Project Based Learning

Project Based Learning (PBL) is becoming increasingly popular in schools and other educational contexts, with several variations being employed. However, there are several fundamental differences between "doing a project" and rigorous PBL.

We find it useful to distinguish between a "project," which is a brief, cognitively light assignment served up after the instructor has covered the material of a unit in the traditional fashion, and a "main event" project, which is the unit itself. The project is the mechanism for imparting the key information and skills that students must gain in PBL. Curriculum and teaching are contained and framed inside the project.

PBL, unlike traditional projects, requires critical thinking, problem-solving, cooperation, and a variety of means of communication. Students must do much more than memorize facts to answer a pressing question and produce high-quality work. They must develop higher-order thinking abilities and learn to collaborate as a group.

Journals

Students and instructors both benefit from keeping a journal. It's a place where you can keep a record of everything that happens during the STEAM process. Students may keep track of their thoughts, facts, observations, findings, and design sketches, among other things. Journals serve as a space for students to not only record what has occurred but also to reflect on their learning through drawing and writing. Student journals can help teachers uncover misunderstandings that students may have, as well as provide proof of student learning in ways that a test cannot.