Project-Based Learning
Project-based learning (PBL) aligns with the Domain of Instruction because it shifts our role as teachers from being the authoritative lecturer at the front of the class to an active facilitator who moves around the room. Instead of passively receiving information, PBL encourages our students to use hands-on investigation and problem-solving to build real-world projects.
With PBL, our instruction as teachers centers on open-ended questions rather than rote memorization, which then empowers our students to take ownership of their learning. This teaching style changes how we scaffold and guide our students' learning because instead of lecturing, we design entry events or hooks, we manage group activities, and we provide targeted mini-lessons as our students run into gaps in their knowledge.
Group work and activities can be tied directly to real-world challenges, so students feel their learning and work are important. This helps them see they have the potential to make a difference and helps them better understand their world in authentic ways. As teachers using PBL, we can use frequent formative assessments and feedback loops to help our students revise their own work over time.
Research conducted at the University of Southern California and Michigan State University on PBL in education has validated PBL as an instructional best practice. The two studies, involving over 6,000 students in 114 schools across the nation, with more than 50 percent of students coming from low-income households, have provided “compelling evidence that project-based learning is an effective strategy for all students, outperforming traditional curricula not only for high achieving students, but across grade levels and racial and socioeconomic groups (Terada, 2021).”
In addition to helping students perform higher on tests, PBL can also deepen knowledge as they learn how to apply what they learn in core subjects. “Integrating this knowledge-in-use approach in the classroom not only provides a richer experience but also can motivate student interest in learning (Rigorous Project- Based Learning an Inquiry- Based Educational Approach Key Principles for Project-Based Learning, n.d.).”
Sources:
Figures 1 and 2. Pictures of students' project-based learning artifacts, photographed by D. Stevens, 2026. Copyright 2026 by D. Stevens.
Rigorous Project- Based Learning An Inquiry- Based Educational Approach Key Principles for Project-Based Learning. (n.d.). https://www.lucasedresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Key-Principles-for-PBL-White-Paper-1.pdf
Terada, Y. (2021, February 21). New Research Makes a Powerful Case for PBL. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/new-research-makes-powerful-case-pbl
