PBL stands for Project Based Learning. PBL is a teaching method many school are implementing to help children acquire knowledge through active exploration of real world problems or answering a complex question. This is not a totally new method of teaching. It can trace its roots back to John Dewey who introduced the idea of learning by doing way back in the late 1800s!
Many school are including one or more PBL lessons into their curriculums, and there are some school across the country that have become totally project based schools. The PBL method is currently being used in classrooms from kindergarten through high school.
For anyone who is unfamiliar with this method, here is a brief description. A PBL unit will start with a problem or a question that must be resolved. Students then go about investigating and responding to the problem or question. They could be working in groups or individually. During this time, the teacher provides support and encouragement as needed. It is also the teacher’s job to make sure that the children stay on task. All projects have a definite time limit and a date when they will be presented.
The PBL method encourages children to use their critical thinking skills to come up with answers. They also become more independent learners because they are only getting guidance not direct instruction from the teacher.
Not everyone is on board the PBL bandwagon! Some educators feel that students could acquire the same knowledge in less time through direct classroom instruction.