What is PBL?
PBL offers many benefits to both teachers and students!
PBL
What is PBL?
PBL is an in-depth investigation of real world problems. Teachers and students collaboratively select a topic to focus on, and incorporate the topic into a driving question. Students work in groups to create their final product. Groups will eventually present their product to an audience that is related to the driving question.
Guiding criteria for writing a driving question:
Guiding criteria for writing a driving question:
- Engages students
- Open-ended
- Answer cannot be found by using a search-engine
- Aligned to learning standards
- Standards do not have to be explicitly stated in the question
- Could include local context or a call to action
Students
How does PBL benefit students?
Unlike traditional projects, students have a say in the project's goal and design. Through PBL, students will develop many real world problem solving skills, including cross-cultural skills, cross curriculum thinking skills, social and communication skills, and decision making skills. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to develop and practice public presentation skills.
Student steps to success:
Student steps to success:
- Start with the driving question
- Explore through research and formulate different possible solutions
- Create a plan to answer the question/solve the problem
- Gather findings and format as desired; revise as needed
- Present findings
Teachers
Why isn't PBL being implemented?
Teachers struggle to connect PBL with their current curriculums. The process of creating a driving question can be very difficult and time consuming. Additionally, many teachers are not encouraged by school administration and officials to implement PBL. In order to implement effective PBL, teachers need to be provided with initial and continuous PBL training that will help teachers learn how to facilitate than direct their students in this process.
Teacher steps to success:
Teacher steps to success:
- With students, create a list of interesting topics to investigate.
- Select topic that is of most interest to students - rewrite this into a driving question.
- Assist students through assigning roles, using strategic questioning, and using diverse assessments.
- Use students' skills and creativity in the brainstorming process to assist them expressing their findings.
- Organize the audience for final product presentations.