What is PBL?
What is Project Based Learning?
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Project Based Learning (PBL) is a model and framework of teaching and learning where students acquire content knowledge and skills in order to answer a driving question based on an authentic problem, need, challenge, or concern.
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Project Based Learning is done collaboratively and within groups, using a variety of employability skills such as critical thinking, communication, and creativity.
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PBL incorporates student voice and choice as well as inquiry.
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Authentic PBL involves a community partner and a publicly presented end product.
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Project Based Learning involves an ongoing process of feedback and revision as well as reflection.
PBL Core Components
Project Based Learning Units include the following CORE components:
- Standards: Content Knowledge & Skills
- Authenticity & Relevance: Addresses a real-world challenge, need, problem, or concern
- Inquiry
- Student Voice & Choice
- Collaboration
- Employability (21st Century) Skills
- Community Partners
- Feedback & Revision
- Publicly Presented Product
- Reflection
The Core Components of PBL are the most essential pieces of every PBL Unit. For PBL fidelity, it is important to embed each of these components into the PBL design process.
Benefits of Project Based Learning
Why should I implement PBL?
The benefits of Project Based Learning extend to students, teachers, and communities at large. PBL can have long-term positive impacts on student success and achievement beyond the classroom. Classrooms, schools, and districts that implement Project Based Learning may see the following benefits:
Increased Student Engagement
- In PBL classrooms, students demonstrate improved attitudes toward learning. They exhibit more engagement, are more self-reliant, and have better attendance than in more traditional school settings. (Thomas, 2000; Walker & Leary, 2009)
- Teachers may need time and professional development to become familiar with PBL methods, but those who make this shift in classroom practice report increased job satisfaction. (Hixson, Ravitz, & Whisman, 2012; Strobel & van Barneveld, 2009)
- Most (PBL) facilitators express that they have greater (enjoyment of their role as teachers within a PBL classroom setting) teacher satisfaction (Cho & Brown 2013)
Development of Employability Skills
- Research has also found that PBL helps develop employability skills also known as 21st century skills. When teachers are trained in PBL methods, they devote more class time to teaching 21st century skills; their students perform at least as well on standardized tests as students engaged in traditional instruction. (Hixson, Ravitz, & Whisman, 2012)
- Across the 21st century skills included in this study, real world problem-solving is the significant driver of high work quality. (Pearson Foundation/Microsoft 2013)
- Students demonstrate better problem-solving skills in PBL than in more traditional classes and are able to apply what they learn to real-life situations. (Finkelstein et al., 2010)
College and Career Readiness
- Research has also shown that PBL provides college and career readiness. Students in a high-fidelity, successful PBL model such as New Tech Network students consistently enroll in college after their first year of high school at a higher rate than the national average. New Tech Network students consistently return for their second year of college at a higher rate than the national average for both four and two year colleges.
- Developing 21st Century skills in the last year of school is positively correlated with higher perceived work quality later in life. (Pearson Foundation and Microsoft in 2013)
- In fact, those who have high 21st century skill development are twice as likely to have higher work quality compared to those who had low 21st century skill development. (Pearson Foundation/Microsoft 2013)
Closes the Equity/Achievement Gap
- A study by Pearson Foundation and Microsoft in 2013 reported that the majority of respondents reported that they agree or strongly agree that they developed most of the skills they use in their current job outside of school. (Pearson Foundation/Microsoft 2013)
- Whereas PBL enables students to develop skills that they will use in current and future jobs while they are still in a school setting. It gives them an upper hand or advantage in obtaining those skills before they leave school.
- PBL shows promise as a strategy for closing the achievement gap by engaging lower- achieving students. (Boaler, 2002; Penuel & Means, 2000)
- PBL can work in different types of schools, serving diverse learners. (Hixson, Ravitz, & Whisman, 2012). “A study of 3,000 middle school students showed that (all) kids can, in fact, learn more in science classrooms that adopt a well-designed, project-focused curriculum.”
Project Based Learning Research
Project Based Learning improves Student Performance Significantly According to Breakthrough Research
The following research briefs are referenced in the article above and summarize the findings of peer-reviewed studies examining the impact of project-based learning across subjects and grades. The briefs provide context for the research and can help policymakers, educators, system leaders, and families deepen their understanding of what the evidence reveals about the effectiveness of rigorous project-based learning.
New Research Makes a Powerful Case for PBL
Two studies provide compelling evidence that project-based learning is an effective strategy for all students—including historically marginalized ones.
The following are news and articles from Magnify Learning Partners:
PBL vs. Project
- A culminating event that happens at the end of a traditional unit after all student learning has already taken place.
- The knowledge and skills taught in the unit are not necessarily needed to complete the project, and the project itself does not typically reflect all of the student learning.
- Oftentimes the project has no real-world connection, and after being graded the project is no longer used.
- In many cases, the major assessment of student learning outcomes has already been completed in the form of quizzes and tests, and the project itself reflects only a few, if any, of the learning outcomes.
- Poses an authentic problem, challenge, need, or issue at the start of the PBL Unit in the form of an entry event.
- At the start of the PBL Unit, students either receive or co-design a rubric outlining what tasks or end products they will have to create or complete.
- From the start, students understand the need to learn the course content and skills in order to complete each step or benchmark of the PBL Unit.
- The end goal is clear from the beginning. Student learning is meaningful because they need to acquire content knowledge and skills in order to solve the problem, challenge, need, or issue that has been posed to them.
- The PBL Unit involves a community partner and ends with a publicly presented product that will be used even after the PBL Unit has been completed.
- The PBL process involves feedback and revision throughout as well as reflection.
The graphics below show the difference between a traditional teaching unit with a culminating project versus a standards-based Project Based Learning Unit. The examples displayed below are based on State of Indiana 3rd Grade Social Studies Standards.
