Project Based Learning

I’ve been teaching using a project-based learning pedagogy since mid-2010 when I was introduced to PBL by my friend, Dean Groom.

Since then I have had some wonderful learning experiences with PBL and I enjoy sharing both my successes and failures and experiments in learning on my blog. I thought it’d be helpful for other people if I put all of my PBL-related posts on one page, just in case you’re starting out and you want to see how another teacher is doing it too.

If you have any questions, just post a comment below or send me a tweet on twitter

My VERY first experience with PBL – and it was hard work and had serious issues! My post might help some of your PBL newbies feel less anxious, maybe!

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2010/10/24/project-based-learning-teething-problems/

This is a reflection on my very first PBL experience with Year 10 – it looks at why it may not have been 100% successful.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/year-10-project-based-learning-failure/

Interest in PBL from teachers in my local area really started happening at the beginning of 2011. Here is a post where I reflect on my presentation of PBL to HTs of English in my region.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/presenting-on-pbl-to-english-head-teachers-network-meeting/

After having run a few PBL projects with my classes, this post reflects on how tough this teaching style can be in the early stages. Might be worth a read for those teachers who are finding PBL hard work.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/03/27/project-based-learning-the-need-for-a-determined-attitude/

A brief post outlining a mini-project I ran with my Year 11 English class.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/03/27/authentic-assessment-sharing-what-we-know/

This post outlines the projects I ran in early 2011 with Year 9, 10 and 11. Once again it looks at what worked and what didn’t as part of the project.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/pbl-reality-check/

Assessment rubrics are a really important feature of PBL. This post discusses online rubric creator Rubistar and how I used it for a novel project.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/05/16/re-discovering-online-gems/

This post and the next post focus on my Macbeth project – I tried to gamify it. It worked to a point but I must admit I prefer straight PBL.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/giving-macbeth-a-real-world-audience/

Reflection on my gamified Macbeth project. Why didn’t it work?

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/gamified-macbeth-pbl-%E2%80%93-a-reflection/

Outline of my VERY fun ‘hook’ lesson with Year 10 about to study Macbeth.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/a-priest-a-prostitue-and-a-thief-the-hilarity-of-my-macbeth-pbl-hook-lesson/

Products for projects should be varied and interesting for students. This post looks at how to create a free eBook of student stories that can be read after scanning a QR code.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/07/27/pbl-trying-to-create-the-product-for-the-presentation/

I had great success using project-learning for my top Year 11 students. Check out this post to see their amazing products – websites!

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/my-paperless-extension-year-11-class-who-said-der-was-dead/

A discussion of assessment and PBL. Some ideas on why PBL is a great way to embrace formative and summative assessment.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/09/04/assessment-and-project-based-learning/

Student voice and choice. These two posts looks at how teachers can give students much more input in the projects being run in class.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/pbl-giving-the-students-a-voice-and-choice/

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/pbl-giving-the-students-a-voice-and-choice-part-2/

This is a comprehensive post of PBL that I wrote for a presentation to a group of teachers at Riverside Girls HS.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/pbl-me-why/

A big problem that PBL teachers face is group dynamics. This post looks at some possible ways of dealing with this using online tools.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/10/15/pbl-conundrum-how-do-teachers-manage-project-teams/

This post also deals with management of teams.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/10/16/tools-for-managing-student-behaviour-and-expectations/

For new teachers it’s tough to work out a way to get started with PBL. This post might help, might not too – haha.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/pbl-me-how/

After a whole year of PBL, my Year 10 students told me what the did and didn’t like about learning this way. I hope this list helps you!

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/10-things-year-10-taught-me-about-learning-in-2011/

In this post I give an overview of one of my favourite projects of 2011!

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/year-9-passion-driven-project-using-social-media-to-have-a-real-world-impact/

Is PBL successful because it appeals to the ego of the students and not the teachers? I like the comments on this post.

http://biancahewes.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/pbl-an-appeal-to-the-ego/