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Project-Based Learning (PBL)

By diversifying the manner of assessment in project-based learning, teachers can get a fuller picture of what students know.

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a range of assessments to capture student learning in different ways;

multiple assessments over time to ensure that we have multiple snapshots of student learning;

assessments to inform teaching and learning before, during, and after a unit of study; and

assessments across levels of complexity to identify student progress to ensure that quality learning is occurring.

A common question that emerges as we design and implement problem- and project-based learning (PBL) is how do we effectively assess student learning?

While there are likely many answers to this question, all answers should be anchored to using

When these ingredients are in place, teachers and students alike are better able to understand the quality of our teaching and the progress of student learning-and, as such, carve a path forward in the teaching and learning process.

Rigorous PBL by Design

Rigorous PBL is defined as an inquiry-based methodology that requires students to solve real-world problems by learning surface, deep, and transfer learning.

Rigor is defined as the equal intensity and integration of surface ("I know" ideas), deep ("I can relate" ideas), and transfer ("I can apply" ideas).

For instance, a student may know the names and specific properties of elements on the periodic table (surface), compare and contrast different elements based on their behavior as represented on the periodic table (deep), and apply their learning in an experiment when making a case for refining strategies for extracting oil (transfer).

In PBL we want to find a way to provide a range of these assessments across the unit of study. In rigorous PBL, we divide PBL into four phases:

Phase 1: Students encounter a real-world problem requiring them to determine the expectations of solving the problem.

Phase 2: Students build new knowledge and skills that are critical to meet curriculum and project expectations.

Phase 3: Students deepen their knowledge and skills by engaging early and often in classroom discussions to solidify understanding of core principles and practices.

Phase 4: Students learn transfer-level skills to solve the problem(s) presented during Phase 1.

Diversifying Our Assessments

We can assess student learning in a number of ways. Here are three approaches to assessment:

1. Stop and assess. One way is to interrupt students' learning and provide them with an assessment. This could take the form of a test, quiz, or formal presentation. This is likely the most common form of assessment in classrooms.

2. Assess in action. Another option is assessing students as they engage in the learning, and we simply assess their performance without stopping them in the moment. This could take the form of watching students debate, solve a math problem during independent practice, or redraft a paper in class.

3. Have students construct the assessment. The final option is for students to construct the way in which they want to be assessed. In this process, students and teachers work together to identify the areas that need to be assessed, and students devise a way to show that practice. Suppose a student wanted to showcase their understanding of geometric angles: They may propose drawing and labeling a number of angles in front of the teacher.

When we design assessments, we want to ensure that they meet each level of surface, deep, and transfer. As such, it's helpful to create a simple grid that lays out each level of complexity and each type of assessment.

Diversifying Our Use of Assessments With Students

Pre-assessment. Ask students to jot down where they are in their learning, how they will perform in their learning, and what next steps they will likely need to take.

Post assessment. Ask students to evaluate any and all discrepancies between their pre-assessment and their current performance. Ask students to share out next steps they can take to improve.

Weekly/daily check-ins. Ask students to appraise their current performance using tools such as success criteria and current assessment information and discuss potential discrepancies in that appraisal. Work with students to develop next steps to improve or enhance their learning.

We use assessments for a number of reasons. One is to assess the end of a learning sequence and report on a student's learning. We call this a summative assessment. We also use formative assessment, or the collection of data along the course of a student's learning journey to appraise current performance and make adjustments.

In both uses of assessment, we want to think about how we can support students in being actively involved in knowing their performance and planning next steps. Here are three ways to support students in being actively involved in the assessment process:

Putting It Together

How do we put all of this together to enhance student learning in the PBL environment? Let's look at an example to solidify this new understanding of diversifying our assessment portfolio.

Phase 1: During the entry launch, we may use "stop and assess" as a way to identify student prior knowledge. We may "assess in action" by listening to students as they work on initial tasks or complete a need-to-know list.

Phase 2: Teachers and students are engaging in daily 2-to-3-minute check-ins on performance. Teachers are weaving a number of "stop and assess" and "assess in action" assessments at the surface level.

Phase 3: As students deepen their learning, teachers may capture summative assessment data of student surface and deep knowledge. This is a great opportunity for students to engage in a pre-/post-assessment reflection and determine next steps. In addition, this process may serve as fodder for students to develop a student-constructed assessment for showcasing all levels of learning during phase 4.

Phase 4: During this phase, the teacher is relying more on "assess in action" at the transfer level as well as student-constructed assessments to make judgments on student learning and to feed forward their thinking to students.

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By diversifying the manner of assessment in project-based learning, teachers can get a fuller picture of what students know.

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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).

PBL can be incorporated into any learning situation. In the strictest definition of PBL, the approach is used over the entire semester as the primary method of teaching. However, broader definitions and uses range from including PBL in lab and design classes, to using it simply to start a single discussion. PBL can also be used to create assessment items. The main thread connecting these various uses is the real-world problem.

Any subject area can be adapted to PBL with a little creativity. While the core problems will vary among disciplines, there are some characteristics of good PBL problems that transcend fields (Duch, Groh, and Allen, 2001):

The problem must motivate students to seek out a deeper understanding of concepts.

The problem should require students to make reasoned decisions and to defend them.

The problem should incorporate the content objectives in such a way as to connect it to previous courses/knowledge.

If used for a group project, the problem needs a level of complexity to ensure that the students must work together to solve it.

If used for a multistage project, the initial steps of the problem should be open-ended and engaging to draw students into the problem.

The problems can come from a variety of sources: newspapers, magazines, journals, books, textbooks, and television/ movies. Some are in such form that they can be used with little editing; however, others need to be rewritten to be of use. The following guidelines from The Power of Problem-Based Learning (Duch et al, 2001) are written for creating PBL problems for a class centered around the method; however, the general ideas can be applied in simpler uses of PBL:

Choose a central idea, concept, or principle that is always taught in a given course, and then think of a typical end-of-chapter problem, assignment, or homework that is usually assigned to students to help them learn that concept. List the learning objectives that students should meet when they work through the problem.

Think of a real-world context for the concept under consideration. Develop a storytelling aspect to an end-of-chapter problem, or research an actual case that can be adapted, adding some motivation for students to solve the problem. More complex problems will challenge students to go beyond simple plug-and-chug to solve it. Look at magazines, newspapers, and articles for ideas on the story line. Some PBL practitioners talk to professionals in the field, searching for ideas of realistic applications of the concept being taught.

The problem needs to be introduced in stages so that students will be able to identify learning issues that will lead them to research the targeted concepts. The following are some questions that may help guide this process:

What will the first page (or stage) look like? What open-ended questions can be asked? What learning issues will be identified?

How will the problem be structured?

How long will the problem be? How many class periods will it take to complete?

Will students be given information in subsequent pages (or stages) as they work through the problem?

What resources will the students need?

What end product will the students produce at the completion of the problem?

Write a teacher's guide detailing the instructional plans on using the problem in the course. If the course is a medium- to large-size class, a combination of mini-lectures, whole-class discussions, and small group work with regular reporting may be necessary. The teacher's guide can indicate plans or options for cycling through the pages of the problem interspersing the various modes of learning.

The final step is to identify key resources for students. Students need to learn to identify and utilize learning resources on their own, but it can be helpful if the instructor indicates a few good sources to get them started. Many students will want to limit their research to the Internet, so it will be important to guide them toward the library as well.

The method for distributing a PBL problem falls under three closely related teaching techniques: case studies, role-plays, and simulations. Case studies are presented to students in written form. Role-plays have students improvise scenes based on character descriptions given. Today, simulations often involve computer-based programs. Regardless of which technique is used, the heart of the method remains the same: the real-world problem.

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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.

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Problem-Based Learning | Center for Teaching Innovation

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Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered approach in which students learn about a subject by working in groups to solve an open-ended problem. This problem is what drives the motivation and the learning.

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This is a PBL project example which-I think-facilitates collaboration and conversation and requires higher level thinking.

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We can focus on active listening and equitable participation before diving deeper into Problem Based Learning. Students can complete a puzzle as a group or paraphrase a story we read aloud. These activities can help them develop the skills necessary to complete PBL.

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What is Problem-Based Learning? How to use it in your classroom

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Reinventing a Public High School with Problem-Based Learning

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"Everyday Problem-Based Learning: Quick Projects to Build Problem-Solving Fluency" by Brian M. Pete and Robin Fogarty. Downloaded copy of the book, divided by chapters.

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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Drive folder with articles, books, and research on Problem-Based Learning.

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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5 Cross Disciplinary PBL tasks with a math focus.

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5 Cross Disciplinary PBL tasks with a math focus.

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5 Cross Disciplinary PBL tasks with a math focus.