The Benefits of Project-based Learning in Education

Many schools around the world is based on students receiving homework and tests to further their knowledge to be successful. Why do that, if students will be more engaged and learn better with project-based learning. Project-based learning will create rich, perceiving models of the topic presented to them. Project-based learning does not relinquish control of the classroom or student learning but rather develop an atmosphere of shared responsibility. Using PBL’ teachers act like mentors and facilitators. Traditional classroom learning involves the teacher lecturing, and having little or no interaction. This allows greater dialogue with each individual student. Social development, physical and mental development, observation, and literacy will help the interactions of the students become successful. Who honestly wants to sit in a classroom all day and not want to move around? Kids would like to draw and post pictures rather than taking tests. Schools need to stop making classes such a boring environment for kids. It’s just not good.

Project based learning has a definite edge in pathos. Project based learning will help kids feel more excited about doing their work. The usual groggy moaning sound students make when they have a test coming up, or an assignment, does not give them the inner confidence to excel. Project Based Learning (PBL) is an inquiry based process for teaching and learning. In PBL, students focus on a complex question or problem, then answer the question or solve the problem through a collaborative process of investigation over an extended period of time. Projects often are used to investigate authentic issues and topics found outside of school. During the inquiry process, students learn content, information, and facts necessary to draw conclusions about the question. Students also learn valuable skills and habits of mind during the process.

There is a lot of factual evidence that can prove my point about project based learning. Studies show from edutopia.com, students using project-based learning have a higher success rate, and lower dropout rates than the typical lectured learning students. On ascd.org, Boaler (2002) compared student mathematics achievement in two similar British secondary schools, one using traditional instruction and the other using project-based instruction. After three years, students in the project-based-learning school significantly outperformed the traditional-school students in mathematics skills as well as conceptual and applied knowledge. In fact, in the project-based-learning school, three times as many students passed the national exam. This explains that project-based learning shows higher success rates. Eva Reeder, a former geometry teacher says, she started project-based learning for three reasons: First, her students were not learning concepts hard enough to apply or even remember them for a lengthy period. Second, a giant growth of research upheld the view that concepts are best understood using good, useful examples built by the students themselves. Third, while taking a break from teaching to finish a master’s thesis, Reeder took a job at a bridge-design company and realized, when she was asked to do a task, that she had never put her knowledge to the test of mathematics in a real-world situation.

My ethos appeal for project-based learning is that, every time I hear that we have to do a project, I have enhanced motivation to get the job done in order to get a good grade. I as a student, hearing that we have a test coming up, or an essay to write decreases my motivation, because of my slight lazy attitude. The big sigh after verytime I hear that an assighnment is due, does not help my situation at all. Visual learning is better than memorizing the subject that you are learning. The classes that I am taking now require a lot of thinking, and I think learning should be better than that. Learning should be fun, not slow and boring. I mentioned earlier that project-based learning generally prodeces a higher success rate for students. Honestly, why would want to do boring homework and get lower grades, while you can use project-based learning to get higher grades?

In conclusion project-based learning will produce higher grades for students wanting to excell. Pay attention to the factual evidence. I don’t understand the debate about using the traditional classroom learning to the more fun project-based learning. Project-based learning is for schools around the world to consider!

Works Cited

1. Boaler, J. (2002). Learning from teaching: Exploring the relationship between reform curriculum and equity. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 33(4), 239-258.
2. Edutopia. (n.d.). Project-Based Learning Research Review. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-research
3. Krajcik, J., Blumenfeld, P. C., Marx, R. W., & Soloway, E. (1998). Instructional, curricular, and technological supports for inquiry in science classrooms. Handbook of research on science teaching and learning, 45(2), 283-316.
4. Mergendoller, J. R., Maxwell, N. L., & Bellisimo, Y. (2006). The effectiveness of problem-based instruction: A comparative study of instructional methods and student characteristics. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning, 1(2), 49-69.
5. Project-Based Learning Research Review. (2017). ASCD. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/research-a-topic/project-based-learning-resources.aspx
6. Reeder, E. (2002). How projects change teaching: Students and teachers talk about project-based instruction. Phi Delta Kappan, 84(3), 200-203.
7. Thomas, J. W. (2000). A review of research on project-based learning. Retrieved from http://www.bobpearlman.org/BestPractices/PBL_Research.pdf
8. Wagner, T. (2010). The global achievement gap: Why even our best schools don't teach the new survival skills our children need--and what we can do about it. Basic Books.
9. Walker, A., Recker, M., & Robertshaw, M. B. (2010). Does PBL increase student motivation and achievement in high school science?. A comparative study of problem-based learning, interdisciplinary project-based learning, and traditional science instruction.
10. Zhao, Y. (2012). World class learners: Educating creative and entrepreneurial students. Corwin Press.