A Framework for Student Success!

What is Project-Based Learning? How is PBL different from traditional

approaches to teaching and learning? Why is PBL appropriate for the

intervention classroom? How are PBL units designed? How does research support PBL?

I can explain what Project-Based Learning is and how it works for motivating struggling students.

I can plan units around driving questions and projects that are important to students.

Developing questions about complex, intriguing, and sometimes mysterious experiences or phenomena seems to be a very natural occurrence. When people encounter strange happenings or difficult concepts and ideas, they naturally formulate questions such as, “What’s going on? Why is this happening? What does this mean? What will happen in the future?” If they decide to answer these questions, they embark on a journey of thought that may take a few minutes, hours, or years.

Do you have any experience with Project-Based Learning? Think about the quote we just discussed.

Quick-write! In your Reflection Journal, brainstorm and record

your thoughts and ideas related to this question:

What is Project-Based Learning?

A systematic teaching method that engages students in learning essential knowledge and life-enhancing skills through an extended, student-influenced inquiry process structured around complex, authentic questions and carefully designed products and tasks.

--Project Based Learning Online – Buck Institute

As you view this clip, what is the teacher’s role and what is the student’s role in each segment?

Think-Write-Pair-Share

• Serve as facilitator• Model thinking and problem-solving

strategies effectively• Structure meaningful tasks• Work with students to frame worthwhile

questions • Manage the structure of multiple day-to-

day activities to produce high quality outcomes

• Teach students to set goals

Set goals Explore and ask

questions Work well with peers Stay accountable to

self, peers, and teacher for project outcomes

10

Guiding Questions: What is PBL? Why use PBL in an intervention

classroom?

12

• Increases student motivation and engagement in learning

• Is more effective that traditional instruction in increasing academic achievement

• Improves student retention of knowledge over time

• Improves mastery of 21st century skills• Is especially effective with lower-

achieving studentsBuck Institute

Buck Institute

From Buck Institute Web site http://www.bie.org

In my life, what is success, and how do I get it?

Students will conduct extensive research and self-evaluation in defining success and goal-setting and processes for the future.

success, adversityinterview, traitsurvey, overcomeinventoryperseveranceresilienceperspective“arena of life”evaluateextensive researchMedia/mulit-mediaJustifycharacteristics

1.What is success?2.What goals do I have for this school year? High

school? Life?3.What will I need to do/change to achieve my goals?4.What skills do I need to

develop?

Students will create a report on the qualities or traits successful people have to be posted on school websiteStudent will create ppt to be shared with class that includes 1)def. of success; 2) role models; 3) goals; 4)plan of action

XX

Define

Success

What I

knowStep

s

Selfassessme

nt

Success: setting and achieving my goals for life

personal

professional

Outlining the process

Identify and examine role models

Examples

Non-Examples

Needed skills and abilitiesPersonal

traits

What Can I Do

http://www.pbl-online.org/mod1/movies/msatmovie.htm

http://pbl-online.org/

http://www.edutopia.org/project-learning

http://www.bie.org/

End With a BANG, Not a Whimper! The last day of a project should not be, “OK, turn in your papers and here’s the test. Our next unit begins Monday.” When you begin developing ideas for projects, envision your students presenting their work to an involved audience. The project should end with a sense of pride, excitement, and celebration.

PBL Starter Kit p. 30

I can explain what Project-Based Learning is and how it works for motivating struggling students.

I can plan units around driving questions and projects that are important to students.

Imagine life as problem-free. Wouldn’t that be wonderful! Or, would it?In any case, life does not come problem-free because that is the nature of life here on earth, full of challenging opportunities to learn, grow, reflect, and enjoy. This may be the most obvious reason why project-based learning is important for us to consider – PBL engages students in life as we know it, full of fascinating, problematic situations worth thinking about, investigating, and resolving. --from Problem-Based Learning by John Barell (2007)

Beer, Donald R., Marcia Invernizzi, Shane Templeton, Francine Johnston. Words Their Way. Prentice Hall: 2008.

Buck Institute for Education. Project-Based Learning for the 21st Century. http://www.bie.org/

--PBL Starter Kit. BIE 2009.Barell, John. Problem-Based Learning: An Inquiry

Approach. Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks 2007.