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Project Based Learning Vs 010410

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a student-centered teaching method where students engage in real-world projects to enhance their learning through active participation and collaboration. In contrast, Problem-Based Learning focuses on solving complex, real-world problems, promoting critical thinking and teamwork among students. While both approaches share similarities and the same acronym, they differ in outcomes, with PBL emphasizing artifact creation and Problem-Based Learning focusing on presenting solutions to defined problems.

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19 views19 pages

Project Based Learning Vs 010410

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a student-centered teaching method where students engage in real-world projects to enhance their learning through active participation and collaboration. In contrast, Problem-Based Learning focuses on solving complex, real-world problems, promoting critical thinking and teamwork among students. While both approaches share similarities and the same acronym, they differ in outcomes, with PBL emphasizing artifact creation and Problem-Based Learning focusing on presenting solutions to defined problems.

Uploaded by

jandaya925
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Project-Based Learning

vs. Problem-Based
Learning
Project Based Learning (PBL)
is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and
personally meaningful projects.
Project based learning (hereafter referred to as PBL) is an approach to instruction that is
derived from the idea that students should be doing a task to aid in the learning process.
More specifically, PBL includes student-centered activities that are inquiry-based and
rooted in active learning. While current attitudes in public education favor education
approaches with these characteristics (student-centered, inquiry based, and active
learning), PBL does not apply well in all disciplines, nor do all educators choose to utilize
PBL as an approach when it may be well-suited for their individual disciplines. A
description of what constitutes PBL as well as a discussion of arguments for and against
PBL will follow.
Origins of Project Based Learning
The origins of PBL can be traced to the American philosopher
and educator John Dewey. Dewey stated:
The teacher is not in the school to impose certain ideas or to
form certain habits in the child, but is there as a member of the
community to select the influences which shall affect the child
and assist him in properly responding to these influences
(Dewey & Small, 1897, p. 9).
This sentiment expressed by Dewey is sometimes referred to
as learning by doing and continues to receive support today.
What is Project Based Learning?

Project based learning is thought to have different


characteristics depending on who is asked. While
it is probably impossible to define PBL in a way
that will be universally agreed upon, definitions of
PBL generally have a few characteristics in
common. The common characteristics that will be
described in this paper are the long-term nature
of PBL, the interdisciplinary nature of PBL, and the
student-centered nature of PBL.
PBL is interdisciplinary. Projects draw from multiple
content areas in order to create a full and complete
project. This is in contrast to more typical modes of
teaching, in which lessons, questions, and problems
may exist entirely independent of each other. This
isolation is often found both within a class and in
between classes. The interdisciplinary nature of PBL
includes working both within and without the
course, but not necessarily across multiple courses.
PBL should be student centered, meaning that
students spend the majority of the time working
toward a goal and limited time focused on the teacher.
Students are often in collaborative groups and manage
their own time. The teacher acts to facilitate teamwork
and not as a lecturer. In many ways the teacher acts
like a coach, encouraging students to think critically
and pursue the end goal of the project. Teachers are
also responsible to assess learning from student work
during the project. When learning is student centered,
students play a role in selecting learning goals and
approaches to achieving those goals (Hannafin and
Hannafin, 2010).
Problem-Based Learning (PBL)
What is Problem-Based Learning (PBL)? PBL is a
student-centered approach to learning that
involves groups of students working to solve a
real-world problem, quite different from the direct
teaching method of a teacher presenting facts and
concepts about a specific subject to a classroom of
students. Through PBL, students not only
strengthen their teamwork, communication, and
research skills, but they also sharpen their critical
thinking and problem-solving abilities essential for
life-long learning.
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which
complex real-world problems are used as the vehicle to
promote student learning of concepts and principles as
opposed to direct presentation of facts and concepts. In
addition to course content, PBL can promote the
development of critical thinking skills, problem-solving
abilities, and communication skills. It can also provide
opportunities for working in groups, finding and evaluating
research materials, and life-long learning (Duch et al, 2001).
In implementing PBL, the teaching role shifts from
that of the more traditional model that follows a
linear, sequential pattern where the teacher
presents relevant material, informs the class what
needs to be done, and provides details and
information for students to apply their knowledge
to a given problem. With PBL, the teacher acts as
a facilitator; the learning is student-driven with
the aim of solving the given problem
By Working With PBL, Students
Will:

•Become engaged with open-ended situations that assimilate the


world of work
•Participate in groups to pinpoint what is known/ not known and
the methods of finding information to help solve the given
problem.
•Investigate a problem; through critical thinking and problem
solving, brainstorm a list of unique solutions.
•Analyze the situation to see if the real problem is framed or if
there are other problems that need to be solved.
How To Begin PBL

•Establish the learning outcomes (i.e., what is it that you want your
students to really learn and to be able to do after completing the
learning project).
•Find a real-world problem that is relevant to the students; often the
problems are ones that students may encounter in their own life or
future career.
•Discuss pertinent rules for working in groups to maximize learning
success.
•Practice group processes: listening, involving others, assessing
their work/peers.
•Explore different roles for students to accomplish the
work that needs to be done and/or to see the problem
from various perspectives depending on the problem
(e.g., for a problem about pollution, different roles may
be a mayor, business owner, parent, child, neighboring
city government officials, etc.).
•Determine how the project will be evaluated and
assessed. Most likely, both self-assessment and peer-
assessment will factor into the assignment grade.
Teacher’s Role In PBL

As previously mentioned, the teacher determines a problem


that is interesting, relevant, and novel for the students. It also
must be multi-faceted enough to engage students in doing
research and finding several solutions. The problems stem from
the unit curriculum and reflect possible use in future work
situations.
Determine a problem aligned with the course and your
students. The problem needs to be demanding enough
that the students most likely cannot solve it on their own.
It also needs to teach them new skills. When sharing the
problem with students, state it in a narrative complete
with pertinent background information without excessive
information. Allow the students to find out more details as
they work on the problem.
•Place students in groups, well-mixed in diversity and skill
levels, to strengthen the groups. Help students work
successfully. One way is to have the students take on
various roles in the group process after they self-assess
their strengths and weaknesses.
•Support the students with understanding the content on a
deeper level and in ways to best orchestrate the various
stages of the problem-solving process.
Project-Based Learning vs. Problem-Based
Learning
Project-based learning (PBL) is another collaborative,
learner-centered instructional approach where students
work in groups to construct their knowledge and gain
mastery of the course content. Project-Based Learning
is often confused with Problem-based Learning. One
source of the confusion is that they have the same
acronym PBL. One way to think about the difference
between the two is to look at the outcome.
While in Project-based Learning, students have to
produce an artifact to demonstrate their mastery of
content, in Problem-Based Learning, students have to
present a solution to a clearly defined authentic
problem. This definition is simplistic but allows for a
distinction between the two concepts. Also, it has
been argued that Problem-based Learning is, in fact,
a subset of Project-based Learning in the sense that
one way an instructor can frame a project is by
asking students to solve one or many problems.
References:
Project-Based Learning and Problem-Based Learning (x-BL) | Office of Teaching and Learning (uv
u.edu)
What is Project Based Learning? | PBLWorks
Project-Based Learning (edtechbooks.org)
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) - Educational Technology
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) (illinois.edu)

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