knowledge and skills, and learn standards based content, and apply it to an authentic situation.
Project based learning is relevant to the world students live in because is helps them learn how to:
- plan their time
- communicate and negotiate with peers
- work through conflicts
- gather and analyze information
- prioritize tasks
- use resources to solve problems
Read on for more information about what project based learning is and how to get started in your classroom!
Driving Question
Project based learning starts with a driving question. The driving question is what focuses and guides the inquiry and project as a whole. It gives the project a purpose
The driving question presents an authentic and engaging challenge, problem or need that students will be working towards solving or coming up with ideas for.
Your driving question should be open-ended and require further investigation by the students. A good driving question will also lead students to ask further questions to guide them along their challenge.
Good examples of driving questions could include:
- How can we plan an end of the year field day that the students of all ages in our school will enjoy?
Research and Inquiry
A good PBL unit, with a strong driving question, will lead to many opportunities for students to engage in research and inquiry.
As students work through the unit they will need to do short research projects to gather information and find answers to their questions. This research will likely lead to more questions, and more inquiry!
This meets the common core literacy standard of:
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
Students are more engaged in their research with project based learning because they are researching for a real, authentic purpose, not just to answer a random question without real audience or purpose.
These short research projects also provide students with many opportunities to read and interact with informational text in authentic and challenging ways.
Inter-Disciplinary Units
Project based learning applies skills and content in an inter-disciplinary format, just as we apply it in our every day life. We, as adults, do not do math related tasks apart from language arts related tasks.
Learning makes more sense when inter-disciplinary skills are presented and applied together. Students see the purpose behind the learning and find more value in learning new skills knowing they will help them reach an end goal.
In project based learning, skills and content are aligned to standards so students are learning the essential skills they need, they are just learning those skills in an inter-disciplinary, project based format.
Teaching in an inter-disciplinary format also allows teachers to maximize the time they have with their students by having larger chunks of work time where they can meet with the whole class, small groups or individuals to do mini lessons or reviews of skills students need to complete their project.
21st Century Skills
Project based learning gives students valuable experience with the 21st Century Skills of collaboration, critical thinking, communication and creativity.
Most of the work that is done in a project-based learning unit is done collaboratively. This could be working together as a whole class, in small groups, or in partnerships.
Students need to think critically as they do research, and gather and analyze information. They then use this information to suggest possible solutions to problems. Some of the problems they are trying to solve will not have one clear cut answer, so they will need to think critically about the different possible solutions.
Students will need to communicate their findings, ideas, and possible solutions with the peers they are collaborating with. Part of project based learning is sharing your project with an authentic audience and being able to communicate your thoughts and decisions.
Creativity comes into play in all parts of project based learning as students think outside the box about the vast possibilities and opportunities available. Thinking creatively about new ways to do things, or new ways to use things can lead to big breakthroughs in solving problems, needs and challenges.
Project based learning helps students build and master the 21st Century skills that have been identified as essential for college and career readiness.
Ready to Get Started?
Are you ready to get started with project based learning? Give a project based learning unit a try to wrap up the school year and see how it goes! Start small with a topic you know your students are interested in and build in content to match your standards.
Begin with a driving question in the format “How can we ______________________.” Fill in the blank with a challenge or problem that students can work towards solving.
Ask your students to brainstorm additional questions they would need to answer or learn more about to get to the end goal and take it from there!
Looking for Some Ready to Go Units?
Are you are looking for some ready to go units that are perfect for giving project based learning a try? If you want to get started right away, especially at the end of the year when you want to keep engagement high, check out these PBL units I have available for purchase in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Stay tuned for my next project based learning post, where I will share the many benefits of doing project based learning in the classroom!
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