define project learning in education

What is PBL?

Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.

In Project Based Learning, teachers make learning come alive for students.

Students work on a project over an extended period of time – from a week up to a semester – that engages them in solving a real-world problem or answering a complex question. They demonstrate their knowledge and skills by creating a public product or presentation for a real audience.

As a result, students develop deep content knowledge as well as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills. Project Based Learning unleashes a contagious, creative energy among students and teachers.

And in case you were looking for a more formal definition...

Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge.

Watch Project Based Learning in Action

These 7-10 minute videos show the Gold Standard PBL model in action, capturing the nuts and bolts of a PBL unit from beginning to end.

VIDEO: The Water Quality Project

VIDEO: March Through Nashville

VIDEO: The Tiny House Project

How does pbl differ from “doing a project”.

PBL is becoming widely used in schools and other educational settings, with different varieties being practiced. However, there are key characteristics that differentiate "doing a project" from engaging in rigorous Project Based Learning.

We find it helpful to distinguish a "dessert project" -  a short, intellectually-light project served up after the teacher covers the content of a unit in the usual way - from a "main course" project, in which the project is the unit. In Project Based Learning, the project is the vehicle for teaching the important knowledge and skills student need to learn. The project contains and frames curriculum and instruction.

In contrast to dessert projects, PBL requires critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and various forms of communication. To answer a driving question and create high-quality work, students need to do much more than remember information. They need to use higher-order thinking skills and learn to work as a team.

Learn more about "dessert" projects vs PBL

The gold standard for high-quality PBL

To help ensure your students are getting the main course and are engaging in quality Project Based Learning, PBLWorks promotes a research-informed model for “Gold Standard PBL.” 

The Gold Standard PBL model encompasses two useful guides for educators: 

1)  Seven Essential Project Design Elements  provide a framework for developing high quality projects for your classroom, and

2)  Seven Project Based Teaching Practices   help teachers, schools, and organizations improve, calibrate, and assess their practice.

The Gold Standard PBL model aligns with the High Quality PBL Framework . This framework describes what students should be doing, learning, and experiencing in a good project. Learn more at HQPBL.org .

Yes, we provide PBL training for educators! PBLWorks offers a variety of workshops, courses and services for teachers, school and district leaders, and instructional coaches to get started and advance their practice with Project Based Learning. Learn more

See Sample Projects

Explore our expanding library of project ideas, with over 80 projects that are standards-aligned, and cover a range of grade levels and subject areas.

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Created by the Great Schools Partnership , the GLOSSARY OF EDUCATION REFORM is a comprehensive online resource that describes widely used school-improvement terms, concepts, and strategies for journalists, parents, and community members. | Learn more »

Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning refers to any programmatic or instructional approach that utilizes multifaceted projects as a central organizing strategy for educating students. When engaged in project-based learning, students will typically be assigned a project or series of projects that require them to use diverse skills—such as researching, writing, interviewing, collaborating, or public speaking—to produce various work products, such as research papers, scientific studies, public-policy proposals, multimedia presentations, video documentaries, art installations, or musical and theatrical performances, for example. Unlike many tests, homework assignments, and other more traditional forms of academic coursework, the execution and completion of a project may take several weeks or months, or it may even unfold over the course of a semester or year.

Closely related to the concept of authentic learning , project-based-learning experiences are often designed to address real-world problems and issues, which requires students to investigate and analyze their complexities, interconnections, and ambiguities (i.e., there may be no “right” or “wrong” answers in a project-based-learning assignment). For this reason, project-based learning may be called inquiry-based learning or learning by doing , since the learning process is integral to the knowledge and skills students acquire. Students also typically learn about topics or produce work that integrates multiple academic subjects and skill areas. For example, students may be assigned to complete a project on a local natural ecosystem and produce work that investigates its history, species diversity, and social, economic, and environmental implications for the community. In this case, even if the project is assigned in a science course, students may be required to read and write extensively (English); research local history using texts, news stories, archival photos, and public records (history and social studies); conduct and record first-hand scientific observations, including the analysis and tabulation of data (science and math); and develop a public-policy proposal for the conservation of the ecosystem (civics and government) that will be presented to the city council utilizing multimedia technologies and software applications (technology).

In project-based learning, students are usually given a general question to answer, a concrete problem to solve, or an in-depth issue to explore. Teachers may then encourage students to choose specific topics that interest or inspire them, such as projects related to their personal interests or career aspirations. For example, a typical project may begin with an open-ended question (often called an “essential question” by educators): How is the principle of buoyancy important in the design and construction of a boat? What type of public-service announcement will be most effective in encouraging our community to conserve water? How can our school serve healthier school lunches? In these cases, students may be given the opportunity to address the question by proposing a project that reflects their interests. For example, a student interested in farming may explore the creation of a school garden that produces food and doubles as a learning opportunity for students, while another student may choose to research health concerns related to specific food items served in the cafeteria, and then create posters or a video to raise awareness among students and staff in the school.

In public schools, the projects, including the work products created by students and the assessments they complete, will be based on the same state learning standards that apply to other methods of instruction—i.e., the projects will be specifically designed to ensure that students meet expected learning standards. While students work on a project, teachers typically assess student learning progress—including the achievement of specific learning standards—using a variety of methods, such as portfolios , demonstrations of learning , or rubrics , for example. While the learning process may be more student-directed than some traditional learning experiences, such as lectures or quizzes, teachers still provide ongoing instruction, guidance, and academic support to students. In many cases, adult mentors, advisers, or experts from the local community—such as scientists, elected officials, or business leaders—may be involved in the design of project-based experiences, mentor students throughout the process, or participate on panels that review and evaluate the final projects in collaboration with teachers.

As a reform strategy, project-based learning may become an object of debate both within a school or in the larger community. Schools that decide to adopt project-based learning as their primary method of instruction, as opposed to schools that are founded on the philosophy and use the method from their inception, are more likely to encounter criticism or resistance. The instructional nuances of project-based learning can also become a source of confusion and misunderstanding, given that the approach represents a fairly significant departure from more familiar conceptions of schooling.

In addition, there may be debate among educators about what specifically does and doesn’t constitute “project-based learning.” For example, some teachers may already be doing “projects” in their courses, and they might consider these activities to be a form of project-based learning, but others may dispute such claims because the projects do not conform to their more specific and demanding definition—i.e., they are not “authentic” forms of project-based learning since they don’t meet the requisite instructional criteria (such as the features described above).

The following are a few representative examples of the kinds of arguments typically made by advocates of project-based learning:

• Project-based learning gives students a more “integrated” understanding of the concepts and knowledge they learn, while also equipping them with practical skills they can apply throughout their lives. The interdisciplinary nature of project-based learning helps students make connections across different subjects, rather than perceiving, for example, math and science as discrete subjects with little in common.
• Because project-based learning mirrors the real-world situations students will encounter after they leave school, it can provide stronger and more relevant preparation for college and work. Student not only acquire important knowledge and skills, they also learn how to research complex issues, solve problems, develop plans, manage time, organize their work, collaborate with others, and persevere and overcome challenges, for example.
• Project-based learning reflects the ways in which today’s students learn. It can improve student engagement in school, increase their interest in what is being taught, strengthen their motivation to learn, and make learning experiences more relevant and meaningful.
• Since project-based learning represents a more flexible approach to instruction, it allows teachers to tailor assignments and projects for students with a diverse variety of interests, career aspirations, learning styles, abilities, and personal backgrounds. For related discussions, see differentiation and personalized learning .
• Project-based learning allows teachers and students to address multiple learning standards simultaneously. Rather than only meeting math standards in math classes and science standards in science classes, students can work progressively toward demonstrating proficiency in a variety of standards while working on a single project or series of projects. For a related discussion, see proficiency-based learning .

The following are few representative examples of the kinds of arguments that may be made by critics of project-based learning:

• Project-based learning may not ensure that students learn all the required material and standards they are expected to learn in a course, subject area, or grade level. When a variety of subjects are lumped together, it’s more difficult for teachers to monitor and assess what students have learned in specific academic subjects.
• Many teachers will not have the time or specialized training required to use project-based learning effectively. The approach places greater demands on teachers—from course preparation to instructional methods to the evaluation of learning progress—and schools may not have the funding, resources, and capacity they need to adopt a project-based-learning model.
• The projects that students select and design may vary widely in academic rigor and quality. Project-based learning could open the door to watered-down learning expectations and low-quality coursework.
• Project-based learning is not well suited to students who lack self-motivation or who struggle in less-structured learning environments .
• Project-based learning raises a variety of logistical concerns, since students are more likely to learn outside of school or in unsupervised settings, or to work with adults who are not trained educators.

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The Comprehensive Guide to Project-Based Learning: Empowering Student Choice through an Effective Teaching Method

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Resources and Tools

In K-12 education, project-based learning (PBL) has gained momentum as an effective inquiry-based, teaching strategy that encourages students to take ownership of their learning journey. 

By integrating authentic projects into the curriculum, project-based learning fosters active engagement, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. This comprehensive guide explores the principles, benefits, implementation strategies, and evaluation techniques associated with project-based instruction, highlighting its emphasis on student choice and its potential to revolutionize education.

What is Project-Based Learning?

Project-based learning (PBL) is a inquiry-based and learner-centered instructional approach that immerses students in real-world projects that foster deep learning and critical thinking skills. Project-based learning can be implemented in a classroom as single or multiple units or it can be implemented across various subject areas and school-wide. 

In contrast to teacher led instruction, project-based learning encourages student engagement, collaboration, and problem-solving, empowering students to become active participants in their own learning. Students collaborate to solve a real world problem that requires content knowledge, critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills.

Students aren’t only assessed on their understanding of academic content but on their ability to successfully apply that content when solving authentic problems. Through this process, project-based learning gives students the opportunity to develop the real-life skills required for success in today’s world. 

Positive Impacts of Project-Based Learning

By integrating project-based learning into the classroom, educators can unlock a multitude of benefits for students. The research evidence overwhelmingly supports the positive impact of PBL on students, teachers, and school communities. According to numerous studies (see  Deutscher et al, 2021 ;  Duke et al, 2020 ;  Krajick et al, 2022 ;  Harris et al, 2015 ) students in PBL classrooms not only outperform non-PBL classrooms academically, such as on state tests and AP exams, but also the benefits of PBL extend beyond academic achievement, as students develop essential skills, including creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Additional studies documenting the impact of PBL on K-12 learning are available in the  PBL research annotated bibliography  on the New Tech Network website.

New Tech Network Project-Based Learning Impacts

Established in 1996, New Tech Network NTN is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming teaching and learning through innovative instructional practices, with project-based learning at its core.

NTN has an extensive network of schools across the United States that have embraced the power of PBL to engage students in meaningful, relevant, and challenging projects, with professional development to support teachers in deepening understanding of “What is project-based learning?” and “How can we deliver high quality project-based learning to all students?”

With over 20 years of experience in project-based learning, NTN schools have achieved impactful results. Several research studies documented that students in New Tech Network schools outperform their peers in non-NTN schools on SAT/ACT tests and state exams in both math and reading (see  Hinnant-Crawford & Virtue, 2019 ;  Lynch et al, 2018 ;  Stocks et al, 2019 ).  Additionally, students in NTN schools are more engaged and more likely to develop skills in collaboration, agency, critical thinking, and communication—skills highly valued in today’s workforce (see  Ancess & Kafka, 2020 ;  Muller & Hiller, 2020 ;  Zeiser, Taylor, et al, 2019 ). 

NTN provides comprehensive support to educators, including training, resources, and ongoing coaching, to ensure the effective implementation of problem-based learning and project-based learning. Through their collaborative network, NTN continuously shares best practices, fosters innovation, enables replication across districts, and empowers educators to create transformative learning experiences for their students (see  Barnett et al, 2020 ;  Hernández et al, 2019 ).

Key Concepts of Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning is rooted in several key principles that distinguish it from other teaching methods. The pedagogical theories that underpin project-based learning and problem-based learning draw from constructivism and socio-cultural learning. Constructivism posits that learners construct knowledge through active learning and real world applications. Project-based learning aligns with this theory by providing students with opportunities to actively construct knowledge through inquiry, hands-on projects, real-world contexts, and collaboration.

Students as active participants

Project-based learning is characterized by learner-centered, inquiry-based, real world learning, which encourages students to take an active role in their own learning. Instead of rote memorization of information, students engage in meaningful learning opportunities, exercise voice and choice, and develop student agency skills. This empowers students to explore their interests, make choices, and take ownership of their learning process, with teachers acting as facilitators rather than the center of instruction.

Real-world and authentic contexts

Project-based learning emphasizes real-world problems that encourage students to connect academic content to meaningful contexts, enabling students to see the practical application of what they are learning. By tackling personally meaningful projects and engaging in hands-on tasks, students develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and its relevance in their lives.

Collaboration and teamwork

Another essential element of project-based learning is collaborative work. Students collaborating with their peers towards the culmination of a project, mirrors real-world scenarios where teamwork and effective communication are crucial. Through collaboration, students develop essential social and emotional skills, learn from diverse perspectives, and engage in constructive dialogue.

Project-based learning embodies student-centered learning, real-world relevance, and collaborative work. These principles, rooted in pedagogical theories like constructivism, socio-cultural learning, and experiential learning, create a powerful learning environment, across multiple academic domains, that foster active engagement, thinking critically, and the development of essential skills for success in college or career or life beyond school.

A Unique Approach to Project-Based Learning: New Tech Network

New Tech Network schools are committed to these key focus areas: college and career ready outcomes, supportive and inclusive culture, meaningful and equitable instruction, and purposeful assessment.

In the New Tech Network Model, rigorous project-based learning allows students to engage with material in creative, culturally relevant ways, experience it in context, and share their learning with peers.

Why Undertake this Work?

Teachers, administrators, and district leaders undertake this work because it produces critical thinkers, problem-solvers, and collaborators who are vital to the long-term health and wellbeing of our communities.

Reynoldsburg City Schools (RCS) Superintendent Dr. Melvin J. Brown observed that “Prior to (our partnership with New Tech Network) we were just doing the things we’ve always done, while at the same time, our local industry was evolving and changing— and we were not changing with it. We recognized we had to do better to prepare kids for the reality they were going to walk into after high school and beyond.

Students embrace the Model because they feel a sense of belonging. They are challenged to learn in relevant, meaningful ways that shape the way they interact with the world, like  these students from Owensboro Innovation Academy in Owensboro, Kentucky . 

When change is collectively held and supported rather than siloed, and all stakeholders are engaged rather than alienated, schools and districts build their own capacity to sustain innovation and continuously improve. New Tech Network’s approach to change provides teachers, administrators, and district leaders with clear roles in adopting and adapting student-centered learning. 

Part of NTN’s process for equipping schools with the data they need to serve their students involves conducting research surveys about their student’s experiences. 

“The information we received back from our NTN surveys about our kids’ experiences was so powerful,” said Amanda Ziaer, Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives for Frisco ISD. “It’s so helpful to be reminded about these types of tactics when you’re trying to develop an authentic student-centered learning experience. It’s just simple things you might skip because we live in such a traditional adult-centered world.” 

NTN’s experienced staff lead professional development activities that enable educators to adapt to student needs and strengths, and amplify those strengths while adjusting what is needed to address challenges.

Meaningful and Equitable Instruction

The New Tech Network model is centered on a PBL instructional core. PBL as an instructional method overlaps with key features of equitable pedagogical approaches including student voice, student choice, and authentic contexts. The New Tech Network model extends the power of PBL as a tool for creating more equitable learning by building asset-based equity pedagogical practices into the the design using key practices drawn from the literature on culturally sustaining teaching methods so that PBL instruction leverages the assets of diverse students, supports teachers as warm demanders, and develops critically conscious students in PBL classrooms (see  Good teaching, warm and demanding classrooms, and critically conscious students: Measuring student perceptions of asset-based equity pedagogy in the classroom ).

Examples of Project-Based Learning

New Tech Network schools across the country create relevant projects and interdisciplinary learning that bring a learner-centered approach to their school.  Examples of NTN Model PBL Projects  are available in the NTN Help and Learning Center and enable educators to preview projects and gather project ideas from various grade levels and content areas.

The NTN Project Planning Toolkit is used as a guide in the planning and design of PBL. The Project-based learning examples linked above include a third grade Social Studies/ELA project, a seventh grade Science project, and a high school American Studies project (11th grade English Language Arts/American History).

The Role of Technology in Project-Based Learning

A tool for creativity

Technology plays a vital role in enhancing PBL in schools, facilitating student  engagement, collaboration, and access to information. At the forefront, technology provides students with tools and resources to research, analyze data, and create multimedia content for their projects.

A tool for collaboration

Technology tools enable students to express their understanding creatively through digital media, such as videos, presentations, vlogs, blogs and interactive websites, enhancing their communication and presentation skills.

A tool for feedback

Technology offers opportunities for authentic audiences and feedback. Students can showcase their projects to a global audience through online platforms, blogs, or social media, receiving feedback and perspectives from beyond the classroom. This authentic audience keeps students engaged and striving for high-quality work and encourages them to take pride in their accomplishments.

By integrating technology into project-based learning, educators can enhance student engagement, deepen learning, and prepare students for a digitally interconnected world.

Interactive PBL Resources

New Tech Network offers a wealth of resources to support educators in gaining a deeper understanding of project-based learning. One valuable tool is the NTN Help Center, which provides comprehensive articles and resources on the principles and practices of implementing project-based learning.

Educators can explore project examples in the NTN Help Center to gain inspiration and practical insights into designing and implementing PBL projects that align with their curriculum and student needs.

Educators can start with the article “ What are the basic principles and practices of Project-Based Learning? Doing Projects vs. PBL . ” The image within the article clarifies the difference between the traditional education approach of “doing projects” and true project-based learning.

Project Launch

Students are introduced to a project by an Entry Event in the Project Launch (designated in purple on the image) this project component typically requires students to take on a role beyond that of ‘student’ or ‘learner’. This occurs either by placing students in a scenario that has real world applications, in which they simulate tasks performed by adults and/or by requiring learners to address a challenge or problem facing a particular community group.

The Entry Event not only introduces students to a project but also serves as the “hook” that purposefully engages students in the launch of a project. The Entry Event is followed by the Need to Know process in which students name what they already know about a topic and the project ask and what they “need to know” in order to solve the problem named in the project. Next steps are created which support students as they complete the Project Launch phase of a project.

Scaffolding

Shown in the image in red, facilitators ensure students gain content knowledge and skills through ‘scaffolding’. Scaffolding is defined as temporary supports for students to build the skills and knowledge needed to create the final product. Similar to scaffolding in building construction, it is removed when these supports are no longer needed by students.

Scaffolding can take the form of a teacher providing support by hosting small group workshops, students engaging in independent research or groups completing learner-centered activities, lab investigations, formative assessments and more.

Benchmarks (seen in orange in the image) can be checks for understanding that allow educators to give feedback on student work and/or checks to ensure students are progressing in the project as a team. After each benchmark, students should be given time to reflect on their individual goals as well as their team goals. Benchmarks are designed to build on each other to support project teams towards the culminating product at the end of the project.

NTN’s Help Center also provides resources on what effective teaching and learning look like within the context of project-based learning. The article “ What does effective teaching and learning look like? ” outlines the key elements of a successful project-based learning classroom, emphasizing learner-centered learning, collaborative work, and authentic assessments. 

Educators can refer to this resource to gain insights into best practices, instructional strategies, and classroom management techniques that foster an engaging and effective project-based learning environment.

From understanding the principles and practices of PBL to accessing examples of a particular project, evaluating project quality, and exploring effective teaching and learning strategies, educators can leverage these resources to enhance their PBL instruction and create meaningful learning experiences for their students.

Preparing Students for the Future with PBL

The power of PBL is the way in which it encourages students to think critically, collaborate, and sharpen communication skills, which are all highly sought-after in today’s rapidly evolving workforce. By engaging in authentic, real-world projects, and collaborating with business and community leaders and community members, students develop the ability to tackle complex problems, think creatively, and adapt to changing circumstances.

These skills are essential in preparing students for the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the future job market, where flexibility, innovation, and adaptability are paramount. 

“Joining New Tech Network provides us an opportunity to reframe many things about the school, not just PBL,” said Bay City Public Schools Chief Academic Officer Patrick Malley. “Eliminating the deficit mindset about kids is the first step to establishing a culture that makes sure everyone in that school is focused on next-level readiness for these kids.”

The New Tech Network Learning Outcomes align with the qualities companies are looking for in new hires: Knowledge and Thinking, Oral Communication, Written Communication, Collaboration and Agency.

NTN schools prioritize equipping students with the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue postsecondary education or training successfully. By integrating college readiness and career readiness into the fabric of PBL, NTN ensures that students develop the academic, technical, and professional skills needed for future success. 

Through authentic projects, students learn to engage in research, analysis, and presentation of their work, mirroring the expectations and demands of postsecondary education and the workplace. NTN’s commitment to college and career readiness ensures that students are well-prepared to transition seamlessly into higher education or enter the workforce with the skills and confidence to excel in their chosen paths.

The Impact of PBL on College and Career Readiness

PBL has a profound impact on college and career readiness. Numerous studies document the academic benefits for students, including performance in AP courses, SAT/ACT tests, and state exams (see  Deutscher et al, 2021 ;  Duke et al, 2020 ;  Krajick et al, 2022 ;  Harris et al, 2015 ). New Tech Network schools demonstrate higher graduation rates and college persistence rates than the national average as outlined in the  New Tech Network 2022 Impact Report . Over 95% of NTN graduates reported feeling prepared for the expectations and demands of college. 

Practices that Support Equitable College Access and Readiness

According to  a literature review conducted by New York University’s Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools  ( Perez et al, 2021 ) classroom level, school level, and district level practices can be implemented to create more equitable college access and readiness and these recommendations align with many of the practices built into the the NTN model, including culturally sustaining instructional approaches, foundational literacy, positive student-teacher relationships, and developing shared asset-based mindsets.

About New Tech Network

New Tech Network is committed to meeting schools and districts where they are and helping them achieve their vision of student success. For a full list of our additional paths to impact or to speak with someone about how the NTN Model can make an impact in your district, please send an email to  [email protected] .

Sign Up for the NTN Newsletter

What Is Project-Based Learning?

Experts say the real-world approach to learning resonates, and studies show it is effective.

Getty Images

Project-based learning is active, and leads to deeper engagement and understanding.

Gil Leal took AP Environmental Science taught with a project-based learning approach at San Pedro Senior High School Marine Science Magnet in Los Angeles.

One project involved students working in teams to design a farm. They researched issues including water management, pest control and demand for agricultural products. Students then incorporated that knowledge into their design, Leal says in a panel discussion on project-based learning. Now a sophomore at the University of California—Los Angeles , Leal says the class convinced him to major in environmental science.

“The projects made class really cool and engaging and memorable, and we got to visit a real strawberry farm,” Leal told the George Lucas Educational Foundation .

Unlike traditional school projects that often take place at the end of a unit, project-based learning, or PBL, is an educational philosophy that calls upon students to take on a real-world question – such as how to best design a farm – and explore it over a period of weeks. Teachers incorporate grade-level instruction into the project, which is designed to meet academic goals and standards, and students learn content and skills while working collaboratively, thinking critically and often revising their work. At the end, that work is shared publicly.

“Project-based learning is not the activity at the end, it’s the activity at the beginning that drives the learning and builds the engagement,” says Kristin De Vivo, executive director of Lucas Education Research , a division of the George Lucas Educational Foundation.

Studies Show PBL Is Effective

The foundation, created by the famous filmmaker, works to improve K-12 education and recently released research showing that project-based learning can be extremely effective.

Four studies released in February by Lucas Education Research, along with researchers from five major universities, showed that students in project-based learning classrooms across the United States significantly outperformed students in typical classrooms.

In a study involving high schoolers, students taught AP U.S. Government and Politics and AP Environmental Science with a project-based learning approach outperformed peers on AP exams by 8 percentage points in the first year and were more likely to earn a passing score of 3 or above, giving them a chance to receive college credit. In the second year, the gap widened to 10 percentage points. One key finding of the study, which included large urban school districts, was that the higher scores were seen among both students of color and those from lower-income households.

Similar results were found in a study involving third graders studying science. Students from a variety of backgrounds in project-based learning classrooms scored 8 percentage points higher than peers on a state science test. These results held regardless of a student’s reading level.

Project-Based Learning Is ‘Active’

Project-based learning succeeds across income groups because it involves active learning, which leads to deeper engagement and understanding, according to De Vivo.

“Engagement is the gateway to all learning,” De Vivo says. “When students are able to construct knowledge, not given an answer, that active learning wakes up the brain.”

Suppose third grade students are asked why a toy car moves faster on a wood floor than on a carpet, and the students get on the floor with a toy car to explore that question. Later, when they are asked how friction works, their answer will draw upon personal experimentation.

In the case of high schoolers taking AP classes, the project-based approach encourages teamwork, productive debate, problem solving and creativity. Education experts also say it helps develop skills and confidence.

Teachers Facilitate Student Ownership

What is distinct about project-based learning is that teachers take the role of facilitators while the students do the research, modeling and building. This gives students ownership over ideas and projects, according to Billie Freeland and Nicole Andreas, co-teachers of K-5 STEM classes at Kent City Community Schools in Michigan. Freeland, Andreas and a group of third graders participated in the Lucas Education Research study, working with Michigan State University .

The challenge for their fourth graders in the 2020-21 school year was to design something that uses alternative energy sources to help their community. One student designed a truck that used steam as fuel and picked up trash. Another student designed a solar-powered fan to protect apple blossoms in the spring.

“This challenges us as teachers to direct students in unique paths to learning,” Freeland and Andreas wrote in an email. “We also love the deep connectedness to real-world issues and problems that are addressed through the curriculum.”

Training for Teachers

For project-based learning to work, teachers first need professional training in how to deliver course content. PBLWorks, a leader in project-based learning methodology, trained the teachers who taught the AP classes involved in the Lucas studies. It offers workshops and courses for teachers and administrators.

Based on the results of the Lucas research, the College Board, which administers the AP exams, launched workshops this summer in project-based learning for AP U.S. Government and Politics and AP Environmental Science teachers. PBLWorks designed and ran the workshops; teachers from schools where half of the students are either low-income or minorities could attend free of charge. A total of 493 educators participated in the workshops, including 63 from high-need schools, Sally Kingston, chief impact officer at PBLWorks, wrote in an email.

Training is also offered by the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education , the High Tech High Graduate School of Education in San Diego, and the EL Education network of schools.

A few public school districts around the country have implemented project-based learning, including Manchester School District in New Hampshire, Pearl City-Waipahu Complex Area in Hawaii, and San Francisco Unified School District, which embraced it after participating in one of the Lucas studies. Education experts say project-based learning has a lot of room to grow, especially after students have endured a year of virtual schooling thanks to the pandemic.

“Parents have woken up to the fact that school is not preparing our kids for the 21st century,” De Vivo says.

Searching for a school? Explore our K-12 directory .

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Getting Started with Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning (PBL) actively involves students in their learning and prepares them for the world beyond the classroom. It is a dynamic approach to teaching in which instructors play an important role in structuring the learning experience, guiding students as they work to find solutions to complex interdisciplinary problems in collaboration with diverse peers, and developing skills and acquiring knowledge throughout the process.

This resource offers an introductory overview of PBL, including the key features and questions for reflection as instructors develop their project-based teaching practices.

On this page:

What is pbl.

• Developing Your Project-Based Teaching Approach
• References and Resources

The CTL is here to help! 

Want to implement project-based learning in your course or curriculum? Looking for more information about what makes for effective project-based learning? The CTL is here to help! Email [email protected] to schedule a 1-1 consultation!

Cite this resource: Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (2022). Getting Started with Project-Based Learning. Columbia University. Retrieved [today’s date] from https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/resources/project-based-learning/

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is “a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge” ( PBLWorks ). PBL is often thought of as a valuable framework for capstone courses, in which students demonstrate the knowledge and skills they developed through their coursework; however, PBL can also be effective in courses throughout students’ academic careers, including as early as the first year (Wobbe and Stoddard, 2019). 

PBL is distinct from assigning a project in a course: Assigned projects tend to be short-term, occurring after an instructor has covered the content of a unit of study, are focused on the product that students deliver (often individually), and are a summative assessment . In contrast, for PBL, the project serves as the “vehicle for teaching the important knowledge and skills students need to learn”; the project frames curriculum and instruction ( What is Project-Based Learning ). PBL is driven by student inquiry, and involves collaboration with peers and in-class guidance from the instructor. There is emphasis placed on the project process , not just a final deliverable; this emphasis helps provide students with a formative assessment experience, where the learning and feedback happen throughout the project. For more, see the Framework for High Quality Project Based Learning , which includes six elements of effective PBL as identified by High Quality PBL ( HQPBL ), an organization of international educational experts. 

PBL connects theory to practice and engages students in direct action: With PBL, students are asked to think deeply and critically about a complex problem, question, or issue that does not have a single answer. Over the course of the project, students engage with and learn more about important content, concepts, and skills. As students work through these real-world problems that are meaningful and relevant to their lives and futures, and develop possible solutions, PBL helps them take more ownership and responsibility of their own learning. Students develop transferable skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, project management, communication, and problem-solving. They build their confidence in their abilities and “the personal agency needed to tackle life’s and the world’s challenges” ( HQPBL Framework , 2). Research has also shown that PBL can result in “greater student learning gains,” particularly for students from underrepresented groups ( PBL in Higher Education ).

PBL is learner-centered and guided by instructors: PBL requires rethinking more traditional classroom approaches as students become more active and participatory learners. In PBL, students drive the inquiry and discovery while instructors serve as guides or mentors. By designing, planning, and implementing a PBL curriculum, instructors engage students and coach them through the PBL process. Instructors help students identify their needs and access resources to address potential gaps. Instructors also play an important role in helping students develop collaboration and project management skills, which are critical to students’ success in PBL. 

Developing Your Project-Based Teaching Practices

You, the instructor, play a critical role in ensuring effective PBL. This section is structured around the Gold Standard Project Based Teaching Practices from PBLWorks, and includes questions for you to reflect on as you develop your approach.

Design for authenticity and agency: With consideration of your course context, the course learning objectives, and the needs of your students, what project could you have students work on throughout the course? What room will there be for student voice, choice, and input in the project? Who is the audience for the final deliverable? How will you communicate this to your students?

Build the culture for collaboration: For many students, a PBL approach could be new and their past experiences working in groups may be fraught. The expectation of PBL is that each individual student will contribute to all aspects of the project and will respect and learn from each other’s contributions. How might you work with your students to establish expectations and build class community? How will you support student collaborations?

Scaffold student learning: Instructors scaffold project elements and subtasks to help students build upon the work they’re doing. How will you guide students toward the culminating project? How might students take on greater responsibility over the course of the project?

Manage teams and project activities: While students are expected to take ownership of their projects and their work, and learn to use the processes, tools, and strategies of project management, instructors help students as they work collaboratively and define and set project deadlines and subtasks. How will you help your students develop collaboration and project management skills?

Provide feedback : Instructors provide students with feedback on their progress throughout the course of a project. What opportunities will there be for ongoing formative feedback (e.g., written feedback, check-in meetings, facilitating peer- or self-assessment activities)? How might students and external stakeholders be part of this feedback process?

Create opportunities for reflection: Students engage in ongoing reflection on their learning and progress throughout the project. How might students be encouraged to think about what they are doing, assess the quality of their work, and identify ways to improve? 

Showcase student work: An important feature of PBL is students having an opportunity to showcase their work. How might you create opportunities for the showcase of student work? Are there campus-wide initiatives you might encourage students to participate in? What kinds of in-class activities or opportunities might you offer for students?

Collect feedback: Just as it’s important for instructors to provide students with feedback throughout the process, it’s equally important to collect feedback from students. How might you invite feedback from students throughout the process? What opportunities will you create for responding to and implementing feedback in the moment? How might you consider this feedback in future course iterations? 

Whether you are trying to determine if PBL makes sense for your course, looking for feedback on your PBL practices, or beginning the process of implementation, the CTL is here to help! Email [email protected] to schedule a 1-1 consultation. 

References and Resources 

PBL in Action Resources 

Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s (WPI) Center for Project Based Learning , launched in 2016, published a series of research briefs around PBL in specific contexts. These briefs offer an introduction, overview of related research, and specific case studies of PBL within the particular discipline or context. The case studies offered in each brief can serve as springboards for instructors to think about their own courses, and will require adaptation to be most effective.

• PBL in the Social Sciences  
• PBL in the Arts and Humanities  
• PBL in Graduate Education  

Additional References 

Albert, T.C. (2019, May 22). Successful project-based learning . Harvard Business Publishing Education .  

Albert, T.C. & Rennella M. (2021, November 11). Readying students for their careers through project-based learning . Harvard Business Publishing Education . 

Boss, S. & Larmer, J. (2018). Project based teaching: How to create rigorous and engaging learning experiences . ASCD. 

Center for Project-Based Learning. (2016). Center for project-based learning homepage .  Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 

Heick, T. (n.d.). What are the greatest myths about project-based learning? . TeachThought.

High Quality Project Based Learning. (2018). A framework for high quality project based  learning . HQPBL. 

PBLWorks. (n.d.). Gold standard PBL: Project based teaching practices . PBLWorks. 

PBLWorks (n.d.). What is project based learning? . PBLWorks. 

TeachThought Staff. (n.d.). What is the difference between projects and PBL? . TeachThought. 

Wobbe, K. K., & Stoddard, E. A. (2018). Project-Based Learning in the First Year : Beyond All Expectations . ​​Stylus Publishing. 

WPI Institute on Project-Based Learning. (n.d.). PBL in higher education . Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 

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Project-Based Learning

This teaching guide explores the different types of project-based learning (PBL), its benefits, and tips for implementation in your classes.

Introduction

Project-based learning (PBL) involves students designing, developing, and constructing hands-on solutions to a problem. The educational value of PBL is that it aims to build students’ creative capacity to work through difficult or ill-structured problems, commonly in small teams. Typically, PBL takes students through the following phases or steps:

• Identifying a problem
• Agreeing on or devising a solution and potential solution path to the problem (i.e., how to achieve the solution)
• Designing and developing a prototype of the solution
• Refining the solution based on feedback from experts, instructors, and/or peers

Depending on the goals of the instructor, the size and scope of the project can vary greatly. Students may complete the four phases listed above over the course of many weeks, or even several times within a single class period.

Because of its focus on creativity and collaboration, PBL is enhanced when students experience opportunities to work across disciplines, employ technologies to make communication and product realization more efficient, or to design solutions to real-world problems posed by outside organizations or corporations. Projects do not need to be highly complex for students to benefit from PBL techniques. Often times, quick and simple projects are enough to provide students with valuable opportunities to make connections across content and practice.

Implementing project-based learning

As a pedagogical approach, PBL entails several key processes:

• Defining problems in terms of given constraints or challenges
• Generating multiple ideas to solve a  given problem
• Prototyping — often in rapid iteration — potential solutions to a problem
• Testing the developed solution products or services in a “live” or authentic setting.

Defining the problem

PBL projects should start with students asking questions about a problem. What is the nature of problem they are trying to solve? What assumptions can they make about why the problem exists? Asking such questions will help students frame the problem in an appropriate context. If students are working on a real-world problem, it is important to consider how an end user will benefit from a solution.

Generating ideas

Next, students should be given the opportunity to brainstorm and discuss their ideas for solving the problem. The emphasis here is not to generate necessarily good ideas, but to generate many ideas. As such, brainstorming should encourage students to think wildly, but to stay focused on the problem. Setting guidelines for brainstorming sessions, such as giving everyone a chance to voice an idea, suspending judgement of others’ ideas, and building on the ideas of others will help make brainstorming a productive and generative exercise.

Prototyping solutions

Designing and prototyping a solution are typically the next phase of the PBL process. A prototype might take many forms: a mock-up, a storyboard, a role-play, or even an object made out of readily available materials such as pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, and rubber bands. The purpose of prototyping is to expand upon the ideas generated during the brainstorming phase, and to quickly convey a how a solution to the problem might look and feel. Prototypes can often expose learners’ assumptions, as well as uncover unforeseen challenges that an end user of the solution might encounter. The focus on creating simple prototypes also means that students can iterate on their designs quickly and easily, incorporate feedback into their designs, and continually hone their problem solutions.

Students may then go about taking their prototypes to the next level of design: testing. Ideally, testing takes place in a “live” setting. Testing allows students to glean how well their products or services work in a real setting. The results of testing can provide students with important feedback on the their solutions, and generate new questions to consider. Did the solution work as planned? If not, what needs to be tweaked? In this way, testing engages students in critical thinking and reflection processes.

Unstructured versus structured projects

Research suggests that students learn more from working on unstructured or ill-structured projects than they do on highly structured ones. Unstructured projects are sometimes referred to as “open ended,” because they have no predictable or prescribed solution. In this way, open ended projects require students to consider assumptions and constraints, as well as to frame the problem they are trying to solve. Unstructured projects thus require students to do their own “structuring” of the problem at hand – a process that has been shown to enhance students’ abilities to transfer learning to other problem solving contexts.

Using Design Thinking in Higher Education (Educause)

Design Thinking and Innovation (GSM SI 839)

Project Based Learning through a Maker’s Lens (Edutopia)

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Part 3: Instructional Methods/Learning Activities

Project-based learning.

• Project-based learning  is a pedagogical strategy in which students produce a product related to a topic.
• The teacher sets the goals for the learner, and then allows the learner to explore the topic and create their project.
• The teacher is a facilitator in this student-centered approach and provides scaffolding and guidance when necessary.
• Proponents of project-based learning cite numerous benefits of these strategies including a greater depth of understanding of concepts, broader knowledge base, improved communication and interpersonal/social skills, enhanced leadership skills, increased creativity, and improved writing skills.
• When students use technology as a tool to communicate with others, they take on an active role vs. a passive role of transmitting the information by a teacher, a book, or broadcast. The student is constantly making choices on how to obtain, display, or manipulate information.

Project-based learning : Students independently gather resources and information to create a project and/or product.

Project-based learning, is a pedagogical method in which students are directed to create an artifact (or artifacts) to present their gained knowledge. Artifacts may include a variety of media such as writings, art, drawings, three-dimensional representations, videos, photography, or technology-based presentations. The basis of PBL lies in the authenticity or real-life application of the research and is considered an alternative to paper-based, rote memorization, teacher-led classrooms. Proponents of project-based learning cite numerous benefits to the implementation of these strategies in the classroom including a greater depth of understanding of concepts, broader knowledge base, improved communication and interpersonal/social skills, enhanced leadership skills, increased creativity, and improved writing skills.

John Dewey initially promoted the idea of “learning by doing. ” Educational research has advanced this idea of teaching and learning into a methodology known as “project-based learning. ” Blumenfeld & Krajcik (2006) cite studies by Marx et al., 2004, Rivet & Krajcki, 2004 and William & Linn, 2003 state that “research has demonstrated that students in project-based learning classrooms get higher scores than students in traditional classroom. ”

Project-based learning is not without its opponents, however; in  Peer Evaluation in Blended Team Project-Based Learning: What Do Students Find Important?  Hye-Jung & Cheolil (2012) describe social loafing as a negative aspect of collaborative learning. Social loafing may include insufficient performances by some team members as well as a lowering of expected standards of performance by the group as a whole to maintain congeniality amongst members. These authors said that because teachers tend to  grade  the finished product only, the social dynamics of the assignment may escape the teacher’s notice.

The core idea of project-based or inquiry based learning is that real-world problems capture students’ interest and provoke serious thinking as the students acquire and apply new knowledge in a problem-solving context. The teacher plays the role of facilitator, working with students to frame worthwhile questions, structuring meaningful tasks, coaching both knowledge development and social skills, and carefully assessing what students have learned from the experience. Typical projects present a problem to solve (What is the best way to reduce the pollution in the schoolyard pond? ) or a phenomenon to investigate (What causes rain? ).

At the high school level, classroom activities may include making water purification systems, investigating service learning, or creating new bus routes. At the middle school level, activities may include researching trash statistics, documenting local history through interviews, or writing essays about a community scavenger hunt. Classes are designed to help diverse students become college and career ready after high school.

When students use technology as a tool to communicate with others, they take on an active role vs. a passive role of transmitting the information by a teacher, a book, or broadcast. The student is constantly making choices on how to obtain, display, or manipulate information. Technology makes it possible for students to think actively about the choices they make and execute. Every student has the opportunity to get involved either individually or as a group.

Instructor role in Project Based Learning is that of a facilitator. They do not relinquish control of the collaborative classroom or student learning but rather develop an atmosphere of shared responsibility. The Instructor must structure the proposed question/issue so as to direct the student’s learning toward content-based materials. The instructor must regulate student success with intermittent, transitional goals to ensure student projects remain focused and students have a deep understanding of the concepts being investigated. The students are held accountable to these goals through ongoing feedback and  assessments . The ongoing assessment and feedback are essential to ensure the student stays within the scope of the driving question and the core standards the project is trying to unpack. According to Andrew Miller of the Buck Institute of Education,  formative assessments  are used “in order to be transparent to parents and students, you need to be able to track and monitor ongoing formative assessments, that show work toward that standard. ” The instructor uses these assessments to guide the inquiry based learning process and ensure the students have learned the required content. Once the project is finished, the instructor evaluates the finished product and learning that it demonstrates

Students learn to work in a community, thereby taking on social responsibilities. The most significant contributions of PBL have been in schools languishing in poverty stricken areas; when students take responsibility, or ownership, for their learning, their self-esteem soars. It also helps to create better work habits and attitudes toward learning. Although students do work in groups, they also become more independent because they are receiving little instruction from the teacher. With Project-Based Learning students also learn skills that are essential in higher education. The students learn more than just finding answers, PBL allows them to expand their minds and think beyond what they normally would. Students have to find answers to questions and combine them using critically thinking skills to come up with answers.

Opponents of Project Based Learning warn against negative outcomes primarily in projects that become unfocused and tangential arguing that underdeveloped lessons can result in the wasting of precious class time. No one teaching method has been proven more effective than another. Opponents suggest that narratives and presentation of anecdotal evidence included in lecture-style instruction can convey the same knowledge in less class time. Given that disadvantaged students generally have fewer opportunities to learn academic content outside of school, wasted class time due to an unfocused lesson presents a particular problem. Instructors can be deluded into thinking that as long as a student is engaged and doing, they are learning. Ultimately it is cognitive activity that determines the success of a lesson. If the project does not remain on task and content driven the student will not be successful in learning the material. The lesson will be ineffective. A source of difficulty for teachers includes, “Keeping these complex projects on track while attending to students’ individual learning needs requires artful teaching, as well as industrial-strength project management. ” Like any approach, Project Based Learning is only beneficial when applied successfully.

What is Project Based Learning?

Project Based Learning (PBL) is a model and framework of teaching and learning where students acquire content knowledge and skills in order to answer a driving question based on an authentic problem, need, challenge, or concern.

Project Based Learning is done collaboratively and within groups , using a variety of employability skills such as critical thinking, communication, and creativity.

PBL incorporates student voice and choice as well as inquiry .

Authentic PBL involves a community partner and a publicly presented end product .

Project Based Learning involves an ongoing process of feedback and revision as well as reflection .

PBL CORE COMPONENTS

Project based learning units include the following core components:.

Collaboration

Employability (21st Century) Skills

Community Partners

Feedback & Revision

Publicly Presented Product

Standards: Content Knowledge & Skills

Authenticity & Relevance: Addresses a real-world challenge, need, problem, or concern

Student Voice & Choice

The Core Components of PBL are the most essential pieces of every PBL Unit. For PBL fidelity, it is important to embed each of these components into the PBL design process… PBL CORE COMPONENTS CONTINUED .

7 steps to starting PBL

Want to begin your own pbl journey, download the 7 steps to starting pbl for free, 7 steps for starting pbl for teachers, 7 steps to starting pbl for administrators.

For more information about PBL check out:

Pbl design tools and resources.

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• Project-Based Learning: An In-Depth Look

Learn all about project-based learning, from its definition and history to its key benefits and how to use it in the classroom.

In recent years, project-based learning (PBL) has become an increasingly popular teaching approach at Saint Peters University Online and in classrooms around the world. This project-based teaching strategy is based on the belief that students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process and when they can apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems, such as project-based A level chemistry help or project-based a level maths solutions. While there have been numerous studies examining the efficacy of project-based learning, there is still much to learn about this teaching method, especially in terms of its implications for sociology at Saint Peter's University Online. University tutors at Saint Peter's University Online can play a key role in this process, providing invaluable guidance and support to students as they engage in project-based learning, helping them to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, including those related to a level maths solutions. Additionally, private online tutors can be a great resource for those looking to study coding with a private online tutor .For those looking for the best online tutoring site to help with their project-based learning, university tutors can provide the best support and guidance. For those looking for the best online tutoring site to get help with project-based learning, university tutors can be a great resource. For those seeking the best online tutoring site for project-based learning, university tutors can provide invaluable assistance and support. For those looking for the best online tutoring site to help them with their project-based learning, university tutors can be an excellent resource. For those looking for more specialized tutoring, private online GCSE Physics tutoring can be a great resource for students who need extra help in their studies.

Additionally, for those looking to prepare for Oxbridge college tests, a comprehensive Oxbridge college test preparation guide can be a great resource. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at project-based learning and discuss the benefits it has to offer both students and educators from a sociological perspective. Additionally, this approach can be particularly beneficial for those preparing for entrance tests such as the Guide to Oxbridge entrance tests or for those enrolled in Saint Peter's University Online. It also encourages collaboration among students, fostering a sense of community and responsibility. Additionally, PBL can be adapted to fit different learning styles and needs, allowing for a more personalized approach to instruction. We will explore the history of project-based learning, the benefits it offers, and the strategies teachers can use to implement it in their classrooms. We will also examine some of the challenges associated with PBL and how to overcome them.

Project-Based Learning (PBL):

Definition:, key benefits:, challenges:, strategies for overcoming challenges:.

Creating a Successful Project-Based Learning Lesson Plan: To create a successful project-based learning lesson plan, teachers should start by defining the goals and objectives of the project. They should also decide on the type of project that best fits their class and develop a timeline for completing it. Teachers should also select materials and resources needed for the project, such as books, videos, or online resources. Additionally, they should provide clear instructions for each step of the project and assign roles to each student or group of students.

Types of Projects:

Challenges of project-based learning, lack of resources, student motivation, using technology for project-based learning.

This can help to foster collaboration and promote teamwork among students, allowing them to share ideas and get feedback from each other. Tools such as Google Docs, Trello, and Slack are all popular tools for collaborating on projects. Virtual reality can be used to create immersive experiences in the classroom. Students can explore virtual environments, observe and interact with objects, and learn about topics in a more engaging way.

For example, virtual field trips can be used to teach students about history, culture, or geography in an interactive way. Technology can also be used to facilitate research. Students can use the Internet to access a wealth of information, making it easier for them to find reliable sources and conduct research on any given topic. Search engines like Google are great tools for finding information quickly and efficiently.

In addition, technology can be used to provide feedback on student work. For example, teachers can use video or audio recordings of student presentations as a teaching tool, allowing them to see how students are performing and identify areas of improvement. By using technology in the classroom, teachers can create an engaging learning environment that is tailored to their students’ individual needs. Technology can help to improve the effectiveness of project-based learning by providing students with the tools and resources they need to succeed.

Benefits of Project-Based Learning

Improved critical thinking skills, collaboration skills, self-direction, what is project-based learning.

PBL has been used in classrooms for centuries, but its modern form began to emerge in the late 20th century as educators sought to develop more active learning strategies. Some of the earliest examples of PBL involved students being asked to build structures such as bridges or houses, or to design experiments or simulations in the sciences. At the heart of PBL are three key components: the challenge, the process, and the product. The challenge is the problem or question that the students must answer or solve.

The process involves the steps that students take to work through the challenge. This can include research, planning, designing, and creating. Finally, the product is the outcome of their work, which can range from a presentation or paper to a prototype or model. In order to be successful, PBL must include clear learning objectives and criteria for success, as well as meaningful tasks and activities that are relevant to the students’ lives.

Creating a Successful Project-Based Learning Lesson Plan

It is also important to ensure that the topic is age-appropriate and will not present any safety risks. Once a topic is selected, it is important to set clear goals for the lesson. Goals should be specific and measurable, such as “Students will be able to explain the process of photosynthesis by the end of the project.” This will help keep students on track as they work on their projects. After setting goals, teachers should create tasks that will help students reach those goals. Tasks should be broken down into manageable steps and can include activities like research, writing, or creating presentations.

Teachers should also provide resources and materials that students may need to complete the tasks. In addition to tasks, teachers should assign roles to each student. Roles could include things like research coordinator or group leader. Assigning roles helps foster teamwork and allows each student to contribute in different ways. Finally, it is important to provide feedback throughout the project. Feedback should be constructive and goal-oriented, focusing on what students did well and what they could improve on.

Types of Projects for Project-Based Learning

Research projects:, problem-solving projects:, artistic projects:, simulations:.

For example, a student studying the French Revolution could role-play as a member of the court during the Reign of Terror. Simulations help students gain a better understanding of how certain events unfolded and why they happened. Project-based learning is a teaching method that encourages students to explore and understand a subject in depth. It offers a variety of benefits, including enhanced engagement and critical thinking, as well as increased collaboration and problem solving . Additionally, it enables teachers to design creative, engaging projects that can be tailored to the needs and interests of their students.

However, it is important to consider the challenges of project-based learning, such as lack of structure and organization, and plan accordingly. By creating a successful project-based learning lesson plan, incorporating technology when appropriate, and selecting the right type of project for the lesson, teachers can help ensure that their students have a successful experience. For more information on project-based learning, there are many online resources available.

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Shahid Lakha

Shahid Lakha is a seasoned educational consultant with a rich history in the independent education sector and EdTech. With a solid background in Physics, Shahid has cultivated a career that spans tutoring, consulting, and entrepreneurship. As an Educational Consultant at Spires Online Tutoring since October 2016, he has been instrumental in fostering educational excellence in the online tutoring space. Shahid is also the founder and director of Specialist Science Tutors, a tutoring agency based in West London, where he has successfully managed various facets of the business, including marketing, web design, and client relationships. His dedication to education is further evidenced by his role as a self-employed tutor, where he has been teaching Maths, Physics, and Engineering to students up to university level since September 2011. Shahid holds a Master of Science in Photon Science from the University of Manchester and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Bath.

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What is Project Based Learning?

By Maggie O'Brien,

Project Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional methodology encouraging students to learn by applying knowledge and skills through an engaging experience. PBL presents opportunities for deeper learning in context and for the development of important skills tied to college and career readiness.

Characteristics of Project-Based Learning

Here are three characteristics of meaningful project-based learning activities that lead to deeper student understanding:

1. Interdisciplinary

Project-based curriculum is designed to engage students using real-world problems. This is an interdisciplinary approach because real-world challenges are rarely solved using information or skills from a single subject area. Projects require students to engage in inquiry, solution building, and product construction to help address the issue or challenge presented. As students do the work, they often use content knowledge and skills from multiple academic domains to successfully complete the project.

2. Rigorous

Project-based education requires the application of knowledge and skills, not just recall or recognition. Unlike rote learning to assess a single fact, PBL assesses how students apply a variety of academic content in new contexts. As students engage in a project, they begin by asking a question. Inquiry leads the student to think critically as they are using their academic knowledge in real-world applications. The inquiry process leads to the development of solutions to address the identified problem. They show their knowledge in action through the creation of products designed to communicate solutions to an audience.

3. Student-Centered

In PBL, the role of the teacher shifts from content-deliverer to facilitator/project manager. Students work more independently through the PBL process, with the teacher providing support only when needed. Students are encouraged to make their own decisions about how best to do their work and demonstrate their understanding. The PBL process fosters student independence, ownership of his/her work, and the development of 21st-century/workplace skills.

Examples of Project-Based Learning in Education

Research on PBL supports an increase in student engagement, achievement, and encourages the development of 21st-century skills students need to succeed in their future careers. Here are 4 reasons to adopt a project-based learning model: 

1. PBL is a multidisciplinary pedagogical approach providing meaningful learning opportunities.

While project-based learning can certainly be content-specific, it provides a vehicle for integrating multiple subjects into one cumulative project. PBL encourages students to make meaningful connections across content areas, rather than thinking about each subject area in isolation.

For example, four teachers from four different classrooms at Huntington Middle School (PA) used their individual strengths in a rotational, project-based model to teach middle school students how to apply STEM to real-world situations. The team included a technology teacher, a library media specialist, a math teacher, and a science teacher who split the students into four classes and rotated them every three days. During the nine-week project, students were tasked to use STEM and ELA skills to create their own artificial islands. They used knowledge from all four teachers to finish the multifaceted, cross-curricular project and presented it to their classmates. Hear the benefits of this model in a free webinar here .

2. PBL helps build 21st-century skills students need to succeed.

As educators, it is essential to prepare our students to meet the demands of today’s changing global society. With increased engagement, PBL encourages a deeper understanding of the content which develops critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity, also known as the Four Cs of 21st-century learning . These skills are required for college, work, and life beyond school.

Dr. David Reese is a strong supporter of PBL in education, “When working with educators, I often find educators see the final product of the project as the learning. This may be partially correct, but my belief is that process is how we provide students with opportunities to reach high levels of Bloom’s taxonomy and utilize important 21st-century skills.” Opportunity-based projects go beyond the content and truly prepare students for the modern workforce .

3. PBL provides opportunities to engage students in real-world learning.

PBL is arguably the greatest opportunity to engage students in authentic projects or performance tasks tied to real-world careers and experiences. Bob Johnson, a 9th-12th grade forensics, environmental science, earth science, and physical science teacher in Stamford, CT asked his students to be dietitians, to create individualized health plans for a colony of 20 adults. They researched metabolic rates, estimated calorie consumption, and the food pyramid to create a supply list and a plan to feed everyone. ( View the performance task here ).

At Diamond Springs Elementary School in Virginia Beach, VA, 1st-grade teacher Amber  Bush used the Reporter performance task to help students discover what growing up was like for adults in their life. Fourth graders in Paul Karlovic's classroom studied earthquakes through the lens of an emergency services coordinator . They had to determine how to make the city safer during an earthquake by recommending different materials and presenting new ideas. These examples, plus many more , show how real-world tasks give students a deeper understanding of concepts through relevant and authentic learning experiences.

4. PBL can be implemented in person or in remote learning environments.

Project-based education follows a flexible, differentiated model where students have the freedom to work independently or collaborate either in person or virtually. Performance tasks work well especially when students do not all have access to the same materials. Rachelle Dene, a Spanish and STEAM teacher at Riverview Junior-Senior High School in Oakmont, PA, said “PBL has been a good option for students to explore their own interests. It can also be a good opportunity to engage families in learning together. It provides valuable learning experiences for students in a variety of grade levels and helps students develop future-ready skills.” 

A quick Internet search brings up many additional ideas and examples of ways to present content virtually. For example, record your presentations, use other videos, post online readings, and other resources, establish small, online study teams, and so on. Kids will also need ways to respond virtually and regularly communicate with you and one another online. Remote learning makes it simple to promote student choice, foster the development of digital citizenship skills, and extend learning to meet students’ interests and needs. Here are 5 ways Defined Learning can facilitate remote learning . 

For information on getting started with PBL, check out these articles written by educators who are passionate about engaging their students in PBL. 

• Getting Started with Project-Based Learning
• Tips to Help You Plan Project-Based Lessons
• 3 Ways to Prepare Educators to Teach PBL

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Successful Project-Based Learning

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• Course Design
• Experiential Learning

P roject-based classroom exercises—particularly ones that involve embedding students within organizations—are an excellent way for instructors to enhance students’ learning experiences. Classes that incorporate real-world, experiential projects not only foster lifelong learning, but also appeal to students and help them identify interesting career paths. Students also get to practice soft skills such as networking and teamwork along with technical skills such as analytical thinking and budgeting.

For faculty members, however, implementing project-based learning can be challenging—it often requires instructors to reformat their courses and play a large, hands-on role in overseeing student projects. Research confirms that under the right conditions project-based learning, although sometimes difficult to implement, can improve student learning.

Through my years of experience working with faculty and seeing experiential classes in action, I believe there are five best practices to alleviate these common challenges and help instructors facilitate course development, delivery, and the search for useful student resources.

1. Find the Right Projects

Matching students’ preferences and skill sets with an organization’s business challenges is critical. If interests are not aligned with actual business challenges, the student-client interactions will be less than satisfying. When it’s time to recruit clients to participate in course projects, there are two options:

Option 1: Faculty, school departments, alumni, donors, or project mentors identify clients and define projects prior to the academic term. Students review the portfolio of available projects and create their own teams, or teams are assigned based on their expressed preferences.

Option 2: Student teams identify the client. With faculty and project mentor support, they then define the project. Faculty members review the teams’ final project definitions (early in the term) to ensure they meet the criteria for applying relevant conceptual models and frameworks.

Faculty members should use the same option and project definition document for the entire class. If the project definition is different for teams, faculty will find it difficult to compare the project complexity across teams.

Acquiring the best projects depends on timing and how much support faculty members receive. For option 1, alumni, development offices, and project mentors can connect with organizations and promote participation. For instance, alumni might tap their personal networks to solicit client projects.

Option 2 depends on students’ networks and on project mentors’ contacts. It requires more time during the academic term because students must seek their client either the week before or during the first week of the term.

“The value of experiential learning is extensive and remains with students long after they graduate.”

2. Enlist Project Mentors

Mentors are essential for project-based courses. They can help manage the project process and ensure consistent outcomes for students and clients in three ways:

Student experience. Mentors can increase student learning outcomes by transferring knowledge—such as industry-specific terminology—and experience—such as insight into analyzing a problem.

Client experience.  Mentors often resolve team issues and inquiries, such as when or how often it is appropriate to reach out to a client. A positive client experience leads to the organization’s continued participation.

Faculty experience.  Because mentors focus on project management and student/client interactions, they free faculty members to focus on the course’s core content, such as conceptual frameworks, lectures, and case discussions.

Faculty and/or school administrators identify the project mentors. The process is straightforward and requires a short interview with potential mentors. Alumni are often ideal mentors. The skill set required to succeed as a mentor includes the following:

Several years of experience in functional and management roles, including relevant corporate and/or line experience.

Consulting experience. Depending on the project, this might be specific to an industry or function.

Enthusiasm and willingness to engage. This includes attending the lecture sessions, which often have a team meeting before or after class. A regularly scheduled team meeting is also important.

Project mentors may volunteer or receive an honorarium.

3. Remember the Foundations

What differentiates project-based courses from conventional classes is how they integrate theory and application. Although they impart conceptual frameworks, they do so actively by helping students learn how to address real clients’ business challenges, such as how a distributor might optimize its supply chain. However, it’s important not to lose the theory or lessons behind the activity, and it’s even more critical that lectures and assignments are applied to the project at the right time.

To achieve this objective, lectures, guest speakers, and case discussions—including, if possible, at least one live case discussion that involves individuals from a current client—should be introduced in the early stages of the project. If taught in a traditional course setting (i.e., face-to-face meetings), the best format combines synchronous and asynchronous elements. Teams meet for a designated period during selected face-to-face class times and have asynchronous project meetings. Faculty members should meet teams three times to ensure they are applying conceptual models appropriately and to detect any team issues, such as excessive relationship conflicts or inappropriate conduct. The project component of the course is typically at least 50% of the final grade.

In specifying the learning objectives for their course, faculty members should include appropriate action-based skills. Such skills could include the following:

Communication. Interpersonal, listening, giving and receiving feedback, group problem solving, managing conflict, and negotiation.

Client relationship management skills. Setting clear expectations, creating clear deliverables, building rapport, and showing value.

Presentation skills. Oral, visual, and written.

Project management. Effective meetings, work distribution, and the ability to hit deadlines.

“If interests are not aligned with actual business challenges, the student-client interactions will be less than satisfying.”

4. Create Successful Teams

It can be trying work to put the right teams together within your class, and there will undoubtedly be some student objections. Fundamentally, there are three ways to create teams:

Faculty-created

Student-created

System-generated

For faculty- and student-created teams, students can post 1–2 sentences about their background (e.g., their academic major and work experience) and interests on a discussion board. Faculty members or students read the posts and create teams based on skill sets.

In both cases, there may be objections from students, and faculty or project coaches will have to assist with team issues. To help alleviate issues in faculty-created teams, consider allowing students to request one person they want to work with and note one person they do not during the preference process.

Most learning management systems (LMSs) can also generate teams. While this process typically involves random assignment, it often simulates what happens when an organization hires someone and assigns them to a team. Typically, the LMS will release available project descriptions and students register their interest in each project. The system then randomly assigns students to one of their top ranked projects. This process is the most objective of the three and therefore is usually met with fewer objections from students. It’s also the least labor intensive for faculty.

5. Arm Your Students for Success

Be sure to provide your students with the resources they’ll need to succeed with their projects. These resources can include project management guidance and internal/external information sources.

RECOMMENDED STUDENT RESOURCES

Consider offering the following resources to help students with their projects:

A Project Management Methodology

HBR Guide to Project Management

HBR 20-Minute Manager Series

When it comes to conducting project research, many students are unaware of the breadth of their institution’s library databases. For example, many schools and universities have guides that specify databases by specialization and often grant alumni access to these databases, giving students another resource after graduation.

In addition, participating companies should be responsible for providing relevant company information to their teams. Such information might include data about financials, sales and marketing, distribution, customer (existing and potential) profiles, market share, and competitive profiles, as well as access to customer contacts and subject matter experts. Student teams should sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to protect this information and ensure companies are comfortable sharing their data.

Why Projects Matter

The value of experiential learning is extensive and remains with students long after they graduate. A unique and valuable resume builder, these experiences also leave students with client recommendations and prepare them to be more productive throughout their careers. As educators, we should be committed to providing our students with this type of learning.

While project-based learning can be challenging for first-time faculty, students find it rewarding. The best practices outlined here highlight resources, a course structure, and decision points. When followed, these practices reduce the challenge and help faculty create successful learning outcomes.

Terri C. Albert is the founder and CEO of Fresh Set of Eyes, LLC. Her experience includes leading experiential learning programs with recognized business schools (Chicago Booth, Kellogg, NYU Stern). Leveraging her blended background from corporate, consulting, and academia, Albert cocreated a project-based model for experiential learning, which GE adopted for its edgelab incubator that launched over 80 percent of the project recommendations across 10 years.

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Project-Based Learning in Higher Education

• First Online: 15 July 2021

Cite this chapter

• Alenka Žerovnik 8 &
• Irena Nančovska Šerbec 8  

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Educational Technology ((LNET))

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Many Higher Education Institutions are implementing Project-based Learning (PBL) as a part of their curriculum. As there are a lot of different definitions and perceptions of PBL, we first define it. We analyze the main reasons for implementing PBL in higher education curriculum. Further on we discuss the phases of PBL implementation and its pedagogical values. For successful PBL implementation teachers need to follow essential project design elements: starting with challenging problem or question designed by the student or group of students, enabling time for sustained inquiry where students can ask, explore, search and engage materials in meaningful way, encouraging authenticity, giving students voice and choice in designing their project, encouraging reflection during and at the end of the process of PBL, critiquing and revisioning through feedback for project improvements and finally making the product of PBL public. Considering that PBL is happening in a technology-rich environment, we explore options to support learning by technology, so we describe Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition (SAMR), Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), Technology Integration Matrix (TIM) and DIGCOMP. We distinguish between PBL and doing small projects and highlight the pedagogical value of PBL as framework for collaborative and/or interdisciplinary teaching and learning. We conclude the chapter with assessment methodology in PBL settings and examples of successful implementations of PBL in higher education curriculum from our own practice.

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Žerovnik, A., Nančovska Šerbec, I. (2021). Project-Based Learning in Higher Education. In: Vaz de Carvalho, C., Bauters, M. (eds) Technology Supported Active Learning. Lecture Notes in Educational Technology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2082-9_3

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Implementing the Project Approach in an Inclusive Classroom: A Teacher’s First Attempt With Project-Based Learning (Voices)

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Thoughts on the Article | Barbara A. Henderson,  Voices  Executive Editor

Stacey Alfonso was teaching in an inclusion preschool in New York City, serving children with a range of special learning and developmental differences when she conducted this research. As she strove to embrace the child-centered inquiry that is at the heart of the project approach, she struggled with general expectations within her school culture that curriculum and instruction be teacher directed instead of cocreated with the children. Her teacher research makes a valuable contribution to the literature because she provides clear and believable examples of how the project approach worked for the children with special needs and examples of the challenges she faced due to the newness of her approach, her lack of mentors, and the varied learning strengths of the children. Stacey is especially effective in communicating the voices and work products of the children, showing how they are fully capable and eager to undertake inquiry and direct their own learning. Her trust in the children and her joy at their discoveries provided a turning point in her career that informs her current teaching in a forest school.

One of the biggest challenges I faced during my years teaching in an inclusive prekindergarten classroom was differentiating instruction. I was constantly searching for methods to engage all children because their wide range of abilities and needs required me to offer varied outlets for learning. My school held to a theme-based curriculum with a strong backbone of structure that guided classroom activities and children’s learning. I held to this approach as well, until, as I gained experience as an educator and learned more about child development, I began to question what I was doing and to seek alternative methods.

I wanted the children in my classroom to be motivated, authentically engaged, and excited to learn. I wanted them to take hold of their learning and drive their own experiences. The children were learning; still, I felt that their experiences should be more personal than I had been able to provide using a teacher-derived curriculum. I thought this could be best accomplished in an open-ended environment where children are free to explore and follow their interests. But how could this be done within my school’s current approach? I found my answer when I discovered the project approach.

The literature I read presented a pedagogy that would motivate and engage children with a diverse range of abilities, allowing them the freedom to explore their own interests, yet still provide enough structure to fit into my school’s current culture (Harris & Gleim 2008; Beneke & Ostrosky 2009; Katz, Chard, & Kogen 2014). My research question for this study was, How can I implement the project approach in my inclusive classroom in a preschool that has a history of structured, teacher-driven curriculum?

Review of literature

John Dewey was among the first to suggest that an ideal way for children to learn is by planning their own activities and implementing those plans, thereby providing opportunities for multilevel instruction, cooperative learning, peer support, and individualized learning (Harris & Gleim 2008). Today, many teachers find that project-based learning meets Dewey’s goals (Beneke & Ostrosky 2009; Yuen 2009; Brewer 2010). Overall, the project approach is viewed as empowering to children because they are active participants in shaping their own learning (Harris & Gleim 2008; Harte 2010; Helm & Katz 2011)

The project approach: A brief overview

The project approach seemed to be a good fit with my goal of finding a new way to engage and intrinsically motivate the children in my classroom, while meeting a wide range of needs. My research also suggested this approach would produce a well-organized curriculum that was straightforward to implement. The project approach involves children’s in-depth investigation of a worthwhile topic developed through authentic questions (Mitchell et al. 2009; Katz & Chard 2013). The teacher’s role is to support children through their inquiry. Teachers help children become responsible for their work, guide them to document and report their findings, and provide opportunities for choice (Katz & Chard 2013; Katz, Chard, & Kogen 2014).

I was encouraged that the project approach uses a specific three-phase design, because this structure seemed compatible with my school’s culture. During phase one,  selecting a topic , teachers build common experiences by talking with children about their personal experiences to determine interests and helping children articulate specific questions as a topic emerges (Mitchell et al. 2009; Yuen 2010; Helm & Katz 2011; Katz & Chard 2013).

Phase two,  data collection , emphasizes meaningful hands-on experiences. Children are researchers, gaining new information as they collect data to answer their questions. This phase is the bulk of the project investigation and takes place through direct and authentic experiences such as field trips, events, and interviews with visiting experts (Harte 2010; Katz & Chard 2013). Children can also gather data through secondary sources, including books, photos, videos, and websites.

Phase three,  the culminating event , is a time to conclude the experience, usually through a summarizing event or activity (Mitchell et al. 2009). The children’s role continues to be central and the class often holds discussions on what they have learned to create a plan to share their insights (Harte 2010).

Methodology and research design

After reading extensively about the project approach, I felt ready to implement it in my classroom.

Setting and participants

I conducted my study in a small private preschool on the Upper West Side in New York City. The school has a decades-long history in the neighborhood, and families have come to trust and love the educators there. The school’s traditional curricular model of teacher-driven, thematic-based learning is well established and, as far as I know, had not been previously challenged or adapted.

Study participants included 13 pre-K children, my two coteachers, and myself. The children had a diverse range of abilities. Seven children had significant sensory processing issues, two had severe cognitive and language delays, and four had mild language delays and/or mild sensory processing issues. Most children who enroll at the school can attend and participate independently, although some require one-on-one support with a therapist.

Data collection and analysis

Throughout the study, I collected and analyzed data through field notes, a reflective journal, children’s work, and anecdotal records that included photos, videos, and audio recordings. My primary source of data was field notes, which I used to provide a day-to-day recollection of how the project-based curriculum affected the children. The Teacher Notes app on the iPad and iPhone helped me collect and analyze the field notes. I kept project planning journals using a notebook and the Evernote app on my iPad. The software provided me with flexibility because it was accessible via iPad, iPhone, and computer; therefore, I was able to take ample notes and continually reflect upon my plans and implementation.

Helping children understand that they could find answers to their questions made a difference.

I collected work samples from the children—their writing, drawing, and artwork. The samples helped me assess children’s progress, and they became an additional source for documenting the growth in children’s participation throughout the project. Finally, I used videos, audio recordings, and photographs to document children in the process of working.

At least weekly, I read and reflected on my field notes to identify emerging themes. At least twice a week during prep time, I reflected on my Evernote journal to help with planning. Additionally, I continually reviewed and organized children’s work using Teacher Notes and listened to and watched audio and video recordings as they accrued, noting themes such as children using research terms or working independently to find answers to their questions.

Organizing and maintaining this ongoing analysis helped tremendously with my summative data analysis. Using Teacher Notes ,  I pulled up applicable field notes and data sources in many different arrangements. I then printed and sorted the notes by hand, which provided me with a means of discovering the themes that best captured the scope of my findings.

As I had hoped, I saw the children happily engaged and enthusiastic about learning as we developed our project—a study of the neighborhood. However, the journey also came with challenges and surprises not recorded in the literature I had reviewed. My findings are organized into three themes: (1) children as researchers, (2) learning and growing through research, and (3) challenges with the culminating event.

Children as researchers

To allow the children to get to know their new school and to provide some practice with research skills, we began the school year with a mini teacher-initiated project about the school before starting our child-initiated project. My coteachers and I introduced the words  research  and  investigate . Soon, the children adopted this new vocabulary. For example, a question about our school kitchen led a child to excitedly report, “I investigated the kitchen, and I found ice cream!”

The children responded well to my intentional efforts to honor their questions, including those that were not directly related to the project content. For example, shortly after starting our neighborhood project, a group was working on a craft using glue sticks. One girl asked, “Why are there lines on this glue stick?” I took her question seriously and responded, “I don’t know, let’s find out.” She was completely engaged from that moment, and we made a plan to research her question. We decided to open her glue stick and look inside. She hadn’t expected me to embrace her question, much less suggest a firsthand experience of discovery in which I allowed the destruction of the glue stick to honor her curiosity.

After a couple weeks, I found that children started to use the research vocabulary and inquiry approaches more independently. For example, we read a book and then discussed the similarities and differences between our neighborhood and the one in the story. One girl stated, “We don’t have a Laundromat, I think. We don’t have it here because my mommy does it at home.” Another girl disagreed. Then a third child said, “We can take a walk and look.” I was elated to find the children’s independent conversations included a foundation of inquiry. The emphasis we had placed on helping children understand that they themselves could find answers to their questions had already made a difference.

In addition to finding answers from firsthand experience, the children learned that they could find answers from books. They initially needed guidance and leading questions to help them locate secondary sources, but their abilities developed over time. For example, the children wondered what vehicles were in the neighborhood. So in mid-September, a group of children sat in a park and tallied vehicles, including cars, taxis, buses, bicycles, trucks, and ambulances. Upon returning from this research endeavor, a child wanted to build a bus from clay. Without teacher prompting, a friend went to the bookshelf to get a book that depicted a bus. They looked at the book together to understand the parts of a bus and then recreated them with clay. This shift was important, as it was becoming clear that children were conducting a form of research and doing so independently. Indeed, beginning in September, research had already become an important part of our classroom, and the children’s skills and range of approaches grew throughout the fall. 

Learning and growing through research

One instance in which this inquiry was evident occurred when two girls independently extended an activity to create a large drawing of our neighborhood. The children’s initial goal was to determine whether the neighborhood contained things like signs, fire hydrants, specific businesses, and trees, and we were able to verify those questions on one of our walks. After the walk, the class collectively summarized what we had found by completing our previously created checklist. When I made the list available so the children could add drawings of things they had seen on our walk that were not included on their list, the two girls took this activity to the next level. They began making little drawings on the chart, and then, realizing they were going for something bigger, they turned the paper over to “draw our neighborhood.”

Another example came from the children’s growing interest in the metal scaffolding they observed around buildings. After an earlier walk during which we saw a building surrounded with scaffolding, one boy returned to the classroom and enthusiastically drew a picture of the “worker building.” On our next walk, we paid close attention to the scaffolding and encouraged the children to touch and explore it closely. The next day, the same child who had drawn the worker building created buildings with scaffolding all around themin the block area. He talked with a peer as they built collaboratively, and they both incorporated the new word  scaffolding  correctly. They balanced the blocks and talked about symmetry as they completed their structure. Weeks later, when we discussed how to make a model of our neighborhood for our culminating event to showcase what we had learned, the children noted that we would need scaffolding because “we have a lot of it.”

I found that the active, hands-on experiences common to the project approach also helped some children stay on task. One child had a great deal of enthusiasm and eagerness to participate, but it was challenging for him to contribute successfully and stay focused in the classroom. This boy loved our research walks through the neighborhood; he was able to stay on topic as we discussed the buildings while he was touching and looking at them. For example, he made many on-topic contributions to conversations as we peered into store windows. Later, he was even able to produce a drawing of the school, saying, “This is our school. There is a top and a door and a window.” The drawing was one of the most detailed he had ever created, and he completed it right after we had investigated the building in which our school is located.

Challenges with the culminating event

Throughout our study, the children showed excitement as we went on our research walks, and they were consistently focused and serious when working in the classroom. It became clear, however, that we should begin to wrap up the neighborhood study when, in late October, the children’s interests shifted toward leaves and a nearby field where they could run through the accumulating piles. They were less excited about investigating our neighborhood, and I knew that to keep true to the project approach, we needed to conclude our study and share what the class had collectively learned (phase three). However, the culminating event presented some major difficulties I had not anticipated.

When I suggested to the children that we conclude our project, they showed little to no interest. Forging onward, I began a class discussion by saying, “We learned so much about our neighborhood, it would be wonderful to share this with the other class, the administration, and even your parents.” When I asked for ideas, I received a carpet full of blank stares. One girl responded, “I don’t know.” When I mentioned that parents would love to learn what we had been doing, another child responded by talking about his family. Finally, after much teacher prompting, we decided to build a model of our neighborhood and have the children’s families come in to see it.

The next day I held a short planning meeting with the children to figure out how we could build our neighborhood. I brought out materials for them to consider, including pipe cleaners, paper plates, straws, streamers, boxes, and drawing materials. I hoped that the variety would give them something concrete to work with to ignite their ideas, but the lesson felt forced, and the children were not authentically engaged. One child said, “We need a lot of buildings,” yet could not generate suggestions for how to make them. A girl noted we needed to make bicycles, which we had seen and talked about during discussions about vehicles in the neighborhood. When I asked her how we should make them, she said that we should draw them, and this then became her default response for how we should represent all aspects of the neighborhood. It was also hard for the children to focus on the idea of the culminating plan. For example, one boy spoke only about the dinosaur bones we had seen at the American Museum of Natural History.

Later in the week, I began working one-on-one and in small groups with the children to expand on and execute some of their admittedly sketchy plans for our neighborhood display. One boy told us we needed trees in the neighborhood. After talking one-on-one about trees, we made a plan to create trees by using paper towel rolls for the trunks and tissue paper for the leaves. With support, he was able to successfully and proudly participate in constructing the trees.

Working mostly in small groups throughout the week, we ended up with a complete and attractive neighborhood model built inside one of the sensory tables. Our end product was nice, but the process was not authentic because it required so much teacher direction.

According to project approach literature, the culmination is a time for the children to be creative and involved in the planning process (Harte 2010; Katz & Chard 2013). I had read about many successful culminating events, so why was the conclusion of the project so difficult for us? Perhaps I had waited too long. By the time I realized we should plan our culminating activity, the children’s interest in the neighborhood project had already faded. Maybe the idea of a culminating event was too abstract for this group, particularly since I was the first in the school to try the project approach. We were without examples—either as displays or as events that the children might have experienced. Although my underlying assumption is that these children are competent and capable, I wondered how the mix of children’s abilities in this inclusion class might have made the student-initiated planning of a coordinated final event harder than I expected.

Ultimately, I realized that they had accomplished many complex tasks during the project. Between the group of children I taught that year, myself as a novice with the project approach, and whatever other factors played into our difficulty at the end of the project, the planning and execution of the project’s culmination was challenging and a bit frustrating.

Discussion and recommendations

This teacher research study provides an example of a teacher attempting the project approach independently in a small pre-K inclusion setting, without formal training or support. I faced some resistance from the administration and doubt from colleagues because they were unsure whether this approach would be appropriate for some of the children with special needs in our care. The experience revealed to me that moving from a completely teacher-derived curriculum to an emergent curriculum such as the project approach is a big shift. The project approach can be very engaging for children, but it would have been helpful to have a mentor guide me through the difficulties and questions I faced.

Most of my experiences mirrored what I had come to understand about the topic. As the literature suggests (Beneke & Ostrosky 2009; Yuen 2009; Harte 2010), I saw the children get excited about learning, based on questions they were asking and topics that interested them. Also in line with the literature, the children showed strong motivation to conduct their own investigations to find answers. Further, I felt the project was an empowering experience for the children. When we used the children’s questions to ignite a study, or when we simply followed through on their questions and helped them find answers, they felt respected and proud. The children now know they have the power to find answers and conduct research. They know that not just teachers and other adults can answer real questions; they can, too.

Beneke, S., & M.M. Ostrosky. 2009. “Teachers’ Views of the Efficacy of Incorporating the Project Approach Into Classroom Practice With Diverse Learners.”  Early Childhood Research & Practice 11 (1).

Brewer, R.A. 2010. “The Canada Goose Project: A First Project With Children Under 3.”  Early Childhood Research & Practice  12 (1).

Harris, K.I., & L. Gleim. 2008. “The Light Fantastic: Making Learning Visible for All Children Through the Project Approach.”  Young Exceptional Children  11 (3): 27–40.

Harte, H.A. 2010. “The Project Approach: A Strategy for Inclusive Classrooms.”  Young Exceptional Children  13 (3): 15–27.

Helm, J.H., & L.G. Katz. 2011.  Young Investigators: The Project Approach in the Early Years.  2nd ed. Early Childhood Education Series. New York: Teachers College Press; Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Katz, L.G., & S.C. Chard. 2013. “The Project Approach: An Overview.” In  Approaches to Early Childhood Education , 6th ed., eds. J. Roopnarine & J.E. Johnson, 268–84. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Katz, L.G., S.C. Chard, & Y. Kogen. 2014.  Engaging Children’s Minds: The Project Approach . 3rd ed. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.

Mitchell, S., T.S. Foulger, K. Wetzel, & C. Rathkey. 2009. “The Negotiated Project Approach: Project-Based Learning Without Leaving the Standards Behind.”  Early Childhood   Education Journal  36 (4): 339–46.

Yuen, L.H. 2009. “From Foot to Shoes: Kindergartners’, Families’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of the Project Approach.”  Early Childhood Education Journal  37 (1): 23–33.

Yuen, L.H. 2010. “A Valuable Experience for Children: The Dim Sum and Chinese Restaurant Project.”  Early Childhood Research & Practice  12 (1): 23–31.

Voices of Practitioners: Teacher Research in Early Childhood Education , NAEYC’s online journal, is a vehicle for publishing teacher research.

Visit NAEYC.org/publications/vop to learn more about teacher research and to peruse an archive of Voice of Practitioners articles.

Photographs: 1 © iStock; 2, 3, courtesy of the author

Stacey Alfonso, MSEd, is a lead teacher at Fiddleheads Forest School, a completely outdoor nature-based preschool program in Seattle, Washington. Stacey continues to search for inquiry-based methods to teach young children and help them develop a love for learning.

Vol. 72, No. 1

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Call for Proposals: Revitalizing STEM education to equip next generations with STEM Competency (Extended deadline: 12 May 2024)

The 15-month project aims to create innovative educational solutions, to increase institutional and professional capabilities, and share knowledge and best practices at both regional and global levels. The project will identify innovative proposals composed of STEM Research Activities and STEM Educational Activities presented by applicant teams. After 6 months of implementation, project teams will be invited to co-create and consolidate results to co-develop a STEM education knowledge hub and a regional inventory of STEM educational resources.

A supervisory board will select up to 5 promising proposals. Project proposals will need to consider national and local STEM educational landscapes and coordinate with relevant stakeholders. Selected teams will receive funding from the project of a total of up to 26,000 USD to implement their innovative STEM education projects within a 6-month period. 

The selected project teams will have the opportunity to share results, best practices, methodologies, and lessons learnt. The generated knowledge will then be scaled up within and across the region.

Each proposal will include both STEM Research Activities and STEM Educational Activities, whose implementation will be executed by project teams in close collaboration with UNESCO.

For STEM Research Activities , the research should focus on one of the following domains:

• Correlation between investments in STEM and educational outcomes
• Female participation in STEM education
• Flexible teaching and learning models and inclusive approaches
• Technologies development and application in STEM education in schools
• Effectiveness of the educational system to deliver STEM education
• National ecosystems and policies for STEM education

For STEM Educational Activities , the activities should relate to one of the following modalities:

• STEM teaching and learning activities for students
• Strengthening teacher development and inclusive STEM pedagogies

Educational agencies, universities, research agencies, independent experts, NGOs, and schools from UNESCO Member States in Europe  (with a priority focus on South-East Europe and the Mediterranean) are all eligible applicants. 

Interested applicants are requested to submit all documents to [email protected] by 12 May 2024 by 23:59 (CET). Applicants may direct questions related to the preparation of the application to the same email address.

For more details on the selection criteria and supporting documents, please download the attached “Call for Proposals” and “Application Form”.

Related items

• Natural sciences
• Basic sciences
• Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
• Region: Europe and North America
• SDG: SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
• SDG: SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
• See more add

This article is related to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals .

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Article Call for written proposals for a work assignment with UNESCO Office in Dar es Salaam 23 April 2024

Technology education program wants to bring out the geniuses in Chicago's young Black men

CHICAGO (CBS) – A national program with roots in Chicago is helping bridge the gap in the technology divide and encourage self-esteem.

Some say there's a hidden genius in all of us. A program, that teaches technology, entrepreneurship and more is helping young Black men in Chicago and around the country find the genius blossoming in them.

It's aptly called The Hidden Genius Project.

The energy was unmistakable. There was genius in the room.

The Hidden Genius Project is helping young men to be their best selves while learning all things tech.

"The Hidden Genius Project trains and mentors Black male youth in technology creation, entrepreneurship and leadership skills to transform their lives and their communities," said Eric Steen the Chicago site director for the program. "We have a 15-month immersion program where our young men obtain over 800 hours of computer science training."

"I love coding. I like how to learn about background of how to make websites, and learn more about how to create it," said Samir Donnejour, a high school sophomore. "I really like how this place has given me opportunities to learn more about it."

On the day CBS 2 visited the program, the geniuses were using coding skills they learned over the summer to create real-life games.

"We put them on teams and make them strategize on how to beat the other team," Steen said. "We put them in obstacle races against other teams, and that allows them to kinda start working together."

Even beyond learning how to work together, the exercise is about brotherhood.

"We know it just doesn't end with the Hidden Genius Project," Steen said. "They become brothers for life."

He added, "I think often times, our young men only have the opportunity to really build that brotherhood when they're playing sports. We wanted to make sure they had the opportunity to build it somewhere else, because they wanted to better themselves. They want to create things for the future."

Speaking of creating a future, Yusuf Seward started in the program as an intern. They liked him so much that now, at age 18, he's the project's innovative educator, taking geniuses through leadership and coding exercises.

"It's teaching them how to use tech in their daily lives to better the communities around them," Seward said. He added, "Just from being here in the time that when some of our geniuses started to where they are now, I can see such a huge difference in their personalities, their maturity and what they know."

Take 16-year-old Zuri, who sees coding, computers, and applied chemistry in his future. He's getting a good start on it all at The Hidden Genius Project.

"The feeling of making something that's unique to you is something that I relate to," Yuri said.

Support services manager Candace Kyles' job is to relate to the geniuses. She's their "go-to" for social and emotional support.

"My job is to make sure that if there's any services they need, whether it's tutoring or mental health services, academic services, that they're getting that," Kyles said. "If they know we care, then they'll come and they'll share big moments with us and they'll share small moments with us, but they always know that someone is one their side."

And that caring creates opportunities in tech, an area where Black people are still underrepresented.

"At the end of the day, we want our boys to have an opportunity. We want them to have access to technology and we want them to feel the love that we know that they deserve," said Steen. "We know that each one of them has a genius deep inside of them and we know that it takes a community to help bring that genius out, and we want to provide that community for them so they can reach their ultimate height."

The Hidden Genius Project is part of a national effort and has divisions in Chicago, Los Angeles and Detroit, among other cities. There are also programs for girls, men and women. They just ask that participants bring their curiosity.

For more information on The Hidden Genius Project, visit their website, hiddengeniusproject.org .

• Our Mission

PBL for Pre-K Through Second Grade

Very young students can benefit from project-based learning, as these detailed steps for a project conducted by preschool students demonstrate.

Observation, exploration, and discovery are three main skills that young children (kindergarten to second grade) generally develop when they interact with their surroundings. Some children prefer to take time to observe the environment before moving around to explore, while others choose to immediately start actively discovering the wonders within the environment. Nurturing an environment that ignites curiosity and facilitates exploration, therefore, is paramount.

Early-years educators who work with children 2 to 7 years old play a pivotal role in laying the foundation for lifelong learning by creating spaces where children can freely explore their diverse interests and learn how to expand explorations and inquiries into meaningful in-depth projects. 

In this post, I share a project I developed for a pre-K class with 3-year-olds that offers clear examples of each step and process feature. The project began when a boy became fascinated by the sound that came out of a bottle when he blew into it. He shared his findings with his peers, and the Sounds Exploration project began.  

Creating an Environment for Exploration

The environments where young children interact become learning spaces and serve as educators, generating dialogue between children and/or between each child and the environment, developing processes of inquiry, reflection, observation, and active listening. What should these spaces be like? 

Versatility: Design flexible learning environments that allow spontaneous exploration and discovery in different areas and disciplines. Incorporate adaptable learning materials to accommodate diverse interests and activities. Equip your classroom with a rich variety of resources, including books, art supplies, natural materials, and sensory experiences. Allow children to access natural open spaces that offer enough room for free exploration.  

In the example of the Sounds Exploration project, the teacher offered different materials and contexts for the learners to make and identify sounds, both outside and indoors. In the open air, the teacher helped learners focus on sounds by inviting them to close their eyes and name the sounds they could hear. This takes some time and guidance to help learners to listen beyond the sounds in the foreground and pay attention to those in the background. The learners were then made aware of the sounds they made by walking on different surfaces—like pebbles, grass, and mud—and the sounds they made with sticks or by hitting the water. Outdoors contexts are full of discovery possibilities. 

Indoors, the children used materials such as plastic tops, foil, plastic, cellophane, construction paper, and cardboard to make sounds. Wood blocks, musical instruments, and toys (cars, trucks, dolls, balls, construction blocks) are also an option, as are the different surfaces (floor, carpets, tables) in the classroom. 

In both environments, the children had guidance to help them discover more about the sounds they produced. This connects with the next point.

Curiosity: Encourage a culture of inquiry by posing open-ended questions, stimulating wonder, and inviting children to explore topics of interest. Offer provocations and invitations to learning that spark curiosity and prompt further investigation. 

Collaboration: Facilitate opportunities for children to explore together, interact, learn from one another, and question their findings. 

Interacting with children during exploration periods

The most successful interactions a teacher can carry out in the period of inquiry are those that don’t have a single answer but allow for different responses. The children’s answers will likely be the result of the connections they make with themselves, their previous knowledge, their interaction with their peers, and the context in which they’re interacting.

As a consequence, the teacher has an opportunity to develop and model an attitude of listening and of inquiry into the children’s responses and the construction of their learning. 

For example, related to the Sounds project, the teacher might ask the following questions: 

• “How do you do it? Can you teach me?”
• “This sound... what does it remind you of?” 
• ”What other sounds can we make?”
•  ”What causes sound to be produced?”
•  ”What can we use this sound for?”

Engage in active observation: Observe children closely as they play: as they interact with each other, the decisions they make, and how they choose to communicate their feelings, emotions, thoughts. Pay attention to their interests, preferences, and inquiries.

Listen actively: Listen to the children’s conversations when you ask open-ended questions to stimulate their thinking and foster reflection and critical thinking. Encourage them to communicate their ideas and their thoughts, share observations, and voice their desire to know. 

Let the children express freely: Let them show you their willingness to deepen their knowledge. Follow their interests and curiosity, allowing them to guide the direction of their exploration. Facilitate support and resources based on their inquiries, empowering them to build knowledge and take ownership of their learning journey.

Provide research tools: Offer the children access to age-appropriate tools and materials, including books, digital resources, and hands-on experiences. Support them in navigating these resources independently, fostering self-directed learning skills.

Facilitate tools to document their findings: Provide materials and resources for learners to document their discoveries in various ways: different art forms, notes, oral dialogues, audio/video recordings. 

Transferring exploration into research projects

Children’s active exploration, properly documented, will generate a lot of information and, in turn, will create the possibility of continuing work on a specific project.

In the example of the Sounds Exploration project, the learners were invited to use the sounds they had collected, identified, and documented to make a Sound Story from a well-known story they usually read in class and enjoyed. The guiding question was this: How can the learners in this class turn [the name of the story] into a sound story?

Assist project planning: Guide children in planning and organizing their research project, and deconstruct the process into manageable steps. Help them create research questions, collect information, and develop a short-term plan of action. 

Analyze the data collected: Facilitate understanding of the findings and guide the children to become aware of which subject area they’re willing to learn more about. 

Ignite Intrinsic motivation: Provide steps for the learners to become aware of  what they already know about the specific topic in that subject area and what more they want to know, and guide them in finding where they can collect the information they’re looking for. 

Foster reflection: Promote reflection throughout the research process. Provide opportunities for children to share their findings with peers and reflect on their learning experiences and strategies.

Research projects enable teachers to empower children to make choices and decisions about their learning journey when they have a range of options and opportunities to explore their interests authentically. In addition, research projects foster collaboration and peer learning by encouraging children to work together and share what they’ve learned. 

It’s important to recognize and celebrate children’s achievements and contributions throughout the research process. Create opportunities for them to showcase their work, share their findings with others, and receive feedback and praise .

In essence, by creating an environment that nurtures exploration, supporting children during their inquiries, and empowering them to take on leadership roles in their learning, early years educators can lay the groundwork for a lifetime of curiosity, discovery, and success.

New Texas school readiness data shows child care, pre-K gaps. What are proposed solutions?

New data outlining gaps in critical areas of school readiness for Texas’ young children, and policy recommendations to mend them, were released by Texans Care for Children on Wednesday. And there’s work to be done, according to early childhood advocates.

Enriching early learning experiences are one of four categories highlighted through the Texas School Readiness Dashboard alongside sufficient household resources, positive family-child interactions and good health and development. The dashboard designed to inform policymakers, parents and community members gives insights specific to Texas’ early learning spaces, including Early Head Start, Head Start, private child care and public pre-K enrollment. Research and experts say children who enroll in these various types of programs are more likely to succeed in kindergarten and to have a stronger foundation to build upon for the rest of their educational careers.

“The data clearly show that Texas leaders have more work to do to support children during the critical period of brain development from birth to age 5 so they are ready to shine when they start school,” said Chelsea Cornelius, director of research and evaluation at Texans Care for Children. “Texas policymakers will need to address children’s health insurance, access to high-quality child care, and other early childhood policy priorities to ensure that children are prepared for school. We’re also pleased to see that the Legislature made progress last year on some of our previous recommendations, such as extending postpartum health coverage.”

Although public pre-K and child care accounts for the largest share of young Texas children, enrollment and access to both spaces is limited due to factors such as eligibility requirements in public pre-K and high tuition costs at private child care facilities.

“(Public pre-K) is primarily available to children from households with low incomes and children designated as emergent bilingual. Yet approximately 57,000 eligible 4-year-olds and about 225,000 eligible 3-year-olds are not enrolled in public pre-K, according to the Texas Education Agency,” the dashboard states.

This is despite Texas serving more than 240,000 3- and 4-year-old students — the highest number of pre-K students nationwide. Emergent bilingual students represent 21% of the overall population in Texas public schools and include those whose primary language is not English but are in the process of learning it.

The enrollment gap can be attributed to a few factors.

“Some families simply may not be aware of the option. Other families may choose to keep their children at home, or enroll their children in a child care program or Head Start, because the limited hours of public pre-K (six hours per day) are incompatible with their work schedules, they prefer the model or location offered by a different program, or for other reasons,” according to the dashboard.

The data also touches on Early Head Start and Head Start access, which only reaches 6% and 22% of income-eligible children, respectively. The federally-funded programs provide child development and parent support services for families with children up to age 5 who are at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. Texas ranks 49th in the U.S. for Early Head Start access and 44th for Head Start.

“The effects are particularly strong amongst certain subgroups of children, particularly Hispanic and African-American children, dual language learners, children who are homeless or in foster care, those who qualify for free lunch, and those whose mothers didn’t graduate high school. When disadvantaged children receive high-quality birth-to-five education, such as Early Head Start plus Head Start, the return on investment can be as high as 13% annually,” according to the National Head Start Association .

In terms of private child care, “finding affordable, high-quality child care has been a longstanding challenge for Texas families, a situation that only worsened during the pandemic.”

Child care deserts, or areas with limited access to programs that accept subsidies, are prevalent with 83% of low-income Texas families with children under age 6 living in them, according to a Children at Risk analysis. These families have an income below 200% of the federal poverty level, or an annual income of $60,000 for a family of four. Communities are considered child care deserts if the number of children is at least three times greater than the number of slots available through licensed providers that accept child care subsidies.

The quality aspect of a child care program can be enhanced through the state’s Texas Rising Star program, which offers higher ratings and reimbursements to participating facilities that meet certain standards, such as smaller class sizes and teacher training, that focus on safety, quality and education. More than 9 in 10 children statewide from low-income families live in a quality desert that has limited access to providers both participating in Texas Rising Star and accepting subsidies.

Bethany Edwards, executive director of the Early Learning Alliance, stressed the importance of taking all categories into account when reviewing the dashboard and analyzing the variety of children’s needs that connect to their education.

“There are a lot of these different areas that impact children’s school readiness other than just being in an early learning environment or a child care setting,” she said. “The other aspects around nutrition and family health and maternal health… are equally as important, and quite frankly essential, for the child to be ready.”

Kara Waddell, CEO and president of Child Care Associates, said the dashboard shows how evident it is that improvement is needed to ensure all Texas children have access to enriching early learning experiences, regardless of their background.

“We were proud to see leaders from communities across Texas recently come together at the Momentum Early Learning Summit to align behind two critical aspects of the early learning system —supporting a strong “mixed-delivery” prekindergarten system and bolstering the early educator workforce — both of which were also highlighted as recommendations from the School Readiness Dashboard. We are hopeful that state policymakers will start to lean into what local communities are telling them, as well as what the data are telling them, about the critical need to improve our state’s early learning system,” Waddell said.

The conference was hosted in Fort Worth earlier this month and included a panel discussion with Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Bryan Daniel, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath.

On the Texas School Readiness Dashboard, early childhood experts acknowledged Texas’ recent progress in policymaking within the early learning sphere, such as approving a bill that set the stage for the passage of Proposition 2 — allowing local governments to give property tax exemptions to qualifying child care facilities. It was approved by almost 65% of Texas voters in November.

However, improvement is needed by strengthening classroom quality, improving teacher-child interactions, improving access to high-quality programs for infants and toddlers and bolstering the early childhood workforce, according to the dashboard. Some of the specific policy recommendations in each of these areas includes improving teacher-child ratios in child care and public pre-K, improving reimbursement rates for child care providers that accept subsidies and increasing compensation of child care educators to match those of teachers working in public schools with similar qualifications.

“There is no doubt that the Legislature has more work to do on child care, health care, nutrition, and the other policy areas that are critical to children’s lives, inside and outside the classroom,” said Rep. Diego Bernal, chair of the Texas House Early Childhood Caucus. “Children’s experiences during the first few years of life are the foundation for their futures. The Dashboard confirms that we need a stronger commitment from state leaders to support children during those early years and beyond.”

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