PBL Blog

Project-based learning (PBL or PjBL) is a student-centered, inquiry-based approach to instruction where students engage in authentic learning through problem-based projects. The benefits of PBL are numerous: Students are building essential 21st century skills like leadership, communication, and critical thinking as they collaborate to construct their own conclusions about the world around them. But these…

As we near the beginning of a new school year, it’s time to reflect on the effects distance learning has had on our students. Most of the feedback I’ve heard—whether in person or read online—focuses on the negative effects of this experience; how students missed a whole year of schooling due to ineffective practices of…

The idea of project-based learning appeals to you. You may have seen the research that shows PBL can improve student learning outcomes, enagagement, and even attendance. All signs point to PBL as possibly one of the best ways to prepare your students for success in the real world. But, changing the very core of your…

The students of United Independent School District in Texas started using Project Pals a year ago when the pandemic just started. In this difficult year, when most learning conducted online has mostly produced some frustrating learning experiences, these students have exceeded all expectations by creating some amazing projects using Project Pals. The projects done by…

Four studies released on February 22, 2021 by the George Lucas Educational Foundation and researchers from five major universities have shown that students in project-based learning classrooms across the United States significantly outperform students in typical classrooms. The projects, all focused on making sense of the world and finding solutions to complex problems, included things…

Kelsey Dolge is a social studies teacher at New Century Academy in Hutchinson, Minnesota. In the beginning of last year, her school decided to lead the school towards a more project and problem based learning direction. Looking for tools that can help students implement this goal, they were introduced to Project Pals by another teacher…

This is the first in our series featuring teachers designing and administering amazing collaborative learning experiences using Project Pals. We hope you are as inspired as we are by these innovative and passionate educators! Heather Castaneda-Ponce was looking for a new way to manage classroom projects. As a social studies teacher at Mack Middle School,…

As we roll out Project Pals, one of the things that keeps me busy is how to teach users to identify the main parts of a problem. As intuitive as it may seem, this is one of the most complicated parts of problem solving in a project setting. I thought about this problem a lot…

Students are tired of boring classrooms. Teachers are sick of disengaged students. It doesn’t have to be this way. Project-based learning offers a fun and meaningful alternative to “teaching to the test.” If you’re interested in trying a new approach to learning, you don’t have to do it alone. Project Pals integrates Common Core with…

In a typical American classroom, students are passive recipients of knowledge. They must memorize long strings of information that feel decidedly disconnected from the real world. Inquiry-based learning (IBL) provides a fun, engaging alternative to the boredom many students and teachers feel. By deeply engaging students in projects that are relevant, IBL can lure in…

Student-centered learning (SCL) might seem inconsistent with basic educational goals. After all, the purpose of school is for students to gain knowledge, right? To many teachers, it seems obvious that for knowledge to be useful, lessons must be centered around the goals of the teacher or district. The results of this hierarchical approach are visible…

Every teacher knows that STEM-based learning is the wave of the future. Most also know that STEM is incomplete without art and literature. Project-based learning is an ideal way to master STEAM skills in a way that feels relevant to students. Projects help students master useful skills, keep learning fun, and allow students to direct…