LESSON 2.2 EXPLAIN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING AND BUILDING PROJECTS

Start the with Essential Question

This question should engage your students and should tackle a real-world topic and begin an in-depth investigation.

The question should be based on an authentic situation or topic.

For ideas on how to write essential questions for your project, please visit the following blog by Andrew Miller, How to Write Effective Driving questions for Project-Based Learning.

For ideas on how to make your project authentic, please visit the following blog by John Larmer, What Does it Take for a Project to be “Authentic”

Design a Plan for the Project

Determine with content standards will be addressed
Involve students in the planning process
Select activities that support the question and the curriculum
As students become increasingly involved in the pursuit of answers, support their exploration and be prepared to dive deeper into new topics.

Create a Schedule

Design a timeline for the projects, but be flexible. Helps student realize that they will eventually need to finalize their thoughts, findings, and evaluations.

Consider the following issues when creating a schedule:

What time allotment will be given to the project?
Will this project be conducted during the entire school day or during dedicated blocks of time?
How many days will be devoted to the project?

Promote success by practicing the following guidelines:

Help student who may not perceive time limits.
Set benchmarks.
Give students direction for managing their time.
Teach them how to schedule their tasks.
Remind them of the timeline.
Help them set deadlines.
Keep the essential question simple and age appropriate.
Initiate projects that will let all students meet with success.

Monitor the Students and the Progress of the Project

Maintain control without preventing students from taking responsibility for their work.
Facilitate the process and the love of learning.
Teach the students how to work collaboratively.
Designate fluid roles for group members.
Have students choose their primary roles, but assume responsibility and interactivity for all group roles.
Remind them that every part of the process belongs to each individual and needs each student’s total involvement.
Provide resources and guidance.
Assess the process by creating team and project rubrics.

Assess the Outcome with an Assessment

When possible, promote student self-assessment. Compare the student’s assessment to the teacher’s, and schedule student-teacher meetings to let student explain their understanding and outcome of the project.

Assessment:

provides diagnostic feedback.
helps educators set standards.
allows one to evaluate progress and relate that progress to others.
gives students feedback on how well they understand the information and on what they need to improve.
helps the teacher design instruction to teach more effectively.

Evaluate the Experience

Reflection is a key component of learning. Promote individual refection (journaling), as well as group reflection and discussion.

Take time to reflect, individually and as a group.
Share feelings and experiences.
Discuss what worked well.
Discuss what needs to change.
Share ideas that will lead to new questions and new projects.

Assessment:

Using the information located within this module, outside references, and your prior knowledge of PBL, develop a first draft lesson plan that incorporates PBL into a curriculum in your field of interest.

Reference

Edutopia. (2007, October 19). How Does Project-Based Learning Work? Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-implementation

COURSE NAVIGATION

GO BACK TO Module 2: EXPLAIN HOW PROJECT-BASED LEARNING IS INCORPORATED INTO INSTRUCTION