Research Guides: Gruss Center for Art and Design: Project Based Learning

Project Based Learning

In Project Based Learning, teachers make learning come alive for students. Students work on a project over an extended period of time – from a week up to a semester – that engages them in solving a real-world problem or answering a complex question. They demonstrate their knowledge and skills by creating a public product or presentation for a real audience.

As a result, students develop deep content knowledge as well as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills. Project Based Learning unleashes a contagious, creative energy among students and teachers.

And in case you were looking for a more formal definition...
Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge.

Excerpt via PBLWorks. (https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl).

Edutopia
A website by the George Lucas Educational Foundation which is dedicated to transforming K-12 education so that all students can acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to thrive in their studies, careers, and adult lives.
Emergent Math
This site is run by a former high school math teacher with experience using Project-Based Learning (PBL). The blog is dedicated to brainstorming interesting and dynamic math problems and projects. Explore the featured blog posts, Problem Based curriculum maps, or other professional development resources.
Getting Smart
A learning design firm, they provide advocacy, advisory and coaching services that support more powerful learning for all. They partner with education focused foundations, learning organizations, schools and districts to invent the future of learning.
Mindshift
KQED is a supporter of innovative teaching practices. Their education blog is called MindShift. These articles that MindShift offers give great insights into improving PBL.
PBL in the TL
This blog advocates Project-Based Learning, an approach to education that promotes growth, collaboration, goal setting, and personal responsibility. Combining PBL with communication-based language learning is challenging, for both teachers and students.
PBLWorks
At PBLWorks, they believe Project Based Learning transforms students by inspiring them to think differently about themselves as learners, collaborators, and leaders; prepares students for academic, personal, and career success; what’s more, it readies young people to rise to the challenges of their lives and the world they will inherit; leads students to master core academic content and builds critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, communication, and self-management skills; advances educational equity and empowers youth furthest from opportunity; and enables teachers to make a difference in their students’ lives—academically, socially, and emotionally—and to experience the joy of teaching.
Performing in Education
Performing in Education is a blog run by April Smith. her mission is to help schools engage their students in meaningful learning without extra planning.
TeachThought
TeachThought is an idea and brand dedicated to innovation in K-12 education. This is pursued by growing teaching through thought leadership, professional development, resource curation, curriculum development, podcast publishing, and collaboration with organizations around the world.

Links and information via "Top 10 Project Based Learning Blogs & Websites To Follow in 2020 (PBL Blogs)" Feedspot. (https://blog.feedspot.com/project_based_learning_blogs/).

Project Based Learning: Teething Problems
Bianca Hewes (2010) Project Based Learning: Teething Problems. Bianca Hewes.
How to Make Sure That Project-based Learning is Applied Well in Schools
Thom Markham (2015) How to Make Sure That Project-based Learning is Applied Well in Schools. Mindshift.
What Project-Based Learning Is — and What It Isn’t
Katrina Schwartz (2013) What Project-Based Learning Is — and What It Isn’t. Mindshift.
Making Games: The Ultimate Project-Based Learning
Jordan Shapiro (2014) Making Games: The Ultimate Project-Based Learning. Mindshift.
Research Spotlight on Project-Based Learning: The NEA Reviews of the Research on Best Practices in Education
Research Spotlight on Project-Based Learning (Retrieved 2019) NEA.
Getting to the Core of Project-Based Learning: Penn GSE Supports a National Network of Teachers
Juliana Rosati (2019) Getting to the Core of Project-Based Learning: Penn GSE Supports a National Network of Teachers. Penn GSE News.

Links and Information via "8 Awesome Project-Based Learning Blogs You Must Follow." WabiSabiLearning. (https://www.wabisabilearning.com/blog/8-awesome-project-based-learning-blogs-you-must-follow).

Project-Based Learning for the 21st Century: Skills for the Future
Stephanie Bell (2010) Project-Based Learning for the 21st Century: Skills for the Future, The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 83:2, 39-43.
Doing With Understanding: Lessons From Research on Problem- and Project-Based Learning
Brigid J.S. Barron, Daniel L. Schwartz, Nancy J. Vye, Allison Moore, Anthony Petrosino, Linda Zech & John D. Bransford (1998) Doing With Understanding: Lessons From Research on Problem- and Project-Based Learning, Journal of the Learning Sciences, 7:3-4, 271-311.
Engineering Education – is Problem-Based or Project-Based Learning the Answer?
Julie E. Mills and David F. Treagust (2004) Engineering Education – is Problem-Based or Project-Based Learning the Answer? Australasian Journal for Engineering Education.