Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss’s book Reinventing Project-Based Learning is a handy guide for teachers, which enables them to maximize the advantages of project-based learning (PBL) in this tech-rich learning environment.
This reader-friendly book talks directly to education professionals, teachers and administrators, who actually want to renovate learning into active and student-driven, using technology tools for collaboration, inquiry and connection to the world outside the classroom. Readers will find good examples from teachers in many diverse countries. Reinventing Project-Based Learning reflects how to design genuine projects through which learners can make most use of emerging or available tools and technologies.
The content of the book is divided five sections.
SECTION ONE
Anticipation
Chapter 1
- Mapping the Journey—Seeing the Big Picture
- Side Trip: Tour the Blogosphere .
- Teachers Are Learners, Too
- Spotlight: The New Tech Network.
- Technology Focus: Social Bookmarking
Chapter 2
- Creating a Professional Learning Community
- Spotlight: Changing Their Worldview
- Side Trip: Project-Tuning Protocol
- Communities within Communities
- Technology Focus: QuadBlogging
SECTION TWO
Packing Up
Chapter 3
- Imagining the Possibilities
- Technology Focus: Create a Wiki
- Planning for Rigor and Digital-Age Skills
- Digital-Age Literacies—A Synthesis
- Spotlight: Thinking Aloud about Learning Dispositions
Chapter 4
- Strategies for Discovery
- Reviewing Projects
- Overcoming Pitfalls
- Designing Terrific Projects: Getting Started
- The Best Projects Share Important Features
- Technology Focus: Collect and Track Assets Online
Chapter 5
- Making Assessment Meaningful
- Authentic Assessments in PBL
- Plan for Summative Assessment
- Science-Fiction Short Story Assignment
- Plan for Formative Assessment
Chapter 6
- Project Management Strategies for Teachers and Learners
- Side Trip: Be Resourceful
- Spotlight: Creating Opportunities
- Milestones and Deadlines: It’s About Time
- Spotlight: Teams That Maximize Results
SECTION THREE
Navigating the Learning Experience
Chapter 7
- Project Launch—Implementation Strategies
- Laying the Groundwork
- Ideas for Generating Interest and Promoting Inquiry
- Technology Focus: Screencasting
- Build Toward Information Literacy: Less Looking, More Thinking
Chapter 8
- A Guiding Hand—Keeping a Project Moving
- Make Classroom Discussions More Productive
- Spotlight: Expeditionary Learning
- Help with Troubleshooting
- Your Turn: Analyze Your Classroom Conversations
SECTION FOUR
Expanding Your Circle
Chapter 9
- Building Connections and Branching Out
- Connecting with Experts
- Expanding the Learning Circle
- Technology Focus: Online Collaboration
- Spotlight: EAST Initiative Mode
Chapter 10
- Celebrating and Reflecting
- Reflect on the Journey.
- Plan Your Reflection Questions
- Elaborate: Where to Now?
- Technology Focus: Photo Sharing
SECTION FIVE
Unpacking
Chapter 11
- Bringing It Home
- Capitalize on Your Investment
- Become a Resource for Your Colleagues
- Your Turn: Join the Blogosphere or Twitterverse
Chapter 12
- On the Horizon—PBL Forecast
- Forecast: Deeper Learning through PBL
- Forecast: Achieving Scale—Thoughtfully
- Forecast: Finding More Ways to Learn Together
- Forecast: Reconsidering When and How Students Learn
About Book’s Author
Suzie Boss is a well-known education journalist who has interviewed a lot of educators all across the globe. Jane Krauss is a tech enthusiast and long-time teacher. She is presently a curriculum and program development consultant to organizations related to project-based approaches.
