WEBVTT 00:00:00.836 --> 00:00:04.836 Narrator: You remember what it was like in school. It was boring! 00:00:04.836 --> 00:00:09.466 You sat in class, memorized as much as you could and tried to pass the test at 00:00:09.466 --> 00:00:10.636 the end. 00:00:10.636 --> 00:00:12.716 But is that good enough? 00:00:12.716 --> 00:00:16.056 These days school can be more interesting and effective. 00:00:16.056 --> 00:00:19.926 By focusing students on work that matters. 00:00:19.926 --> 00:00:24.026 This is Project Based Learning Explained. 00:00:24.026 --> 00:00:26.906 Most adults live in a world of projects. 00:00:26.906 --> 00:00:30.646 Whether it's a job assignment, home improvement or planning a wedding, 00:00:30.646 --> 00:00:33.736 we need to actively solve problems. 00:00:33.736 --> 00:00:39.066 But unfortunately, schoolwork looks more like this than this. 00:00:39.066 --> 00:00:41.566 Let's take a look at this Project Based World. 00:00:41.566 --> 00:00:43.016 Meet Claire. 00:00:43.016 --> 00:00:45.836 She was recently presented with a challenge. 00:00:45.836 --> 00:00:50.846 Her company, Super Suds, makes soap and it was up to her to find the most 00:00:50.846 --> 00:00:53.836 earth-friendly way to produce it in the future. 00:00:53.836 --> 00:00:57.986 Her boss gave her a budget and a few requirements- and it was up to her to 00:00:57.986 --> 00:01:00.046 come up with a solution. 00:01:00.046 --> 00:01:04.106 She organized and managed a team who researched the options and created 00:01:04.106 --> 00:01:07.176 materials summarizing the issues. 00:01:07.176 --> 00:01:11.476 Claire's team asked for feedback and presented their findings to the boss. 00:01:11.476 --> 00:01:15.126 Claire came out of the project looking like a rock star--and she learned a lot 00:01:17.346 --> 00:01:21.496 If you look closely, Claire's success involved critical thinking, 00:01:15.126 --> 00:01:17.346 about green products. 00:01:21.496 --> 00:01:24.176 collaboration, and communication. 00:01:24.176 --> 00:01:27.976 Things than aren't often taught in traditional classrooms. 00:01:27.976 --> 00:01:30.286 The world needs more Claires. 00:01:30.286 --> 00:01:31.976 So how do we get them? 00:01:31.976 --> 00:01:36.106 The answer is Project Based Learning or PBL. 00:01:36.106 --> 00:01:40.066 By focusing students on a project, teachers put them on a path that 00:01:40.066 --> 00:01:44.066 deepens their knowledge and builds skills they'll need in the future. 00:01:44.066 --> 00:01:45.376 Here's what I mean. 00:01:45.376 --> 00:01:49.586 Mr. Simmons has always been a good science teacher and his students do well on 00:01:49.586 --> 00:01:51.066 Friday's tests. 00:01:51.066 --> 00:01:55.186 Unfortunately, what they learned is gone by Saturday morning. 00:01:55.186 --> 00:01:57.746 That wasn't good enough for him. 00:01:57.746 --> 00:02:02.096 Soon he learned about Project Based Learning and decided to give it a shot. 00:02:02.096 --> 00:02:06.656 Mr. Simmons got the idea for his first project, on microorganisms, when nearly 00:02:06.656 --> 00:02:10.246 half of his students were suddenly absent with the flu. 00:02:10.246 --> 00:02:14.396 He asked his students why they thought so many of their classmates got sick at the 00:02:14.396 --> 00:02:16.106 same time. 00:02:16.106 --> 00:02:20.266 That lively discussion produced a lot of good questions and a list of things that 00:02:20.266 --> 00:02:22.316 kids wanted to know. 00:02:22.316 --> 00:02:26.246 Mr. Simmons then announced their project was to help elementary school kids 00:02:26.246 --> 00:02:29.796 understand, how can we do not get sick? 00:02:29.796 --> 00:02:34.896 After dividing the class into teams, he got them started on the project. 00:02:34.896 --> 00:02:39.446 It was up to the students to ask questions, research, collaborate, 00:02:39.446 --> 00:02:43.326 give each other feedback and figure out the best ways to make their points clear 00:02:43.326 --> 00:02:45.216 to children. 00:02:45.216 --> 00:02:48.246 One team chose to make an educational video on the connection between 00:02:48.246 --> 00:02:50.826 hand-washing and avoiding the flu. 00:02:50.826 --> 00:02:55.206 Another chose to create posters to show how viruses spread. 00:02:55.206 --> 00:02:58.936 The project teams showed off their final work to an enthusiastic audience of 00:02:58.936 --> 00:03:02.956 parents and their children at a nearby elementary school. 00:03:02.956 --> 00:03:07.446 Sitting in the front row was our good friend and local rock star Claire, who 00:03:07.446 --> 00:03:10.406 saw a bit of herself in the students. 00:03:10.406 --> 00:03:13.596 It was clear that the project was a success for the students, 00:03:13.596 --> 00:03:16.516 the audience, and Mr. Simmons. 00:03:16.516 --> 00:03:21.776 His students practiced critical thinking, collaboration and communication. 00:03:21.776 --> 00:03:26.436 The project wasn't about memorization, but learning in-depth about viruses 00:03:26.436 --> 00:03:28.816 and how to prevent spreading disease. 00:03:28.816 --> 00:03:31.726 A lesson they will never forget. 00:03:31.726 --> 00:03:35.426 At the end of the presentation, Claire introduced herself to the students 00:03:35.426 --> 00:03:39.376 and told them that they were rock stars and that the world needs more people who 00:03:39.376 --> 00:03:42.366 can think like them. 00:03:42.366 --> 00:03:49.296 To learn more about Project Based Learning, go to BIE.org.