Project Based Learning (PBL) in Action

We have been experimenting with Project Based Learning (PBL) in our Religious School this year.  Ron Berger is one of the leaders of PBL in the secular world of education, and his book An Ethic of Excellence is truly inspirational.PBL is - and is not - what it sounds like.  It is learning that involves a 'project', but not just any project. 

PBL is a form of education that leads to "good work," or work that is...

• Good in Quality
• Has academic rigor, accuracy, craftsmanship, beauty
• Good for the Soul
• Is engaging & fulfilling for students and teachers
• Good for the World
• Contributes beyond the classroom (has an audience beyond their teacher / class)
• Builds character, citizenship and 21^st century skills

There are four characteristics (or principles) that make a given project "PBL":

• It is work that matters in the world (authentic, not contrived) – has a real audience and purpose
• The teacher offers support for student discovery (print and online resources, and experts to consult when needed) - i.e. constructivist learning
• The teacher builds a supportive and challenging culture of critique which involves multiple revisions of the work (a first draft is never the final draft!)
• There are opportunities for public presentation of work that makes a difference in the world (should be work that matters, does good, and has an impact on the world)

To get a better sense of the third bullet point (creating a culture of critique), check out this video of Ron Berger showing students how a first grade boy named Austin learned to draw a butterfly:



Austin's Butterfly: Building Excellence in Student Work - Models, Critique, and Descriptive Feedback from Expeditionary Learning on Vimeo.


Our Omanut (art) students were the first to experiment with this type of learning, as they created a "Guide to Art in Israel."  While the project was chosen by the teachers, the students did everything else - the content, the layout, the research, illustrations & text, etc.  The students created multiple drafts of each illustration, using the technique of 'peer critique' to learn how they could improve their work.  We are publishing the book and will sell copies in our Temple gift shop and online.  

Our Teva (nature) students followed suit with a Guide to Teva (nature) in Israel.  Their book has already been published and looks fantastic!  The Teva students did not go through the process of peer critique / multiple revisions, and I am hoping that if we do similar PBL-work in the future that we will give the project more time to allow for multiple revisions and a somewhat higher 'quality' in the final product. That being said, the students really loved working on something that has real-world significance and has a real audience outside the classroom.

Another class did something that might fit under the heading of "PBL" as well... our Shira (music) students studied the teachings of Pirkei Avot as well as the history of Jews immigrating to America in the 19th /20th century, and they wrote their very own musical called "Life's Lessons"!  The play (a piece of 'musical theater') involved an original script as well as three original songs - all composed by the students (with the help of their teachers, one of whom is a professional composer).  Here's the performance they did for our whole Religious School on April 28th.  They did an amazing job!

If you are an educator thinking about incorporating PBL in your program, I would be happy to speak with you.  We learned a lot this year about what works, what doesn't work, and what the challenges are in using PBL in a part-time Jewish educational context.  It's been a fun road, and despite the challenges, I think the students found great meaning in creating things that have real-world value.