Project Based Learning: Helpful Feedback

Most of my writing is inspired by the friends and colleagues I have the privilege to mentor and engage with collaboratively. Recently, one secondary teacher, who is venturing into the world of PBL (Project Based Learning), called to say, "it's not working". The "it" being PBL. I immediately began to question, and some questions gave me enough evidence to give a bit of advice on the phone. After observing, most of the areas below were where I provided feedback. Upon refection, I realize there's a consistency in the conversations we have around PBL and the factors contributing to its success; thus, my new blog entry!

Project Based Learning: Helpful Feedback

• Be prepared. 

Be intentional in planning and in everything you do. Have overarching and guiding questions to prompt the assignment. Carefully consider and embed applicable skills and concepts across content. I like to always include some degree of writing with my assignments. Make certain there is sufficient time. Likewise, make certain there are extra related tasks for students who finish early, for instance peer conferencing or extended research through related and relevant reading, technology, the arts and other media.

• Set clear goals.

Students must have clearly defined expectations. Scoring guides and rubrics need to be shared upfront.It is important students understand what a proficient product looks like; so, be sure to provide criteria at the onset of the project for proficiency. 

• Ensure accountability

Make certain students are held accountable for their time daily. For example, this can be done through, scoring guides, anecdotal records, Google Docs, project logs, journals, peer review, and student self-reflections.

• Set goals for small, achievable, focused learning targets.

In the case of my colleague, her project was focused primarily long-term, with no intentional checkpoints built in. Several students were already feeling frustration. When projects are broken down into smaller parts, most students feel more confident the final goal and product can be accomplished. I like to have goals completed at small intervals or checkpoints so students feel a sense of accomplishment. Equally important, I have an opportunity to provide feedback along the way. It’s an excellent formative assessment.

• Provide feedback early and often.

This is a Grant Wiggins quote. Students need to understand their strengths and their growth needs or areas for improvement.  The feedback needs to be specific, addressing both what they have done well and what they need to do to improve. Let’s face it, it’s too late at the end of the assignment to assist the students’s learning.

• Reflection is a must.

Reflection is the final stage of the learning cycle. It’s like pushing save in the brain. Students reflect on which processes contributed to success; thus, they keep those for future learning experiences.  Likewise, students need to learn from processes which were not successful and either reflect on how to improve them or discard them.