Lesson 1: What is PBL, Inquiry Learning and Growth Mindset
Warm-up Activity-Your Student Experience with Projects
Before reading on, complete this survey about your memory of project work as a learner
The idea behind Project-Based Learning is we should expect most of the answers to this survey to be YES. PBL aims to teach (not assess) students in a more memorable and meaningful way. Explore the answers from others of examples of the most impactful projects they have done.
Learn about Project-Based Learning (PBL)
Please go here and register to get the Free Guide to PBL. Then read Chapter 1.
For additional information you might like to watch these videos
Project Based Learning: Why, How, and Examples
Project Based Learning: Explained
Practice/Assessment-Recognizing PBL
Complete this mini-quiz on recognizing good use of PBL.
Learn about Inquiry Learning
Read this post on inquiry
This site has several other interesting articles you may like to read as well
Putting Students in Charge of Their Learning Journey
Using Scientific Pedagogy to Teach History
Inquiry-Based Tasks in Social Studies
This course aims to help use these two methods together and enhance PBL by further supporting student inquiry. As you read, they have a lot in common, but don’t always come hand-in-hand. The Buck Institute include “Sustained inquiry” as part of its Gold Standard for PBL for good reason. Integrating the two can make for even more meaningful learning.
Learn about Growth Mindset (I sometimes will refer to it as GM)
Watch this video on Growth Mindset
I have brought these topics together because inquiry often means students will fail or make mistakes and without establishing a good culture for learning, this can be a major hindrance to a student’s motivation and attitude. Cultivating a Growth Mindset is beneficial in many ways, but also helps students to better deal with the frustrations that can arise when doing inquiry.
Assignment-Discussion
Post in the discussion tab your answers to the questions below. Explore answers left by previous students and build on their posts with your own reactions and thoughts.
- What are the benefits and expected challenges of PBL?
- How do you think inquiry, growth mindset and PBL support each other to enhance the impact of all three?