In this class we discussed the benefits and problems of using inquiry based or project based learning (PBL). Benefits included the freedom to work on student individual interest and passion, which can create buy in and increase in motivation to learn. Moreover, PBL creates more space for creativity and critical thinking in the classroom, and helps students develop soft skills and social skills that may not be developed as greatly in a traditional school setting. However, many concerns with this model arise, such as how do students transition to traditional structures such as standardized testing, and does PBL set students up for success in the long run. My fiance attended PSII, an alternative high school here in Victoria, and he later switched schools to public school because the style of alternative education did not work for him; it required a lot of self motivation, and he wanted more structure. For this reason, I think sometimes students aren’t the right fit for alternative schools like High-Tech High or PSII, but I still believe PBL can be integrated in a hybrid fashion.

I am a huge believer in PBL, and many of my most memorable moments in grade school were PBL based. I always love incorporating art into my learning, and something I love about PBL is that students are given the freedom to use whatever medium they wish to communicate their learning. I believe PBL can be assessed in a more traditional way or using the proficiency scale. I love that PBL can be interdisciplinary, and I remember doing projects for all different subjects including literacy, math, socials and science.

I hope to integrate PBL into everyday teaching and curriculum in more traditional settings, as I’ve seen first hand that it is possible!

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