PBL is not Project Oriented Learning

Many people confuse project-based learning with project oriented learning. I like how this High Tech High video explains the difference:


Main Point

Doing a project at the end of a unit is project oriented learning, and that is not project-based learning.

What is PBL?

Project-Based Learning is authentic learning that is focused on answering an essential question (or driving question).


This High Tech High video has a great tip for PBL, which is do the project yourself before giving it to the class.

Final Remarks
  • What tips can you share about discerning between PBL and project oriented learning? 
  • When is project oriented learning valuable? - And how can you portray that it's not PBL? 
  • What tips can you share about Project-Based Learning?
My post was inspired by 21k12's post on What PBL Isn't, and What it Is: 2 Videos by High Tech High.

    Comments

    1. Elizabeth FrancoisJune 3, 2011 at 3:55 PM

      I have struggled with this concept when it pertains to reading. I can come up with PBL for writing with no issues. I've come to the realization that I need to reorganize my brain. My old prejudices about teaching literature need to be removed and I need to move forward. It is a baby step process, but I'm loving the challenge of it!

      ReplyDelete
    2. Tracy WatanabeJune 3, 2011 at 4:33 PM

      Hi Elizabeth!

      I think it's natural to make the connections to PBL with some areas easier than others. But, as time goes on it starts to become easier because it becomes more part of who you are and how you do things -- and it's because of the impact it has on the learners. They thrive in PBL and authenticity.

      Do you think it was possibly easier for making the authentic connections with writing because you saw the direct connections to the real world? For example, 2 years ago you had your class write persuasive essays/PSAs about helping Haitian earthquake survivors. As I recall, your class raised money and donated it to Red Cross. -- You easily made that real life connection of how writing (and persuasive technique) could be used in the real world. -- However, in the case of literature, are your books from a previous era thus making it difficult to find some of those real world connections?

      Nevertheless, I am happy that you want to give PBL a try from the literary side of your content!

      Kind regards,
      Tracy

      ReplyDelete
    3. JAmie HillJuly 10, 2011 at 5:29 PM

      These two videos hit the nail on the head. "Do the project First" is some of the best advice I have heard.

      One step I would recommend in Project or Problem based learning is having class discussions throughout the project about the solving process so students can learn from each others successes and failures. I hastily implemented problem-based learning in my classroom last year and skipped this step and it was a train wreck.

      ReplyDelete
    4. Tracy WatanabeJuly 10, 2011 at 9:53 PM

      Hi Jamie,

      Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment! I completely agree with your tip of class discussions throughout the process. Building in discussion to promote collaboration, problem solving, and reflection is part of the recipe for success with PBL. With that said, I think it took me a while to figure that out. Those discussion times, where my role was primarily that of facilitator, were the daily hook to get us digging deeper in the learning.

      What subject/grade do you teach?

      Kind regards,
      Tracy

      ReplyDelete
    5. Jamie HillJuly 14, 2011 at 8:24 AM

      Tracy,
      Your statement,"I think it took me a while to figure that out." does give me some anxiety for this upcoming school year. I teach Algebra 1 for 9th graders and Algebra 2 for 11th grade in a performing arts HS. I have acted in the role of facilitator for many years for outdoor teaming building and challenge activities for middle school and high school aged girls. I'm hoping I can use these skills more effectively this year.

      Thanks for your support.

      ReplyDelete
    6. Tracy WatanabeJuly 14, 2011 at 9:59 AM

      Hi Jaime,

      When I started down the PBL road, it was just starting to be discussed in Ed circles that I was aware of (late '90s). When I got my Master's in 2003, there was only a brief mention of it with "Understanding by Design." So, I felt like I was on my own. There were others out there, I just didn't know how to connect with them and I hadn't realized that PBL was where my teaching was going.

      For my Master's, I focused on incorporating the Multiple Intelligences in learning (number sense), which took me to Bloom's taxonomy... Which placed me on the path of constructivism... Hence the path of PBL. It just all fit together and was a natural progression because the students were learning more, and the data was backing it up.

      You are way ahead of where I was because of your comfort with facilitation. Like I mentioned, I didn't know where to look when I was starting down this path, while nowadays there are so many more resources and supports. You are already building a PLN for supporting your efforts in PBL. This is a huge thing, because you'll have people to bounce ideas around with. Hopefully your school will also be a valuable part of your PLN.

      Have you found other algebra teachers interested in PBL (problem or project based) to share resources/ideas with?

      Kind regards,
      Tracy

      ReplyDelete

    Post a Comment

    Directions for posting:

    1) Choose "Comment As" first. If you don't have a Google/Blogger account, you can choose Name/URL and type in your name, then place the web site that best describes you in the URL (i.e. www.ajusd.org). Or, you can choose "Anonymous".

    2) You may need to press "Post Comment" more than one time.

    It is always wise to copy your comment before pressing "Post Comment" just in case something happens.

    3) Type in the word verification.

    4) If you did everything correctly, it will state, "Your comment has been saved and will be visible after blog owner approval." If you do not get that message, please try again.

    Click here for a tutorial on how to comment.

    Thank you!

    Popular posts from this blog

    Quality Blogging and Commenting Audit Meme

    Image
    Silvia Tolisano (@langwitches) challenges us in a meme to audit blogs and comments to raise awareness of quality blogging. I'm honored that both Kathleen Morris and Sheri Edwards tagged me in this meme. Here is Silvia's meme challenge : Select a blog post or blog comment to audit (Professional or Student) Take a screenshot or copy and paste the post or comment into your blog post (be sensitive whether you want to reveal any names or references) Include or link to the rubric you use to assess the quality of post or comment Audit the post or comment by describing your train of thought regarding the level of quality you would assess your chosen post or comment Suggest how you would coach the author of audited post or comment to improve Tag (at least) three educators and challenge them to audit a post or comment Leave a comment with the link to your audit post on Langwitches Quality blog posts I created a few variations of checklists as guides for qu
    Read more

    Striving for Higher-Order Thinking and Depth of Knowledge

    Image
    A little over a year ago, I read Higher-order thinking is the exception rather than the norm for most classrooms on Scott McLeod's blog, Dangerously Irrelevant , and have been mulling it over, wondering if our school district is any different. Over the past year, our teachers periodically collect data with their teams on the types of questions/tasks they ask students. One teacher records teacher questions and the other records student responses on a shared Google Doc ; then teams sort through their own data, plotting teacher questions by Bloom's Revised Taxonomy , and student responses to those questions/tasks with Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK) . The 2012-2013 data showed we were not very different from other districts; therefore, our teams set their own goals for higher-order thinking and depth of knowledge. The data so far for the 2013-2014 school year shows questions asked of students are up and down the Bloom's ladder, equally distributed (with a little
    Read more

    Craft and Structure, Deeper Thinking, and Tech Integration

    Image
    What type of thinking does the Common Core ask of students when it comes to Craft and Structure? Analysis. Analyzing the author's craft and structure is a shift for students to do, and a shift for teachers to design tasks and questions that require analysis.  This is the critical thinking we want students to engage in. Shifts The big shift in this is the analysis. What does that look like at the elementary level? How do you teach Craft and Structure? There are many ways to teach craft and structure . Make sure students are analyzing the text , not just identifying the answers . Craft structure close read questions from tracywatanabe Every spring, our school district uses Title IIa funds to pay teachers to attend training. This year, our Spring Academy focuses on various aspects of Common Core... and teaching Craft and Structure is one of the sessions. I was charged with creating a training module for the K-6 sessions. Training Document:
    Read more