WHAT IS PBI?
When I first heard of project based learning the term did not mean much to me. I heard my sister talking about her bi-yearly interdisciplinary PBL at school, but I had no idea what she was talking about until I began learning about project based instruction.
PBI is a multifaceted approach to classroom instruction that utilizes both formative and summative assessments to enhance student understanding of a certain topic. Essentially, a project is designed with the intent for students to produce a product that engages them in the topic as though it was their real world skill rather than just a classroom topic. PBI is based on the constructivist ideology that students gain true understanding upon actively constructing their knowledge in problems meaningful to them in the real world (Krajcik).
In order for PBI to function properly, activities must be designed to inspire student creativity and tackle real, important issues that are relevant and engaging to students. Examples of such issues can include environmental problems, social justice issues and just about anything else the students will be able to relate to and care about. Furthermore, these activities should test student understanding, which can be assessed by the teacher formally or informally. Lesson plans should include formative assessment at several checkpoints to ensure all students are on track, and rubrics can be used as a tool for students to self-assess and ensure they are scoring at their highest potential.
PBI utilizes a range of classroom interactions, from student-teacher interactions to student-student ones. The teacher should be careful to give enough guidance to inspire creativity, but not too much as to prevent students from thinking and taking their projects in their own direction. Additionally, the teacher must consider when to use group work and which students will be in each group to facilitate efficiency and understanding among each student. Still, the focus of the project remains on student exploration and not on the teacher lecture. The intent of this exploration is to allow students to make meaningful connections and interpret what they are learning in a sense that is guided by, but not dictated by the teacher.
Throughout my future lessons, I can foresee myself using PBI to cover topics that may not be student favorites when taught in a more traditional sense. I hope that turning harder lessons into ones that provide more student freedom will work to cement student understanding. Further, I hope to implement PBI as a way to build community. PBI often allows teachers to provide interdisciplinary units, and even encourages students to discuss project results with professionals in the topic. Thus, I hope to engage students in a way that will be meaningful to them within the scope of school and their community.
SOURCES
Krajcik, Joseph S., and Phyllis C. Blumenfeld. Project-based learning. na, 2006.