Project-based learning
Project-based learning (PBL) is a teaching approach in which students learn by working for an extended time, often several weeks, on a real question or problem and finish with a product or presentation for an audience. The project is how the content is taught, not a task added after the lesson.
In more detail
Well-designed PBL, as PBLWorks describes it, has seven parts: a challenging problem or question, sustained inquiry, authenticity, student voice and choice, reflection, critique and revision, and a public product. Without a real audience and real revision it is just a big assignment. A classic case is designing a water filter for a local need after studying filtration and contamination.
PBL sits close to inquiry-based learning, which is built around questions, and to active learning in general. What sets it apart is the finished product and the time span. It is also different from problem-based learning, which usually starts from a case and ends with a solution rather than a created artifact, though the two names are often mixed up.
The main risk is thin content. Kirschner, Sweller and Clark (2006) argued that minimally guided teaching overloads novices, and a fun project can leave students busy but without the knowledge the course needs. Good PBL teaches the key content directly, adds scaffolding and checks the knowledge separately, so the project builds on it instead of replacing it.
Example
An 8th grade science class asks: how could our school cut its water use by 20 percent? Over four weeks students measure usage, learn the water cycle and basic costs in short lessons, draft proposals, get feedback from the facilities manager and present to the principal. A short quiz on the science content in week two shows gaps before the final presentation.
How to use it
- 1
Start with a driving question students care about and tie it to the standards you must teach.
- 2
Teach the core content in short lessons and check it with quick quizzes.
- 3
Let students plan, research and build in teams, with a checkpoint every few days.
- 4
Add critique and revision, with feedback from peers and someone outside the class.
- 5
Present the product publicly, then reflect on what was learned and what to change.
How StudyPDF does this
StudyPDF covers the knowledge part of a project. Upload the readings, slides and sources your group uses, ask Bo questions with answers that cite the page, and make a quiz to check that everyone knows the concepts behind the project. A course can be shared by link, so a group works from the same material.
See also
Common questions
What is an example of project-based learning?
Students design a plan to cut their school's water use. They measure real usage, learn the science in short lessons, draft proposals, get feedback and present to the principal. The content is learned through the project, and the result is for a real audience.
Is project-based learning effective?
It can be, when the project is well scaffolded and core content is still taught directly. Reviews find benefits for applying knowledge and for motivation, but results are mixed and weaker when students get little guidance.
Put it to work on your own course
Upload your lectures and ask Bo. Cited answers, plus flashcards, exams, and more built from your material.