So we know that personalizing learning to the individual student is considered best practice, but how the heck do you do that? Project Based Learning (PBL) is one vehicle for personalized learning in the classroom. It allows for students to dive deeper into a topic that interests them, while still meeting the learning targets of the classroom.
What is PBL?
In PBL, students go through a rigorous inquiry process in response to a complex question. There is a degree of choice, but the projects are very carefully planned, managed, and assessed to make sure students are hitting key learning targets and 21st century skills, as well as create high quality, authentic presentations.
Essential Elements:
Tools:
Documents for Planning and Implementation
PBL Rubrics
Main Course, Not Dessert
Parent Letter
PBL and the Common Core (and NGSS)
Resources:
Social Studies PBL
English PBL
Math PBL
Science PBL
Still worried about the misconceptions about PBL? Here is a great "debunking" of 5 PBL myths:
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/debunking-five-pbl-myths-john-larmer
What is PBL?
In PBL, students go through a rigorous inquiry process in response to a complex question. There is a degree of choice, but the projects are very carefully planned, managed, and assessed to make sure students are hitting key learning targets and 21st century skills, as well as create high quality, authentic presentations.
Essential Elements:
- Teach significant content
- Requires critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving, and communication
- Driving question organizes the entire process
- Creates a need to know the essential content and skills
- Allow for student "voice and choice" within teacher realms
- Includes revision and reflection
- Involves a public audience
Tools:
Documents for Planning and Implementation
PBL Rubrics
Main Course, Not Dessert
Parent Letter
PBL and the Common Core (and NGSS)
Resources:
Social Studies PBL
English PBL
Math PBL
Science PBL
Still worried about the misconceptions about PBL? Here is a great "debunking" of 5 PBL myths:
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/debunking-five-pbl-myths-john-larmer