Project-Based Learning
The article “Project-Based Learning Research Review” in edutopia is an excellent piece of knowledge that sums up the benefits and scope of the project-based learning. The article explores the vast body of research on the topic and in the series of five articles; it detail the definition of project-based learning, review the possible learning outcomes, give recommendations of evidence-based components for successful PBL and suggest the best practices across disciplines, to name a few.
What is Project-Based Learning?
The basic principle of project-based learning is an inquiry-based approach of teaching and learning. Teacher provides the students with a question or problem that could be driving, challenging or intriguing and that in turn encourage and guide their learning. Students are free to work in groups, pairs or individually to conduct research, collect or construct material and evidences. They, therefore, approach the problem in a systematic and guided way in order to create models, manipulatives, solutions and strategies to tackle the question or problem in hand. This model also permits them to demonstrate their learning by different modes of presentation that could be as varied as using technology, pictures, models, journals or manipulatives.
As the research points out that project-based learning jells with all the subject areas. However, being a science teacher, I find it as a great tool to implement in my science class; as I feel it set students to go for quests that are inquiry-based and makes them explore realistic problems. Irrespective of few challenges (the biggest one being, recognizing the situations or context to make for a project), designing various projects on different science topics has multiple benefits. Foremost one is, we can enable students to envision how scientists approach the scientific inquiries. In addition, students are able to remember the concepts for longer periods of time and develop complex cognitive skills such as higher-order thinking, problem-solving, as well ability to comprehend abstract idea, which is the crux of scientific thinking.
Following is the list of few websites that links to ideas and topics for various projects in different subjects:
Intel® Education—For K–12 Educators
I found this website a great resource to explore and have in one’s digital teaching tool box. The one particular section on project-based learning offers free e-learning professional courses to design various activities and give ideas from successful project-based units developed by other teachers. It also gives an in-depth look inside an interdisciplinary project on roller-coaster design for eighth-graders in math, science, social studies, and language arts and lastly, a webinar by ISTE author Jane Krauss that help to learn how project-based learning can improve students’ 21st-century skills.
Project Exchange
As suggested in the website, this website is designed as a place for teachers to share project-based high school curriculum. It is basically an on-line workspace for Envision school teachers (Envision Schools in San-Francisco Bay Area ) to share projects and collaborate with one another by sharing best practice in project design and implementation. It has a good range of projects in different subject areas that are worth exploring and extending to our own classrooms.
What is Project-Based Learning?
The basic principle of project-based learning is an inquiry-based approach of teaching and learning. Teacher provides the students with a question or problem that could be driving, challenging or intriguing and that in turn encourage and guide their learning. Students are free to work in groups, pairs or individually to conduct research, collect or construct material and evidences. They, therefore, approach the problem in a systematic and guided way in order to create models, manipulatives, solutions and strategies to tackle the question or problem in hand. This model also permits them to demonstrate their learning by different modes of presentation that could be as varied as using technology, pictures, models, journals or manipulatives.
Following is the list of few websites that links to ideas and topics for various projects in different subjects:
I found this website a great resource to explore and have in one’s digital teaching tool box. The one particular section on project-based learning offers free e-learning professional courses to design various activities and give ideas from successful project-based units developed by other teachers. It also gives an in-depth look inside an interdisciplinary project on roller-coaster design for eighth-graders in math, science, social studies, and language arts and lastly, a webinar by ISTE author Jane Krauss that help to learn how project-based learning can improve students’ 21st-century skills.
Project Exchange
As suggested in the website, this website is designed as a place for teachers to share project-based high school curriculum. It is basically an on-line workspace for Envision school teachers (Envision Schools in San-Francisco Bay Area ) to share projects and collaborate with one another by sharing best practice in project design and implementation. It has a good range of projects in different subject areas that are worth exploring and extending to our own classrooms.
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