The Magdalene Academies

2 Magdalene Academies 2011

Contents

The Power of Big Ideas ........................................................................................................................... 3 What is Project Based Learning? ....................................................................................................... 4 Why use Project Based Learning? ..................................................................................................... 8 What are the Academies? ...................................................................................................................... 10 Possible Academies .................................................................................................................................. 11 Resources ..................................................................................................................................................... 15 Readings ....................................................................................................................................................... 16


There is something inherently powerful about a big idea. It’s not just something

which can fire the imagination and motivate thought and action. Big ideas are

necessary for the creative process to flourish. Whether the ideas be of an

academic nature, whether they be aesthetic, or ideas borne of an urgent

necessity, big ideas hook into what it means to be a thinking, productive and relevant person: a force in our world; an agent of our own becoming.

Traditional curriculum has always been based on big ideas, but over time, these ideas have become buried in the layers of instructional documents which attempt to convey to teachers

how the big ideas are to be made manifest in the classroom. Such documents, in their

classroom incarnation, conceal the big ideas in compartmentalized subject programs, thin slices of assessment, and a misplaced obsession with content.

The national goals for schooling, published as the Melbourne Declaration on Educational

Goals for Young Australians in 2008, contains some very big ideas meant to frame the

development of the new National Curriculum. Already, these big ideas are being finely sliced by state authorities and various subject specific guilds into discreet teaching programs

and assessment frameworks.

The Melbourne declaration, in effect, contains four big ideas. The National Curriculum makes these goals explicit across the faculties or domains.

Goal 1: Australian schooling promotes equity and excellence

Goal 2: All young Australians become: ~ successful learners ~ confident and creative individuals ~ active and informed citizens.


The question is best answered by the good people from the George

Lucas Educational Foundation in the United States (http://www.edutopia.org):

“Project learning, also known as project-‐based learning, is a

dynamic approach to teaching in which students explore

real-‐world problems and challenges, simultaneously developing

cross-‐curriculum skills while working in small collaborative groups.

Because project-‐based learning is filled with active and engaged learning, it inspires students

to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects they're studying. Research also indicates that

students are more likely to retain the knowledge gained through this approach far more

readily than through traditional textbook-‐centered learning. In addition, students develop

confidence and self-‐direction as they move through both team-‐based and independent work.

In the process of completing their projects, students also hone their organizational and

research skills, develop better communication with their peers and adults, and often work

within their community while seeing the positive effect of their work.

Because students are evaluated on the basis of their projects, rather than on the

comparatively narrow rubrics defined by exams, essays, and written reports, assessment of

project-‐based work is often more meaningful to them. They quickly see how academic work

can connect to real-‐life issues -‐ and may even be inspired to pursue a career or engage in

activism that relates to the project they developed.

Students also thrive on the greater flexibility of project learning. In addition to participating in

traditional assessment, they might be evaluated on presentations to a community audience

they have assiduously prepared for, informative tours of a local historical site based on their

recently acquired expertise, or screening of a scripted film they have painstakingly produced.

Project learning is also an effective way to integrate technology into the curriculum. A typical

project can easily accommodate computers and the Internet, as well as interactive

whiteboards, global-‐positioning-‐system (GPS) devices, digital still cameras, video cameras,

and associated editing equipment.


What do the experts say?

John Mergendoller is executive director of the Buck Institute for Education (BIE). BIE is dedicated to improving 21st-‐century teaching and learning throughout the

world by creating and disseminating products, practices, and knowledge for effective

project-‐based learning.

Why is PBL worth doing?

"Research has shown that students learn content as well or better using PBL than with

traditional instruction. It also shows that students remember what they have learned longer

and are better able to use what they have learned. PBL provides the opportunity to learn and

practice skills that traditional instruction often ignores -‐-‐ working in groups, making choices,

monitoring progress, thinking deeply about a problem or challenge, and communicating what

has been learned. In short, PBL helps students not only learn content but also the 21st-‐

century skills they will need to thrive in a quickly changing, globally connected world."

How does one know if students are ready for PBL?

"I think the key point is that most, if

not all students, have to be prepped

to do PBL successfully. The teacher

should think through what the

project requires students to do,

both in terms of academic tasks

(such as writing an editorial,

creating a poster, summarizing an

argument) and in terms of the

process of completing the project

(discussing ideas and making choices in a group, giving constructive feedback on others'

work, or making an oral presentation). And then teachers need to ask themselves whether

students can do this right now or whether they need some scaffolding, guidance, and

practice."

"If they do need practice or preparation -‐-‐ either academic or process focused -‐-‐ the teacher

needs to provide that. Begin by having kids describe what it means to discuss things and learn


from the discussion or talk about what a good presentation looks like (help them make a

rubric!). Examine the steps in developing an argument. Sometimes the teacher will need to be

direct and didactic: "A good argument is based on reasons that are logical and make sense; it

is not based on what we feel or what we like." At other times, the teacher can draw the needed

ideas out of the students in a discussion. But in all cases, the result should help students

understand what they need to do and give them practice doing it in a supervised, structured

situation before we turn them loose on a project."

"The teacher should also check in with students after the project starts: "Let's talk about the

discussions you are having in your groups.

How many students would say they are

learning new things? What is your group

doing to make that happen?" Good projects

are done with preparation (for both teachers

and students) and under supervision. If things

are going swell, then the teacher can back off."

(http:www.edutopia.org)

Bob Pearlman is a strategy consultant for 21st-‐century school development. Formerly the director of strategic planning for the New Technology Foundation, now

the New Tech Network, he speaks and consults in the United States and abroad on

21st-‐century learning and is a longtime proponent of project-‐based learning.

"Students of today enter an increasingly globalized world in which technology plays a vital

role. They must be good communicators as well as great collaborators. The new work

environment requires responsibility and the ability to self-‐manage as well as the

interpersonal and project-‐management skills needed for teamwork and leadership. Enter

project-‐based learning, designed to put students into a students-‐as-‐workers setting in which

they learn collaboration, critical-‐thinking, and written-‐ and oral-‐communication skills along

with the values of a strong work ethic, all while meeting state or national content standards.

But don't confuse PBL with simply doing activities injected into traditional education to

enliven things as a culminating event for a learning unit. Real PBL, in contrast, is deep,

complex, rigorous, and integrated."

(http:www.edutopia.org)


Does PBL Work?

Buck Institute for Education, 2009

There is forty years of accumulated evidence that the instructional strategies and procedures

that make up standards-‐focused Project Based Learning are effective in building deep content

understanding, raising academic achievement and encouraging student motivation to learn.

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.

• 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.

As with any teaching method, PBL can be used effectively or ineffectively. At its best, PBL can

be the catalyst for an engaging learning experience and create a context for a powerful

learning community focused on achievement, self-‐mastery, and contribution to the

community. At its worst, it can be a colossal waste of time for all concerned. The videos and

tools in this web site will help you understand Project Based Learning and use it effectively.

Reference for each of these assertions can be found at

http://www.bie.org/research/study/does_pbl_work


Actually, this is the wrong question, or at least, not the first question. There are

several more important questions that must be asked well before this one. They

include:

• Who are our students?

• What do they value?

• Where does school education rank in their priorities?

• What does our data say about their level of motivation and engagement?

• Why are our middle-‐of-‐the-‐road students achieving at a standard far below what is

expected of them in a range of measures?

• In what ways is their learning responsive, inclusive, relevant and respectful of their

experience and their values?

We already have answers to some of these questions. In particular, we can say with

confidence that under-‐performance is endemic at Magdalene Catholic High School. Some

students engage very well with some of their learning, but this is not the norm. Other data

shows that, although Magdalene does not have

behaviour management issues, there is a small but

significant cohort of students who are so

disengaged that positive behaviour management is

unsuccessful, and negative, consequential type

management is only marginally more effective.

We work in the second largest Catholic diocese in

Australia, where less than 8% of Catholics attend

Mass once in a month, yet a large number of our

students can be seen with their families faithfully

worshipping every weekend.

We know that almost 50% of our parent community do not have education beyond Year 10,

School Certificate, and that many of our students are third generation Macarthur residents.

Our school attendance rate is consistently in the order of 80% – 85%, meaning that, on

average, each student has half a term off school on sick leave or other leave.

This is what Magdalene makes me feel so much.

The work load is humungous, I have

nooooooo motivation whatsoever which makes me stressed, don’t even wanna be here. I’m forced by mum which

puts even more pressure. STUDENT VOICE DATA 2011


All this data may appear alarming, but anecdotally, most students are happy at school and

appreciate the value of a good, Catholic education. Magdalene Catholic High School is a happy

and peaceful Catholic school where students are open to the experiences offered them.

Students at Magdalene happily celebrate their school spirit and appreciate the good

reputation that their school enjoys.

Many students are keen to support sporting, artistic, liturgical and social-‐justice initiatives,

and in these real-‐life teams they display high levels of initiative, engagement and purpose-‐

driven motivation.

What can Project Based Learning achieve at Magdalene?

Considering the profile described above, it appears that Project Based Learning holds the

potential to achieve the following goals:

1. Students will be motivated by

projects that are situated in the real

world – giving them and their teams

purpose

2. Students will have a large degree of

control over their projects – giving

them independence and control

3. Students will have a strict set of

criteria and timeframes – giving

them responsibility

4. Students will present their finished

products to a panel of community

stakeholders, such as business

people, politicians, academics and

others, and receive real feedback –

giving their work authenticity and

giving them motivation

5. Students will celebrate and publish

their learning – giving them an

improved self-‐concept as learners


Ever since the time of Greek philosophers

there have been academies. These collections of

thinkers produced seminal statements about the nature of humanity and the purpose of

society.

During the Renaissance in the 15th Century, groups of

like-‐minded people, under the patronage of a sponsor

gathered to explore ideas and create work of enduring

value to humankind. At their best the Academies of the

Renaissance showed the world what was possible

when genius was well resourced.

The Magdalene Academies will continue this tradition of academic and cultural excellence.

They will have the following features:

• A cross-curricular identity – combining at least two disciplines, if not more

• A finite timeframe – each academy has a clearly defined beginning and end

• A compelling, real world question or problem as its focus

• A set of guidelines that map Academy projects against syllabus outcomes

• A mentor or facilitator

• A real-world product or outcome

• A presentation to an audience, or panel, made up of stakeholders, community

members, business people, politicians, academics or whoever will provide authentic

feedback

• Publication of results, resources, products and feedback

• Students will take time from their regular classrooms to work on their Academy

project with their team. This may take them from the subjects that the Academy

project addresses for the period of the project.


Who will join the Academies?

This is a challenging question. The short answer is “anybody”. Although the detail would

need to be refined, the Academy’s teams will have relatively small membership (5 – 7 people

per project perhaps). It is logical to think that this very liberated way of learning would be

ideal for gifted learners. But, when one reflects on the nature of our community, it is

reasonable to suggest the following students would find their learning is enhanced through

the Academies :

• Motivated gifted learners

• Underachieving gifted learners

• Middle-of-the-road learners with high

motivation

• Middle-of-the-road learners with low

motivation

• Year 8 boys for whom school seems

irrelevant

• Students who struggle in traditional classroom settings

• Students with a particular passion

Potential Obstacles and Challenges

1. Assessment – How will Academy products and projects be accounted for alongside

the programmed assessment activities in a given subject?

2. Assessment – How will the classroom outcomes not covered by the Academy be

assessed in the students’ absent?

3. Parents - How will parents come to understand, appreciate and support this style of

learning?

4. Reporting – How will the school report on this achievement to the parents?

5. Staffing – How will the school provide personnel as mentors for the Academies?

6. Selection and enrolment – How will the school manage enrolment into Academies

(eg applications?), attendance and the balance of PBL and traditional classroom

programs for individual students?

7. Change


What follows are some suggestions about how Academies could take shape, with specific projects and compelling questions. At this stage, the projects have not been mapped against specific syllabus outcomes. This would be the task of a working party made up of students and teachers, who would ratify the question and its curriculum links: an Academies Summit. Is it too radical to suggest that students could design their own projects? 1. How can we increase the number and value of tourists and visitors to the

Camden Macarthur region?

Academy Type Business

KLAs English, Geography, History

Products Market research, analysis and report. A campaign to develop Camden and Macarthur as tourist destinations. May include actual products: print, film and online advertising. Feature articles etc.

Panel Representatives of Camden business networks, local government politicians, NRMA tourism editor, editor of In Macarthur magazine, President of Camden Historical Society etc

2. What can be done to address the rise in child obesity in this region?

Academy Type Public Health / Medical

KLAs English, Science, PDHPE, Maths

Products Data collection and analysis. Social research methodologies. Health campaign based on research.

Panel Youth worker, Local doctor or health professionals, representative of the Camden Hospital diabetes clinic, Weight Watchers, representative of the SWAHS


3. Turning the tide - How can we change the attitude of people towards

refugees and asylum seekers?

Academy Type Social Justice

KLAs English, Geography, Religion

Products Media analysis and lobbying. Activities for other students. Multi-‐media campaign

Panel Refugee Action Centre, refugees living in the community, St Vincent de Paul, Local media

4. Family Footprint - How can we create family energy charters to reduce

carbon pollution in our community?

Academy Type Science / Ecology

KLAs Science, Maths, Religion

Products A system to reduce carbon pollution by having Magdalene families commit to a program of sustainable energy efficiencies.

Panel Parents and friends, science academics, local environment officer, Total Environment Centre

5. Magdalene Apprentice - What is the best product or service to develop

and sell for Charity at Magdalene

Academy Type Business

KLAs Commerce, Maths, Technology, Other?

Products Business plan. An actual product or service for sale in the Magdalene community or beyond.

Panel Parents and friends, business development manager, business chamber, accountant


6. Brainy film festival - How can we use film to teach the hardest concept

in any subject in my Year Level?

Academy Type Performance / Tech

KLAs Technology, English Literacy, other

Products A film to teach the most difficult concept in my year group to be published to YouTube.

Panel Film specialist, education lecturer (UWS), students in the chosen year group

7. School of Rock - Can students produce music they’d like to listen to?

Academy Type Performance

KLAs Technology, Music

Products A CD of original songs – cover art, liner notes, YouTube film clip

Panel Recording specialist, practicing musicians, graphic artist

8. Maths for Windows - how can we create a 3D box mounted display for

a school window that exhibits and explains a maths or physics concept?

Academy Type Mathematics

KLAs Maths, Science, Tech, Art

Products A museum quality display box to be mounted in a window for display – explaining a complex mathematical or physics concept

Panel Academics, peers, parents


9. Geocaching- what is it and how can it be used to teach kids stuff?

Academy Type Mathematics

KLAs Maths, Geography, Science

Products A geocache puzzle for fellow students using mobile phone GPS technology. A project report

Panel Fellow students

10. What causes world hunger?

Academy Type Justice

KLAs Geography, Science, Economics, Religion

Products Participation in a global anti-‐hunger initiative through iLearn Collaboration Centre

Panel Global forum

11. Natural Disasters Youth Summit 2012 - What can kids do to help?

Academy Type Justice

KLAs Geography, Science, Economics, Religion, Maths

Products Participation in a global summit on responses to disaster

Panel Global forum

Online PBL Repositories

iLearn Collaboration Centre https://media.iearn.org/

Australian Social Innovation Exchange http://www.asix.org.au/

Project Australia http://projectaustralia.org.au/

Edutopia (George Lucas Foundation) http://www.edutopia.org/project-‐based-‐learning

Buck Institute for Education http://www.bie.org/

The Clearing House, 83: 39–43, 2010Copyright C© Taylor & Francis Group, LLCISSN: 0009-8655 printDOI: 10.1080/00098650903505415

Project-Based Learning for the21st Century: Skills for

the Future

STEPHANIE BELL

Abstract: Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an innovativeapproach to learning that teaches a multitude of strate-gies critical for success in the twenty-first century. Stu-dents drive their own learning through inquiry, as wellas work collaboratively to research and create projectsthat reflect their knowledge. From gleaning new, viabletechnology skills, to becoming proficient communica-tors and advanced problem solvers, students benefitfrom this approach to instruction.

Keywords: project-based learning, 21st Century skills,inquiry, authentic learning, motivation, creativity

Mrs. Regent was erasing the board, getting prepared forthe next lesson, when the new assistant principal walked in.Introductions were made as the assistant principal perusedthe room. He stood for a minute or two, just looking at theclassroom. Finally, he spoke. “They are all so. . . engaged,” hesaid with astonishment. The teacher paused for a moment,not sure what to say. She looked around, and it was evidentthat each child was immersed and focused on his or her work.The only thing that the teacher could respond to the assistantprincipal was, “Aren’t they supposed to be?”

“Can I please do a project? I have an idea for aninquiry! Please? Please?” Have you ever heard a childbeg to do work? In a project-based learning classroom,it is routine!

An Introduction to the Project-Based LearningApproach

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a student-driven,teacher-facilitated approach to learning. Learners pur-sue knowledge by asking questions that have piquedtheir natural curiosity. The genesis of a project is an

Stephanie Bell is an elementary school teacher in Katonah, NY, and a doctoral studentof Instructional Leadership at Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, CT.

inquiry. Students develop a question and are guidedthrough research under the teacher’s supervision. Dis-coveries are illustrated by creating a project to share witha select audience. Organizers support systematization ofthe processes that will be implemented throughout theresearch and project phases of PBL. Student choice isa key element of this approach. Teachers oversee eachstep of the process and approve each choice before thestudent embarks in a direction. Children with similarinquiries may elect to work cooperatively, thereby nur-turing twenty-first-century collaboration and commu-nication skills and honoring students’ individual learn-ing styles or preferences. PBL is not a supplementaryactivity to support learning. It is the basis of the curricu-lum. Most projects include reading, writing, and math-ematics by nature. Many inquiries are science-based ororiginate from current social problems. The outcome ofPBL is greater understanding of a topic, deeper learning,higher-level reading, and increased motivation to learn.

PBL is a key strategy for creating independent thinkersand learners. Children solve real-world problems by de-signing their own inquiries, planning their learning, or-ganizing their research, and implementing a multitudeof learning strategies. Students flourish under this child-driven, motivating approach to learning and gain valu-able skills that will build a strong foundation for theirfuture in our global economy.

Research on PBLStandardized testing is one measure of achievement.

Each state has its own standard measure of academiccompetency. Each standardized test only measures thespecific content knowledge it is designed to test. In mea-suring basic academic subject proficiency, standardizedtesting shows that students engaged in PBL outscore

39

40 The Clearing House 83(2) 2010

their traditionally educated peers (Geier et al. 2008).However, standardized testing does not measure criti-cal twenty-first-century skills that are integral for studentsuccess.

In one British study, over the course of three years,students were taught using traditional math programsat one school and PBL at another school. Three times asmany PBL students achieved the highest possible gradeon the national exam than the students at a traditionalschool. Students at the PBL school were equally ableto answer procedural questions that used formulas, butthey were superior in answering applied and conceptualproblems (Boaler 1999). This researcher concluded thatstudents acquired a different kind of knowledge fromusing a PBL approach.

In another study, elementary students in threeDubuque, Iowa schools that used PBL raised their IOWATest of Basic Skills scores from “well below average” tothe district average in two schools and to “well above thedistrict average” in another school. Moreover, in threeyears, reading gains “ranged from 15% in one schoolto over 90% in the other two schools while the districtaverage remained the same” (Thomas 2000).

At an inner city, racially diverse school in Bostonthat implemented a PBL program called ExpeditionaryLearning, eighth graders exhibited the second highestscores in the district on the Stanford 9 Open EndedReading Assessment (Thomas 2000). Similar findings inMaine concluded that a middle school using a PBL ap-proach showed significant increases in all achievementareas on the Maine Educational Assessment Battery afteronly one year using the approach. The gains made bythis school were three to ten times higher than the stateaverage (Thomas 2000).

Authentic projects require different measures of suc-cess, however. In PBL, students solve real-world prob-lems. For example, in one study, students were askedto apply the concepts of geometry to architecture andsubmit designs for a new playhouse for a communitycenter. Upon evaluating these designs, 84 percent ofthe submissions were judged to be accurate enough tobuild. This is an impressive measure of achievement.Moreover, students were able to revise their designs afterconsulting resources, which demonstrates a high levelof motivation that is uncommon in traditional learn-ing settings. Furthermore, these students demonstrateda solid grasp of the concepts and were able to performwell on traditional tests (Thomas 2000).

Learning to be Self-Reliant through Planningand Organization

There are several phases within PBL. Each phase mustbe completed in a timely manner. Thorough and care-ful planning is essential to the flow of the project andthe success of the student. In the beginning, childrenuse organizers to isolate an inquiry question. They then

brainstorm what their procedure will be for researchand identify the materials that they will need to do theirresearch. Next, students select a way to display what theyhave learned in the form of a project. A target audiencewith whom to share their project is selected, rangingfrom their peers, to the principal, to their parents. Theaudience must be authentic and appropriate. For exam-ple, if students are working on a science inquiry on thetopic of energy, they may choose to research how toharness hydropower to make a machine. A group mayelect to make a working catapult. The culmination ofthe project might be a contest to see how far they cancatapult a ball or an egg, with the class as the audience.Accountability to an audience coupled with a due datekeeps students on track.

Learning responsibility, independence, and disciplineare three outcomes of PBL. The organizational blueprintthat students have designed for themselves guides themand allows them to stay focused and on-task. As childrenbecome more proficient in the PBL approach, they learnto self-monitor their progress through daily agenda set-ting. At the end of each work session, students report onwhether they have met their goals for the day. Studentsmust use their work time effectively and stay focusedand on-task to succeed. Goal setting helps students learnto manage their own time. It is important for the teacherto confer with students regularly to ensure that studentsare on track and developing their ideas and skills fully.These skills are critical for future success in both schooland life.

Students learn accountability with PBL through thedaily goal setting, as well as through expectations of theirpeers. When students work collaboratively, there is anexpectation that each child will contribute to the projectequally. The group dynamic creates an interdependentteam in which students must each do their part, andas a result, a natural consequence exists for those stu-dents who do not demonstrate accountability—othersmay no longer want to be paired with students whodo not do their fair share. Therefore, peer pressure con-tributes to the accomplishment of ongoing group tasksthroughout the learning process and the culminationof a successful final product. Students are conscientiousbecause they must complete their project in the allottedtime. They can be incredibly resourceful when time isof the essence. Accountability to peers often has greaterconsequences and provides more motivation for stu-dents than if they were only responsible to the teacher.Children do not want to let their friends down.

Social Learning Enhances Collaboration SkillsPBL promotes social learning as children practice

and become proficient with the twenty-first-centuryskills of communication, negotiation, and collabora-tion. As children work on these projects, they mustbrainstorm ideas and act as good listeners to their group

Project-Based Learning 41

members. Teaching students active listening skillsenhances collaborative ability as well as creativity. Stu-dents learn the fundamental skills of productive com-munication, respect for others, and teamwork whilegenerating ideas together. Negotiating how to collec-tively solve a problem is also part of PBL.

At the end of the project, students do a self-evaluation.They evaluate not only their learning, but also the suc-cess of their social interactions. They reflect on theircommunication skills, if they felt they listened well toother students’ ideas, and if they believed their ownopinions were heard. Consistent employment and prac-tice of these skills will strengthen them over time andlead to proficiency and mastery. These skills are criticalto future success in the structures of our global economy.

Differentiation Provides Intrinsic MotivationThe element of choice is crucial for students’ success.

Differentiation allows students to develop their owninterests and pursue deeper learning. It also allows stu-dents to soar and learn at their own levels. Students useresources that are appropriate for their individual read-ing levels and compatible with their technology knowl-edge. One exciting feature provided by this intrinsicmotivation is that students will often reach higher andattempt to read more challenging material to glean theinformation they seek. It is not unrealistic to suspect thatstudents who are highly motivated will improve theirreading abilities as they strive to understand and learnduring PBL. Doppelt (2003), contends that students’“motivation to learn their discipline and their willing-ness to work on their projects [for] longer hours indicatethat they behave. . . like high achievers” (p. 264). In an-other study, attendance was found to be higher in PBLschools (Thomas 2000). These behaviors have positiveeffects on learning.

The active learning process of PBL takes students’ var-ious learning styles and preferences into account. Stu-dents use a range of tools and resources to conduct theirresearch. They also choose individual ways to demon-strate their learning in their final product. A child whoprefers to be reflective may journal his learning in a di-ary format to share with peers. Others can read the diaryand then write responses. A student who thinks in moreof an analytic, mathematical way may elect to create atimeline of events or graph findings to present to his orher audience. Students also may select their preferredlearning environment. Students may choose to work ina quiet library or a bustling hallway, lying down in thecarpet area or sequestered in the cubby area. Childrenlearn so much about themselves when they are empow-ered to make their own learning decisions. Childrenwill reflect on these choices to ensure they are makingthe best decisions possible. The opportunity to makemistakes is part of the learning process. When we im-plement PBL, we allow children to discover who they are

as learners. They become able to make better choices,whether relating to process, environment, or outcome,which enables them to become more independent andresponsible for their own learning.

Scaffolded instruction ensures success. Scaffolded in-struction refers to the supports provided to students toassist them in making cognitive growth just beyond theirreach. Students are involved in a discovery process whenthey first learn the structures of PBL, and they requiremuch support and monitoring. Scaffolded instructionoccurs in PBL when teachers use organizers that aid stu-dents in bridging the gaps that exists in knowledge andskill, and it makes the tasks manageable and achievable.As with most supports, scaffolds are temporary, and asthe learner gains fluency in the skill, the supports are re-moved, leading to a self-confident and capable learner.

PBL in ActionPBL is an approach to instruction that teaches curricu-

lum concepts through a project. The project is guided byan inquiry question that drives the research and allowsstudents to apply their acquired knowledge. For exam-ple, as part of a middle school interdisciplinary studyon Greece, students were instructed to choose a partic-ular aspect of Greek life that interested them. Studentschose one particular topic area, such as performing arts,visual arts, science, military, daily life, government, andso forth. After students selected a topic, they designedan independent inquiry. Each student researched in-dependently and wrote an individual paper, and thensome students worked in groups for the projects. Us-ing their knowledge of Gardner’s multiple intelligences(Gardner 2006), students created a three-minute pre-sentation as part of a living museum on Greek life. Pre-sentations included dramatic performances of the Bat-tle of Marathon, debates on a Greek myth performed incharacter as Greek gods and goddesses in an Atheniancourtroom, Greek dance, PowerPoint presentations, art,and more.

One student chose daily life as her topic. She designedan inquiry based on the oracle at Delphi. She and herteacher crafted an inquiry question together, gatheredresources, and conferred regularly throughout her re-search and planning phases. The teacher took extensivenotes of their conferences. These anecdotal records in-formed the teacher’s instruction in guiding and keepingthe student on track. They also served as a referencetool for a comprehensive final evaluation. Upon com-pleting her research on the oracle at Delphi, the studentwrote her paper. She then had to apply her knowledgethrough a project. For her presentation at the museum,she dressed up as the Pythia. When people visited her,she used the first-person point of view to first tell themabout herself and then to tell her audience’s fortune intrue oracle fashion, cryptic and in riddles. The depthof her knowledge was evident in her performance. At

42 The Clearing House 83(2) 2010

the end of the project, the teacher graded the student’sproposal, research notes, work habits, presentation, andpaper. The student completed a self-evaluation, as wellas a project reflection. Responses about the process wereoverwhelmingly positive from both the students andteachers.

Technology Enhances Creativity withinParameters

In the twenty-first century, students use computers invery advanced ways, but we must remember that theyare still children and need guidance to use technologysafely and effectively. Technology as a means, not anend, enables students to experiment with different tech-nologies for all aspects of PBL. An authentic use of tech-nology is highly engaging to students, because it tapsinto their fluency with computers. Students participatein research using the Internet. During this phase of PBL,students learn how to navigate the Internet judiciously,as well as to discriminate between reliable and unreli-able sources. It is important to set parameters to ensurethat students can explore safely.

Students can use a multitude of applications, includ-ing Web 2.0, for their projects. Students may use a wikito share knowledge or blog with other students to trou-bleshoot during the process segment of their projects. Inthe presentation phase, students may use various tech-nologies to display their learning. Their audience mayreceive a podcast, a video, a photo story, a comic, and soforth. These uses of technology provide instruction tothe student by demonstrating innovative usage of vari-ous applications. These applications also help studentsrealize appropriate ways to use technology. When stu-dents share their work or challenges, a brainstormingsession often helps them build on each other’s ideasfor future possibilities. This exercise promotes seriouscreativity and out-of-the-box thinking.

Real-World ConnectionsResearch supports PBL as a tool to engage students

in real-world tasks. Real-world tasks run the gamut interms of necessary skills. It is important to rememberthat even though a project may be based in one cur-ricular area, it crosses over into all areas of traditionalacademic studies. Evidence exists that through PBL, stu-dents become better researchers, problem solvers, andhigher-order thinkers (Gultekin 2005). Research sup-ports that students using PBL perform better on bothstandardized assessments and project tests than stu-dents in traditional direct instruction programs, and thatthey learn not only real-world application of skills, butalso analytic thinking (Boaler 1999). In Boaler’s studyof students using a project-based approach in mathe-matics, students were better able to see the applicationof their learning and less likely to view math as a set ofisolated skills. Additionally, children instinctively reach

further when they are highly motivated and interestedin their inquiry topic. Motivation is sustained throughmeaningful, real-world problems and projects.

Real-world projects deepen learning for students. Af-ter returning from a field trip to Washington, DC, wheremiddle school students visited various monuments, stu-dents selected a social justice issue that they felt deserveda monument. One student selected child labor laws. Thestudent researched the topic and then designed a three-dimensional playground, with each play area represent-ing a different aspect of the issue, to commemorate thelaws.

The assistant principal in this case observed PBL inaction and was amazed by the level of engagement. Stu-dents with strengths in academics were not the onlyones who were successful. As the assistant principalcarefully watched a special education student, he notedthat the child was both determined and focused as hecontributed to his project alongside his group mem-bers. This special needs student had an aptitude forconstruction on which the group capitalized in de-vising their project. Similarly, in the real world, peo-ple use their individual strengths and talents in theirjobs.

Creating Success from the BeginningIn PBL, children are constructing knowledge and

building on their background knowledge. Children re-tain more information when they learn by doing. Deweyproposed that learning by doing has great benefit inshaping students’ learning. High-quality experiences, aswell as continuity of experiences, are paramount. PBLis an effective approach and is in line with Dewey’sphilosophies, to which many educators have ascribedfor enriched learning (Dewey 1938).

The PBL approach has been implemented with suc-cess as early as preschool using the Reggio Emilia ap-proach. Reggio Emiglia is a project-based learning ap-proach that began in northern Italy. It is a child-centeredapproach where the children are encouraged to pur-sue their natural curiosity. The discover through expe-riences that are carefully documented. Teachers guidestudents and are resources to students throughout theirstudies. Students learn through collaboration and em-ploy critical thinking skills as they engage in projects.In particular, preschool students are encouraged toexplore, investigate, and experience. This is the jumping-off point to developing students’ love of learning andnurturing their natural curiosity. The beginning of PBLoccurs when students learn in a social environment,work hand-in-hand with their teachers to discover ideasthrough careful scaffolding, document their journeyof learning, and finally present their learning throughprojects. Beginning this approach early leads to greatersuccess, because it hones the essential skills necessary

Project-Based Learning 43

for the twenty-first century. The earlier we begin imple-menting this approach, the more competent childrenwill be with the processes of PBL and implementationof skills. Research also supports that PBL is a highlyengaging and motivating approach that draws more in-volvement, interest, and investment in learning fromstudents. PBL raises students self-esteem by beginningthe cycle of success (Doppelt 2003).

Measuring Effectiveness of Project-BasedLearning

Our students develop twenty-first-century skillsthrough PBL that will aid them in becoming productivemembers of a global society. Many of these skills are notmeasureable through standardized tests. We must shiftour thinking about assessment when teaching twenty-first-century skills. With PBL, assessment is authentic.We measure a child’s performance via rubrics, but acritical aspect of this model includes self-evaluation andreflection. Children learn from their processes. They re-flect on how well they worked in a collaborative groupand how well they contributed, negotiated, listened, andwelcomed other group members’ ideas. Students alsoself-evaluate their own projects, efforts, motivations, in-terests, and productivity levels. Students become crit-ical friends by giving constructive feedback to eachother, which helps them become aware of their ownstrengths and improve on their interactions with eachother.

In the future, children must enter a workforce inwhich they will be judged on their performance. Theywill be evaluated not only on their outcomes, but alsoon their collaborative, negotiating, planning, and orga-nizational skills. By implementing PBL, we are prepar-ing our students to meet the twenty-first century withpreparedness and a repertoire of skills they can use suc-cessfully. Moreover, PBL projects are often impressive,grand undertakings created and presented with ultimatepride and care.

As the assistant principal circulated around the roomthat day, he inquired of each student what they were do-ing, learning, researching, or making. Each student wason-task, thoroughly involved in a collaborative project,and able to explain to the assistant principal what theywere engaged in at the moment, as well as what they haddone and their next steps. Students articulated how theycollaborated and problem-solved with their groups, andhow they worked collectively to foster creativity and en-hance their projects. When the assistant principal left theclassroom that day, and for many months after that, theteacher was only more assured that PBL was the bestapproach for her students. A didactic approach keptstudents passive, but the engagement and enjoymentof students during PBL only heightened the teacher’sconviction that she was imparting critical twenty-first-century skills to her pupils. What sealed the deal wasthe students’ quick adaptation to the process and ex-citement about their learning. A big cheer rises fromevery student in the class when they hear that a newproject will be beginning soon. That is what PBL is allabout!

REFERENCES

Boaler, J. 1999. Mathematics for the moment, or the millennium?Education Week 17(29): 30–34.

Dewey, J. 1938. Experience and education. New York: Simon and Schus-ter.

Doppelt, Y. 2003. Implementing and assessment of PBL in a flexibleenvironment. International Journal of Technology and Design Education13:255–72.

Gardner, H. 2006. Multiple intelligences. New York: Basic.Geier, R., P. C. Blumenfeld, R. W. Marx, J. S. Krajcik, E. Soloway, and

J. Clay-Chambers. 2008. Standardized test outcomes for studentsengaged in inquiry-based curricula in the context of urban reform.Journal of Research in Science Teaching 45(8): 922–39.

Gultekin, M. 2005. The effect of project based learning on learningoutcomes in the 5th grade social studies course in primary educa-tion. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice 5(2): 548–56.

Thomas, J. W. 2000. A review of research on PBL. http://www.bobpearlman.org/BestPractices/PBL Research.pdf (accessed Febru-ary 28, 2009).

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