Mastering the Art of Driving Questions in Project-Based Learning

Driving Questions in Project-Based Learning

The webinar is hosted by John Larmour and Gina El Agua Naga from the Buck Institute for Education.
The driving question for the webinar is "How can I use driving questions effectively in project-based learning?"
The Buck Institute for Education has eight essential elements for project-based learning, and a driving question is a key element that frames the project for students.
A driving question serves both students and teachers by providing a focus for the project and guiding the teacher's planning.
A good driving question should be engaging, open-ended, and aligned with learning goals.
There are three categories of driving questions: philosophical/debatable issues, specifying a product/task/problem to be solved, and adding a real-world role for students.
Mock trials, persuasive letters, debates, and speeches are examples of products that can connect to philosophical/debatable driving questions.
For specifying a product/task/problem to be solved driving questions, the products/tasks/problems should be concrete and related to the driving question.
The Buck Institute for Education offers webinars throughout the school year on project-based learning topics.
The webinar is archived on the Buck Institute for Education's YouTube channel and website.
Participants can ask questions during the webinar using the chat feature and questions will be answered at the end of the session.
The Buck Institute for Education offers a document with criteria for a good driving question that can be downloaded from Dropbox.Crafting Effective Driving Questions for Project-Based Learning
Adding additional products deepens student understanding and provides a way for teachers to collect data on student learning.
Four types of driving questions include: problem to solve, intriguing topic, product to design, and adding a real-world role for students.
By adding a real-world role for students, it adds authenticity, rigor, and depth to the project work and helps students understand adult roles outside of the classroom.
Consider the types of products that would be designed with each driving question to add authenticity to the project and connect students with the adult role they are taking on.
Common challenges when crafting driving questions include: questions that are too general, too obvious, too teacher-like, or too broad.
Refining driving questions can involve adding a local context or charge for action to make it more engaging and meaningful for students.
The -brick tool can be used to craft and refine driving questions for project-based learning.
Students can also generate their own driving questions as they become more comfortable with the process.
Driving questions should be open-ended, aligned with content, and engaging for students.
Adding a real-world role can help students understand the context and purpose of their learning.
Authenticity in project-based learning can be achieved through real-world roles, products, and local context.
Refining driving questions can involve transitioning from teacher-centered questions to student-generated questions.Using Driving Questions in Project-Based Learning
Driving questions guide the work for students and teachers in project-based learning.
There is no right way to create a driving question, as each question takes a project on a different path.
Driving questions should be revised to be student-friendly and engaging, with local context and real-world problem-solving.
A project wall can be used to display the driving question and other elements such as word lists, calendars, checklists, rubrics, and sample products.
A digital project wall can be used instead of a physical wall in secondary classrooms.
A project sheet outlines the expectations and products students will create, and restates the driving question.
Reflection is an essential element of project-based learning and can be done through written reflection, group discussion, or Socratic seminar.
Younger students can develop their own driving questions with guidance from the teacher, while older students can write their own questions entirely.
Launching a project with an engaging entry event can help guide students towards creating a driving question that encompasses content.
The teacher can have final say in refining a student-created driving question.
Authenticity can be balanced with pretend by having students play a role or creating products that will be shared publicly and used by experts.
Project-based learning aims to make learning authentic and engaging, even when concepts are difficult to grasp.