Project-Based Learning Insights by Joseph S. Krajcik

Project-Based Learning Insights by Joseph S. Krajcik

Project-Based Learning (PBL) offers an innovative approach to education, emphasizing active engagement and real-world problem-solving. Joseph S. Krajcik and Phyllis C. Blumenfeld explore the principles and practices of PBL, highlighting its effectiveness in fostering deeper understanding among students. This chapter outlines key features of PBL, including driving questions, situated inquiry, collaboration, and the use of cognitive tools. Educators and curriculum developers will find valuable insights into designing effective learning environments that motivate students and enhance their learning experiences. This work is essential for teachers seeking to implement PBL strategies in their classrooms.

Key Points

  • Explains the five key features of project-based learning, including driving questions and situated inquiry.
  • Discusses the importance of collaboration among students, teachers, and community members in PBL environments.
  • Highlights the role of cognitive tools and learning technologies in enhancing student engagement and understanding.
  • Provides insights from over a decade of research and practical application in science classrooms.
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CHAPTER 19
Project-Based Learning
Joseph S. Krajcik and Phyllis C. Blumenfeld
In: The Cambridge Handbook of the Learning Sciences. (2006). R. Keith
Sawyer (ed). Cambridge University Press
Any teacher or parent can tell you that many students are bored in school. But many of them tend to
assume that boredom is not a problem with the best students, and that if students tried harder or learned
better they wouldn’t be bored. In the 1980s and 1990s, education researchers increasingly realized that
when students are bored and unengaged, they are less likely to learn (Blumenfeld et al., 1991). Studies
of student experience found that almost all students are bored in school, even the ones who score well
on standardized tests (Csikszentmihalyi, Rathunde, & Whalen, 1993). By about 1990, it became
obvious to education researchers that the problem wasn’t the fault of the students; there was something
wrong with the structure of schooling. If we could find a way to engage students in their learning, to
restructure the classroom so that students would be motivated to learn, that would be a dramatic
change.
Also by about 1990, new assessments of college students had shown that the knowledge they acquired
in high school remained at a superficial level. Even the best scoring students, those at the top colleges,
often had not acquired a deeper conceptual understanding of material – whether in science, literature,
or math (Gardner, 1991). Educators still face these critical problems today.
Learning sciences research provides a potential solution to these problems. Drawing on the cognitive
sciences and other disciplines, learning scientists are uncovering the cognitive structure of deeper
conceptual understanding, discovering principles that govern learning, and showing in detail that
schools teach superficial knowledge rather than deeper knowledge. Drawing on this research, many
learning scientists are developing new types of curricula, with the goal of increasing student
engagement and helping them develop deeper understanding of important ideas. Our own contribution
is articulating the features of project based learning (Blumenfeld et al., 2000; Krajcik et al., 1994).
Project-based learning allows students to learn by doing and applying ideas. Students engage in real
world activities that are similar to the activities that adult professionals engage in.
Project-based learning is a form of situated learning (Greeno, this volume) and it is based on the
constructivist finding that students gain a deeper understanding of material when they actively
construct their understanding by working with and using ideas. In project-based learning, students
engage in real, meaningful problems that are important to them and that are similar to what scientists,
mathematicians, writers, and historians do. A project-based classroom allows students to investigate
questions, propose hypotheses and explanations, discuss their ideas, challenge the ideas of others, and
try out new ideas. Research has demonstrated that students in project-based learning classrooms get
higher scores than students in traditional classrooms (Marx et al., 2004; Rivet & Krajcik, 2004;
William & Linn, 2003).
Project-based learning is an overall approach to the design of learning environments. Learning
environments that are project-based have five key features (Blumenfeld et al., 1991; Krajcik, et al.,
1994; Krajcik, Czerniak, & Berger, 2002):
1. They start with a driving question, a problem to be solved.
2. Students explore the driving question by participating in authentic, situated inquiry – processes of
problem solving that are central to expert performance in the discipline. As students explore the driving
question, they learn and apply important ideas in the discipline.
3. Students, teachers, and community members engage in collaborative activities to find solutions to
the driving question. This mirrors the complex social situation of expert problem solving.
4. While engaged in the inquiry process, students are scaffolding with learning technologies that help
them participate in activities normally beyond their ability.
5. Students create a set of tangible products that address the driving question. These are shared
artifacts, publicly accessible external representations of the class’s learning.
In the next section, we summarize the learning sciences theory behind project based learning. Our own
efforts have emphasized applying project-based methods to science classrooms, so in the section after
that, we show how our work builds on project-based learning principles. Based on over ten years
working in science classrooms, we have learned several important lessons about how to apply project-
based learning in schools, and in the bulk of the chapter, we group our lessons around the five key
features of project-based learning. We close by discussing issues that we encountered in scaling up our
curriculum.
Theoretical Background of Project-Based Learning
The roots of project-based learning extend back over a hundred years, to the work of educator and
philosopher John Dewey (1959), whose Laboratory School at the University of Chicago was based on
the process of inquiry. Dewey argued that students will develop personal investment in the material if
they engage in real, meaningful tasks and problems that emulate what experts do in real-world
situations. In the last two decades, learning sciences researchers have refined and elaborated Dewey’s
original insight that active inquiry results in deeper understanding. New discoveries in the learning
sciences have led to new ways of understanding how children learn (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking,
1999). We build on four major learning sciences ideas: (1) active construction, (2) situated learning,
(3) social interactions, and (4) cognitive tools.
Active Construction
Learning sciences research has found that deep understanding occurs when a learner actively constructs
meaning based on his or her experiences and interaction in the world, and that only superficial learning
occurs when learners passively take in information transmitted from a teacher, a computer, or a book
(Sawyer introduction, this volume). The development of understanding is a continuous process that
requires students to construct and reconstruct what they know from new experiences and ideas, and
prior knowledge and experiences. Teachers and materials do not reveal knowledge to learners; rather,
learners actively build knowledge as they explore the surrounding world, observe and interact with
phenomena, take in new ideas, make connections between new and old ideas, and discuss and interact
with others. In project-based learning, students actively construct their knowledge by participating in
real-world activities similar to those that experts engage in, to solve problems and develop artifacts.
Situated Learning
Learning sciences research has shown that the most effective learning occurs when the learning is
situated in an authentic, real-world context. In some scientific disciplines, scientists conduct
experiments in laboratories; in others, they systematically observe the natural world and draw
conclusions from their observations. Situated learning in science would involve students in
experiencing phenomena as they take part in various scientific practices such as designing
investigations, making explanations, modeling, and presenting their ideas to others. One of the benefits
of situated learning is that students can more easily see the value and meaning of the tasks and
activities they perform.
When students do a scientific experiment by following detailed steps in the textbook, that’s hardly any
better than passively listening to a lecture. Either way, it’s hard for them to see the meaning in what
they’re doing. But when they create their own investigation design to answer a question that is
important to them and their community, they can see how science can be applied to solve important
problems. A second benefit of situated learning is that it seems to generalize better to a wider range of
situations (Kolodner, this volume).
When learners acquire information through memorization of discrete facts that are not connected to
important and meaningful situations, the superficial understanding that results is difficult for students
to generalize to new situations. When students participate in step-by-step science experiments from the
textbook, they don’t learn how and where to apply these same procedures outside of the classroom.
However, when students acquire information in a meaningful context (Blumenfeld et al., 1991) and
relate it to their prior knowledge and experiences, they can form connections between the new
information and the prior knowledge to develop better, larger, and more linked conceptual
understanding.
Social Interaction
One of the most solid findings to emerge from learning sciences research is the important role of social
interaction in learning (Collins, this volume; Greeno, this volume; Sawyer, this volume). The best
learning results from a particular kind of social interaction: when teachers, students, and community
members work together in a situated activity to construct shared understanding. Learners develop
understandings of principles and ideas through sharing, using, and debating ideas with others
(Blumenfeld et al., 1996). This back-and forth sharing, using, and debating of ideas helps to create a
community of learners.
Cognitive Tools
Learning sciences research has demonstrated the important role of tools in learning (Salomon, Perkins,
& Globerson, 1991). Cognitive tools can amplify and expand what students can learn. A graph is an
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FAQs of Project-Based Learning Insights by Joseph S. Krajcik

What are the main principles of project-based learning?
Project-based learning (PBL) is centered around five key principles: starting with a driving question, engaging in authentic inquiry, fostering collaboration among students and community members, utilizing cognitive tools, and creating tangible artifacts. These principles guide students to explore real-world problems, apply their knowledge, and develop deeper understanding through hands-on experiences. PBL emphasizes active learning, where students construct their understanding by engaging with the material in meaningful ways.
How does project-based learning improve student engagement?
Project-based learning improves student engagement by allowing learners to tackle real-world problems that are relevant to their lives and interests. By starting with a driving question, students are motivated to explore and investigate, leading to a more invested learning experience. The collaborative nature of PBL encourages students to work together, share ideas, and learn from one another, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose in the classroom.
What challenges do teachers face when implementing project-based learning?
Teachers often encounter several challenges when implementing project-based learning, including time constraints and the need for adequate resources. Designing effective PBL units requires careful planning and alignment with educational standards, which can be time-consuming. Additionally, teachers may struggle with facilitating collaboration and inquiry among students, especially if they are accustomed to traditional teaching methods. Professional development and support are crucial for helping educators navigate these challenges.
What role do cognitive tools play in project-based learning?
Cognitive tools are essential in project-based learning as they enhance students' ability to engage with complex concepts and data. These tools, such as software for data analysis and visualization, help students gather, analyze, and interpret information effectively. By utilizing cognitive tools, students can create models, conduct experiments, and develop artifacts that demonstrate their understanding, ultimately leading to deeper learning and retention of knowledge.
How does project-based learning align with educational standards?
Project-based learning aligns with educational standards by integrating meaningful content that meets curriculum requirements. By focusing on driving questions that encompass key concepts and skills, PBL ensures that students engage with material that is relevant to their educational goals. This alignment not only helps students achieve learning outcomes but also prepares them for real-world applications of their knowledge and skills.

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