How to make project-based learning a reality

One of the numerous causes I like working for Van Andel Institute for Education is that I get to be a trainer Fairy Godmother. Teaching is a crucial however troublesome job, and typically educators can get caught on a particular want for his or her classroom. Maybe it’s discovering the right useful resource for a lesson or connecting sure content material to a mission concept.

Whatever the state of affairs requires, my colleagues and I like to swoop in and assist make their desires a reality. But each Fairy Godmother wants a magic wand to work her wonders, and in my opinion, there’s no higher useful resource to meet trainer wants than project-based learning.

What is project-based learning, anyway?    

Let’s begin with what project-based learning will not be. PBL will not be merely a enjoyable and artistic mission you implement in school. Don’t get me improper, having college students collaborating in a enjoyable, imaginative exercise may be good, however it’s a bit just like the “dessert” of learning. These actions may be candy and simple however they’re not precisely nourishing. PBL is the principle course—the invention of information and expertise by way of the event of a significant, sustained mission.

True project-based learning is acknowledged by traits like sustained inquiry, iterative considering, and cross-curricular learning. Unlike a customary mission, which is often a one-and-done deal, PBL ought to construct on itself.

Related:
5 instruments that help project-based learning
Reflections on project-based learning