Project Based Learning
Assessing Student Learning in PBL Projects
How can we think about Assessment in PBL?
As we learn more about this methodology, several questions arise:
How does the type of assessment in Project Based Learning align with the standardized assessments we give students throughout the school year?
How can we make sense of and use formative and summative data we gather before, during and after a PBL project to prepare students for standardized testing?
When might be an optimal time to do a PBL project during the year?
We will begin to unpack some of these questions here to give you a better idea about teaching and learning with PBL.
When should we do our PBL Projects?
While there is no one perfect time to complete your PBL project, you can think about nesting your project within the school year according to the following criteria:
Uninterrupted Length of time
Connection with district assessments
In the graphic below, you can see one model for doing your PBL projects. In this model, the projects occur from September through October, and March through April. These are two time periods that typically have few school breaks, and also allow for time before, during and after grading periods. You'll also notice that they're nested before and after district assessments. You can think about the STAR Renaissance data informing the standards you highlight in the project, how you choose learning sources and how you develop skill/ability based groupings. You can also think of your project as a tool to prepare students for the first interim test in November, which is a mirror of a complete SBAC test.
Again, there are plenty of times during the year when you can complete your projects. If you want to learn more about using the district blended learning tools and learning strategies within your project, keep reading!
How can we use all of SLUSD's tools and resources in our project to assess learning?
SLUSD teachers have access to a wide variety blended learning platforms and curricular materials. Over the course of a project, these tools can be leveraged systematically to support the development of key knowledge, understandings and success skills. All good teaching is underpinned by culturally responsive teaching practices and differentiation for designated and integrated instruction for English Learners.
The flowchart below, adapted from a graphic developed by New Tech Network Charter Schools, shows one model for thinking about integration of the blended tools and instructional strategies throughout the course of a project. Moving from left to right, the flowchart simulates the project chronology and also the increasing depth of knowledge that can be produced through more rigorous tasks. You'll notice that students can move from learning that asks them gather knowledge to learning that asks them to illustrate and apply their knowledge over the course of a project. Projects do not need to incorporate all of the tools and strategies, and don't need to include three total products. You can decide what is appropriate for your classroom.