At St Mary MacKillop College we have high expectations of our students so we equip them with the knowledge, skills and dispositions for lifelong learning. We pursue excellence through a teaching and learning environment that is inclusive, engaging and encourages growth. We value collaboration, innovation and building strong relationships.
Project-based learning (PBL) is an approach to teaching and learning that engages students in rich and authentic learning experiences.
In a PBL environment, students gain knowledge and skills by investigating and responding to an engaging question, problem or challenge.
A PBL learning and teaching framework addresses interdisciplinary (cross-curricula) content and learning dispositions through rigorous, authentic, hands-on, interactive learning experiences.
Source: State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2021
PBL is interdisciplinary (cross-curricula) and focuses on active, student-directed learning. It gives students an authentic, real-world context for learning where student voice matters.
Students face complex challenges in a post-school environment where problem-solving, collaboration and creativity are highly valued skills.
Key reasons for using PBL include:
engaging students in their personal learning journey
offering students an opportunity to build confidence, solve problems, work in teams, communicate ideas, and manage themselves more effectively
encouraging students to use technology in authentic ways
connecting students and schools with communities locally and globally.
Source: State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2021
How will content be covered if students choose what they are learning?
The challenging question or problem will have sufficient depth to link closely to core curriculum content. The core question can cover significantly more content at a higher level than traditional units or programs.
When developing the core question with students, providing them with curriculum content and outcomes assists them to come up with a question that is engaging, has real-world implications, and is connected to the curriculum.
How will students be assessed?
Assessment practices are deeply embedded in the PBL process. Assessment in PBL will look a little different to traditional methods because they are open-ended, student-led and formative, however these practices provide a rich source of information about student learning and progress.
There are a number of opportunities for assessment in PBL and the giving and receiving of feedback to students throughout the project is embedded in the PBL process. Self-assessment and peer assessment form an integral part of the PBL experience and a number of strategies, such as success criteria, rubrics, gallery walks and tuning protocols, can be used to scaffold and support these processes to ensure the assessment is constructive. Further, culminating events and presentations of learning can be used as summative measures of student performance. Using rubrics provides opportunities for the rigorous collection of evidence and data related to student growth and performance.
Source: State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2021
Project Based Learning (PBL) is an exciting way to engage students in their learning. The following links provide further information on PBL.
Further Reading:
What actually is Project Based Learning or PBL anyway?
Edutopia: Project Based Learning
Edutopia: Project Based Learning Resources for Parents
Video: