1.1 What is PBL?

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An instructional method that uses complex, real-life projects to motivate learning and provide learning experiences; the projects are authentic, and adhere to a curricular framework.

PBL is curriculum fueled and standards based.
PBL addresses the required content standards. The inquiry process starts with a guiding question and lend itself to collaborative projects that integrate various subjects within curriculum.

PBL asks a question or poses a problem that each student can answer. Concrete, hands-on experiences come together during project-based learning..
The teacher or students pose a guiding question. Concrete, hands-on experiences come together during PBL. Field trips, experiments, model building posters are all viable activities within PBL and present multiple ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge

PBL allows asks students to investigate issues and topics addressing real-world problems while integrating subjects across the curriculum.
By creating bridges between subjects, students view knowledge holistically, rather than looking at isolated facts.

PBL fosters abstract, intellectual tasks to explore complex issues.
Students explore, make judgments, interpret, and synthesize information in meaningful ways.

  1.2 Why is PBL important?

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PBL is a model for classroom activity that shifts away from the classroom practices of short, isolated, teacher-centered lessons and instead emphasizes learning activities that are long-term, interdisciplinary, student-centered, and integrated with real world issues and practices.

PBL provides opportunities for interdisciplinary learning. Students apply and integrate the content of different subject areas at authentic moments in the production process, instead of in isolation or in an artificial setting.

PBL helps students develop skills for living in a knowledge-based, highly technological society.
Solving highly complex problems requires that students have both fundemantal skills (reading, writing, and math) and Digital Age Skills (teamwork, problem solving, research gathering, time management, information synthesizing, utilizing high-tech tools).With combination of these skills, students become directors and managers of their learning process, guided and mentored by a skilled teacher.

PBL and the use of technology bring a new relevance to the learning at hand.
By bringing real-life context and technology to the curriculum through a project-based learning approach, students are encouraged to become independent workers, critical thinkers, and lifelong learners.

PBL lends itself to authentic assessment.
PBL lets the teacher have multiple assessment opportunities. Such as, independent working, building teamwork, group skills,

PBL accommodates students with varying learning styles and differences.
PBL addresses different learning styles because students must use all modalities in the process of researching and solving a problem.