Dr. Michael M. Grant discusses the components of project, methods to manage projects, and tips for implementing project-based learning.

1. The Secrets to Project-based
Learning in STEM
Michael
M.
Grant,
Ph.D.
Michael M. Grant 2009

2. Michael
M.
Grant
Instruc4onal
Design
&
Technology
h:p://viral-­‐notebook.com
mgrant2@memphis.edu
@michaelmgrant
Michael M. Grant 2012

3. http://viral-notebook.com
Michael M. Grant 2012

4. 32 Secrets to Share
• Defining projects
• Components of projects
• Managing projects
• Creating projects
• Grading projects
• The realities of projects

5. Who likes learning new stuff?

6. Who likes school?

7. We’ve got to change that!
It’s up to me & you!

8. Defining projects

9. 1
Projects are authentic, reflecting
the real world.

10. 2
Projects use a driving question or
problem.

11. 3
Projects require the production of
an artifact.

12. 4
Projects value depth over breadth.

13. Components of projects

14. 5
Projects require a task or series of
tasks.

15. 6
Students follow a process or investigation
to complete task(s) and produce artifact.
Project are not recipes.

16. 7
Project task(s) afford multiple paths to
completion and learning.

17. 8
Students should have choice in the
topic(s) and/or process of
investigation.

18. 9
Scaffolds help students perform at a
higher level with project tasks.

19. 10
Resources are evaluated and
synthesized to produce artifact(s).

20. 11
Collaborations allows students to
negotiate content and receive
feedback.

21. 12
Assessment encompasses
process and product.

22. 13
Artifacts afford multiple
representations of knowledge.
Projects are not recipes.

23. Managing projects

24. 14
Projects take time.

25. 15
Good projects offer students
opportunities to gauge their learning.

26. 16
Teachers embed mechanisms to
help students manage projects.

27. 17
Projects achieve multiple standards/
objectives at the same time.

28. Creating projects

29. 18
Projects should encourage students to
at least apply knowledge.

30. Bloom’s Taxonomy
Higher
Evalua4on
Order
Thinking
Synthesis
Skills
(HOTS)
Analysis
Applica4on
Lower
Order
Comprehension
Thinking
Skills
Knowledge
(LOTS)

31. 19
Students will segment their learning
from one class or topic to another.
Merging STEM should be the rule — not the exception.

32. 20
Students will gauge what is easy to do
and choose the path of least
resistance.

33. 21
Students' previous experiences with
projects will impact what artifacts
students produce.

34. 22
The amount of time and the resources
available to the student will impact the
artifacts students produce.

35. Grading projects

36. 23
Projects should be rigorous.

37. 24
Projects take longer to grade...but the
final grade shouldn't be the first grade.
Constantly refer to the rubric and the driving question.

38. 25
Projects may aggregate multiple
sources of knowledge into a portfolio.

39. 26
Students will weigh what's good
enough versus the amount of time and
effort required.

40. 27
It is practically impossible for an
artifact to represent all that has been
learned.

41. 28
Process and product must be
assessed in order to recognize
what students have learned.

42. The realities of projects

43. 29
Teachers and students must recognize
and accept their roles in project-based
learning.

44. 30
Teachers and students must be
comfortable with the physical
messiness of project-based learning.

45. 31
Teachers and students must have a
tolerance for ambiguity in project-
based learning.

46. 32
Project-based learning must be
integrated with the reality outside a
teacher’s classroom.

47. Questions?

48. Thanks MSTC for having me and letting me play
with you guys for a couple of days!!
mgrant2@memphis.edu
http://viral-notebook.com
@michaelmgrant

49. Michael M. Grant, PhD 2012
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