Project based learning (PBL) provides students with an authentic learning experience that focuses on solving real-world challenges. It allows for varied solutions, connection across disciplines, and development of 21st century skills. PBL gives students the opportunity to apply their knowledge by creating a solution or product, rather than just learning about a topic. Teachers can assess students on both the process of working through a project and the quality of the final solution or product. Resources are provided to help teachers design effective PBL projects and assessments.
3. Project Based Learning Provides A multiple entry point strategy and varied and multiple possible solutions A focus on universal challenges with local solutions An authentic connection with multiple disciplines An opportunity to develop 21st century skills The purposeful use of Web 2.0 tools for organizing, collaborating, and publishing Challenge-Based Learning: An Approach for Our Time – A Research Report from The New Media Consortium http://ali.apple.com/cbl/index.html
4. Project Based Learning Provides The opportunity for students to do something rather than just learn about something The documentation of the learning experience from challenge to solution 24/7 access to up-to-date technology tools and resources so students can do their work Challenge-Based Learning: An Approach for Our Time – A Research Report from The New Media Consortium http://ali.apple.com/cbl/index.html
5. Five Minds for the Future Gardner, Howard. (2007). Five minds for the future. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Disciplined mastery of key subjects Creating beyond existing knowledge and syntheses to pose new questions Respectful seeking to understand differences Ethical striving toward good work and good citizenship Synthesizing arraying information to make sense to self and others
6. 21 st Century Skills http://www.21stcenturyskills.org
21. Guiding Activities lessons, simulations, games, and other types of activities to help students answer the guiding questions and set the foundation for them to develop innovative, insightful, and realistic solutions Example – Calculate Your Individual Water Footprint
22. Guiding Resources focused set of resources can include podcasts, websites, videos, databases, experts, and so on that support the activities and assist students with developing a solution Example - WaterSense Quiz from the Environmental Protection Agency’ www.epa.gov/watersense/water/text.htm
23. Solution(s) each solution should be thoughtful, concrete, actionable , clearly articulated, and presented in a publishable multimedia format
24. Assessment solution can be assessed for its connection to the challenge, accuracy of the content, clarity of communication, applicability for implementation, and efficacy of the idea the process that the individuals as well as teams went through in getting to a solution can also be assessed, capturing the development of 21st century skills
26. Exemplar – Energy Big Idea = Energy Essential Question = What is the impact of my fossil fuel consumption? Challenge = Reduce your family’s fossil fuel consumption. http://ali.apple.com/cbl/challenges/sustainability/energy.html
27. Energy Guiding Questions = What is a fossil fuel? Where does my family use fossil fuels? What is made from fossil fuels? How much gas does my family use in one week? What are the alternatives to fossil fuels? http://ali.apple.com/cbl/challenges/sustainability/energy.html
28. Energy Guiding Activities = Learn About Fossil Fuels Students research and develop a clear definition of fossil fuels. How Much Fossil Fuel Do You Own? Students create a list of products that have fossil fuels in them. They do an inventory of all the items in their homes that contain fossil fuel and investigate alternatives to these items. http://ali.apple.com/cbl/challenges/sustainability/energy.html
29. Energy Guiding Resources = Energy Story: Fossil Fuels—Coal, Oil and Natural Gas The California Energy Commission provides an overview of fossil fuels. www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter08.html Energy Efficiency The Energy Information Administration provides information for students about energy consumption and efficiency. www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/saving/efficiency/savingenergy_secondary.html http://ali.apple.com/cbl/challenges/sustainability/energy.html
46. www.flatclassroomproject.net The Flat Classroom™ Project is a global collaborative project that joins together middle and senior high school students. This project is part of the emerging tend in internationally-aware schools to embrace a holistic and constructivist educational approach to work collaboratively with others around the world in order to create students who are competitive and globally-minded. One of the main goals of the project is to 'flatten' or lower the classroom walls so that instead of each class working isolated and alone, 2 or more classes are joined virtually to become one large classroom.
47. www.digiteen.org In some ways, Digiteen™ is 21st Century Character Education! Students (typically Grade 7-9, 12-16 year old) are introduced to information through a series of videos selected by their school, research current digital citizenship trends and news and compile a collaborative report with other students around the world, and make fact based recommendations in their offline action project at their local school to promote safe, appropriate online behaviors.
48. www.eracismproject.org This project bridges the divide between culture, schools, countries, and even bandwidth by providing low-bandwidth methods for participants. This is a middle school debate project promoting cultural understanding.
49.
50. How will the process be assessed? How will the solution be assessed?
51. Process Collaboration (in-person & virtual) Organization (ideas & materials) Time Management (planning) Adequate Distribution of Tasks
53. Impact of the Performance (Solution) The success of the performance, given the purposes, goals and desired results Adapted from the work of Grant Wiggins
54. Work Quality and Craftsmanship The overall polish, organization, and rigor of the work Adapted from the work of Grant Wiggins
55. Adequacy of Methods and Behaviors The quality of the procedures and manner of presentation, prior to an during performance Adapted from the work of Grant Wiggins
56. Validity of Content The correctness of the ideas, skills, and materials used Adapted from the work of Grant Wiggins
57. Sophistication of Knowledge Employed The complexity or maturity of the knowledge displayed Adapted from the work of Grant Wiggins