Project Based Learning

“Project-based learning is still a relatively new idea for most teachers. It’s not the kind of instruction most of us had a chance to experience as students.”(Boss, Krauss, 20) But in the 21st century, a number of trends are contributing to the adoption of project-based learning as a strategy for education. Project-based learning consistently emphasizes active, student-directed learning. 

There are a number of factors that contribute to the succession of project-based learning. Projects give students a real-world context for learning, which makes them want to know the answer and how to get to that answer. Projects offer students choices and gives them a voice, making their learning experience about them, and most importantly giving them motivation to complete the project. Projects are open-ended meaning students need to consider and evaluate multiple solutions and all possible outcomes. “Projects are typically framed with open-ended questions that drive students to investigate, do research, or construct their own solutions.” (Boss, 2016) Therefore, all of these contributing factors create critical thinking skills students carry with them after high school.

Problem-based learning is different from what is happening in most of today’s classrooms because it takes time and it is a process not a test. Students in today’s classrooms face lots of challenging situations, but most of them are unrelated to what they are being taught in the classroom. What I mean by this, is that there is no time in the classroom for long processes and higher thinking. Students are faced with problems in the world and those become the motivation to get out of school. As a former substitute teacher, I cant being to tell you how many teachers had to cut back on the fun group projects such as creating a Mission in the fourth grade or even just doing a basic science fair project. There is not enough time and unless it is on a benchmark or state test, chances are it will not be taught in the classroom. What is happening in the classroom today is testing that is it, just seat time, benchmarks, and good old standards.

   I have continuously gone to school since I was five years old (I am 29 now), there has never been a time in my life where I was not taking a class or in a classroom. I have been both a teacher and student in my life and both I might say have the same perks! When I was a student in elementary I remember few projects that got me thinking critically. Most of the time we had individual projects that made us think enough to get the solution. But, I do remember I was able to create projects and write papers about those projects. In schools today, time has went away with the project and has focused more on the paper. I wish some students had to time to resourcefully get to the answer and really know why that is the answer. I feel I was able to do this and that has made me a lot more resourceful as a teacher.

I like project-based learning because it gives the students a chance to interact with others while finding the solution to real life problems. I think a big advantage to project-based learning is the fact that students can use critical thinking skills even after high school. being able to think critically about what you are trying to accomplish is very important and most kids these days do not know how to do this. It is a sad story, but because we are teaching to the test real life kind of does not happen in the class. I do feel that one disadvantage (even though I said it was an advantage) can be working in a group. Sometimes kids hate group work because most of the time the work never feels equal. I think that if the teacher is good at what he or she does then the groups will reflect that and work will seem a little less stressful. Either way if you like or dislike project-based learning, it is a good thing because being able to think on higher grounds already has more than half of the population beat!