Project-based learning

Actually,I have heard previously about PBL.However,this time I acquired a deeper knowledge on PBL.I really think that PBL is a great teaching and learning approach because it improves students'long term retention of knowledge.That is because when students know that learning or gaining knowledge will help them to deal with real world problems,they have the feeling that they are learning something useful.This teaching method helps students to make real life connections with the school material increasing both their motivation and collaboration.
From what I have read and understood is that there are some important steps and procedures we should take into consideration in order to have a proper utilization of PBL in our future classrooms.
Firstly,I think that we should prepare our students on this approach.It's not appropriate to use PBL without our students having some preliminary practice.This means that students should have a purpose to research.I guess that exposing students to some sort of material could be useful because that way they may have interesting questions,which we could use to drive the project.If students do not ask the essential question (the one that will drive the whole project),we should help them by posing a central question ourselves.One thing to bare in mind is to ask questions that will be Google-able,but not instant Google-answer.The essential question should be one that can only be answered through the process of investigating and gathering information.
The next step to remember is to design a plan that will consist of the general structure,which means that students discuss where and how are they going to conduct the research.
Creating a schedule with flexible deadlines and regular check-ins is the third step I think we should follow because students need to have some sort of critique sessions to help them succeed.
Then,we move to the realization phase,the one in which students conduct research.I think that our role here is to prepare students for the language and strategy demands of information gathering.We may also find some relevant articles and make them accessible to our students.
After students have gathered information,we should prepare them for the language and strategy demand of compiling and analyzing information.That is because the following step is that students develop the final product that exhibits their learning.Our role here is to help them with the language and strategy demands of finalizing and presenting tangible outcome.
The evaluation phase should not be ignored.Actually,the great advantage of this approach is that students are assessed  during regular check-ins,critique sessions on the basis of their multiple drafts.However,we should not forget to assess students'final product.
The final step is reflection.Students need to reflect on what they have learned.We should discuss with them the specific parts that were successful,the ones which were unsuccessful or any further questions that were raised during their study.
All the above steps show in fact how time demanding and challenging is this approach.We should be careful when planning,when assessing and so on.However,the few shortcomings of PBL are put aside when we consider the great advantages and benefits of this approach.I am so enthusiastic to use this method in my future classrooms.


Thanks for reading!!