PROJECT BASED LEARNING Integrating PBL Into Classroom Instruction

1. PROJECT BASED LEARNINGIntegrating PBL Into Classroom Instruction Beccy Hambright, Ph.D. Program Manager T-STEM Center Texas Tech University beccy.hambright@ttu.edu July 2012

2. 21st Century Challenges There is a profound disconnect between what students are taught and tested on in most high schools today and how they are expected to learn, versus what the world will demand of them as adults and what motivates them to do their best. The Global Achievement Gap, Tony Wagner

3. PBL Research • More effective than traditional instruction • Increases student motivation & engagement • Improves students’ retention of knowledge • Improves mastery of 21st century skills • Effective with lower-achieving students • Increases achievement on standardized tests

4. Teacher Experiences • Works for all students • Improves motivation to learn • Used across academic contents • Includes opportunities for technology • Connects to outside world with relevance • Promotes civic/global awareness

5. PBL Essential Elements • Significant content (key concepts & standards-based) • 21st century skills • In-depth inquiry (rigor) • Driving question (open-ended) • Need to know • Voice and choice • Revision and reflection • Public presentation

6. PBL Special Purposes • Career/technical education programs • Alternative high schools/after-school programs/summer school • Integrating two/more subjects; team teaching • Connecting to other schools, community, businesses, organizations

7. Introducing PBL • Begin with the end in mind • Craft the driving question • Plan the assessment • Map the project • Manage the process

8. What First? • PROJECT IDEA • Work backward • Use standards • Find real world ideas • Research community • Match real world applications to individual need • Tie to local, state, national topics • School/community service

9. What First? • SCOPE • Duration; Breadth; Technology; Outreach; Partnerships; Audience • AUDIENCE • STUDENT AUTONOMY

10. What First? • STANDARDS • KEY STANDARD – LITERACY! • Remember: At least one literacy outcome per project (reading, writing, speaking)

11. What First? • OUTCOMES • Foundational Competencies • Basic skills (reading, writing, math, speaking, listening) • Thinking skills (learn, reason, make decisions, think creatively, solve problems) • Personal qualities (responsibility, self-esteem, integrity, self-management) • LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

12. Seven C’s for Success • Critical thinking/doing • Creativity • Collaboration • Cross-cultural understanding • Communication • Computing • Career/learning self-reliance

13. Habits of the Mind • Persisting • Managing impulsivity • Listening with understanding & empathy • Thinking flexibly • Striving for accuracy & precision • Questioning & posing questions • Applying past knowledge to new situations • Gathering data through all senses

14. Habits of the Mind • Creating, imagining, innovating • Responding with wonderment • Taking responsible risks • Finding humor • Thinking interdependently • Learning continuously “Habits of the Mind” adapted from A.L. Costa & B. Kallick, eds., Discovering and Exploring Habits of Mind (Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2000).

15. An “A” in Designing Projects • Authenticity – real world applications • Academic rigor – core concepts/habits of mind • Applied learning – competencies • Active exploration – data collection/review • Adult connections – experts outside classroom • Assessment criteria “The Six A’s” adapted from Adria Steinberg, Real Learning, Real Work (Boston, MA: Jobs for the Future, 1997).

16. Driving Questions • Provocative • Open-ended • At the heart of discipline or topic • Challenging • Real-world application • Consistent with curricular standards & frameworks

17. Assessments • Align with outcomes (work backwards) • Culminating products (research papers, reports, presentations) • Civic exhibits • Use rubrics • Presentations • Grading

18. Diagnostic Assessments • Precedes instruction • Checks student prior knowledge • Identifies misconceptions • Determines learning-style preferences • Provides information for teacher planning • Examples: pretest, student survey, skills checks, K-W-L

19. Formative Assessments • Ongoing assessment • Provides information to guide teaching & learning • Includes formal and informal methods • Examples: quiz, oral questioning, observations, “think aloud”, portfolio review

20. Summative Assessments • Culminating assessment conducted at end of unit • Determines degree of mastery/proficiency • Evaluative in nature • Results in score or grade • Examples: test, performance review, final exam, culminating project/performance, portfolio

21. Project Mapping • Organize activities • Launch the project • Gather resources • Scaffold ideas • Draw a storyboard

22. Process Steps • Share project goals with students & refine • Use problem-solving tools • Know/need to know • Learning logs • Planning/investigation • Checkpoints/milestones • Plan evaluation/reflection • Celebrate

23. Presentations • Be prepared – schedule, facilities, equipment, personnel, audience • Inform audience of participation • Teach good audience listening skills • Provide timekeeper

24. Reflections • Think-Pair-Share • Small group discussions • Fishbowl discussions (group representative with “open chair” approach)

25. Evaluation • Peer evaluation • Self-reflection & evaluation • Group evaluation • Teacher evaluation • What happens next?

26. Resources • www.pblprojects.org • www.ascd.org • www.nctl.org • www.p21.org • www.edutopia.org/stw-pbl-resources • Reinventing Project Based Learning: Your Field Guide to Real-World Projects in the Digital Age by Suzie Boss & Jane Krauss. Published by International Society for Technology in Education, 2007 http://www.iste.org/source/orders/isteproductdetail.cfm?product_code=reinvt

27. References • Capraro, R.M., Capraro, M.M., Morgan, J., & Scheurich, J. (Eds). (2010). A Companion to Interdisciplinary STEM Project-Based Learning: For Teacher by Teachers. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers. • Larmer, J., Ross, D., & Mergendoller, J.R. (2009). PBL Starter Kit: To-the-Point Advice, Tools and Tips for Your First Project in Middle or High School. Novato, CA: Buck Institute for Education.

28. References • Markham, T., Larmer, J., & Ravitz, J. (2003). Project Based Learning: A Guide to Standards-Focused Project Based Learning for Middle and HighSchool Teachers (2nd ed.). Novato, CA: Buck Institute for Education. • McTighe, J., & Wiggins, G. (2004). Understanding by Design: Professional Development Workbook. Alexandria, VA: ASCD Publications.