Buck Institute for Education PBL Handbook

Anyone who wants to knows anything about the actual 'how to' of project-based learning needs to have the Buck Institute for Education PBL Handbook (http://www.bie.org).

I appreciate the handbook's practical framing and real examples.  In addition, the handbook articulates the requirement that doing PBL demands a paradigm shift, not just an adjustment to a classroom. As scary as this may sound, the handbook provides guidance and concrete ideas on how to frame, scaffold and model such a change.

Too often I see people with the best intentions try to create better learning environments by keeping the same structure and people. It's not only education, but any organization systemically making a fundamental change requires a certain level of autonomy  and distance from the existing system. Otherwise, the new system will have to conform to the old incrementally undermining the hopes and discernment of the new system. Ultimately, this is how many project-based schools are undermined... "We want something different, but wait it needs to look the same."

The Buck Institute of Education Handbook is one of those transformational resources that can take the theory and make it real.

 

Eye Opening Videos

The rationale for utilizing project-based learning as the primary means of instruction is a movement that's rooted in much more than simply doing something different for sake of doing things differently.

The information we know as humans doubles every few years.  The economy more and more values people who ask the how and why questions over the what and where questions. Tools like Project Foundry make tracking individualized learning plans possible and a variety of learning experiences manageable.

The following two videos offer a more compelling and profound way of articulating these reasons.

Embracing the Disruption

On the surface, engaging students in real experiences contextualized to their learning style seems like a very benevolent, common sense approach to teaching and learning. So why then is this paradigm so slow in being adopted in traditional education?

In his recent book, “Disrupting Class” author Clayton Christianson argues one of the larger reasons the existing stand and deliver approach has lasted so long is due to its management efficiencies… the economies of scale provided by herding students together, the nice numbers that come from Carnegie units and the sense of autonomy that comes with subjects in silos. Such efficiencies are more elusive and contrarian in constructivist learning environments, causing this otherwise common sense approach to be stunted in its adoption. That’s the perception anyway.

In realty, constructivist-minded schools can leverage tools such as Project Foundry® to both facilitate better teaching and learning as well as provide those certain management efficiencies seen in more traditional models. Project Foundry® is an online management tool used by students and teachers to streamline the project process, report learning standard completion and manage individual learning plans. The inquiry-based features integrated within Project Foundry® provide teachers opportunities to listen to student voice and provide feedback during the process rather than at the end. Likewise, the flexible nature of how projects, seminars and other learning activities are created and then managed allows the tool to support a learning model rather than dictate it. This all happening on top of individualized student learning plans that when cross-referenced provide a transparent, efficient way to ensure and manage student outcomes.

Learn more and sign up for a free trial of Project Foundry® at www.projectfoundry.org and look for “Disrupting Class” at amazon.com

Managing Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning (PBL) brings relevance to mundane facts and figures. PBL provides real life experiences that refine life skills. Here are four keys to successful PBL:

1. Make advisory time more than homeroom. Time needs to be allowed to build the relationships needed for engagement.
   
2. Start with small scope projects. Demonstrate the process from proposal to presentation to model the skills needed for PBL.
   
3. Streamline the paperwork. Find ways to simplify docume-ntation by using innovative tools  such as Project Foundry®. 
4. Build in short feedback loops. Don’t fool yourself into thinking more traditional class projects means PBL. Mentor, model and get out of the way.
   

The funny thing is there is a lot of chatter and embrace on the theory and purpose behind more hands on approaches learning, but in practice, too many are stuck with the legacy of how they've been taught.  Peeling back the layers and getting to where the muscle meets the bone, one will find the management of the model far outweighs the pile of books a school can collect and distribute to the innovative teachers doing true project-based learning.

Short Feedback Loops in Project-Based Learning

Student-centered project-based learning (PBL) is a powerful instructional method many educators appreciate, but often struggle with the implementation. As a former practitioner and current teacher trainer, I often see long or non existent feedback loops quickly kill the momentum of PBL in a school.

When this happens, students go back to drones doing the minimum required amount of work.Teachers throw up there hands and question the benefit of the model, while parents get ancy due to the the lack of tangible things to measure progress.

Usually classroom projects are what I say enable amateur habits, since the teacher assigns it, the studentswork on it without feedback... hand it in... present... get a grade and that’s it. Learning is in the feedback and it happens when there is ample time to reapply.

Minnestoa Trip

Last week I visited 10 project-based schools in Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin. Seven of these schools use Project Foundry and all ten are innovative project-based learning environments.

I gathered some great feedback in terms of how Project Foundry is working well and areas that can make it even more useful. Project Foundry aside, I wanted to share some of my PBL observations.

* Individual Workspace- Each student had their own space to study, research and interact in addition to the larger gathering classrooms. In many ways the classrooms remind me of conference rooms in a business office and the workstations as an office or cubicle. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating cubicles, but I do think it's neat how the learning environment models what students will experience in the real-world working environment.

* Initiative- In each of these schools, you can't help but feel energy in the air. You see the ususal suspects engaged in what they're doing and observe an initiative would be surprising in a traditional classroom.

* Guides on the Side- I know, I know over used, but it says it so well. Teachers are looked at as mentors or coaches rather than monoliths of authority and information.

Great PBL Workbook

At last November's CES conference in Chicago, I found a great workbook which I finally had a chance to take a look at over the holidays. The book is titled, "Applying Standards-Based Constructivism: A two-step Guide for motivating Middle and High School Students," published by Eye on Education.

The 187 page book is great for practitioners entering more dynamic learning environments or those who are suspect of how student-centered project environments really impact positive change in education.

First off, I like how the book is organized in easy to consume, practical morsels of information and examples. I don't like recommending books I think people won't have time to read or cover theory. Throughout the book, the authors provide an accurate portrayal of how best-practice schools wean into PBL, rather than throw the baby out with the bath water. The text provide excellent frameworks and scaffolding for teachers. The advocate in me appreciates the authors frequent reminder that in order to reap the benefits of student projects, you need to adopt a paradym shift that involves being a 'guide on the side' or 'mentor in the center. Somewhat clichéd I know, but you have to admit the phrases are quite articulate.

I often run into traditional teachers who say, "I like the concept, but kids won't follow through and they'll only pick fluffy topics. Thus, this won't work for me." Another comment I hear often is, 'we don't have the time to do all that.' In many ways student-centered projects are like an starting a new year's exercise routine. You just need to start somewhere and anywhere's better than nowhere. This book is a great way to start somewhere. I highly reccomend picking up a copy.