PROJECT-BASED LEARNING
Theoretical introduction
A project is a set of various tasks which aim at achieving a specific goal, e.g. answering complex questions, finding a solution to a problem, or creating a certain product or service. To complete their tasks, students utilise their already-existing skills and knowledge, but they also gain new ones in the process. It’s worth mentioning that there’s no specific guideline on how long a project task should be; it can be run for a day, a week, a month or even a year.
A method is considered to be project-based when:
- students are fully responsible for fulfilling their assignment.
- given tasks are regarded as interdisciplinary.
- students decide on the means of completing their assignment (projects can be carried out in various ways; there’s no one specific path to complete them).
- students decide on task division (if a project is done in a group).
Project-based learning stimulates creativity and supports students’ independence. It also develops problem-solving, collaboration and critical thinking skills. It goes without saying that planning and supervising a project-based learning activity requires extensive knowledge of didactics, and therefore inexperienced teachers tend to avoid it. Moreover, it might also be time-consuming and requires meticulous planning. However, if conducted properly, project-based learning might help students improve significantly.
Exercise I: LET’S STUDY TOGETHER!
Book creator
At the end of the semester (revision class)
Main body/sum-up
Online/blended/face-to-face
Synchronous/asynchronous
- to revise various topics that have been discussed during the semester
- to prepare shared materials that can be later used for test preparation
- to stimulate creativity and improve collaboration skills
If necessary, step 5 can be skipped to reduce time.
STEP I
The teacher divides their students into groups of 3 or 4. Each group is assigned one specific topic that has been covered during the semester. The students can also decide which topic they prefer to be working on.
STEP II
After the topics have been distributed, the teacher instructs each group that they are to prepare an ebook (using Book Creator) that summarises all the crucial information relating to a given topic. The students are also told that their books will be shared with the rest of the class, which will serve as a shared source for test preparation.
* The teacher might prepare a few criteria that need to be followed, but they cannot give too much detail, so that there’s enough space for students’ creativity. It can be mentioned, for instance, that the presented information cannot be given in text form only. It should also include pictures, graphs, etc.
STEP III
The students start by dividing work within their groups and report their collaboration plan to the teacher. He or she gives them feedback and suggestions for improvement, if necessary.
STEP IV
The students are given a week (or more, if needed) to complete their ebooks. They consult the teacher whenever necessary, but they have to do it at least once so that the teacher can correct any possible mistakes in the ebooks’ content before they are shared with the other groups.
STEP V
When the ebooks are ready, each group presents their product to the class. Their main job, however, is not to present the content of the ebook, but to instruct other students on how to use it to study effectively.
STEP VI
All the ebooks are shared with the rest of the class so that the students can use them for test preparation.
- Students improve their collaboration skills and develop creativity.
- Students revise material that has been covered during the semester.
- Students prepare “notes” that can be used as a source for test preparation.
- Each group member has a specific task to perform; therefore, everybody is equally engaged.
- Students are aware that they prepare “notes” for their peers, so they might feel increased responsibility for the results of their work.
– Different topics require different levels of understanding. Therefore, they might demand a different amount of work from the students.
+ The topics should be carefully chosen by the teacher so that they can be turned into more or less equally complex ebooks.
Exercise II: HOW TO INTERPRET NEWS?
A collaboration board (e.g. collboard.com)
During the semester/last class/after the first class
Main body/sum-up
Online/blended
Synchronous/asynchronous
- to help students interpret news
- to stimulate creativity
- to improve collaboration and critical thinking skills
It is recommended that students be given at least two weeks to complete the assignment.
STEP I
The teacher divides their students into groups of 3 or 4. Each group is assigned one specific topic related to politics, education, healthcare, etc. (e.g. coronavirus pandemic, immigration crisis). The students can also decide which topic they prefer to be working on (The topic needs to reflect a current issue).
STEP II
Each group searches for various news articles, videos or blogs related to their topic. It is important to emphasise that the students should search various sources that represent different perspectives on the same issue.
Example: If the topic is related to politics, students should look up sources that reflect different political views (left-wing, right-wing and centre).
STEP III
The gathered materials are used to prepare a poster (using a collaboration board) that aims at presenting different perspectives on the same specific issue.
STEP IV
Each group presents their poster, including a short description of how they have worked with their online collaboration tool.
STEP V
The students give peer assessment of the work of others. They fill out a short evaluation form that has been prepared by the teacher; they answer questions to evaluate their overall impressions of the work, its strengths, weaknesses, etc.
Each group reflects on the feedback they receive by writing a 100-word paragraph where they explain whether they agree or disagree with the assessments and why.
- Students improve their collaboration skills and develop creativity.
- Students improve their critical thinking and presentation skills.
- Students develop a deeper understanding of a given topic.
– Not all students may feel comfortable “criticising” fellow students.
+ It is good to help students understand that their feedback is a benefit to the presenters.
– Some students’ feedback might be too vague.
+ The evaluation form should provide specific guidelines for well-structured feedback.
Exercise III: LET’S DISSEMINATE HUMANITIES!
Miro (miro.com) or a similar collaboration tool
During the semester/last class
Main body/sum-up
Online/face-to-face
Asynchronous/synchronous
- to learn to look at an issue from a different perspective
- to learn to think multidimensionally
- to learn to work with a collaboration tool
- to learn to make a business plan in collaboration with peers
STEP I
The teacher explains what a business plan is and discusses its main elements. Then, they present a variety of different collaboration tools to the students.
STEP II
The teacher divides the students into groups of 4-5. Then, they instruct them that their task is to prepare a business plan that aims at raising awareness of a certain issue that has been discussed in class.
Example (literature course): Students prepare a business plan that aims at disseminating Ernest Hemmingway’s books.
STEP III
The students discuss their business plan ideas; they focus on a variety of aspects, e.g. business description, marketing and sales plan, financial projection and needs, products and services description, etc. The students also specify the role of each team member. The work division is consulted with the teacher.
STEP IV
The students choose the most suitable collaboration tool for their project and inform the teacher about their decision.
STEP V
Each student carries out tasks related to their role and shares their outcomes with the rest of the group using the chosen collaboration tool.
STEP VI
The groups discuss their progress and (if necessary) consult the teacher.
STEP VII
At the end of the semester, each group presents their projects, including a short description of how they have worked with the chosen online collaboration tool.
- Students learn how to cooperate in an online environment, which is a highly demanded skill.
- Students discover a new tool that might be useful for their future projects.
– The task is complex; it takes a lot of time.
+ The business plan that students agree on should be rather simple; this can be ensured by the teacher in steps 2 and 3.
Exercise IV: DIGITAL STORYTELLING
Toontastic, Storyboard, Stop Motion or other application for digital storytelling
During the semester
Main body
Online/blended/face-to-face
Synchronous/asynchronous
Every mode is possible.
Partly synchronous/ partly asynchronous
- to tell a story using digital technologies
- to develop collaboration skills
- to stimulate creativity
STEP I
The teacher explains to their students what digital storytelling is. They can also show them some examples, which are available online.
Example: https://youtu.be/6H1aJkdmDeY
STEP II
The teacher presents a general story structure to their students.
Example of a story structure: Setup > Conflict > Challenge > Climax > Resolution
STEP III
The students are provided with a list of topics related to the course content and choose one of them according to their preference. They also decide on a tool they would like to utilise and work in pairs or small teams on their projects.
Example (history course): The students are given a list of historical figures. They choose one and prepare a digital story of their life.
STEP IV
Students create their own digital story and present their stories to the other students.
STEP V
The students give peer assessment of the work of others. They fill out a short evaluation form that has been prepared by the teacher; they answer questions to evaluate their overall impressions of the work, its strengths, weaknesses, etc.
They then reflect on the feedback they receive by writing a 100-word paragraph where they explain whether they agree or disagree with the assessments and why.
- The activity is very creative and universal. It is possible to use it in many different disciplines.
- It helps with deeper understanding of a certain topic or one aspect of a topic, because the students need to explore it in greater detail to be able to create a good quality digital story.
– This activity is usually time-consuming.
+ It can be a few-weeks project, which also provides the students with more time to improve their works’ quality.
Exercise V: CREATIVE PROJECT USING QR CODES
a QR generator + graphic design tools
During the semester
Main body
Online/blended/face-to-face
Synchronous/asynchronous
Every mode is possible.
- to use QR codes in a new and creative way
- to develop collaboration skills
Inspiration:
STEP I
The teacher initiates a discussion which focuses on QR codes and their use. He or she can also present some inspiring examples of using QR codes in education, art, travel, etc.
STEP II
The students then work on their own creative projects. Depending on the topic, they might decide to prepare a poster, a brochure or other materials that utilise QR codes.
STEP III
The students finish their work (e.g. they display their posters) and present it to the other students.
STEP IV
The students give peer assessment of the work of others. They fill out a short evaluation form that has been prepared by the teacher; they answer questions to evaluate their overall impressions of the work, its strengths, weaknesses, etc.
They then reflect on the feedback they receive by writing a 100-word paragraph where they explain whether they agree or disagree with the assessments and why.
- The activity is very creative and universal. It is possible to use it in many different disciplines.
- The activity does not require any sophisticated online tools.
- Students improve their collaboration skills and develop creativity.
– This activity is usually time-consuming.
+ It can be a few-weeks project, which also provides the students with more time to improve their works’ quality.
Čapek, R. (2015). Moderní Didaktika: Lexikon výukových A Hodnoticích Metod. Grada.
