Why engaged learning?
- LEARNING: Deeper content learning...
- LEADING: Engagement and interest in academics and the real world...
- SUCCEEDING: College and career readiness.
- Facilitates increased student engagement which positively correlates with:
- grades
- attendance (read more)
- retention
- graduation
- employment
- performance on standardized tests
- college and career readiness
- Deeper understanding of content; concepts and standards (TEKS) through:
- problem analysis
- inquiry
- reading, writing, problem solving
- authentic demonstration of learning (read more)
- College and Career Readiness Skills including: (read more)
- problem-solving
- communication
- collaboration
- creativity
What is engaged learning? (read more)
Project-based learning is a student-centered instructional environment that emphasizes depth in standards-based learning with the goal of demonstrating achievement through student work that:
- is a product of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
- is relevant and meaningful to the learner
- meets or simulates a real need in the world beyond the classroom
- facilitates the development of College and Career Readiness Skills
Does engaged learning incorporate content and standards?
The learning of specified subject-matter concepts and standards (TEKS) is at the heart of PBL. Projects begin with curriculum standards (TEKS) and use aligned assessments to determine what students have learned. Projects are then designed around a driving question that knits together intended outcomes and project activities. When implemented well, this environment provides students more feedback and more opportunities for mastering content standards.
Are students on their own to learn?
ABSOLUTELY NOT! When well implemented, the teacher’s role is actually expanded in this environment. Teachers spend a tremendous amount of time designing experiences, digging deep into subject matter, and determining in advance what problems students are likely to have in the learning process; teaching is more responsive to student needs. Teaching is both direct and indirect. Teachers are continuously interacting, leading workshops, assessing, and evaluating student learning as it relates to mastering the curriculum. They are able to give students more individual and small group attention than ever before. Timely feedback is among the most effective strategies for improving student learning. This environment facilitates more opportunities for individual and small-group instructional attention and feedback. When one considers the time required to develop a problem, oversee and assist students throughout the project, assess and evaluate student performance, and encourage students to be more independent, it is clear that the teacher's role is as critical as ever.
Are students assessed individually?
Yes. In fact, the bulk of assessment within a PBL environment is individual because the primary goal is individual mastery of the standards (TEKS). Group grading is no greater in a PBL environment than other learning environments in which students work on projects with other students. Individual assessment and feedback is actually greater in a PBL environment because of the shift in instructional delivery. Individual feedback, particularly during the learning process as opposed to after it, is among the most effective strategies for improving student learning. This environment facilitates more opportunities for individual and small-group instructional attention and feedback.Are students on their own to learn?
ABSOLUTELY NOT! When well implemented, the teacher’s role is actually expanded in this environment. Teachers spend a tremendous amount of time designing experiences, digging deep into subject matter, and determining in advance what problems students are likely to have in the learning process; teaching is more responsive to student needs. Teaching is both direct and indirect. Teachers are continuously interacting, leading workshops, assessing, and evaluating student learning as it relates to mastering the curriculum. They are able to give students more individual and small group attention than ever before. Timely feedback is among the most effective strategies for improving student learning. This environment facilitates more opportunities for individual and small-group instructional attention and feedback. When one considers the time required to develop a problem, oversee and assist students throughout the project, assess and evaluate student performance, and encourage students to be more independent, it is clear that the teacher's role is as critical as ever.
Can other teaching methods be used within a project-based learning environment?
Yes. PBL can incorporate all traditional teaching tools and methods, including lecture, text-books, and conventional assessments. However, the nature of PBL demands that students spend the bulk of the project actively engaged with learning sources. It creates a context in which the goal is for the student to recognize a "need-to-know" the content being studied because it is attached to a larger purpose. Also, the advantage of PBL is that it requires students to use specific skills, such as collaboration, teamwork, time and task management, or presentation skills, to conclude a project successfully. These skills cannot be practiced or learned through models that employ only direct instruction methods.
What are the intended outcomes of engaged learning?
- Profound learning in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
- College and Career Readiness Skills including: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, and digital citizenship
- Student engagement
- Increased student attendance
- Increased civic responsibility
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