What is Project-Based Learning?

10 principles to engage and boost students' learning.

Jun 24, 2023

What is project-based learning (or PBL)?

It's a teaching method where students gain knowledge and skills by investigating and responding to real-world problems or challenges.

Students actively engage in their learning instead of sitting back and trying to absorb information passively. They're not just learning facts; they're learning how to think, solve problems, and apply their knowledge.

The Principles of Project-Based Learning

So, you may wonder, what's at the heart of project-based learning (PBL)? What are PBL core components? PBL isn't just about letting students loose on a project and hoping for the best.

There are 10 key principles of PBL.

Authenticity: Projects should be meaningful and relevant to students' lives, cultures, or societal issues. They should reflect the complexity of the real world as much as possible, and help students connect to the content.
Student-Centred Approach: Students are at the centre of the learning process. They take ownership of their learning, decide how they work, and have a say in the direction of their project. While you as the teacher set the parameters, they should plenty of choices to make.
Collaborative Work: PBL often involves students working in groups or teams. Collaboration helps students develop interpersonal skills, learn how to navigate group dynamics, and exchange views.
Inquiry-Based: The project must involve inquiry, exploration, and investigation. Students should engage in research, ask questions, and use critical thinking skills.
Integrative: The projects should ideally integrate various subject or topic areas, instead of being confined to one. A great one would use several aspects of the target language being learned.
Reflection: Students should reflect on what they are learning, the problems they are solving, the process of their work, and their collaboration with others. This helps to deepen learning and improve future performance.
Use of Technology: Projects often involve the use of technology, which can help students access information, collaborate more effectively, and present their work in creative ways.
Feedback and Revision: The process of making drafts, receiving feedback, and revising work is crucial in PBL. This helps students improve their work and think more deeply about the subject matter.
Public Product: Projects often result in a public product or presentation. This gives students a sense of audience and purpose. It can also help to raise the standards of work, as students know their work will be on display.
Focus on Key Knowledge, Understanding, and Success Skills: PBL should be focused on teaching students key knowledge, understanding, and skills. The project should be designed to target these learning goals, whether they are content-specific skills (like historical analysis or scientific method) or "21st Century Skills" (like critical thinking, collaboration, communication, or creativity).

Assessment in Project-Based Learning

Assessment in PBL is not just about grading the final product; it's about checking in at various stages of the project.

Formative Assessments: These are the check-ins during the project where you see how students are doing, give feedback, and help guide their learning.
Summative Assessments: This is where you assess the final product. But remember, it's not just about the end result, but also about the process and learning.
Peer and Self-Assessments: In PBL, students also get to assess their own work and their peers' work. This can help them reflect on their learning, understand the criteria for success, and learn from each other.

Project Examples

So, how about some ideas for your own classroom? Here are a few:

Cultural Exchange Project: Pair up with a class in a country where the target language is spoken. Have students work in groups to create presentations or videos about their own culture, and then share and discuss with their foreign counterparts. Great for cultural immersion and language practice!
Community Guide Project: Students create a guide to their local community for visitors who speak the target language. They can include information about local attractions, restaurants, and helpful tips.
News Broadcast: Students can pretend to be news reporters, broadcasting in the target language. They can cover local or school events, or even global news, practicing both spoken and written skills.

Project-Based Learning Implementation

Ready to bring project-based learning (PBL) into your language classroom? Awesome! Let's go through a step-by-step guide to help you plan, implement, and assess a PBL unit, and offer some troubleshooting tips along the way.

Step-by-step Guide to Project-Based Learning

Choose a Topic: Start by selecting a topic that's relevant to your curriculum and of interest to your students. Remember, it should be something that lends itself well to project work and real-world application.
Define the Project: Once you have a topic, define what the final project will look like. Will it be a presentation? A video? A written report? Be clear about what you expect.
Plan the Project Steps: Break down the project into manageable steps or tasks and create a timeline. This will help your students stay on track.
Introduce the Project: Explain the project to your students. Make sure they understand the expectations and the steps they need to follow.
Facilitate and Guide: As students work on their projects, your role is to guide and facilitate. Be there to answer questions, provide resources, and help solve problems.
Assess the Project: Use both formative (ongoing) and summative (final) assessments to evaluate student work. Consider both the process and the final product in your assessment.

So there you have it, your quick-start guide to implementing PBL in your language classroom - good luck!

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