Why Is Project-Based Learning Important?
Using Problem-Based Learning (PBL), students can learn how to function in a knowledge-based, highly technological society.
In today’s world, the old-school model of passively learning facts and reciting them out of context is no longer sufficient for preparing students to survive and thrive in society. To be able to solve highly complex problems, students must possess both fundamental skills (reading, writing, and mathematics) as well as 21st century skills (teamwork, problem-solving, research gathering, time management, information synthesizing, utilizing high tech tools). Students become directors and managers of their learning processes, guided and mentored by an experienced teacher who possesses a unique combination of skills.
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The following are examples of 21st-century skills:
a sense of personal and social accountability
Planning, critical thinking, reasoning, and creativity are all important skills.
strong communication abilities, both interpersonally and in terms of presentation requirements
the ability to communicate across cultures
Visualizing and making decisions, knowing when and how to use technology, and selecting the most appropriate tool for the task
“One of the most significant benefits of project work is that it helps to make school more similar to real life. A thorough investigation of a real-world topic worthy of children’s attention and effort is presented in this book.” Sylvia Chard, a researcher in education, says
There have been several excellent works published in the last few decades that encourage the development of 21st-century skills. When the United States Department of Labor Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills published a report (PDF download) in 1990 about the changing skills young people need to succeed in the workplace, it was considered groundbreaking at the time. Learning, Technology, and Education Reform in the Knowledge Age, a publication by WestEd published in 1999, examines the “new learning landscape” of the twenty-first century. The Education Sector’s 2008 report Measuring Skills for the 21st Century discusses the assessment of these skills, and the American Society for Curriculum and Instruction’s 2009 publication 21st Century Skills: The Challenges Ahead describes the movement’s goals and obstacles. It is highly recommended that you visit the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website for more information about 21st-century skills.
PBL and the Application of Technology Bring a new level of relevance to the material under consideration
Students are encouraged to become independent workers, critical thinkers, and lifelong learners by incorporating real-world context and technology into the curriculum through the use of a project-based learning approach. Teachers can communicate with administrators, exchange ideas with other teachers and subject-area experts, and communicate with parents, all while breaking down invisible barriers such as isolation in the classroom, fear of embarking on a new process, and a lack of assurances of success, to name a few examples.
PBL is more than just a method of learning; it is also a method of cooperating. In their adult lives, students who learn to take responsibility for their learning will have a stronger foundation on which to build collaborative relationships with their coworkers.
PBL Contributes to the Process of Authentic Assessment
Authentic assessment and evaluation allow us to document a child’s progress and development in a systematic and organized manner. PBL encourages this by engaging in the following activities:
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Activity in the science lab at Mott Hall School is the culmination of several days’ worth of investigation into the heat of fusion.
Having multiple assessment opportunities allows the teacher to be more effective.
While working independently, provides an opportunity for a child to demonstrate his or her abilities.
It demonstrates the child’s ability to put desired skills, such as doing research, into practice.
It helps the child learn how to collaborate with his or her peers while also developing teamwork and group skills.
It enables the teacher to gain a better understanding of the child as a person.
It assists the teacher in communicating with a child or a group of children in a progressive and meaningful manner on a variety of topics and issues.
For more information, please see our Comprehensive Assessment Core Strategy page.
PBL Encourages and Supports Lifelong Learning
“Teaching has traditionally been an activity undertaken behind closed doors between moderately consenting participants,” says Lee Shulman, president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Because of this, PBL encourages lifelong learning.
Student-led learning (PBL) and the use of technology enable students, teachers, and administrators to reach out beyond the four walls of the school building.
Students engage in the construction of a new knowledge base and develop into active, lifelong learners as a result of this experience.
PBL teaches children to be in charge of their learning, which is the first step toward becoming lifelong learners.
As part of that pursuit of new knowledge, technology provides students with access to research and experts, including everything from first-person accounts to Civil War films from the Library of Congress’s American Memory collection to online chats with NASA astronauts.
Students with a variety of learning styles and differences can benefit from Project-Based Learning.
“We are living in a new economy, one that is powered by technology, fueled by information, and driven by knowledge,” says the author of the book. “Futureworks: Trends and Challenges for Work in the Twenty-First Century” is a book about the future of work. (Source: United States Department of Labor)
It is well-known that children have a variety of learning styles to choose from. Their knowledge is based on a variety of different backgrounds and experiences. It is also acknowledged that children possess a broader range of abilities than they have previously been permitted to demonstrate in traditional classrooms with a text-based focus. This is addressed by PBL, which requires students to use all modalities in the process of researching and solving a problem, as well as communicating the solutions they have discovered. When children are enthusiastic about what they are doing and can utilize their natural abilities, they achieve at a higher level.
PBL is supported by research
The use of PBL is being supported by an increasing body of research. Student achievement improves in schools where project-based learning (PBL) is implemented, as does absenteeism, cooperative learning skills, and cooperative learning skills. It is possible to increase the effectiveness of these benefits when technology is used to promote critical thinking and effective communication.