This document discusses project-based learning (PBL) as an important approach for 21st century education. PBL engages students in investigating real-world problems and challenges in an active way. It is more relevant to the real tasks students will face after graduation compared to traditional rote memorization. With PBL, students learn to become independent thinkers, problem solvers, and lifelong learners by designing solutions to authentic problems. The document provides the example of an "Arts & Bots" project to illustrate how PBL cultivates skills like collaboration, creativity, communication and technology use.

1. 21st Century Education:
Project-Based Learning
CI 350 9:30 class
By: Annie Brownfield,
Taylor Foster,
Summer Wheatley

2. Definition of Project-Based
Learning (PBL)
“Project-based learning is a comprehensive approach to classroom teaching and
learning that is designed to engage students in investigation of authentic
problems.” -Blumenfeld
•According to Edutopia, PBL is a dynamic classroom approach in which
students actively explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire a
deeper knowledge.

3. Importance
• PBL is more relevant to “real-
world” tasks that students will
inevitably face in the future, so
this style of learning will better
prepare them for graduation
instead of “old school” rote
memorization.
• Students have more freedom to
figure out problems on their
own with teachers serving as
guides.
• PBL encourages students to
become independent workers,
critical thinkers, and lifelong
learners.
“With project-based
learning, students learn
by designing and
construction actual
solutions to real life
problems.” - George
Lucas, Hollywood
Director

4. How PBL applies to 21st Century Education:
PBL teaches students:
• To take responsibility
• To become problem solvers
• To communicate ideas
• To become creative innovators

5. 21st Century Competencies
• Critical thinking
• Communication in a variety of media
• Collaboration

6. Clear Example of PBL’s application:
Arts & Bots
How Arts & Bots prove to be a clear example of PBL:
• Hands on experience
• Group work
• Critical thinking
• Depending on student,
visual learning
• Learning to adapt
• Developing skills
• To peers
• To something new
• Different classroom
setting

7. PBL Characteristic Example in Arts and Bots
Personal and social
responsibility
Each individual was responsible to put forth their
best effort and contribute to the project with
their partner.
Planning, critical thinking,
reasoning, and creativity
Collaborating with partner’s unit plan to create a
single robot applicable to both unit plans.
Strong communication skills,
both for interpersonal and
presentation needs
Communicating with partner about ideas for the
robot and being able to put into words what each
partner visualized for the robot.
Visualizing and decision
making
Knowing how you wanted the end-product to
appear and making the decisions to make it work
such as reinforcing a part of the robot with
popsicle sticks or manipulating the motors so the
robot moves just right.
Knowing how and when to use
technology
Knowing how to operate the Hummingbird program
and all of its components.
Cross-Cultural Understanding Working with a partner of a different background.

8. Works Cited
• http://bie.org/
• http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080
/00461520.1991.9653139#.VH836Xk89aQ
• http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-
learning-guide-importance