PBL: Intensive Workshop

Project-Based Learning (PBL) via NAF Curriculum

Laura Fidler, Instructional Manager, [email protected]

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Today’s Objectives

• Understand what Project Based Learning is and what’s involved– Essential elements

• Understand how PBL is integrated into NAF Curriculum and how you can support it in your academy

• Steps involved leading to successful project-based learning

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What is Project Based Learning?

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Lets take a look, shall we?

•While watching video, consider the following questions:

What are the students working on? What role is the teacher playing? How is learning taking place? What skills and knowledge do students need to

know in order to do this project? What preparation is needed in order to

implement this project?

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Buck Institute approach to PBL

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Why is this important?

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1. students must perceive it as personally meaningful, as a task that matters and that they want to do well.

2. a meaningful project fulfills an educational purpose.

Every Good Project Needs…2 main criteria

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Dessert vs. Main Course

DESSERT PROJECT* MAIN COURSE PBL

Assigned as an “extension” of the unit or as a “hands-on activity” within it

Does not teach central content

Lacks some Essential Elements (often “In-Depth Inquiry”)

* Note: This may still be a good teaching tool, but is not true PBL

The project = the unit

Creates a need to know & is used to teach central content

Has all Essential Elements

© Buck Institute for Education

Doing a Project vs. Project based learning: what is the difference?

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Project Based Learning differs from traditional instruction in several ways:

Projects involve inquiry. Projects involve independence. In addition to learning content, skills like critical thinking, collaboration, working in teams, solvingproblems, being creative, and using technology are all enforced. Projects involve authentic learning. The work students do resembles the work professionals do. Students develop an in-depth understanding of the problem they are working to solve.

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Math Example

DESSERT PROJECT MAIN COURSE PBL

Students pick a famous mathematician from history to learn about, then play the role of the person in a “live interview” describing his or her contribution to the field, and make a poster about the person.

Students determine the best design for a theatre so it contains the maximum number of seats in a building of a given size, presenting their drawings and recommendations to a panel.


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Social Studies Example


After they have completed a unit on the time period, students have a “1960s Day” with costumes, protest signs, speeches, and other activities.

Students answer the question, “Were the 1960s good or bad for this country?” and conduct a debate, with their parents and members of the community as an audience.


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Science Example


During a unit on microorganisms and disease, students are asked to research one disease and make a PowerPoint presentation about it.

Students create public awareness materials for their community (print & multimedia) about stopping the spread of infectious diseases.


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How is this embedded in NAF Curriculum?

The NAF Learning Handbook: 2013Project Based Learning (starts on page 7)

“The culminating project in each NAF course adheres to this instructional approach”

•“The project work is central rather than peripheral to the course; it engages students in the core concepts and principles of a discipline. Students are given a problem to solve that is either a real problem or a realistic scenario. It creates the “need to know”.”

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How do the NAF culminating projects for each course encourage collaboration

across disciplines?

Academy Theme Culminating project example

Academy of Finance Develop a proposal and analysis to invest in a company

Academy of Information Technology

Design a dream computer system

Academy of Hospitality & Tourism

Plan an entertainment event for the local community

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Buck Institute steps to creating a project

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8 essential elements

1.Significant contenta. Teachers should plan a project to focus on important knowledge

and concepts

derived from standards

2.A Need to Knowa. Launching a project with an “entry event” that engages student

interest and

initiates questioning.

3.A Driving Questiona. A good driving question captures the heart of the project in clear,

compelling

language, which gives students a sense of purpose and challenge.

4.Student Voice and Choicea. Make a project feel meaningful to students, the more voice and

choice, the better.

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8 essential elements…cont’d

5.21st Century Skillsa.Collaboration is key

a. Use role-playing and team-building activities, show students how to use time and task organizers

6.Inquiry and Innovationa. In real inquiry, students follow a trail that begins with their

own questions, which leads to innovation

7.Feedback and Revisiona. Students need to learn that most people’s first attempts

don’t result in high quality and that revision is a frequent feature of real-world work.

8.Publicly Presented Product a. When students present their work to a real audience, they

care more about its quality.

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Lets try, shall we?

In groups, using the templates in your Buck Institute workbooks, begin to either:

1. Support a NAF culminating project

2. Brainstorm ways to create a project based learning environment in your

academy/classroom

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Spend adequate time planning and preparinginvolve people outside the classroom in project workFamiliarize yourself with the driving question for the project. Show students an example project. (if possible)Share rubrics!Teach students how to work in a teamLet students play a role in planning how they might approach a task, identifying what resources they need, and deciding how they can demonstrate what they learnProject launch is important!Resist the urge to pre-teach the content or to direct students every step of the way. Start the project first and generate the “need to know”Conclude projects with reflection on both process and contentDon’t forget to celebrate what you and your students accomplish

Tips to ‘make it work’

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There is something about being a PBL teacher that requires different work

• Collaborate with each other

• Give Power to Students• Learning Environment

Designers• Student-Centered• Honor 21st Century Skills• Really Plan, I mean

‘REALLY’ plan

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Research studies have demonstrated that PBL can:

be more effective than traditional instruction in increasing academic achievement on annual state-administered assessment tests.

be more effective than traditional instruction for teaching mathematics, economics, science, social science, clinical medical skills and for careers in the allied health occupations and teaching.

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be more effective than traditional instruction for long-term retention, skill development and satisfaction of students and teachers

be more effective than traditional instruction for preparing students to integrate and explain concepts.

improve students’ mastery of 21st-century skills.

be especially effective with lower-achieving students.

provide an effective model for whole school reform.

#nafnextSource: Johnson, Laurence F.; Smith, Rachel S.; Smythe, J. Troy; Varon, Rachel K. (2009). Challenge-Based Learning: An Approach for Our Time. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium, p. 23.

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What will be your next steps?

PBL: Intensive Workshop

Education

Transcript of PBL: Intensive Workshop