The Secrets to Project based Learning

The Secrets to Project-based LearningThe Secrets to Project-based Learning

Michael M. Grant, Ph.D.

Michael M. Grant 2009

Michael M.

Grant

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32 Secrets to Share• Defining projects

• Components of projects

• Managing projects

• Creating projects

• Grading projects

• The realities of projects

It’s up to me & you!

Defining projectsDefining projects

1Projects are authentic, real world.

Projects use a driving question or problem.

2

3Projects require the

production of an artifact.

Projects value depth over breadth.

4

Components of projectsComponents of projects

5Projects require a task or

series of tasks.

Students follow a process or investigation to complete

task(s) and produce artifact.

6

Project task(s) afford multiple paths to completion

and learning.

7

8Students should have choice in the topic(s) and/or process of

investigation.

9Scaffolds help students perform at a higher level

with project tasks.

10Resources are evaluated and synthesized to produce

artifact(s).

11Collaborations allows students to negotiate content and receive

feedback.

12Assessment encompasses

process and product.

13Artifacts afford multiple representations of

knowledge.

14Projects take time.

Good projects offer students opportunities to gauge their

learning.

15

16Teachers embed mechanisms to help

students manage projects.

17Projects achieve multiple

standards/objectives at the same time.

Creating projectsCreating projects

18Projects should encourage students to at least apply

knowledge.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

LowerOrderThinkingSkills(LOTS)

HigherOrderThinkingSkills(HOTS)

19Students will segment their learning from one class or

topic to another.

20Students will gauge what is easy to do and choose the path of least resistance.

21Students' previous experiences with projects will impact what artifacts

students produce.

22The amount of time and the resources available to the

student will impact the artifacts students produce.

Grading projectsGrading projects

23Projects should be

rigorous

Projects take longer to grade...but the final grade

shouldn't be the first grade.

24

Projects may aggregate multiple sources of

knowledge into a portfolio.

25

26Students will weigh what's good enough versus the

amount of time and effort required.

27It is practically impossible for an artifact to represent all that has been learned.

28Process and product must

be assessed in order to accommodate all that has

been learned.

The realities of projectsThe realities of projects

29Teachers and students must recognize and accept their

roles in project-based learning.

30Teachers and students must

be comfortable with the physical messiness of

project-based learning.

31Teachers and students must have a tolerance for

ambiguity in project-based learning.

32Project-based learning must be integrated with the

reality outside a teacher’s classroom.

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