PROJECT BASED LEARNING
Integrating PBL Into Classroom Instruction
Beccy Hambright, Ph.D.
Program Manager
T-STEM Center
Texas Tech University
beccy.hambright@ttu.edu
July 2012
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
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
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
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
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
Introducing PBL
• Begin with the
end in mind
• Craft the driving
question
• Plan the
assessment
• Map the project
• Manage the
process
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
What First?
• SCOPE
– Duration; Breadth; Technology; Outreach;
Partnerships; Audience
• AUDIENCE
• STUDENT AUTONOMY
What First?
• STANDARDS
• KEY STANDARD – LITERACY!
– Remember: At least one literacy outcome per
project (reading, writing, speaking)
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
Seven C’s for Success
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Critical thinking/doing
Creativity
Collaboration
Cross-cultural
understanding
• Communication
• Computing
• Career/learning selfreliance
Habits of the Mind
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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
Habits of the Mind
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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).
An “A” in Designing Projects
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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).
Driving Questions
• Provocative
• Open-ended
• At the heart of
discipline or topic
• Challenging
• Real-world application
• Consistent with
curricular standards &
frameworks
Assessments
• Align with outcomes (work backwards)
• Culminating products (research papers, reports,
presentations)
• Civic exhibits
• Use rubrics
• Presentations
• Grading
Diagnostic Assessments
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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
Formative Assessments
• Ongoing assessment
• Provides information to guide teaching &
learning
• Includes formal and informal methods
• Examples: quiz, oral questioning,
observations, “think aloud”, portfolio review
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
Project Mapping
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Organize activities
Launch the project
Gather resources
Scaffold ideas
Draw a storyboard
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
Presentations
• Be prepared –
schedule, facilities,
equipment,
personnel, audience
• Inform audience of
participation
• Teach good audience
listening skills
• Provide timekeeper
Reflections
• Think-Pair-Share
• Small group
discussions
• Fishbowl
discussions (group
representative
with “open chair”
approach)
Evaluation
• Peer evaluation
• Self-reflection &
evaluation
• Group evaluation
• Teacher evaluation
• What happens
next?
Resources
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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
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.
References
• Markham, T., Larmer, J., & Ravitz, J. (2003). Project
Based Learning: A Guide to Standards-Focused
Project Based Learning for Middle and High School
Teachers (2nd ed.). Novato, CA: Buck Institute for
Education.
• McTighe, J., & Wiggins, G. (2004). Understanding by
Design: Professional Development Workbook.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD Publications.