5 Keys to Rigorous Project-Based Learning
Well-designed project-based learning (PBL) has been shown to result in deeper learning and engaged, self-directed learners. Learn more about the five core elements of successful PBL.
Five Keys Video Series
See Edutopia's core strategies in action with our Five Keys video series. Take a deeper look at each strategy as we share the nuts and bolts of program implementation, give voice to examples from schools around the country, and illuminate the research behind the practices.
Learn more about the Five Keys to Rigorous PBL:
VIDEO: Establishing Real-World Connections in Projects (Keys to PBL Series Part 1) Students are more engaged when learning relates directly to the world they live in. See how to extend your projects beyond classroom walls.
VIDEO: Building Rigorous Projects That Are Core to Learning (Keys to PBL Series Part 2) Project-based learning doesn't mean leaving standards behind. Follow these tips to plan projects that challenge your students and align with core learning goals.
VIDEO: Structuring Collaboration for Student Success (Keys to PBL Series Part 3) PBL provides a unique opportunity to help students practice critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity. Learn how to optimize the environment for teamwork in your classroom.
VIDEO: Facilitating Learning in a Student-Driven Environment (Keys to PBL Series Part 4) When they are directly involved in planning and steering projects, students are more invested in their learning. Get ideas for empowering your students to work independently.
VIDEO: Embedding Assessment Throughout the Project (Keys to PBL Series Part 5) Assessment can be integrated seamlessly into project-based learning. Find tools for measuring student understanding from the beginning to the end of a project.
More Edutopia Resources for Project-Based Learning
- CORE STRATEGY PAGE: Project-Based Learning
Use this roundup page to discover why project-based learning is a dynamic classroom approach in which students actively explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire a deeper knowledge.
- ARTICLE: Project-Based Learning Research Review
Studies have proven that when implemented well, project-based learning (PBL) can increase retention of content and improve students' attitudes towards learning, among other benefits.
Find more resources and information on project-based learning at the website of the Buck Institute for Education (BIE), or follow BIE on Twitter.