PBL in Action

Our group research project was based on the method of project based learning (PBL) and how to implement this approach into our classrooms. To better understand this post, I recommend checking out our presentation slides as well as our research to learn more about the topic and how it works, then come back to read this post. Hopefully you become well informed, and consider adding this technique to your teaching repertoire!

The big idea surrounding PBL is that it is student-centered. This means that students have freedom of choice (to a certain degree) to take the project in a direction that interests them. Their level of interest is what will drive their success in these projects, so their ability to have a say in the topic(s) or type of project is absolutely crucial.

In our presentation we gave an example of a project that was quite flexible and could go in several different directions. Whether used in civics and government or science class, this project is very versatile and can be very effective. Again, to be reminded of our specific project details, please click here.

For the purpose of giving our peers an example in our demonstration, we chose the course of action for this project ahead of time. We selected a foundation online that helps people in Africa who have very limited access to clean water: The Water Project. Still, this could be tweaked, and geared towards many different disciplines, focus areas, and age groups.

As a student studying to become a high school biology teacher, I am going to explore how this project might look in my classroom. In a biology setting, I would want to gear this project towards the waterborne diseases that are so prevalent in these developing African countries.

Step one of the PBL progression would be for students to research common water-related diseases, the virus/bacteria responsible for the infections/illnesses, symptoms that accompany these diseases, medications/treatments for those affected, etc. Students would sit at lab tables, with each small group in charge of researching a different aspect of the overarching topic. Students would then be responsible for sharing their findings with the class. To allow for more freedom and student choice, a strategy for groups to choose their research topics may be administered.

Once students go through this process, they will have reached step three of PBL. The last requirement for step four is that they become advocates within the greater community in some regard. It is at this point that the class would have to work together, practicing and developing skills of leadership and communication, to decide what this next step will be. The teacher might suggest finding a foundation that aligns with their views and goals for the project, as we used in our example, or there might be an alternative that better suits the needs of the students.

If they choose to use a foundation, each group could find a foundation, write a short proposal, and then pitch their idea for their charity to the class. There could then be a voting process, and ultimately students will elect to work with the foundation they are most interested in. Then the project could play out in any number of ways, over any length of time.

If students chose The Water Project, they would have the ability to set up an online fundraising page for their school. This community advocacy could be as minimal as having students reach out to friends and family for donations on their webpage, or as extravagant as having a community wide gala to inform the public, with all proceeds benefiting the foundation.

Every situation, school district, and socioeconomic status, along with many other factors, will play a role in making these decisions—the important part is that the students are the ones deciding. The hope is that this process allows students to develop a passion for the cause, all the while learning life skills necessary to be successful throughout their lives.

-MM

What If?

What if my high school teachers were as informed on the method of project based learning (PBL) as I am currently, after completing this research project? It is possible that they did not have access to the endless sources available so readily on the internet, or maybe the technique just wasn’t researched and/or published as much when they were furthering their education.

Throughout the course of this assignment, I have been inadvertently reflecting on my own experiences which I thought mirrored a PBL approach; however, these projects were missing a crucial aspect required to be included in this category of instruction. The fourth and final step of PBL strives to get students involved a greater community: advocating for something that they believe in or presenting a product of their hard work of are both ways in which to accomplish this.

The sad reality is that many “group projects” do not come full circle and develop into true “project based learning”. In a perfect world, these terms are interchangeable, but unfortunately this is not what we see most commonly in schools today. Maybe this is the result of overwhelmed, unmotivated, or uninformed teachers. Whatever the cause may be, I will personally advocate for this approach in classrooms when discussing teaching philosophies or preferred techniques with peers, other educators, and anyone else who will listen.

I will never forget one assignment from my tenth grade biology class. I made my own “Play-Doh Fun Factory” if you will. The project required that we were creative in making a representation of the cellular cycles mitosis and meiosis. Everyone went different directions, some students using foods, dioramas, etc. Basically, the idea was to avoid a rendering of the processes on a poster board, and to think outside of the box.

I had so much fun creating my project, using an empty syringe to squeeze out noodle-like pieces of Play-Doh to form the chromosomes, chromatin, and more. (My mom is a doctor, so this is nothing to be concerned about!) This experience helped me to learn about the stages of each process in a hands on, tactile, and enjoyable way, which is an obvious benefit of doing a project to supplement the learning of a new concept.

As helpful this project was for me, it was not technically a PBL structure for many reasons. First of all, it was an individual project. For argument’s sake, let’s say that I worked on it as an individual, brought it to class to share what I learned and how I went about constructing my model in small groups, and then presented it to the class. These would be the first three steps of a PBL approach.

To seal the deal and make this officially PBL (assuming that the first three criteria are met), there needs to be some aspect of community involvement and student advocacy. This can sound like a daunting task to implement, but it does not have to be complicated in the slightest.

My suggestion for this particular project, and something that I hope to implement some day in my own classroom, is to have the assignment culminate in a family night at the school where the students would have their projects on display. Students could stand beside their creations, answering questions and explaining what they had learned. It would be my hope that this would serve as motivation for students to produce a project that they would be proud to share with others. I foresee this working best in a middle school setting.

As for a high school setting, I would take it one step further. I would have students create a model of some type in small groups, but with the main project being to research something that might affect the processes of cell division, and the consequences. For example, uncontrolled cell production is the called of cancer, and the mass of new cells produced is the tumor. Students could research topics surrounding this idea or anything else that sparks their interest, and ultimately present their findings to the class.

Finally, to reach step four, and provide students with an opportunity to interact and advocate with a greater community outside of their classroom walls, we could host a science fair. Again, the hope is that students are genuinely interested because they have some freedom to choose a direction for their projects and are excited to share their discoveries with others.

-MM