What is PBL?

Project-Based Learning at
Charter School of Morgan Hill

What is Project Based Learning?

Project Based Learning, or PBL, is a teaching methodology based on the theory that people create knowledge for themselves based on their experiences. This is the learning that occurs, for example, when students actively engage in solving real life problems. They use what they know to explore, interpret, and create meaning from this experience. Then they reflect upon and share their knowledge with others. In PBL, the learning process is as important as the end product. At CSMH, one product of our PBL projects is the acquisition of appropriate grade level knowledge as defined by the California State Educational Standards.

Why are we a PBL school?

Project Based Learning supports the mission of the Charter School of Morgan Hill: Through strong family involvement, community interaction, and Project-Based Learning, the Charter School of Morgan Hill will develop lifelong learners prepared to be innovative participants in the global community.

Is Project Based Learning more than just "doing projects"?

The idea of doing projects for hands-on learning has been in existence for a long time! John Dewey’s research showed educators that active exploration leads to a better understanding of concepts. In the last 25 years, research in psychology and neuroscience has indicated that more effective learning takes place when students can relate new information to past experiences, their community, and their culture.

Project Based Learning was developed in response to this research and focuses on the "Six A’s," each a key component of an effective project:

Authentic - A "real life problem" exploration, driven by an authentic question.
Academic Rigor - An interdisciplinary, standards-based investigation.
Active Exploration - A resource-based, collaborative, constructive investigation.
Autonomy - An investigation driven by students, generating self-reliance.
Assessment Practices - An incorporation of provisions for on-going reflection, confirmation of understanding, and direction of instruction.
Alliances and connections with others - An incorporation of parents, teachers, community members, and students to provide support for student efforts to answer questions or solve problems posed by driving questions.

An example of PBL at a primary level:

In a more traditional classroom, students study ants and fulfill state standards for life science by doing a project modeling an ant’s body parts in clay, reading a story, and singing songs about ants. In a PBL classroom, students use higher level thinking skills as they work to answer the question "Why are ants everywhere?" They observe and map ant trails at school, at home, and in their community. They research where ants come from, how they live, and what they are doing. They draw conclusions about ants as helpers and pests. They are challenged to think critically and come up with strategies for keeping ants out of their classroom!

An example of PBL at a middle school level:

In a traditional school, students are told to open their textbooks, read a chapter about the westward movement in the 1800’s, and answer the questions at the end of the chapter. The objective of this lesson is to learn the facts and do well on the test.

Students learning about the westward movement in a PBL classroom are challenged to come up with creative ways to develop and share valid answers to the driving question "How did the slogan ‘Go West, young man, go West!’ change your life?" They gather information from a variety of resources, including technology. They research facts about the westward movement as they seek to understand the impetus and impact of this migration. Their learning is measured by a test, an evaluation of journal entries, a map-making project, a debate, a web page, and/or a dramatic presentation.

Do my children do only PBL at school? Will they use textbooks?

Project Based Learning is the fundamental educational philosophy of the Charter School of Morgan Hill. Traditional teaching methods are also respected, however, and are utilized as supplemental techniques for the reinforcement, clarification, and practice of concepts encountered during Project Based Learning.

Since CSMH is committed to being a resource based school, traditional textbooks will not be used for every subject because PBL is authentic, active learning. In PBL, as in real life, your children may consult many different sources to acquire information to make decisions and solve problems. The resources used in PBL may include the Internet, interviews, original documents, and audiovisual media. Children at the elementary or middle school level who are acquiring core knowledge and fundamental principles will also use textbooks and receive direct, traditional instruction.

How can I support PBL at home?

You can model the 6 A’s at home when you:

Ask your children questions and challenge them to explain their thinking.
Enlist your children’s help in solving real problems in your home.
Help your children to make connections between the things they learn in school and their daily lives.
Watch documentaries with your children, go to the library, explore a creek, go on a hike, or make something together.
Give children choices whenever possible, and live with their decisions.
Allow children to make mistakes and learn from them. Let them live with the consequences! Don’t solve their problems for them.
Encourage children to be involved in their communities through school, neighborhood, city, club, and religious affiliations.
Value your children for who they are, where they are in life, and the contributions they can make!

How is the Charter School of Morgan Hill doing in fulfillment of its mission?

The Charter School of Morgan Hill is a school of choice where we strive to provide a specific, positive alternative to the traditional public school. It will be the right environment for some students, some parents, and some teachers. It will not be right for everyone.

Our Charter School community continues to learn more about Project Based Learning and how to make it work for us. Our staff, parents, and students are committed to this process. We have defined our mission and our methods, and we will continue to progress to meet the high expectations we have for ourselves. At CSMH we believe our students, parents, and teachers can be described as collaborative risk takers, life-long learners, problem solvers, and active, productive, motivated citizens working together in fulfillment of our mission.