PBL

for the 21st century

Out-of-School Time Out-of-School Time Project Based Learning:Project Based Learning:

Preparing Your Site and Staff

Buck Institute for Education

Public Health Management Corporation

June 2009

Get Ready for Success withProject-Based Learning

Why introduce PBL to your site?Why introduce PBL to your site?

Builds on what you already doBuilds on what you already do

Brings more real-world experiences to Brings more real-world experiences to your studentsyour students

Prepares youth for lifePrepares youth for life

Strengthens communitiesStrengthens communities

Why PBL?

Caring relationships

High expectations

Meaningful participation

Safety

Love

Belonging

Respect

Mastery

Challenge

Power

Meaning

Cooperation

Empathy

Problem-solving

Self-efficacy

Self-awareness

Goals and aspirations

Improved health, social, academic and culturally appreciative outcomes

Protective factors

Youth needs

Resilient behaviors/internal assets

PBL supports youth development

Best Practices in EducationBest Practices in Education

PBL teaches 21st-century skills

Communication; teamwork; self-management; creativity; problem-solving

PBL provides active instruction that builds on student interests

PBL allows youth to explore more ‘real-world’ topics

• Positive relationships with youth

• Encourages youth choice

• Staff interacts with youth

• Communicates high standards and expectations

• Builds links to the community

• Stresses academic assistance, service learning, and enrichment

• Opportunity to learn in ‘real-world’ context

• Opportunity for leadership development

• Career exploration and connections to employers

Best Practices in

Out-of-School Programs

Projects encourage good Habits of MindProjects encourage good Habits of Mind

PersistingPersistingManaging ImpulsivityManaging ImpulsivityListening with Understanding and EmpathyListening with Understanding and EmpathyThinking about ThinkingThinking about ThinkingStriving for AccuracyStriving for AccuracyQuestioning and Posing ProblemsQuestioning and Posing ProblemsApplying Past Knowledge to New SituationsApplying Past Knowledge to New SituationsThinking and Communicating with Clarity and Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and PrecisionPrecisionGathering Data through all SensesGathering Data through all SensesCreating, Imagining, InnovatingCreating, Imagining, InnovatingResponding with Wonderment and AweResponding with Wonderment and AweTaking Responsible RisksTaking Responsible RisksFinding HumorFinding HumorThinking InterdependentlyThinking InterdependentlyRemaining Open to Continuous LearningRemaining Open to Continuous Learning

Through the project experience, students learn useful information, Through the project experience, students learn useful information, practice skills, and acquire habits of mindpractice skills, and acquire habits of mind

Habits of Mind

Skill

s1

–2 li

fe s

kills

knowledge

Experiencing Project Based Learning…

“projects” versus project-based learning

Projects Project Based Learning

Teacher directed Teacher directed Student drivenStudent driven

Single answerSingle answer Open-endedOpen-ended

SummativeSummative On-goingOn-going

ThematicThematic Driving question/challengeDriving question/challenge

FunFun EngagingEngaging

Answer givingAnswer giving Problem solvingProblem solving

School worldSchool world Real worldReal world

Curricular add-onCurricular add-on Curricular focusCurricular focus

A video example:

New Brunswick Gender Project

Project Design Principles

Begin with the end in mind

Craft the Driving Question

Project assessment

Map the project

Manage the process

Video: M.Y.T.O.W.N.Video: M.Y.T.O.W.N.

Youth-led tours in Boston—started with a question (or 2)

www.mytowninc.org

Crafting a Driving Question

A driving question is ...

Open-ended

Authentic

Concrete

Relevant

Requires core knowledge to answer

Provocative

Requires 21st Century Skills (such as Communication or Collaboration)

Can science be used to solve crimes?Can science be used to solve crimes?

Would you trust your guilt or innocence Would you trust your guilt or innocence to science?to science?

Refining a dq: Example from a science class

Refining a dq: A local example

Why do children in Why do children in Philadelphia suffer Philadelphia suffer

from asthma?from asthma?

How can we reduce asthma in our

neighborhood?

Refining a dq: A local example

Why is lead Why is lead poisoning found in poisoning found in

rowhousing?rowhousing?

Are efforts to reduce lead poisoning in our

neighborhood effective?

More Driving QuestionsMore Driving Questions

How can we nourish our community?How can we nourish our community?

How green is our neighborhood?How green is our neighborhood?

What does waste really cost us?What does waste really cost us?

How can we turn empty lots into How can we turn empty lots into neighborhood treasures?neighborhood treasures?

Which books belong in our library?Which books belong in our library?

Planning a project for your site

Project Examples

Community Mapping Project

My Art, My Voice

Using the Project Planning Form

Projects to consider…

• Projects that focus on local issues

• Projects that map community assets

• Projects that tell an important story about the neighborhood or community

The Refining protocol

Question 1Question 1: : Can my students read and comprehend the driving question? Can my students read and comprehend the driving question?

Question 2Question 2: : Is the driving question open-ended or can it be answered with Is the driving question open-ended or can it be answered with a “yes” or “no?” a “yes” or “no?”

Question 3Question 3: : Does the driving question allow me to create a powerful local Does the driving question allow me to create a powerful local context for the project?context for the project?

Question 4Question 4: : Does the driving question offer opportunities for students to Does the driving question offer opportunities for students to express voice and choice? express voice and choice?

Question 5Question 5: : Does the driving question ask students to engage in an Does the driving question ask students to engage in an inquiry that is both rigorous and relevant? inquiry that is both rigorous and relevant?

Question 6Question 6: : Does the driving question allow me to design both individual Does the driving question allow me to design both individual and collaborative tasks that require higher-level thinking skills?and collaborative tasks that require higher-level thinking skills?

Refining Question 7Refining Question 7: : Does the driving question require students to learn Does the driving question require students to learn new skills and knowledge and to demonstrate higher-level understandings new skills and knowledge and to demonstrate higher-level understandings or applications?or applications?

Using the Project Rubric

The Project Rubric: What we want students to learn…

• Project content

• Collaboration

• Communication

• Habits of Mind and Career Preparation

• Literacy

Managing Projects

Tips for Managing the project…Tips for Managing the project…

• Pay attention to group behaviors—mix up team members Pay attention to group behaviors—mix up team members on your next projecton your next project

• Use task lists and timesheets to help students manage Use task lists and timesheets to help students manage their time and meet deadlinestheir time and meet deadlines

• Consider using group contracts so students “sign on” to Consider using group contracts so students “sign on” to the project effortthe project effort

• Debrief with team leadersDebrief with team leaders• Have groups report out to wholeHave groups report out to whole

Use the Debriefing Form at the end of each projectUse the Debriefing Form at the end of each project

• What did I learn?What did I learn?

• How interesting was this project?How interesting was this project?

• Were the instructions clear?Were the instructions clear?

• Were the activities well-organized?Were the activities well-organized?

• What skills or habits of mind did I What skills or habits of mind did I improve?improve?

Preparing your site for PBL

Think about…

--‘Facilitation versus instruction’

--Making time in your schedule for PBL

--Adapting sample project plans to fit your context

--Using Web resources (project libraries, Edutopia videos) to learn more

Make your site “PBL- friendly”

Documenting a ProjectDocumenting a ProjectKeep a Project Based Learning Binder with:Keep a Project Based Learning Binder with:

• Project Planning Form

• Project-specific rubric (for each youth)

• Task List (for each youth, grades two and up)

• Debriefing Forms (for each youth, grades two and up)

• Evidence of culminating project, such as pictures, copies of student work, portfolios, etc.

Create a separate binder for each Project and keep it on site

Protocol for tuning projectsProtocol for tuning projectsPresent your project to one or two other table Present your project to one or two other table groups. Outline your Driving Question, project groups. Outline your Driving Question, project activities, and products. Other team(s) listen without activities, and products. Other team(s) listen without responding or questioning. (3 minutes)responding or questioning. (3 minutes)

Other team(s) asks Other team(s) asks clarifyingclarifying questions. (2 minutes) questions. (2 minutes)

Team(s) offer warm feedback. (2 minutes). “I Like …”Team(s) offer warm feedback. (2 minutes). “I Like …”

Team(s) offer cool (not cruel) feedback. (2 minutes). Team(s) offer cool (not cruel) feedback. (2 minutes). “I Wonder if …”“I Wonder if …”

Together, Together, teams discussteams discuss ideas for improvement. (2 ideas for improvement. (2 minutes). “ A Good Next Step Might Be …”minutes). “ A Good Next Step Might Be …”

Resources from Buck Institute for Education

Buck Institute for Education resources include:

Website: www.bie.org

PBL Handbook and Starter Kit series

PBL Online: www.pbl-online.org

BIE is dedicated to improving 21st Century teaching and learning by creating and disseminating knowledge, products, and practices for effective project-based learning

Find More Ideas HereFind More Ideas Here

These organizations offer examples of youth These organizations offer examples of youth projects that offer a high degree of engagement projects that offer a high degree of engagement and youth voice:and youth voice:

DoSomething!DoSomething! www.dosomething.org www.dosomething.org

Promise of PlacePromise of Place www.promiseofplace.org www.promiseofplace.org

What Kids Can DoWhat Kids Can Do http://whatkidscando.org http://whatkidscando.org

Youth VentureYouth Venture www.genv.net www.genv.net

More Web-based resourceswww.pbl-online.org

www.novelapproachpbl.com

http://collaboratory.nunet.net/cwebdocs/index.html

www.imsa.org

www.glef.org

www.bie.org

… On-line project libraries

•http://projects.hightechhigh.org/

•http://www.pbl-online.org/

•http://pathways.ohiorc.org/

•http://www.envisionprojects.org/cs/envision/print/docs/750

•http://www.wested.org/pblnet/exemplary_projects.html

•http://virtualschoolhouse.visionlink.org/projects.htm