High-Quality Project Based Learning Framework Discussion
Consider the 6 areas of the High-Quality Project Based Learning Framework (HQPBL). Are there any criteria for project based learning that you think are missing? What are the most difficult areas of the HQPBL to accomplish?
Inquiry but that is similar to intellectual challenge and accomplishment.
Public product is the most challenging as there are policies in place when it comes to photos and videos of students. In addition, you would need to locate a public place to present/show your project.
I personally don't think there is any criteria missing in the HQPBL Framework.
However, other authors have expanded these criteria into seven categories, including Significant Content, Driving Quesiton, Student Voice and Choice, Develop 21st Century Skills, Inquiry Innovation, Feedback and Revision, and Publicly Presented Product (Essential Elements of Project-Based Learning Lorin Mayo, 2013)
I agree with Mrs. Heffelfinger, publicing students' product would be the most challenging criteria in their project. We not only have regulations on students' privacy, but also, schedule conficlts can make difficult for us to present results to other classes, not to mention how difficult would be to find spaces for socialization with the community.
All criterias seem to be in place but publishing student work could be the most difficult and challenging . But, I believe if we could get the community interested we could change those policies that hold our students back.
I believe all 6 areas of the High-Quality Project Based Learning Framework (HQPBL) are included in my Global project.
However, the most difficult area of the HQPBL for this project may be "Students learn deeply, think critically, and strive for excellence." In order to be motivated to think critically and strive for excellence, students must value the project and see it as relevant. Students will need to fully understand why they are completing the project and what they need to accomplish (the objective and goals) in order to connect their personal goals to the project and strive for excellence in goal attainment.
The framework is good.
I find students, particularly younger ones, have a very difficult time with collaboration. Getting them to work as part of a team presents qujite a few challenges.
Sorry for the small font. The most difficult aspect of PBL is simply making it work with everything else regarding the demands of evaluation, available technology, state standards, communication between students, etc. I find that what I start with is not what I end with, in other words, it changes as it goes and upon reflection I see where I could have done something different. Rubrics are the hardest part, not because of planning but because of student creativity. Teachers have to come up with the highest order of Blooms questions that are difficult to answer but also connect personally to a student's life. Meaning is everything, period. If you can connect something to people's natural curiosity you will engage them. I have three PBL projects going on right now. I read an article just before school started that depression rates in students 14-17 have risen 60% over an 8 year period. I have taught Psychology for years, but instead of marching into the curriculum I posed this question to students and we spent about two weeks researching it, pondering reasons, hypotheses, etc. Students made Google slides presentations and they presented as final products. So: a real world authentic question that pertains to their lives, research that went in twenty different directions, collaboration because they sit in groups and shared emails, project management (sort of, I let them keep digging because they kept finding stuff), a product that was Google slides that each group had access to, and I had them reflect at the end about what this meant to them personally (I need them to reflect on making it better the next time). Then we distilled it down to a handful of what they considered to be primary reasons for depression rates increasing and each class made a "public service announcement" banner that we posted in the halls. Next question? How do the Brain and Gut Microbiome interact to optimize mental health? In US History, we did a Colonial era project in the same vein, and they are now researching the 1619 Project on the impact of Slavery over 400 years. Anyway, in the background is all the typical curriculum and bureaucratic stuff but just practicing the format and improving with each attempt is helpful. Now, if only more teachers would do PBL we could collaborate and reflect and improve on the process so it will take awhile to be the norm. As it is, "digital portfolios" are this year's hot ticket...so PBL has to fit there, too, etc.
My project centers around students making a recycled sketchbook as a means to learn about their link between consumption and ecological stress. The idea is that we could replace our store-bought sketchbooks with homemade ones, and make additional ones that could serve future students in need.
There is almost no "public product" component to this project, outside of the school community. However an additional way to reach the public could be holding a public sale of these products, and donating the proceeds to a conservation group of the students' choice.
The High-Quality Project-Based Learning Framework (HQPBL) isn't missing anything major due to it covers all the major fundamentals in establishing a successful project base idea and how to bring about it in today's world. However, the module does lack emphasis on how rather than calling for the need for taking action. This is the most difficult part it needs to make it a successful learning tool. A strong grounding point to communicate ideas for them to be taken among the masses is a great way to encourage engagement. They focus on the whole know your audience platform which is an effective strategy since they are the ones able to make a difference.
