INTRO: INITIAL UNDERSTANDING:
What is the difference between Problem and Project Based Learning?
This short unit is intended to introduce you to the concept of Project-Based-Learning. Whether you are familiar with PBL or not, please take a few minutes to read the articles, as they are foundational to the modules that follow. I also urge you to begin making notes for yourself in what we will call a Learning Journal. How you use this journal is completely up to you, but I will give you some key ideas or questions to focus on while you read.
Activities
- Read the article Project-Based Learning: A Short History found at: https://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-history
This will give you a good background on the history and pedagogy of Project-Based-Learning. As you read, think about how what you have learned as a teacher aligns with the ideas in the article. In your journal, jot down your initial thoughts about PBL and how you may or may not use it. Also, jot down a short list of project ideas you think of while you read.
- Read the article Project-Based Learning vs. Problem-Based Learning vs. X-BL found at: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/pbl-vs-pbl-vs-xbl-john-larmer
This article really does a great job of explaining all types of "Inquiry-Based-Learning". It is written by John Larmer, Editor in Chief at the Buck Institute for Education (BIE). The BIE website is a good resource for Inquiry-Based-Learning. http://www.bie.org/
For the purpose of this mini-course, focus on determining if a project is "problem" or "project" based. Use your list of project ideas as examples. You may find that you can switch between the two. I like to think about the difference in this way: if you are solving a problem or creating something that benefits someone else, it's problem based. Project based is used more to create for the purpose of assessment and understanding. Both styles have academic rigor and are standards based, and both can be assessed in similar ways. This is why I believe that you can interchange the two. Starting with a project may lead you to a problem and change your path.
Consider: What problems exist in your class / school that could become the topic of a future PBL?
Move to MODULE 1: Understand the essential design elements associated with PBL
Return to: Project-Based-Learning ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
External Resources
Boss, S. (2011, September 20). Project-Based Learning: A Short History. Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-history
Larmer, J. (2015, July 13) Project-Based Learning vs. Problem-Based Learning vs. X-BL. Retrieved November 15, 2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/pbl-vs-pbl-vs-xbl-john-larmer