A FRAMEWORK

FOR HIGH
QUALITY
PROJECT
BASED
LEARNING
 A FRAMEWORK FOR HIGH QUALITY
PROJECT BASED LEARNING
More and more educators around the world, both in and out of the classroom,
believe that Project Based Learning (PBL) is an important instructional approach
that enables students to master academic skills and content knowledge, develop
skills necessary for future success, and build the personal agency needed to tackle
life’s and the world’s challenges. All students, no matter where they live or what
their background, deserve access to high quality Project Based Learning.

At the present time, however, there is a lack of agreement about what goes into
high quality Project Based Learning. Various models and guidelines for PBL have
been created by experts and organizations in recent years. These are typically
written from the perspective of the teacher. The Framework for High Quality
Project Based Learning describes PBL in terms of the student experience and is
intended to provide educators everywhere with a shared basis for designing and
implementing good projects.

The Framework for High Quality Project Based Learning is based on the
accumulated experience, wisdom, and research of hundreds of educators who
have graciously shared their ideas and critique. It describes six criteria, each of
which must be at least minimally present in a project in order for it to be judged
“high quality.” The presence of a criterion, however, is only a beginning. Each
criterion can be judged in turn as to the quality of its implementation. Projects
that are the most memorable, and that have the greatest impact on student
learning and development, will be those with the highest quality implementation
of each criterion.

The presentation of the HQPBL Framework below is intended to stimulate

reflection and conversation about ways that projects can be improved and
deepened. The six criteria were chosen as a necessary starting point for providing
students access to high quality Project Based Learning because they are an
essential baseline, but they are not all-encompassing. Other factors such as
classroom and school culture are important for the effectiveness of PBL, as are
structural conditions such as adequate time for teachers to learn and plan, and
flexible policies for curriculum delivery and assessment. Also important is the
fundamental belief that all students can learn, and that their voices should be
heard in their own education.

The six criteria are:

For more information about Framework

development process, please visit hqpbl.org.
 Students learn deeply, think critically, and strive for excellence.

GUIDING QUESTIONS Projects should not just be “fun

activities” or “hands-on experiences”
To what extent do students: requiring minimal intellectual effort.
ff investigate challenging problems, A high quality project requires
questions, and issues over an students to think critically about a
extended period of time? complex problem, question, or issue
with multiple answers, and then
ff focus on concepts, knowledge,
work on that project over the course
and skills central to subject areas
INTELLECTUAL of days, weeks, and even months.
and intellectual disciplines?
To complete a project successfully,
CHALLENGE AND ff experience research-based students need to learn important
ACCOMPLISHMENT instruction and support as needed academic content, concepts, and
for learning and project success? skills. They should also be challenged
ff commit themselves to completing to produce the highest-quality work
work of the highest quality? possible and guided and supported
as they try to do so.

Students work on projects that are meaningful and relevant to their

culture, their lives, and their future.

GUIDING QUESTIONS To motivate students and show

them the relevance of what they are
To what extent do students: learning in school, projects should be
ff engage in work that makes experienced as “real.” A high quality
an impact on or otherwise project reflects what happens in the
connects to the world beyond world outside of school. It uses the
school, and to their personal tools, techniques, and technology
AUTHENTICITY interests and concerns? found there. It can make an impact
on other people and communities,
ff use the tools, techniques,
and it can connect to the interests
and/or digital technologies
and concerns of young people.
employed in the world
Students’ voices should be heard in
beyond school?
a project, and they should be able to
ff make choices regarding make choices about their work.
project topics, activities, and/
or products?
 Students’ work is publicly displayed, discussed, and critiqued.

GUIDING QUESTIONS In traditional schooling, most learning

occurs in a private relationship
To what extent do students: between a teacher and learner;
ff share their work-in-progress students complete work individually
with peers, teachers, and and show it only to the teacher.
others for feedback? In a high quality project, students
make their work public by sharing
ff exhibit their work and describe
it not only with the teacher but also
their learning to peers and
PUBLIC PRODUCT people beyond the classroom?
with each other, experts, and other
people beyond the classroom. This
ff receive feedback and/or occurs both during a project, as
engage in dialogue with their part of the product development
audiences? and formative assessment process
and at its conclusion, when the
product is shared and discussed with
an audience. This public process
and final presentation encourages
students to improve the quality of
their work and demonstrates what
students know and can do.

Students collaborate with other students in person or online and/or

receive guidance from adult mentors and experts.

GUIDING QUESTIONS Projects may be done as an individual

activity, but in today’s world – and
To what extent do students: workplace -- it is important to learn
ff work in teams to complete the skill of collaboration. In high
complex tasks? quality PBL, some project work
should be done as a team. This does
ff learn to become effective team
not mean simply dividing up project
COLLABORATION members and leaders?
tasks, completing them individually,
ff learn how to work with adult then putting it all together at the end
mentors, experts, community with no synthesis or discussion. When
members, businesses, and students truly collaborate, they are
organizations? contributing individual voices, talents,
and skills to a shared piece of work,
while respecting the contributions
of others. In some projects, students
also collaborate online with students
in other schools, and work with adult
experts, community members, and
organizations.
 Students use a project management process that enables them to
proceed effectively from project initiation to completion.

GUIDING QUESTIONS Whether it’s on the job or in their

personal lives, people work on
To what extent do students: projects, and it helps to know
ff manage themselves and how to manage time, tasks, and
their teams efficiently and resources efficiently. In high quality
effectively throughout a multi- PBL, students learn and make use
step project? of project management processes,
PROJECT tools, and strategies similar to
ff learn to use project
MANAGEMENT management processes,
those used in the world beyond
school. Students may also follow
tools, and strategies?
the steps of design thinking as they
ff use the perspectives and manage projects.
processes of design thinking,
as appropriate?

Students reflect on their work and their learning throughout

the project.

GUIDING QUESTIONS Learning is reinforced by reflecting

on what we know and do. In a high
To what extent do students: quality project, students learn to
ff learn to assess and suggest assess the quality of their work
improvements in their own and and think about how to make it
other students’ work? better. They pause regularly—not
just at the end of the project, but
ff reflect on, write about, and
throughout the process—to think
REFLECTION discuss the academic content,
about what they are doing and
concepts, and success skills
learning. By reflecting on what they
they are learning?
have accomplished, students retain
ff use reflection as a tool to project content and skills longer,
increase their own personal develop a greater sense of control
agency? over their own education, and build
confidence in themselves.
 HQPBL FRAMEWORK:
COMMITMENT STATEMENTS
As teachers, school and system leaders, teacher educators, educational
policy leaders and journalists, and curriculum and support providers,
we endorse the Framework for High Quality Project Based Learning
described above, and commit to including all six criteria in projects we
create, conduct, or encourage.

Teachers
I commit to implementing projects that challenge, engage, and support
students as described by the six HQPBL criteria.

School and School System Leaders

I commit to building the capacity and creating the conditions necessary for educators to
implement High Quality Project Based Learning as described by the six HQPBL criteria.

Teacher Education Leaders

I commit to making sure that educators develop the capacity to implement High
Quality Project Based Learning as described by the six HQPBL criteria.

Educational Policy Leaders and Journalists

I commit to helping educators and the public understand the nature and importance
of the six HQPBL criteria, and their role in student learning and development.

Curriculum and Support Providers

I commit to creating and providing products and services to educators that will help them
implement High Quality Project Based Learning as described by the six HQPBL criteria.

The High Quality Project Based Learning campaign is supported by

the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation and the
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The Buck Institute for Education
facilitated the development of the Framework for HQPBL.