Project-Based Learning: An Introduction

We have all thought about how we can better teach concepts to our students so that they will not only retain enough information for a test, but so they will be interested in the material and use it as a real-world learning step.  With project-based learning, we can do just that.

Newsome Park Elementary School works with students in thematic units that are not just cookie-cutter units, but units that apply to their own lives.  Students learn all about works, cystic fibrosis (a student at their school has CF), and how to run a business (http://www.edutopia.org/more-fun-barrel-worms).  At Mountlake Terrace High School, Geometry students finish off the year by planning a school for the year 2050 (http://www.edutopia.org/geometry-real-world-students-architects).  Prior to retirement, Fran Koontz worked with her third-graders at Rockledge Elementary school to track migration patterns of monarch butterflies and solve "mystery classroom" locations based upon sunrise and sunset times (http://www.edutopia.org/march-monarchs).

All of these examples from www.edutopia.org show project-based learning succeeding, usually with students who previously had trouble with more traditional teaching methods.  Each different project featured: personal and social responsibility; planning, reasoning, analyzing, and creativity; increased communication skills; decision-making skills; and appropriate use of technology.

In addition to all of the above, project-based learning also encourages active research, cross-age communication, and independent learning.  Students have the desire to learn more and gather more information, rather than them being "forced."  Teachers and students get to interact on a more individual level to achieve student success.  Students are permitted to think "outside the box," rather than just conforming to what the teacher wants them to "learn."  When students are interested and engaged in their own learning, they actually want to learn -- they yearn to learn!

All three of these projects are wonderful examples of project-based learning at its finest.  There is collaboration - both between students and between students and teachers (and community members) - the kind that simply cannot be achieved through pencil-and-paper learning.  Students get to use real-world communication and presentation skills, but what is more impressive is how interested they are in being at school and learning.  With some time, a lot of effort, and more funding, this kind of learning can be brought back to our classrooms.  Remember, all things are cyclical! 




To complete my discussion, I just wanted to make three brief points that helped make these project-based learning examples a success:

1. Small class size - Each of the classes presented in the videos appeared to be no larger than 20.  With the increase in class sizes in many districts today, this can make these takes more challenging for the teacher, but not impossible.  It depends on ...
2. Teacher buy-in - As with any new approach, the administration and classroom teachers need to buy-in to project-based learning.  If teachers aren't willing to break out of their old mold and try something new, it cannot be successful.  Adequate training and opportunity to and appreciation of mistakes and the ability to learn from them are key to making project-based learning a success.
3. Budgetary cooperation - In today's economy, it is often hard to be able to successful back new program ideas well enough to ensure their success.  The worst thing that could be done is to agree to have new and improved educational ideas but not give them the funding needed.  Districts around the country (and most of the world, for that matter) are faced with decreasing funding for education.  If we are to become the educated and successful society that we all hope for, education has to be placed back in a position of priority when the time comes to draft and approve the yearly budget.

Sources:   
"More Fun Than a Barrel of . . . Worms?!" - Diane Curtis, Edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/more-fun-barrel-worms

"Geometry Students Angle into Architecture Through Project Learning" - Sara Armstrong, Edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/geometry-real-world-students-architects

"March of the Monarchs: Students Follow the Butterflies' Migration"
- Diane Curtis, Edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/march-monarchs