Project Based Learning (PBL)
During Place Based Learning, students work on an extended project that engages them in addressing a real-world problem or answering a complex question. Students demonstrate their knowledge and skills by developing a product or presentation, which they make public to people beyond the classroom. As a result, they develop deep content knowledge as well as 21st century success skills.
SOURCE: John Larmer, Setting the Stage for Project Based Learning
Structured Investigations, Guided Explorations, and Passion Projects
provide various levels of inquiry for our students to connect to their community, dive into authentic problems, and encourage creative public products that develop an ethic of contribution to their larger world.
Project Design Elements:
1) Challenging Problem to solve or Driving Question to Investigate
Must be: engaging, challenging, open ended, linked to learning goals
Can: address a real-world problem, meet a design challenge, explore an abstract question, conduct an investigation, take a position on an issue
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2) Sustained Inquiry
3) Authenticity
Is rooted in real-world context, features the same tasks and tools used by adults, has an impact
4) Student Voice + Choice
5) Reflection
How effective was the project? Was it of quality? What obstacles were overcome?
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6) Critique and Revision
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7) Public Product