Project-Based Learning

In partnership with Model Teaching, an industry leader in supporting educators, this course is a step-by-step guide to Project-Based Learning (PBL) that covers its definition, common misconceptions, and critical steps in designing a PBL cycle. Model Teaching's Mission is to improve student performance by directly supporting teachers with quality content and resources. By the end of the course, you will have a PBL cycle plan ready for implementation, along with valuable templates and resources for use in your classroom.

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3 Months / 22 Course Hrs
Open Enrollment
Offered in partnership with your preferred school

Ocean County College

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Learning method

Project-Based Learning

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Course code: T14741

This teacher professional development course provides you with a step-by-step guide to Project-Based Learning (PBL), also known as project-based teaching and project-based education. You will understand what PBL is, and the common misconceptions people have about it. The course will guide you through a complete PBL cycle, covering critical steps, including aligning content standards, developing a big idea, identifying content area standards, setting student performance goals, choosing a final product, planning for community involvement, selecting assessments, scaffolding student work, preparing for the final presentation, and incorporating reflections after the project has been completed.

Throughout the course, you will gain practical knowledge and tools for effective PBL implementation in their classrooms. You will design a PBL cycle plan ready for implementation by the end of the course and leave with templates and resources ready to be used in the classroom.

What you will learn

  • Define project-based learning and understand the key components of a successful PBL cycle
  • Analyze misconceptions teachers often have about PBL
  • Evaluate a PBL cycle in the classroom
  • Plan, using a ten-step process, an effective PBL cycle

How you will benefit

  • You will be able to collaborate with other content area teachers at your school
  • Students will be able to connect with ideas across content areas and will show a deeper understanding of those concepts
  • Student engagement with the content topics will increase as they learn how it applies to real problems

How the course is taught

  • Self-Guided, online course
  • 3 Months access
  • 22 course hours
  1. An Introduction to Project Based Learning (PBL)
    1. The definition of Project Based Learning (PBL)
    2. The components of effective PBL
    3. Common Misunderstandings about PBL
  2. A Sample Project Based Learning Cycle
    1. What a full PBL cycle looks like in a classroom setting
  3. Aligning Content Standards on a Calendar
    1. Learn the 10 steps to planning a successful PBL cycle
    2. Learn how to align your content standards on a cross-curricular calendar (Step 1)
  4. Developing a Big Idea Based on Content Standards
    1. Learn how to develop your big idea in the form of a driving question or problem posed (Step 2)
  5. Identifying Content Area Standards
    1. How to identify the knowledge and skills embedded within a standard
    2. How to identify content area lessons (Step 3)
  6. Identifying Student Performance Goals
    1. How to identify student performance goals based on rigorous questions from Bloom's Taxonomy and rigorous questions from Webb's Depth of Knowledge (Step 4)
  7. Section 7 – Choosing a Final Product
    1. Learn how to choose a final product (Step 5)
    2. Learn about the different roles students can hold in a small group
  8. Planning for Community Involvement
    1. Learn how to plan for community involvement in your Project Based Learning lesson (Step 6)
  9. Identifying Assessments
    1. The two types of checkpoints
    2. The difference between formative, summative, and informal assessments
    3. How to choose appropriate assessments and checkpoints (Step 7)
  10. Scaffolding Student Work
    1. How to support student work through purposeful scaffolding (Step 8)
  11. The Final Presentation
    1. The purpose of having a presentation
    2. How to plan for a presentation with an appropriate audience (Step 9)
  12. Reflections
    1. The difference between personal and work-related reflections
    2. How to utilize reflection questions (Step 10)
  13. Putting it All Together
    1. Using the sample provided, build your own project-based learning cycle for an upcoming lesson.
  14. Applying What you Have Learned
    1. Get ideas on how to implement the concepts into your classroom, find a list of online resources that PBL ideas, and read the research behind this type of learning in the classroom.
Self-Study

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

  • This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 10 or later.
  • Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
  • Microsoft Word Online
  • Editing of a Microsoft Word document is required in this course. You may use a free version of Microsoft Word Online, or Google Docs if you do not have Microsoft Office installed on your computer. Model Teaching can provide support for this.
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader
  • Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Your course begins immediately after you enroll.​

You have 3 months of access to the course. After enrolling, you can learn and complete the course at your own pace, within the allotted access period. You will have the opportunity to interact with other students in the online discussion area.

There is no time limit to complete each lesson, other than completing all lessons within the allotted access period. Discussion areas for each lesson are open for the entire duration of the course.

Because this course is self-guided, no extensions will be granted after the start of your enrollment.

Collaborative Learning in the ClassroomFundamentalsFlipped Learning in the ClassroomFundamentalsInquiry-Based Teaching and LearningFundamentalsIntegrating Technology with Blended LearningFundamentalsStrategies to Support Social-Emotional LearningFundamentalsUniversal Design for Learning (UDL) PrinciplesFundamentalsTeaching Effective Problem-Based Lab ReportsFundamentalsIntro to Online LearningFundamentalsAssessment Tools to Support Online LearningFundamentalsTransforming Traditional Lessons to Online LearningFundamentals
Fundamentals
Collaborative Learning in the Classroom
Fundamentals
Flipped Learning in the Classroom
Fundamentals
Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning
Fundamentals
Integrating Technology with Blended Learning
Fundamentals
Strategies to Support Social-Emotional Learning
Fundamentals
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Principles
Fundamentals
Teaching Effective Problem-Based Lab Reports
Fundamentals
Intro to Online Learning
Fundamentals
Assessment Tools to Support Online Learning
Fundamentals
Transforming Traditional Lessons to Online Learning