Buck Institute: Project Based Learning Day 1

QUESTIONS ABOUT PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL)
-How do we effectively cover material that is standards or skill based while exploring authentic project questions?

CREATING PROJECTS THAT ARE MINDS ON (not just hands on)
-A desert project teaches the content and then asks the students to go home and produce something like a poster, a diorama, or a game board that is supposed to somehow represent their learning.
-Students should be given a driving question to guide their learning
-Develop answers to guiding question

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF PROJECT DESIGN (group discussion)
-Deliverables that are in the hands of the students
-Element of choice
-Feedback and iteration
-Group work
-Learning while the project is happening, not before and then representing the learning later
-21st Century skills (presenting, collaborating
-Real life application to learning objectives
-Driving questions
-Role playing as a certain type of profession
-Authentic resources



Challenging Problem or Question
-Query
-Unintimidating
-Engaging
-Sustainable
-Timely

Authenticity
Not every project will have all of these elements, but will embrace these methods to create authenticity:
-Context
-Process
-Impact
-Personal

Student Voice & Choice
-Ownership
-Choice
-Authenticity
-Increasing autonomy with age
-Students use their own judgement

Reflection
-What, how, why?
-Informal reflection as well as summative assessment
-Looking back with new questions/knowledge in order to determine how to move forward

Critique and Revision (Feedback and Iteration)
-Teacher models how to give feedback
-Students give each other feedback
-Will look different according to different grade levels
-Multiple opportunities to fail allow students to learn from their process

Public Product (/Process)
-Motivation/healthy stress
-Creating a learning community
-Communication with parents and greater community
-Final public presentation

WHERE DO WE GET PROJECT IDEAS?
-Running our ideas together
-Reflecting on things that are exciting to us and want to share
-Using existing resources and customize
-Connect learning standards to relevant themes
-Recent, relevant current events

Common Types of Projects
1. Exploration of a philosophical question
2. Investigation of a historical event, time period, or natural phenomenon
3. Problem-solving situation
4. Examination to controversial Issue
5. Challenge to design