Experiential Learning Inspirations: Project-Based Learning

Pre-med students in a Biology course measure urban air quality in collaboration with citizen-scientists from the local community; students in a 300-level Business seminar design improvements to a campus COVID-19 testing center; Political Science students use Geographic Information Systems for conducting neighborhood analyses of political conflicts; students in an English Literature class curate an exhibit of rare books from the university library; upper-level Engineering students design and build a greenhouse for a local community garden: these are just some examples of exciting learning experiences from project-based learning (PBL) courses.

The acronym PBL is shared by two overlapping pedagogical approaches: project-based and problem-based learning. Project-based learning is structured around long-term, collaborative projects that allow learners to apply academic research and knowledge to issues beyond the classroom. These student-driven projects require teamwork, time management, and communication skills, preparing learners for collaborative work in professional and community settings. Problem-based learning begins with identifying a complex, open-ended problem (also known as an "ill-structured" or "wicked" problem) and inviting students to brainstorm, develop, and assess potential solutions to that problem. Since many collaborative projects are also problem-based, the two pedagogies often converge in a single classroom.

The Project-Based Learning Framework developed by researchers at Penn GSE articulates four guiding goals of PBL pedagogy: disciplinary learning, authentic work, collaboration, and iteration. These four goals can be applicable at multiple scales, from wholesale PBL courses (and curricula) to individual assignments and learning activities:

1. Disciplinary learning means inviting students to practice the same higher order cognitive moves used by practitioners in their discipline (for example, analyzing archival documents rather than listening to a lecture in a history course);
2. Authentic work means structuring learning experiences in which students engage with the world outside the classroom to design "public products" for community, industry, or university audiences;
3. Collaboration means designing "group worthy" tasks that allow students to appreciate the value of authentic collaboration, develop transferable collaboration skills, and reflect on their own capacities as collaborators;
4. Iteration means engaging students in meaningful cycles of feedback, revision, and reflection.

Rooted in the progressive pedagogy of John Dewey, PBL classes are widely offered in higher education from first-year introductory courses to graduate curricula. In addition to providing an out-of-the-box, hands-on learning experiences, PBL courses and curricula support a range of positive student outcomes, academic as well as extra-academic. Perhaps most importantly, project-based learning promotes student autonomy (as students take responsibility for real-world projects) and fosters authentic collaboration skills (as students navigate the frustrations and rewards of working with one another). Other benefits of PBL include increased self-efficacy, enhanced career preparation, and a deepened sense of ethical responsibility and value-alignment. Finally, students engaging in project-based learning have the opportunity to witness first-hand the societal impacts and ethical implications of their projects, and to situate technical/academic knowledge within broader cultural contexts.

For instructors interested in exploring PBL pedagogy in more depth, the PBL Research Briefs, published by the Center for Project-Based Learning at the Worchester Polytechnic Institute, offer insight into the research underpinning PBL's diverse pedagogical applications. An extensive collection of application examples can also be found in the archive of the Interdisciplinary Journal for Problem-Based Learning (IJPBL). To think through ideas for incorporating PBL into your own course at Drexel University, you can register for a one-on-one TLC consultation, check out our online resources on syllabus and course design, and keep an eye open for forthcoming programming featuring project-based learning!