This document discusses driving questions for project-based learning. It defines a driving question as an overarching question that remains applicable throughout the project. The driving question should be engaging, provocative, and about a topic the students are interested in. It provides an example of developing a driving question around the issue of violence against homeless people. The document guides students through refining their driving question by gathering more information about the topic and ensuring it leads to an improved solution. It instructs students to work in groups to develop a driving question for their project and present it to the teacher by September 6th, including the title, problem, justification, question, objectives, research process, and final outcome.

1. Driving Questions
Universidad de Nariño
Departamento de Lingüística e Idiomas
Workshop: Tasks & Projects
Leonardo Florez

2. What Is A Driving Question?
It is an umbrella question that can go over the entire PBL. Then from start to finish
your driving question is still applicable.
What SHOULD and SHOULDN’T it be?
• It shouldn’t be YES/ NO
• It should be engaging, provocative.
• It should be something you are interested in or that picks your interest right away.
• It is not going to completely stand alone, you will have an entry event to launch
with.

3. Homelessness
Let’s use a DRIVING QUESTION FRAME such as:
• How can I_____________a __________ that will ___________?
This will help you focus your topic?
Now THINK ALOUD!
Problem: I saw a TV show about a group of college kids that went out and attacked
homeless people for sport. It was really horrible, so I wonder how often this really
happens, and if it is a real problem that needs to be addressed.

4. Working On The Driving Question
Frame
• Going back to my QUESTION FRAME?
• How can I (DO SOMETHING) a ________________ that will _____________?
I am not sure what I am going to do, but I know what the end goal is.
END GOAL: Improve The Safety Of Homeless People.
• How can I _____________ a ___________ that will IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF HOMELESS
PEOPLE?

5. As I think of how to go about it, I search for information on google about attacks to
homeless people. There are about 1,070.000 results. The most recent one talks about
the increase of homeless people attacks in 2013, and specifically people seeking
homeless people to attack.
I bear in mind my solution which is:
To improve the safety of homeless people.
As I thought about what to do, one of the things that popped in my head was:
 I am not really sure if many people know that this is a real problem. Maybe most of
them only think it is invented for a television show.

6. • Then if many people do not know this is a problem, then THE FIRST STEP is to let
people know in case they want to try to help.
I wonder
 How Can I Raise Awareness By Increasing Media Attention On The Issue Of
Violence Against The Homeless That Will Improve The Safety Of Homeless People?

7. Revising The Driving Question
• It is usually necessary to revise your driving question as you might find new
information. For instance, after narrowing my search “ attacks on homeless people”,
I realise that there is a lot of media coverage on the issue. Then I think it is not that
people do not know about this problem, but that they do not feel a personal
connection to the problem. So many I need to revise my question to.
•  How Can I create a personal connection to the victims of violence That Will
Improve The Safety Of Homeless People?

8. Task
Now it is time for you to think about your DRIVING QUESTION for your projects.
1. Get together with your groups, think about the problem you want to address.
2. Use the DRIVING QUESTION FRAM as to guide you.
3. If you need to go and look for information about your topic you can do it, but you
can’t take more than 20 minutes.
4. Once you have a possible driving question present it to your teacher.

9. Project Presentation
• The presentation of your project will take place on September 6, 2022
• It should include the following:
1. The title of your project.
2. The problem you will address.
3. The justification.
4. Your driving question.
5. Three general objectives.
6. What process you will follow to gather information for it.
7. What the final outcome will be.