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Using project based learning (PBL) in schools is an excellent way to help students develop life skills in the real world. It helps them develop a collaborative spirit, interpersonal and communication skills, and much more. Here are a few ways you can incorporate project-based learning into your classroom:

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Steps

  1. 1
    Ensure that your classroom setup allows for collaboration. This is especially essential if you plan a group project, as the group members should be close enough to one another in order to work together effectively. Set up spaces in which everyone can see and hear one another, such as a couch or a large table, and refrain from setting up multiple desks that all face a whiteboard.
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  2. Encyclopedias.jpg
    2
    Aim to give students adequate access to efficacious tools. Project-based learning takes much more than pencil and paper. In order to complete a quality project, is necessary for project-based learners to access a variety of supplies. Effective tools include research tools, such as encyclopedias and electronic devices, that project-based learners could use for their research and note taking.
  3. 3
    Use technology to its full potential. Most regular classrooms do not use technology, but technology can be an extremely powerful tool in project-based learning, as the Internet is a research tool and there are many applications used to produce high-quality components of a project.
    • For example, if the project requires the collection and analysis of data, have your students use Numbers or Excel to create spreadsheets and analyze data. If you choose to require a video, iMovie is an effective application in creating and editing videos.
    • Keep in mind that although technology can be a beneficial learning tool, it can also divert students from the learning experience. Advise your students on how to prevent technology from becoming a distraction. For example, it is not a good idea to install applications that have no educational value, such as games.
  4. 4
    Assign group projects. It is important for everyone to be independent learners, but that can be difficult when people are working on components that they are not very "expert" at producing. There will most likely be peers that can work on those components.
    • Encourage students to collaborate and assign specific roles to each other. This will help with communication skills, as well as team collaboration.
  5. 5
    Remember that you are not just a teacher; you are the main resource. You are there to help your students complete high-quality projects. Explain the expectations of the project, as well as the components and deadlines. Another responsibility that you will have is to make sure that your students have access to necessary items and resources.
    • Keep in mind that in regular classrooms, teachers are the leaders. They are required to go along with a certain curriculum. In most PBL classrooms, however, students are the main leaders; they choose what they want to learn about, build up on necessary life skills, and take responsibility for their own learning.
  6. 6
    Focus on integral life techniques to be taught with projects. This can be more effective that assigning particular project topics, since students are restricted in their capability of being imaginative when they complete projects on specific topics. For example, you could have students focus on a project in which they apply problem-solving skills (where the students would need to choose a project in which applying problem-solving skills is necessary, such as having a student act as a detective to solve a mystery, and explain how he or she solved the mystery).
  7. 7
    Establish an association to the outside world with projects. Helping the world is a very beneficial act that all students need to learn. For example, you might want to try having students take on different roles to organize a fundraiser that gives the school an advantage, or perhaps even a fundraiser in which all proceeds go to a local charity. This is an example of an integral life skill.
  8. 8
    When it comes to the final product, give students the opportunity to be imaginative. A poster is not too original, and it may be considered overused, so it is advisable to refrain from having your students create a poster board. Think outside the box - perhaps a short movie, magazine or spreadsheet (preferably produced with the use of technology) would be a more imaginative final product and encourage people to enjoy the project presentations.
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