Project based learning is a teaching method where students investigate and respond to engaging questions or problems over an extended period of time. It addresses real-life issues, has the teacher serve as a facilitator, motivates students, encourages advanced thinking skills, and promotes collaboration. Project based learning helps students develop skills for a technological society, brings relevance to learning, lends itself to authentic assessment, and promotes lifelong learning for students with varying styles. It prepares students for the 21st century by having them draw conclusions, solve complex problems, give feedback, and generate their own ideas to confront problems. Technology can be implemented into projects through posters, videos, blended resources, PowerPoints, and wikis. An example project has students predicting what would

1. PROJECT BASED
LEARNING
By: Jackie Morgan, Judi Thompson, Mary-Lynn Pell

2. Project Based Learning
◦ Description: 1.) Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by
working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex question,
problem, or challenge.
◦ Description: 2.) Project-based learning is a dynamic classroom approach in which students actively explore
real-world problems and challenges and acquire a deeper knowledge.
◦ Characteristics:
◦ It addresses real-life issues
◦ Has the teacher serve as facilitator
◦ Motivate students
◦ Encourage advanced thinking skills
◦ Promote collaboration
◦ (We got this info from the PowerPoint Blanco posted on Blackboard)

3. Importance
◦ PBL Helps Students Develop Skills for Living in a Knowledge-Based, Highly Technological
Society
◦ PBL and Technology Use Bring a New Relevance to the Learning at Hand
◦ PBL Lends Itself to Authentic Assessment
◦ PBL Promotes Lifelong Learning
◦ PBL Accommodates Students with Varying Learning Styles and Difference

4. Role in 21st Century
◦ * Students compare information from different sources before completing an assignment
◦ * Students draw their own conclusions based on analysis of numbers, facts, or relevant information
◦ * Students try to solve complex problems or answer questions that have no single correct solution
◦ * Students give feedback to peers or assess other students' work
◦ * Students convey their ideas using media other than a written paper (such as posters, blogs, or videos)
◦ * Students answer questions in front of an audience
◦ * Students generate their own ideas about how to confront a problem
◦ * West Virginia teachers have been able to implement PBL "as a way to teach and assess 21st-century skills
without sacrificing academic rigor," authors of the study point out. They also note that educators are
managing to make this shift in instruction with diverse learners.
◦ * What's more, all the PBL teachers in the study have provided professional development to colleagues.
These early adopters of PBL are walking the talk when it comes to

5. Implementing Technology
◦ 1. Create a Poster – create a poster using Glogster instead of getting out paper and markers
◦ 2. Videos – Students can show what they know using technology instead of pencil and paper
◦ 3. Blendspace – can combine different parts of project into one
◦ 4. PowerPoint – Students can create a power point as a project to show what they have learned
about in the unit
◦ 5. Wiki- allows students to share and view their work and can be used in and outside the
classroom

6. Example
◦ “Butter the Bread” project
◦ We will read the book, The Butter Battle Book, out loud to the students.
◦ After reading the book we will work on the Butter the Bread Project.
◦ Ask the students to predict what would come next if the story continued.
◦ As a class, think of ways the butter battle could have been avoided. Ask the students to choose the two
ways they believe are the best, and print each way on a square of yellow construction paper 2” x 2”.
◦ Have the students make a piece of bread by cutting out cardboard. Students can then “butter” both sides
of their “bread” with a way to avoid battle.
◦ Then we will suspend the bread slices from the ceiling using string, so that both reasons can be seen.

7. Conclusion
◦ In conclusion, project based learning is a way for students to expand their knowledge than just a
traditional paper and pencil test
◦ This method does not discrimination against any resource or tool because it is about the students
scaffolding together
◦ You can create really flexible lessons with project based learning
◦ Promotes social interaction which motivates students
◦ Allow students to critically think with out realizing it

8. Works Cited
◦ Citation: "What Is Project Based Learning (PBL)?" What Is PBL? Web. 3 Dec. 2015.
◦ http://bie.org/about/what_pbl
◦ Citation: "Project-Based Learning." Edutopia. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.
◦ http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning
◦ Citation: "Why Is Project-Based Learning Important?" Edutopia. 19 Oct. 2007. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.
◦ http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-importance
◦ Citation: "How Project-Based Learning Builds 21st-Century Skills." Edutopia. Web. 3
◦ http://www.edutopia.org/blog/21st-century-skills-pbl-suzie-boss
◦ Citation: “Dr. Seuss Literature Activities--The Butter Battle Book.” Web. 10 Dec. 2015.
◦ https://books.google.com/books