Project and Problem-Based Teaching and Learning

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a movement to align inquiry-based pedagogies with 21st century skills and the workplace. Since the 1950’s, calls for education reform have often been in response to historical events or the release of reports such as A Nation at Risk or more recently Rising Above the Gathering Storm. Sputnik was launched in 1957 causing US policymakers to rethink science education. This led to a number of innovative curriculum reform models designed in the 1960’s and revised during the 1970’s including Science- A Process Approach (SAPA), the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) and the Elementary Science Study (ESS). These inquiry-based curricula served as a model for future development. Since the 1980’s and the development of the National Science Education Standard (1996. National science education standards. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/4962) and more recently the replacement with Next Generation Science Standards (2013) there has been significant support for learning STEM through inquiry. Although there are a number of inquiry-based pedagogies, this chapter addresses project-based learning (PBL) and problem-based learning (PrBL) as primary pedagogies for many schools seeking to engage students in STEM in an authentic environment. In the STEM context, PBL is well suited as a primary pedagogy for STEM learning. PrBL is also widely utilized in STEM education and may have advantages over PBL in the mathematics classroom setting. There are relatively few schools engaged in PBL/PrBLwhen compared to schools using traditional instructional approaches. PBL/PrBL may be an effective strategy to reform schools to meet the 21st century learning needs of the students they serve. What are the differences between PBL/PrBL? What are the barriers to implementing both as a primary classroom pedagogy? What teacher supports facilitate effective PBL/PrBL in the classroom? What can teacher preparation programs do to prepare new teachers to use PBL/PrBL? This chapter examines these two related inquiry-based pedagogies in the context of 21st century learning and developing schools, and provides recommendations for supports that foster them.