Learning through Projects

Do you want learners to get engaged in learning? then Project Based Learning (PBL) is the solution or the approach through which they get engaged by getting involved in breaking up deeper into complex and yet demanding and sometimes even difficult to deal with problems that closely relate to real life. PBL encourages active inquiry and higher-level thinking especially when the learners are helped to understand why, when, and how meaningful problem-solving activities are relevant to their learning process that further helps them continue beyond the classroom. For a successful planning for a Project Based Learning, Edutopia outlines six steps found here: http://www.edutopia.org/stw-maine-project-based-learning-six-steps-planning.

PBL offers a wide range of benefits

For students

1.    Increases attendance, growth in self-reliance, and improved attitudes toward learning.

2.    Academic gain is more with students involved in projects for their own learning than during more traditional classroom activities.

3.    They get opportunities to develop complex skills, such as higher-order thinking, problem-solving, collaborating, and communicating.

4.    Access to a broader range of learning opportunities in the classroom, providing a strategy for engaging culturally diverse learners

For teachers

1.    There is enhanced professionalism and collaboration among colleagues, and opportunities to build relationships with students.

2.    Teachers become pleased to find a model that accommodates diverse learners by introducing a wider range of learning opportunities into the classroom.

Challenges that I am likely to face in implementing PBL in my class

1.    Recognizing situations that make for good projects

2.    Collaborating with colleagues to develop interdisciplinary projects

3.    Managing the learning process

4.    Integrating technologies where appropriate

Ciao!