The History of PBL

Early supporters of learning by doing.Confucius and Aristotle were early proponents of learning by doing.

Socrates modeled how to learn through questioning, inquiry, and critical thinking.

John Dewey supported learning through experience. John Dewey, 20th-century American educational theorist and philosopher, challenged the traditional view of the student as a passive recipient of knowledge and argued for active experiences that prepare students for ongoing learning about a dynamic world.

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”

-John Dewey

What do you think classrooms looked like at this point?

October 4, 1957, 7:28 PM

Sputnik was launched.On October 4, 1957 at 7:28pm the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite.

Crisis in Education“The schools are in terrible shape, what has long been an ignored national problem, Sputnik has made a recognized crisis.”

PBL gets its name.Doctors from McMaster University labeled their approach to learning as Problem Based Learning.

The focus changes.The focus changed from problem solvers to good test takers.

What is Project-Based Learning?

In Project Based Learning (PBL),

students go through an extended process of

inquiry in response to a complex question,

problem, or challenge.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

Benjamin Franklin

Why Use PBL as a Teaching Method?

An effective way to learn content knowledge and skills

Making a school curriculum more engaging and meaningful

Building readiness for 21st century work, life and citizenship