What is the Difference Between a Project and PBL?
On Twitter, Edutopia gave an example of the difference between a project and PBL and provided a video. As I struggle to provide my students with authentic PBL projects I gather resources and information on what PBL is to help me get started.
Project: students spend one hour crafting a Mars lander out of paper.
Project-based learning: students spend one month simulating a Mars landing, analyzing the math and physics at work, and discussing their work with real aerospace engineers. That’s the difference.
Edutopia Resources
Edutopia has many resources for helping you get past projects and getting into PBL.
“A fifth-grade project-based learning unit harnesses excitement about Mars to develop science, math, engineering, and literacy skills.”
Link to Edutopia page on Project Based Learning
The Tweet
Project: students spend one hour crafting a Mars lander out of paper.
Project-based learning: students spend one month simulating a Mars landing, analyzing the math and physics at work, and discussing their work with real aerospace engineers.
That’s the difference. pic.twitter.com/wouiDfhi3N
— edutopia (@edutopia) January 12, 2019
Check out the book Hacking Project Based Learning by Ross Cooper and Erin Murphy
I also feel that a true project, for it to be concidered PBL, has to have an essential question. An open ended question that the students have a focus on through out the process.