Project-Based Learning for Primary School

Description

Primary school teachers have a huge responsibility to educate tomorrow’s citizens, but it often feels hard for them to provide children with 360-degree, meaningful learning experiences.

How hard does it sometimes feel to engage pupils in the lessons, to replace shallow learning with a deep understanding of topics and life competencies? If you also cope with similar issues, project-based learning may interest you.

In project-based learning (PBL), pupils develop deep knowledge and skills through engaging learning activities within a student-led, real-world, meaningful context. PBL can be used in any subject, is easily implementable, and does not require teachers to turn their jobs upside down.

During the course, not only will you discover what PBL is through a variety of inspiring examples, but you’ll also find out how your own curriculum topics can be incorporated into PBL.

You’ll learn which tools are best for your primary school students, how to effectively evaluate their learning, and how to be a good mentor in order to promote critical thinking, autonomy, collaboration, and other 21st-century skills. Finally, you’ll have the chance to plan a successful, manageable PBL activity.

By the end of the course, you’ll have realized how PBL can provide you with great solutions to design fruitful learning experiences, and you’ll have gained confidence and enthusiasm that is necessary to exploit the opportunities it offers.

Practical strategies and tools will be available for you to nurture children’s key competencies, and you will be ready to use a working PBL model you’ll have shaped for your own students!

Learning outcomes

The course will help the participants to: 

• Understand what PBL really is and how it can be useful for any educator;
• Incorporate primary school curriculum topics into PBL;
• Get hints and tools to motivate students and boost their key competencies;
• Gain insight into a variety of activities that you can use in PBL (and beyond);
• Confidently implement PBL in their classes and/or school communities;
• Assess PBL products confidently;
• Evaluate students’ learning of curriculum topics;
• Create detailed, effective, manageable PBL lesson plans, suitable for primary education.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Introduction to the course and to project-based learning

• Introductions to course contents, schools, and the external week activities;
• Icebreaker activities;
• Understanding what project-based learning really is;
• PBL in primary schools;
• Motivation in PBL.

Day 2 – PBL vs other methodologies – 21st-century competencies

• Project-based learning and projects: Any differences?;
• Project, task, inquiry-based learning; 
• 21st-century competencies;
• Examples of PBL in primary schools.

Day 3 – Implementing PBL

• PBL: Finding a topic;
• PBL: The structure;
• The driving question;
• Frequently asked questions.

Day 4 – PBL design and assessment

• Creating a detailed PBL lesson plan;
• Kinds of assessment.

Day 5 – Presenting PBL

• Completing and presenting your PBL plan and rubric;
• Brainstorming and discussing school-wide PBL programs.

Day 6 – Course closure and cultural activities

• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
• Excursion and other external cultural activities.

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