Project Based Learning Basics.

One way to help students learn the material better is to integrate projects into their learning but it can be hard, especially when the administration wants everyone to follow the pacing guide or at least cover the same material over the same period of time.  

Project based learning is a teaching method that has students using the math they learning doing projects based on real world situations.  Usually, students are expected to work on these projects over a specific period of time from a week to the whole semester.  It depends on the needs of the students.

If you've never done any project based learning, it is recommended that the initial units be short so everyone gets used to doing them.  A period of no more than three weeks is suggested for a successful project.  One important thing is that there are several different types of projects in project based learning.  One type of project is the one used at the end of a unit so students can practice applying what they learned while another project is the unit itself.  

When designing the project, there are seven things a person should keep in mind.  First, there should be an essential question or problem that needs to be solved with just the right amount of challenge.  Second, all students should be engaged in a process of asking questions, looking for resources to use, and putting together all the information. Third, it needs to be real world task, context, and speaks to the students about something in their lives. Fourth, students need to have choice so their voices are heard. This allows them to work in their way, express themselves, and be creative.  Fifth, there needs to be a reflection component where they discuss their learning, how effective they managed the research and the whole project, and obstacles they encountered. Sixth, students learn to take criticism and apply it to their projects to make them better.  Finally, they need to share their finished work with the public.  These are the most important things to keep in mind when planning the project.

Then there are seven teaching practices to apply when planning the project.  First is to either plan or adapt a project based on student context, plan it from start to finish, and include some student choice. Second, know the standards the project meets and make sure it key knowledge and understanding from the math class. Third, promote student independence, growth, team spirit, learning to produce quality work, and include open ended inquiry. Fourth, work with students to organize all tasks and schedules, set deadlines, find legitimate resources, use those resources, create the products, and learn to share them with the public. Fifth, use a variety of lessons, tools, and instructional strategies to scaffold student learning. Sixth, use both formative and summative assessments for knowledge, skills, and understanding.  Assessments should  include both peer and self reviews of individual and team work.  Finally, it is important for teachers to monitor the class to decide when students need skill building, redirection, encouragement, and when to celebrate.

This can be a lot to think about when starting to do your first project with your students.  The Buck Institute for Education has a site MyPBLWorks which has so many resources. They offer a free account so it's easy to sign up for. There are articles on how to build a PBL culture from the start, a template for a letter home to parents, and projects one can use.  At this time, they have 19 math based projects available for grades K to 12. These projects cover everything from creating financial plans, to voting, to reducing impact on the environment, and so many more.  If you are interested in exploring this site and lessons, click on the MyPBLWorks and explore.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  In the next column, I'm hoping to share more on project based learning.