Design Principles of PBL

"...PBL is a philosophy...not a teaching strategy"

The 6 A's of Project Based Learning


Authenticity

• Does the project stem from a problem or question that is meaningful to the student?

• Is the project similar to one undertaken by an adult in the community or workplace?

• Does the project give the student the opportunity to produce something that has value or meaning to the student beyond the school setting?


Academic Rigor

• Does the project enable the student to acquire and apply knowledge central to one or more discipline areas?

• Does the project challenge the student to use methods of inquiry from one or more disciplines (e.g., to think like a scientist)?

• Does the student develop higher-order thinking skills (e.g., searching for evidence, using different perspectives)?


Applied Learning

• Does the student solve a problem that is grounded in real life and/or work (e.g., design a project, organize an event)?

• Does the student need to acquire and use skills expected in high-performance work environments  (e.g., teamwork, problem solving, communication, or technology)?

• Does the project require the student to develop organizational and self-management skills?


Active Exploration

• Does the student spend significant amounts of time doing work in the field, outside school?

• Does the project require the student to engage in real investigative work, using a variety of methods, media, and sources?

• Is the student expected to explain what he or she learned through a presentation or performance?


Adult Relationships

• Does the student meet and observe adults with relevant experience and expertise?

• Is the student able to work closely with at least one adult?

• Do adults and the student collaborate on the design and assessment of the project?


Assessment Practices

• Does the student reflect regularly on his or her learning, using clear project criteria that he or she has helped to set?

• Do adults from outside the community help the student develop a sense of the real world standards from this type of work?

• Is the student’s work regularly assessed through a variety of methods, including portfolios and exhibitions?