Project-Based Learning (PBL): Learning In Action! : 1

 Project-Based Learning (PBL): Learning In Action! : 1 

‘Eureka’ is an exclamation used as an interjection to celebrate a discovery with meaning approximately “I have found it!” This exclamation is attributed to the ancient Greek scholar Archimedes. He reportedly proclaimed “Eureka!” when he stepped into a bath and noticed that the water level rose — he suddenly understood that the volume of water displaced must be equal to the volume of the part of his body he had submerged. This meant that the volume of irregular objects could be calculated with precision, a previously intractable problem. He is said to have been so eager to share his realization that he leapt out of his bathtub and ran naked through the streets of Syracuse.

“I have found it!” Eureka forced human beings to look around for several questions : as to Why is the sky blue? Why does the moon look different every day? Why is the earth round? Why are insects attracted to light? Why do we look like our parents and why do we differ from them? Why do human beings fight with each other? 

And to get answers to these questions human beings started observing and experimenting with things around them.

One day Newton bought a prism at a fair. He kept it on his desk and noticed when the sun shined on it, how different colours came out of it. This made him very curious. Does this change the light, or does the sunlight have lots of colours that the prism puts into different places? How does the prism do it? And to find the answers, Newton did some experiments.

To satisfy the natural curiosity with which we are all born

we have to explore and investigate the surrounding.

 For exploration, the four things are essential

Purpose, Context, Content and Process.

Project-based learning is a platform

 to explore and investigate

‘Ideas & Questions’

in our minds. 

Unfortunately, in the present education system, there is very little space and scope for a learner to decide what he wants to learn. Project Based Learning (PBL) is a vital process that ought to be adopted in school curricula.  

The most important feature of PBL is the autonomy in learning exercised by teachers and students in deciding what to learn and how to learn.

PBL is a student centre pedagogy in which students learn about a subject through the experience of solving an open-ended problem or creative production to nurture curiosity and creativity. 

The project starts with ideas and questions. To have answers to these questions the child has to observe, question, interview, survey, design and experiment. He has to learn how to generate data by using the above techniques and put forth finding from acquired data.

The main important aspect of PBL is that while doing project work students learn to learn independently. Apart from cognitive skills, they learn goal setting, scheduling of work, and time and resource management. 

PBL is learning in action i.e. open-ended learning. In PBL the process of learning is as important as the product i.e. the outcome of learning.

Two main features of PBL are learning by acquiring experiences and self-motivated self-study.

Therefore, while doing any project work involving students right from brainstorming for project ideas, then defining topics or questions for project work up to the presentation of learning is very important.

Teachers are supposed to play the role of facilitator and mentor. The teacher will help students to channelize the process of investigation and exploration. Giving guidance means not providing ready-made answers but helping a child how to think.

Since 1975, Jnana Prabodhini has introduced projects as a self-study platform for students.

Students choose a problem or topic from physical science, life science, humanities or arts. The students can work in their classroom, in laboratories, in the library or even in other institutions. They can work with their mentor teachers, parents and other experts from society.

The final product of the project can be in the form of a model, report or some creative production. Projects help the students to increase confidence, resourcefulness, hands-on skills, information processing skills and most important the ability to locate the problem. 

At present Vivekananda Kendra Shiksha Prasar Vibhag, Assam (25 schools) & Paramita School, Karimnagar, Telangana (6 schools) are working with Jnana Prabodhini to adopt PBL in their school systems to enrich the learning experiences of students.

The autonomy they had taken will gradually develop into the main course of the formal curriculum in their educational systems. This autonomy will yield more fruitful innovations in education.

At present the educational system offers a uniform prescription for all students, PBL will be one step to have a customized unique prescription for each student. PBL is an important tool to shift focus from generalized instruction to individualized instruction.

Autonomy in defining ‘What I want to learn?’ will make students independent learners.

- Prashant Divekar

Jnana Prabodhini, Pune