At the beginning of this class, we got to enjoy exploring project-based learning and all the different variations of this teaching philosophy.

Project-Based Learning (PBL)

• Characteristics of PBL

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a learning strategy where students learn by actively engaging in real-world and meaningful projects. Students are setting out to gain knowledge and skills by working for a specific period of time where they are able to “investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge.” Some of the key concepts of PBL are critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills (Buck Institute for Education, 2019).

Teaching PBL requires the teacher to be continually collaborating and learning from other teachers. Sometimes, as teachers, we can create routines where we become comfortable or set in our ways. With PBL, teachers have to be willing and courageous enough to experiment and try new things with their students. For the most part, projects students may engage with during PBL are not going to be the typical 45-minute class period. Teachers and students have to be flexible and willing to adjust their schedules as they work their way through projects (Edutopia, 2011). When comparing traditional instruction to PBL, research is showing that students learn content and remember what they have learned more efficiently by doing projects and engaging with questions and challenges rather than a more traditional instructional approach to education (Edutopia, 2011). “In Project Based Learning, the project is the vehicle for teaching the important knowledge and skills students need to learn. The project contains and frames curriculum and instruction” (Buck Institute for Education, 2019).

According to, Rahil, a student at the Impact Academy of Arts and Technology, the four main goals for students at their PBL school are to collaborate productively, think critically, communicate powerfully, and complete projects effectively. These practices allow students to learn skills that will be beneficial in college and the workplace in the future. This type of goal setting allows students to aim for deeper thought and learning practices. “Deeper learning is when a student learns something beyond the content they are supposed to” (Edutopia, 2013).

• Benefits of PBL in Literacy and Language Development in Content Area of Science

PBL can be extremely beneficial when teaching science. Students feel motivated because the projects they are working on are real life problems. Often times the act of working through a problem allows the student to take on a role that may exist in the real world. For example, a physicist would need to do research in order to successfully complete a mission to Mars. When students experience what it is like to work on projects like this, they have the opportunity to see what an actual job may be for them in the future. This future-oriented perspective can help them have more enthusiasm and interest in the question or problem they are trying to solve.

In order to accomplish the task they are engaging with, students will need to connect prior knowledge and skills to determine what is necessary to complete the project at hand. Engaging in a project with a specific goal allows students to apply that knowledge in a real life situation and have a better understanding of the real life implications of scientific principles. (Edutopia, 2018)

More often than not, teachers recommend starting with the standard and building a project idea to meet that standard. For example, in the key ideas and details section of the reading standards for literacy in science and technology grade six through eight, students will be able to follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks. Another standard found in the integration of knowledge and ideas section states that students will be able to distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text. In the writing standards for Literacy in science, students are expected to be able to use research to build and present knowledge. One of the key standards is that students will conduct research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. (California State Board of Education, 2013) These standards can easily be met by working on a project that is related to the content that is being covered in the curriculum. Creating and designing a project can provide easy opportunities for students to meet multiple standards while engaging in meaningful learning experiences.

• Integrating UDL in PBL

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a helpful framework for creating a classroom setting that provides opportunities for all students based on multiple means of representation, action or expression, and engagement. With different means of representation like text, audio, video, and hands-on projects, “all students [have] a chance to access content in ways best suited to their learning preferences” (Newcomer, 2014). Providing different means of expression allows students to have different ways of interacting and presenting what they are learning. Sometimes it can be difficult to find ways of motivating and engaging students. However, having multiple means of engagement can allow students to relate to content in a way that can feel more relevant to them and encourages students to “feel that they are a part of the classroom community” (Newcomer, 2014). PBL allows students to easily access the curriculum based on these UDL concepts. When considering the variety of students that a teacher could have in their classroom at one time, there can be many benefits to using a PBL framework that allows each student to engage with the curriculum in a way that would be most beneficial for them.

There are specific benefits of PBL for individual learning groups within the classroom:

1. English Speakers – PBL provides these students with real life experience. It also helps in the development of skills that are necessary for future career opportunities. Being responsible for the follow through with projects encourages proactive citizenship when engaging with others.
2. English Language Learners and Standard English Language Learners – A huge benefit for these students is the vocabulary development within the projects. The use of visuals and actively engaging with the content and not just hearing and writing notes, is a practical way to have students succeed in understanding the material. They are able to do what they are learning. Collaboration with other students allows immersion in the language and academic vocabulary of the particular project. The students become an active part of the classroom community.
3. Special Needs – Students will be more engaged through hands on activities. They are actively involved rather than having to sit and perform a paper-pencil task that they may not be successful at due to a disability or specific learning need. They also have the ability to engage with other students in the classroom and build collaborative social skills that they may need in order to reach specific goals.

• Closing

In some ways, PBL can be a framework that is put into motion on a grand scale. It can be the entire premise for specific schools. However, I have noticed that there are many ways that PBL concepts can be integrated into the everyday classroom. I definitely want to apply some of the main ideas of critical thinking and successful collaboration into my classroom. In a science class, it can be very useful to have projects that will help students actively engage with what they are learning and develop a deeper understanding of the material.

References

California State Board of Education, (2013). California common core state standards: English      language arts & literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects.   Retrieved from https://padletuploads.blob.core.windows.net/             prod/228882809/4d40a28b19ea2c268907b11238a378d2/CCCStandards_            Lang_Lit_History_and_Science.pdf

Edutopia, (2011). Getting started with project-based learning. George Lucas Educational Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/stw-replicating-pbl-overview-     video

Edutopia, (2011). Project-based learning: What experts say. George Lucas Educational     Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-experts

Edutopia, (2018). Projects that work: Mission to mars. George Lucas Educational Foundation.     Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/video/projects-work-mission-mars

Edutopia, (2013). Student voice: Experiencing deeper learning through pbl. George Lucas            Educational Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/video/student-voice-           experiencing-deeper-learning-through-pbl

Buck Institute for Education, (2019). What is PBL? PBLWorks. Retrieved from             https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl?gclid=CjwKCAiA5JnuBRA-EiwA-            0ggPQNdEy_YZ5Nt4PnYEhfFBCZjx1bBDnZWYfQMesB3hAd0bJ7FUB7            lHBoCRhoQAvD_BwE

Hinchman, K. A. (2014). Best practices in adolescent literacy instruction. 2^nd edition. The Guilford Press.

Newcomer, B. (2014). The principles of universal design for learning. Essential Practices. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/for-educators/universal-design-      for-learning/the-principles-of-universal-design-for-learning?fbclid=            IwAR2WiiOJt8WUpVhxCRHOWoLtiIF2bm_1V5HNv8pffNYcdve6s2Y7de3LCeM