To understand the concept of Project-based learning we have to go back to the old days, when we were in schools and struggling to understand the concepts of math and science. The concepts that we studied but were not able to sometimes imagine those ideas and make a picture in mind. It can be anything varying from Newton's concept in primary school to the laws of thermodynamics in engineering. All those things are now, no more hurdles in learning. Students can form teams and organize a project based on real-life where they can involve all concepts and understand them from the very basics. Let's delve into the article and see how the Project-based approach is changing the thinking style of students.
How does Project-based learning help Students?
In Science class, the students get the opportunity to visit a zoo, learn about animal habitats, discuss among themselves, and figure out which habitat suits the different animals rather than just giving theoretical knowledge about animals, then the thinking ability of students will improve. Instead of saying that, camels live in deserts or polar bears live at the poles. Let the students think for themselves by visiting the zoo and discussing with friends based on the body structure of the animals and what habitat suits the animal. This provides a well-defined set of assessment criteria to evaluate the potential of students.
If we blend English language, arts, and social studies then an idea comes to mind, Why don't the students choose a topic related to society like ‘Role of Censorship’ to build a project and work on it collaboratively? And after they prepare the design completely they should perform the design as a play in front of teachers. They should select some banned book or some banned show, and watch them analyze them. This gives choice to students in how they learn. As it was happening in the old days we were told not to read this or not to watch this. In recent pedagogy, it is required that the students should go through the banned texts and enquire by themselves, what negative impact is seen when we go through or read those books?
Remember those days, when we were in Math class and trying to understand the vast concepts of permutation and combinations and still not able to grasp them? The same concepts of mathematics can be made very simple and interesting with project-based learning. Let's say you create a project with your friends on the concept of ethical hacking or breaking the code as an agent of the national security agency. So, while breaking and decoding the secrets you will require mathematical concepts. When this project is presented in front of teachers or any security agent, they can now decide the 'potential of the student' and guide them easily. Students when relate the concepts of math with real life they can easily understand those concepts. This way the study relates to the knowledge acquired from classrooms.
High school students can undertake a project which focuses on the resolution of climate change. Important questions are there to think about. How can I reduce my carbon footprint to create a change? This will build a sense of inquiry among students. They will improve their creativity skills also by making animated videos. They can generate an idea and a model which could be followed by the students and others also. This will build their convincing and leadership skill, furthering their potential to find their solutions.
Notable Examples of Project-based Learning
St. Hua Private School located in Singapore helps students to learn difficult concepts through Project-based training. It is a dynamic approach to teaching in which students or working adults solve real-world problems and challenges.
Universiti Putra Malaysia uses project-based learning in its degree programs, especially in the medical field. For example, the students can be trained to be empathetic towards patients. They are divided into groups and asked to interview each other and the measure of empathy is taken. This data helps them improve their empathy. Many other colleges like NTU and National University are incorporating this concept.
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) has implemented project-based learning in engineering courses because in real-world they will have to solve problems. They are involved in projects so they get to know how to handle a team, and how to think concerning the cost and time for any project. All these are taught with the help of a project.
Conclusion
In the present era, we need to train students to handle real-world problems because when nowadays companies also prefer that the employees should have been working on any project. This will help students to understand the problems of the real world in the future and work accordingly to find solutions. The global market for Project-based learning was valued at 96.3 million dollars and is expected to reach 332.9 million dollars by 2030. These statistics show that the future of Project-based learning is bright. Many countries have started implementing this approach in their schools. We have seen how the way of learning through projects helps students to understand problems and solve them in real life. At last, I want to say that through Project-based learning, we can build an environment where every student can learn concepts easily and contribute towards solving real-world problems.
