Project-based learning is a comprehensive instructional approach where students collaborate on sustained investigations of real-world problems. It differs from traditional inquiry by emphasizing cooperative learning and student construction of artifacts to represent their learning. Effective project-based learning involves students asking and refining questions, making predictions, designing experiments, analyzing data, drawing conclusions, and communicating their findings. There are two essential components - a driving question that organizes activities into a meaningful project, and culminating products that address the question. Features include using a real-world problem across content areas and giving students opportunities to actively investigate concepts and represent their knowledge.

1. General Overview Of Project-
Based Learning
Understanding The Classroom Setting

2. What Is Project-Based Learning
Project-based learning is a comprehensive instructional
approach to engage students in sustained, cooperative
investigation (Bransford & Stein, 1993). Within its framework
students collaborate, working together to make sense of what is
going on. Project-based instruction differs from inquiry-based
activity by its emphasis on cooperative learning. Inquiry is
traditionally thought of as an individually done, somewhat
isolated activity. Additionally, project-based instruction differs
from traditional inquiry by its emphasis on students' own artifact
construction to represent what is being learned
(Houghton Mifflin, nk)

3. What Is Project-Based Learning
 According to Wiley On-Line (2010) reform efforts in
science education emphasize the importance of supporting
students' construction of knowledge through inquiry. Project-
based science (PBS) is an ambitious approach to science
instruction that addresses concerns of reformers.
 Some studies studies show that students participating in a
PBS curriculum were prepared for this type of testing. Educators
should be encouraged to use inquiry-based approaches such as
PBS to implement reform in their schools (Wiley On-Line
2010).

4. What Is Project-Based Learning
 Cooperative learning is apart of project-based learning.
Studies of the achievement effects of cooperative learning
have taken place in every major subject, at all grade levels,
in all types of schools in many countries.
 A recent national survey (Puma, Jones, Rock, &
Fernandez, 1993) found that 79% of elementary teachers
and 62% of middle school teachers reported making some
sustained use of cooperative learning (Slavin 1995).

5. What Is Project-Based Learning
Students in project-based learning pursue solutions to nontrivial
problems by:
 asking and refining questions
 debating ideas
 making predictions
 designing plans and/or experiments
 collecting and analyzing data
 drawing conclusions
 communicating their ideas and findings to others
 asking new questions
 creating artifacts (Blumenfeld et al., 1991).
Houghton Mufflin, nk

6. What Is Project-Based Learning
There are two essential components of projects:
1. A driving question or problem that serves to organize and
drive activities, which taken as a whole amount to a
meaningful project
2. Culminating product(s) or multiple representations as a series
of artifacts, personal communication (Krajcik), or
consequential task that meaningfully addresses the driving
question. (Brown & Campione, 1994).

7. What Is Project-Based Learning
Houghlin Mufflin (nk) says these are features of project-based
instruction:
 Let's take a closer look at four features that facilitate use of
project-based instruction in K-12 classrooms.
 A "driving question" that is anchored in a real-world
problem and ideally uses multiple content areas
 Opportunities for students to make active investigations that
enable them to learn concepts, apply information, and
represent their knowledge in a variety of ways
 .

8. What Is Project-Based Learning
 List all of the steps used in completing your experiment.
 Remember to number your steps.
 Add photos of your experiments.

9. What Is Project-Based Learning
Issues Raised About Project-Based Learning
 Support is essential. Despite considerable potential,
project-based education is not without problems. The idea
that projects represent learning by doing certainly is not
new (Dewey, 1933; Kilpatrick, 1918).
 However, lessons from the past suggest that without
adequate attention to ways of supporting teachers and
students, these innovative educational approaches will not
be widely adopted. Previous attempts at reform of
curriculum and instruction in the 1960s used "investigative"
and discovery learning as central themes. (Bruner, 1963)

10. What Is Project-Based Learning
Although evidence suggests that such curricula enhanced
student learning and motivation (e.g., Bredderman, 1983),
their adoption and success were not as widespread as desired.
According to Blumenfeld et al. (1991) the reasons for this
included the fact that the projects were developed and
disseminated without sufficient appreciation for the complex
nature of motivation and knowledge required to engage
students in difficult and reflective work.

11. What Is Project-Based Learning
 Questions developed from novice learners are essential.
Moreover, there was little regard for considering questions
from the point of view of students [as novices] versus
question formation from the vantage point of experts.
 Focus on teacher knowledge and classroom
environment is essential. Lastly, little attention was paid
to the nature and extent of teacher knowledge and
commitment to the complexity of classroom organization
Houghlin Mufflin (nk)

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