Published December 21, 2020
Additional project-based learning articles:
By Tim Cannell, Education Manager
tcannell@pitsco.com
Stop reading if you’ve heard this one: “Why
do I need to learn this?”
I know. Just kidding, stick with me as I
try to connect this to STEM project-based
learning (PBL). First, a simple definition:
“Project-based learning is a teaching method
in which students gain knowledge and skills
by working for an extended period of time
to investigate and respond to an authentic,
engaging, and complex question, problem, or
challenge” (PBLWorks).
PBL has been around since the 1970s, and,
when it’s implemented correctly, the results
show greater student engagement and higher
levels of deep learning. So, PBL answers the
question, “Why do I need to learn this?”
To clarify, there is a difference between
project-based learning and just doing
projects. An easy and oft-cited understanding
of the difference is to think in terms of food.
Project-based learning is the main course. In
other words, the project is the main focus of
students as they learn the unit content. We
can think of just doing a project as a dessert;
it’s something we generally like to have after
we eat the main course.
PBL is a model of inquiry and a
pedagogy. The inquiry helps to produce
learning outcomes, or what students
know and are able to do. The pedagogy
refers to how teachers teach; PBL is a
form of pedagogy. In the overall picture,
you see that the project is THE main star
of the unit, and everything within the
unit supports the project.
Pitsco has created two e-learning
courses for STEM PBL.
GETTING STARTED WITH STEM PBL
This e-learning course is directly
related to the STEM PBL Units developed
by Pitsco. The framework of our STEM
PBL Units includes a STEM challenge,
authentic inquiry, student choice,
applied development, and public
engagement. A learner in this course
will become familiar with STEM PBL,
which has a focus on the engineering
design process. The course also presents
implementation ideas and how to
successfully teach in a PBL environment.
CREATING STEM PBL
This e-learning course is for the person
who wants to create their own STEM PBL
unit from scratch. The content takes the
learner through the STEM PBL framework
and teaches them how to develop a plan
for each of the framework elements.
The engineering design process,
implementation ideas, and successful
facilitation are also discussed.
The main difference between the
two courses is that Getting Started with
STEM PBL provides curriculum support
for Pitsco’s proprietary STEM PBL Units,
while Creating STEM PBL is for a teacher
who will handle all the curriculum
development and planning.
Think back to a time when you had
a totally new curriculum to learn. It was
work. Implementing good PBL is no
different. It’s going to take work from you
as the teacher. Yes, it might require you
to approach your instruction differently,
but you won’t have to give up everything
you have done in the past. Always
keep in mind that good curriculum
and instruction, whether it’s PBL or
something else, should produce skills and
knowledge from the students.
If you’re ready head down the PBL path
and help students better understand the
Why, let Pitsco help you understand the
Why and How of PBL.