Project Based Learning
Project-based learning is a different teaching technique that promotes cooperation, independence, and creativity within and without the classrooms. It permits pupils to participate in the teaching and learning process with a lot more zeal.
Project-based learning is an educational and learning strategy and structure in which learners construct subject understanding and skills to answer to a driving topic based on a real-world problem, demand, difficulty, or worry. Project-based learning is performed in groups and collaboratively, and it incorporates a wide range of employability parts such as critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation. It improves student choices and engagement, as well as curiosity. A collaborative partner, as well as a publicly visible product, are required for authentic PBL. It also includes a constant process of self-reflection.
PBL is an approach where students learn critical competencies and skills through comprehensively crafted real-life projects, which are linked laterally to various domains or subjects. Instead of books and blackboards, students learn from the design, research, implementation and production of these projects. The focus is on building relevant skills and capacities (such as design thinking, collaboration, creativity, etc.) and not just remembering facts. Often these projects are implemented in groups with active mentoring and coaching by teachers, mentors and, more importantly, community members and subject matter experts. Projects are also crafted to accommodate multiple modes of learning and multiple ways of expressing understanding.
Project-based learning is an educational and learning strategy and structure in which learners construct subject understanding and skills to answer to a driving topic based on a real-world problem, demand, difficulty, or worry. Project-based learning is performed in groups and collaboratively, and it incorporates a wide range of employability parts such as critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation. It improves student choices and engagement, as well as curiosity. A collaborative partner, as well as a publicly visible product, are required for authentic PBL. It also includes a constant process of self-reflection.
PBL is an approach where students learn critical competencies and skills through comprehensively crafted real-life projects, which are linked laterally to various domains or subjects. Instead of books and blackboards, students learn from the design, research, implementation and production of these projects. The focus is on building relevant skills and capacities (such as design thinking, collaboration, creativity, etc.) and not just remembering facts. Often these projects are implemented in groups with active mentoring and coaching by teachers, mentors and, more importantly, community members and subject matter experts. Projects are also crafted to accommodate multiple modes of learning and multiple ways of expressing understanding.
Incorporate library
Visit schools where project-based learning (PBL) is taking hold and you are almost certain to see teachers collaborating. They may be meeting face-to-face to plan projects, using critical-friend protocols to improve projects, looking at student work together, or even teaming up virtually with project partners in other time zones.
A key player to invite into these collaborative conversations is the school librarian or library media specialist. Their understanding of information literacy and digital citizenship can make a difference across the arc of projects. What's more, librarians may know about students' out-of-class interests through their reading choices or online interests. Take advantage of their insights to plan more engaging projects.
End of newsletter promotion. How and when might school librarians contribute to PBL? I had a chance to talk about these opportunities recently at the Oregon Association of School Libraries conference. Here are a few ideas that emerged from our conversations.
At the project planning stage: At the design stage, ask librarians for specific feedback on project plans. Does the driving question sound engaging, based on what they know about students' interests? (Do they have alternatives to suggest?) Are there literature connections or digital media resources a teacher may not have considered?
Creating anticipation: If librarians know about upcoming projects, they can help to spark curiosity even before launch day. One school library displays a "curiosity cabinet" of artifacts that relate to upcoming projects. Library book displays or book clubs can help whet students' appetite for upcoming topics, too.
Guiding research: Because inquiry is at the heart of PBL, student questions guide the learning process. Students need to know how to ask good questions and also how to research effectively. Librarians are in a key role to help students build and apply these information literacy skills. Mini-lessons on smarter searching will help students go deeper than with simple Google searches. Critical-thinking prompts will help students consider the accuracy and reliability of sources. Workshops about fair use and copyright will help students cite sources appropriately. (Read more about online research in the recent Edudemic post, "Critical Search Skills Students Should Know.")
Hutchison counts on her library colleague to help students locate information that will answer their need-to-know questions. "These are great opportunities to teach information literacy," she says. For example, the librarian might prompt students to consider, "How do we take a question and pick out key words to locate resources?"
Connecting with experts: Projects often require students to go beyond the school walls to connect with content-area experts. Here, too, librarians can help guide the search for experts. If they have access to tools like Skype in the Classroom or Google Hangout, they can help students arrange video conferences with the experts they want to consult.
Encouraging teamwork and creativity: PBL intentionally puts students into situations where they work in teams. With practice, students get better at working with peers and also managing their own learning. School libraries offer environments for teams to work semi-autonomously on projects.
Some school libraries are going farther, becoming laboratories for connected learning. They may provide students with access to recording gear, 3D printers, or makerspaces for building and testing prototypes. Learn more about the thinking behind Connected Learning here.
Displaying "beautiful work": At the conclusion of projects, students typically apply what they have learned to create something new. Many schools hold project culminating events in the school library, inviting audiences to provide feedback on what students have accomplished. Longer term, the school library offers a public place to display and curate the "beautiful work" that results from high-quality PBL
A key player to invite into these collaborative conversations is the school librarian or library media specialist. Their understanding of information literacy and digital citizenship can make a difference across the arc of projects. What's more, librarians may know about students' out-of-class interests through their reading choices or online interests. Take advantage of their insights to plan more engaging projects.
End of newsletter promotion. How and when might school librarians contribute to PBL? I had a chance to talk about these opportunities recently at the Oregon Association of School Libraries conference. Here are a few ideas that emerged from our conversations.
At the project planning stage: At the design stage, ask librarians for specific feedback on project plans. Does the driving question sound engaging, based on what they know about students' interests? (Do they have alternatives to suggest?) Are there literature connections or digital media resources a teacher may not have considered?
Creating anticipation: If librarians know about upcoming projects, they can help to spark curiosity even before launch day. One school library displays a "curiosity cabinet" of artifacts that relate to upcoming projects. Library book displays or book clubs can help whet students' appetite for upcoming topics, too.
Guiding research: Because inquiry is at the heart of PBL, student questions guide the learning process. Students need to know how to ask good questions and also how to research effectively. Librarians are in a key role to help students build and apply these information literacy skills. Mini-lessons on smarter searching will help students go deeper than with simple Google searches. Critical-thinking prompts will help students consider the accuracy and reliability of sources. Workshops about fair use and copyright will help students cite sources appropriately. (Read more about online research in the recent Edudemic post, "Critical Search Skills Students Should Know.")
Hutchison counts on her library colleague to help students locate information that will answer their need-to-know questions. "These are great opportunities to teach information literacy," she says. For example, the librarian might prompt students to consider, "How do we take a question and pick out key words to locate resources?"
Connecting with experts: Projects often require students to go beyond the school walls to connect with content-area experts. Here, too, librarians can help guide the search for experts. If they have access to tools like Skype in the Classroom or Google Hangout, they can help students arrange video conferences with the experts they want to consult.
Encouraging teamwork and creativity: PBL intentionally puts students into situations where they work in teams. With practice, students get better at working with peers and also managing their own learning. School libraries offer environments for teams to work semi-autonomously on projects.
Some school libraries are going farther, becoming laboratories for connected learning. They may provide students with access to recording gear, 3D printers, or makerspaces for building and testing prototypes. Learn more about the thinking behind Connected Learning here.
Displaying "beautiful work": At the conclusion of projects, students typically apply what they have learned to create something new. Many schools hold project culminating events in the school library, inviting audiences to provide feedback on what students have accomplished. Longer term, the school library offers a public place to display and curate the "beautiful work" that results from high-quality PBL
Projects Examples
Natural Disaster PBL Project
Driving Question:
Natural disasters have been increasing in number and intensity. The destruction costs the U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars each year, with thousands of people losing their homes, jobs, and even lives. How can you, as part of a national task force, create a product or innovative idea to help save buildings and lives? Build a product or create a digital presentation explaining your innovative idea. You will report to a special committee to present your research, demonstrate your product, and answer questions.
Steps:
1. Make a list of what you need to know to complete this project. Research your natural disaster. To support this research, I give students a pathfinder (databases and websites) and put together a cart of books on the subjects.
2. Record your information on paper or in a Google Doc. Make sure you note where you found this information.
3. Create a Google Slideshow with information about the causes and effects. Include a bibliography slide showing where you found your information/images.
4. Brainstorm ways to protect people and buildings from the natural disaster.
5. Design a product or idea that will help protect people. Draw/write a detailed plan.
6. Begin making your model or idea presentation.
7. Make changes as needed and finish your model.
8. Practice your presentation.
9. Present your project to your class.
10. Present your project to other classes at a school Share Fair.
Natural disasters have been increasing in number and intensity. The destruction costs the U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars each year, with thousands of people losing their homes, jobs, and even lives. How can you, as part of a national task force, create a product or innovative idea to help save buildings and lives? Build a product or create a digital presentation explaining your innovative idea. You will report to a special committee to present your research, demonstrate your product, and answer questions.
Steps:
1. Make a list of what you need to know to complete this project. Research your natural disaster. To support this research, I give students a pathfinder (databases and websites) and put together a cart of books on the subjects.
2. Record your information on paper or in a Google Doc. Make sure you note where you found this information.
3. Create a Google Slideshow with information about the causes and effects. Include a bibliography slide showing where you found your information/images.
4. Brainstorm ways to protect people and buildings from the natural disaster.
5. Design a product or idea that will help protect people. Draw/write a detailed plan.
6. Begin making your model or idea presentation.
7. Make changes as needed and finish your model.
8. Practice your presentation.
9. Present your project to your class.
10. Present your project to other classes at a school Share Fair.
Lessons
Lesson 1
- Tell students they will be working on a new project and must guess the topic. To give them clues, have kids do a picture gallery walk in which students walk around silently looking at pictures of natural disasters taped to the walls for about five minutes.
- Ask them to sit in small groups that you designate and discuss what the common theme might be.
- Play a short video montage of different natural disasters. Give students two minutes to discuss and then share their ideas with the whole class.
- Discuss the project and show the driving question.
- Present project choices (hurricane; flood; forest fire; tsunami; earthquake; mudslide; tornado; volcanic eruption; blizzard/avalanche) and hand out choice sheets—handouts listing all of the possible natural disaster choices.
- Give students five minutes to list their top four choices. Collect the papers to make groups.
Lesson 2
- Ask each group make a list of questions and information needed to start the project. They can use graphic organizers or Google Docs to record questions.
- Make topical books and laptops/iPads available for students to research their natural disaster.
- Have students begin taking notes and jotting down possible ideas.
Lesson 3-6
- Students plan and conduct more research as needed.
- They can be working on their Google Slideshow or building their models with materials from the makerspace, mainly recycled cardboard boxes and other items.
- Students finish building their models.
Lesson 7
- Students practice their presentations.
- Students present to classmates.
- Students present to other classes, parents, and staff.
- Students reflect on their role in the project by completing self-assessments. They may consider their strengths and areas for growth through one lens, such as collaborator or communicator, or reflect on their performance in general.