The document provides tips and resources for starting project-based learning (PBL), including core principles of PBL, project planning tools, ways to share student work, critique guidelines, and helpful websites. It encourages starting small with one good project per year, emphasizing reflection and giving work authentic audiences. Contact information is provided for the author, Dr. Gina Olabuenaga, a teacher who uses PBL. A list of additional PBL resources includes the Buck Institute, Edutopia, blogs, and websites of schools known for their PBL work.

1. Student + Passion = Learning
Starting PBL: Tips, Tools, & Tech
Core Principles
Common Intellectual Mission, Adult/World Connection, Personalization, Reflection
Project Planners
To download Word doc versions of the PBL Project Planner, and completed samples, I shared, visit
http://resourcesbyolabee.blogspot.com/.
Sampling the Work
To see the work of the students of Room 28, check out http:melrosestars28.blogspot.com. To view work at other PBL
schools, please see the Helpful Sites for PBL on the next page.
Critique
Use three basic principles: Be helpful. Be specific. Be kind. To learn more about critique & PBL, check out Ron
Berger’s book, An Ethic of Excellence & videos of him speaking at HTH, available on YouTube.
Other Tips
• Start small.
• One good project a year goes a long way.
• Reflection can be the most powerful learning experience during a project.
• Give an authentic audience.
• Mini-deadlines for portions of assignments keep everyone on track.
• Share your work with other educators.
Contact
Gina Olabuenaga, Ed.D
Melrose Math/Science/Technology Magnet
731 N. Detroit Ave | LA, CA 90046
818.308.4295
golabuenaga2@gmail.com
golabuenaga.wordpress.com | resourcesbyolabee.blogspot.com | melrosestars28.blogspot.com
Starting PBL: Tips, Tools, & Tech by Dr. Gina Olabuenaga
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2. Student + Passion = Learning
Helpful Sites for PBL
Site Description
Edutopia www.edutopia.org
Sign up for their weekly emails. Each week, it is like professional development in your
inbox! Many articles available to help coach you through your first weeks.
Edutopia PBL Resources http://www.edutopia.org/stw-replicating-pbl-resources
Edutopia put together all of their PBL resources on one place for download here.
The Buck Institute for http://www.bie.org/
Education
This organization focuses on research surrounding project-based learning. Nearly all of
their PBL materials are available for free download as word docs & pdf. files. No matter
what you need, you can most likely find it here. Their PBL books are also a great resource.
Blogger www.blogger.com
Easy way to share your work and your students’ work. Great way to begin if digital
portfolios are new to you. Links with your Google/ Gmail accounts.
Wordpress www.wordpress.com
Another tool for sharing the work. The basic free version has plenty to get any teacher
started.
Thinkquest www.thinkquest.org
Password protected, international educational website that allows teachers and students to
collaborate and share projects.
Google Sites sites.google.com
Google Sites is another option you have for creating teacher & student digital portfolios/
webpages.
Google Docs https://docs.google.com
While the wonders of Google Docs never seem to end, Google Forms & Google Docs have
been especially useful tools for feedback and collaboration among and between students
during project work.
Google Sketchup sketchup.google.com
This 3-D sketching software for the conceptual phases of design. Great for art,
architecture, engineering, and mathematics teachers!
Vimeo http://vimeo.com/
Akin to YouTube, allows you to upload and embed student videos without firewall issues!
Cleaner video feeds, too! Highly customizable.
Starting PBL: Tips, Tools, & Tech by Dr. Gina Olabuenaga
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3. Student + Passion = Learning
Site Description
Slideshare http://www.slideshare.net/
Ever wondered how to embed a powerpoint on a webpage? Upload almost any document
format here, get a link, embed! As simple as that. You can make documents available for
download as well!
Dropbox www.dropbox.com
Safe, online storage site to share & save documents. Good hard drive back up,too!
High Tech High www.hightechhigh.org
This public charter organization is world renowned for their astonishing work with PBL.
Check out the many teacher digital portfolios for project ideas, videos, and student work
samples.
Alfred Solis www.alfredsolis.com
Here is a strong example of a teacher digital portfolio from a former HTH teacher, who now
the Director of New Media at the Buck Institute. Great resource. Follow him on Twitter,
too!
Da Vinci Schools http://www.davincischools.org/
Two new charter schools in the Hawthorne area who already receiving accolades for their
PBL work. The schools also offer teacher digital portfolios to help you generate ideas for
projects!
Expeditionary Learning & http://elschools.org/
Ron Berger
The mission of this organization is to inspire and support educators in meeting the needs of
all students. Supports the differentiation that will be required for your upcoming projects
and student success. Ron Berger, who designed the critique I use in my classroom, works
with the organization and is helping to shape it in positive ways.
TED www.ted.com
Conversations with the world’s most talented & innovative people. Visit here. Visit often.
Be inspired.
Twitter www.twitter.com
When I began teaching, who would have thought that I would be following people on Twit-
ter to get resources for the classroom. Here are some people you should be following for
PBL ideas and tips!
twitter.com/johnlbie | twitter.com/alfredbie | twitter.com/biepbl | twitter.com/edutopia
twitter.com/suzieboss | twitter.com/edReformer
Also, a recent article on Edutopia gives you more tips on how to use to Twitter to expand
your professional learning network (PLN).
http://tinyurl.com/pblontwitter
Edutecher www.edutecher.net
This site, also available in a smart phone app, does all the internet resource searching for
you! Search by subject area, (writing falls under language arts), to find ways to enhance
your writing instruction.
Starting PBL: Tips, Tools, & Tech by Dr. Gina Olabuenaga
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