Community Connection through

Project Based Learning

 What Is Project-Based Learning?

• Project based learning is a

dynamic approach to teaching
in which students explore real
world problems and
challenges.
 The Nature of PBL
• Tackle real problems, have importance to
people beyond the classroom.
– originating from issues of real importance to
students and adults in the community and
– answer classic student question “Why do we need
to know this?”
 The Nature of PBL
• Students actively engage in their learning and
make important choices during the project
– make room for student choice
– demanding student mastery of essential content,
– students and teachers to interact as co-learners
rather than in the traditional student-teacher
relationship
 The Nature of PBL
• Demonstrate that students have learned key
concepts and skills.
– students produce observable evidence that they
have mastered curricular standards as they apply
their learning and solve the problem at hand.
– provide extensive evidence of process work and
self-directed learning.
 What’s the difference?
ACTIVITIES PROJECT
• Can be done alone
• Finished in one page
• Same each year
• Focus on product
• Limited/No choices
• Same goal for everyone
• Not based on real problem
 Examples
ACTIVITIES PROJECT
Students in a history class Students in a history class spend
three weeks focused on the essential
study Westward Expansion for question “How did Westward
three weeks, culminating with Expansion impact our community?”
Students learn about the period,
a “Frontier Feast” where research local connections, and
students dress in period design a museum exhibit featuring
historical artifacts, primary source
costumes and eat typical documents, and expert commentary
western fare from the era. from local historians. The exhibit is
mounted in the community center
lobby, and students serve as docents
to the general public.
 Examples
ACTIVITIES PROJECT
Students in a principles of Students in a business class study
business class study management management skills and work with a local
business partner to answer the question
skills, complete a “personal skills
“How can we help managers develop
inventory” assessment, interview new skills on the job?” After conducting
a manager at a local business, surveys and research, students design
and write a paper that describes a website that provides managers with
what they think are the three links, resources, and tips for developing
their skills in 10 key areas. To launch and
most important skills for
promote the website, students make a
managers to succeed in the formal presentation to actual managers.
workplace
 Types of Student Work
• Quiz and Test Items:
– worksheets, end-of-chapter questions, state or
national exams
• Academic Prompts
– essay questions, problem solving on class exams
• Performance Tasks
– science fair projects, formal debates, video
documentaries
 When to Use Project-Based Learning
• Content standards call for demonstration,
application, performance, or understanding
– evidence of learning (skill and content standards)
• Issues from school or community
– environmental conflicts, regional development ,political
issues.
• Time and resources
• Support for all students
– peer tutoring, technological skills, feedback on draft work
 Conditions that Support PBL
• In the Classroom
– Safe, respectful learning environments
– Personalized teacher-student relationships
– Productive peer relationships
– Transformed teacher roles
– Intensified teacher engagement and commitment
“students do not care how much teachers know
until they know that they care.”p
 Conditions that Support PBL
• At the School
– Supportive school structures: small size, blocks of
learning time
– Collaboration: early stage of PBL
– Administrative support: funding, verbal and
written policy/support
 Conditions that Support PBL
• In the Community
– Parent involvement: inquiry, resources, feedback,
audience
– Community partnerships : “subcontracting”,
mentors, experts, exhibition panels
 Project Design
• Designing good projects is no simple feat
• Content standards, skills, and course
objectives
• Teacher need a design framework :
–Simultaneous Outcomes
 Simultaneous Outcomes

Projects weave together classroom activities (Level 1) that

have content standards (Level2) while developing habits
of mind (Level 3) and responsibility of their own learning
(Level 4).
 Level 1: Classroom Activities:

– Basic, core, building blocks, practicing skills,

provide a context/purpose
• Key questions :
– What will students do as part of this lesson or
project?
• Examples:
– Read an article, write a script, edit a video
 Level 2: Content Standards
– Activities on Level 1 contain concepts and skills from
content standards
• Key questions:
– What are the concepts and skills learned ?
– What will be the evidence of learning?
• Examples:
– Concepts of cell division, social norms, credits vs. debits
– Evidence : designing an accounting spreadsheet and
entering receipts and accounts payable data
 Level 3: Habits of Mind
– a set of “intelligent behaviors” that people show
when they’re acting intelligently.
– how to behave when you DON'T know/face
problems.
• Key questions:
– Which habits of mind do I want students to
develop during this project?
• Examples :
 16 HABITS OF MIND

• Persisting • Thinking about thinking

• Thinking and communicating (metacognition)
with clarity and precision • Taking responsible risks
• Managing impulsivity • Striving for accuracy
• Gathering data through all • Finding humor
senses • Questioning and posing
• Listening with understanding problems
and empathy • Thinking interdependently
• Creating, imagining, innovating • Applying past knowledge to
• Thinking flexibly new situations
• Responding with wonderment • Remaining open to continuous
and awe learning
 Level 4: Self-Directed Learning
– The outmost level, to learn on their own in all
sorts of contexts and settings.
• Key questions:
– What self-directed learning will students learn as a
result of this project?
• Examples:
– Self-managing – (organize time and resources)
– Self-monitoring – (evaluate)
– Self-modifying – (changes and adaptations)
 Features of PBL Design
• The Six A’s :
1. AUTHENTICITY
2. ACADEMIC RIGOR
3. ADULT CONNECTIONS
4. ACTIVE EXPLORATION
5. APPLIED LEARNING
6. ASSESSMENT PRACTICES
 Authenticity
“Why do we need to know this?”
• Solve a problem that has meaning to the
student.
• The problem is actually tackled by adults in
the community.
• Produce something that has value/use beyond
the classroom.
Authenticity
Authenticity
 Academic Rigor
• Higher-order thinking
• Habits of mind
• Different methods of inquiry (think like: …,….)
Academic Rigor
 Adult Connections
• Meaningful, personalized contact between
students and adults
• Meet and observe adults
• Adults collaboration
• As: guest speaker, content expert,interviewee,
mentor, project coordinator, guest artist,
client, and presentation audience member
Adult Connections
Adult Connections
 Active Exploration
• Active, hands-on work that engages bodies
and minds.
• Significant time doing field-based work
• Real investigation (media, and sources)
• Formal exhibitions
Active Exploration
Active Exploration
 Applied Learning
• Push students to use new learning right away.
• Practice important skills demanded by the
workplace
• Teamwork, problem solving, and
communications
• Organizational and self-management skills
Applied Learning
Applied Learning
 Assessment Practices
• Project rubrics (reflection-evaluation)
• Feedback (during and after)
• Outside evaluation (sense of real-world
standards)
• Exhibitions and portfolios
Assessment Practices
Assessment Practices
Assessment Practices
 Project Scaffolding
• Like real scaffolds, “project scaffolding” refers
to the time, tools, and training students need
in order to succeed during the project work
Project Scaffolding
Project Scaffolding
Project Scaffolding
Project Scaffolding
Project Scaffolding