Project-Based Learning Overview

Project-Based Learning (PBL)

• PBL is an in-depth investigation of a real-world topic, often done individually or in a group.
• It involves significant work, often done at home or outside of school.
• The entire process, not just the final product, is important.
• It encourages students to view knowledge as interconnected, not compartmentalized.
• It allows students to explore varied approaches to problem-solving.

Top 5 Skills

• Fortune 500 companies identified teamwork, problem-solving, interpersonal skills, oral communication, and listening as the top 5 skills for incoming employees.
• Reading, writing, and arithmetic ranked lower on the list.

Six A's Project Checklist

• Authenticity: Is the project meaningful to the student, similar to real-world projects undertaken by adults?
• Academic Rigor: Does it enable students to acquire and apply knowledge in one or more disciplines?
• Applied Learning:
• Active Exploration:
• Adult Relationships:
• Assessment Practices:

Assessment

• Assessment is a systematic process that collects empirical data (knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs), analyzes it (identifying weaknesses and strengths), and uses it to enhance learning and development.

What to Assess in PBL

• Assessing either the process or product of the project is valid.

Types of Assessment

• Formative Assessment: Feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve student achievement of intended outcomes.
• Summative Assessment: Used to evaluate what has been learned.
• Alternative Assessment: Assesses learning progress using various tools and types.

Project-Based Learning Assessment Tools

• Self-assessment form
• Teacher observation and assessment.
• Portfolio
• Peer Evaluation
• Audience evaluation
• Post-project reflective writing.

Principles of Assessment in PBL

• Assessment criteria should align with project goals (e.g., critical thinking, collaboration, communication, content mastery).
• Evaluate both the final product and the process used to create it.
• Assessments should mirror real-world tasks and contexts, emphasizing problem-solving and teamwork.
• Use both ongoing (formative) assessments and a final evaluation (summative) for the completed project.

Tools and Techniques

• Rubrics: Provide clear performance expectations (e.g., criteria for content, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication).
• Portfolios: Collections of student work reflecting growth and achievement over the project's duration.
• Exit Tickets: Quick, reflective prompts to assess daily learning progress (e.g., "What did you accomplish today?" or "What challenges are you facing?").
• Peer Feedback Tools: Online platforms facilitating peer review (e.g., Padlet, Google Docs, Flipgrid).
• Digital Tools: Tools supporting formative assessments and tracking progress (e.g., Kahoot, Seesaw, Microsoft Teams).

Benefits of Formative Assessment in PBL

• Teacher Benefits: Identifies student progress, supports student learning, and predicts time needed. Provides meaningful feedback.
• Student Benefits: Reflects on learning, connects learning to goals, identifies research and action steps.

Formative Assessment During Project Work

• Supports the acquisition of both academic understanding and 21st-century skills.

Traditional vs. Project-Based Learning Units

• Traditional units typically follow a lecture-activity-quiz-lecture-activity structure, culminating in an exam and project, while project-based learning units are structured around project launch and activities, simulations, discussions, modeling, quizzes, and feedback, culminating in reflection on learning, rather than an exam.