Project-Based Learning: Asking the Right Questions

The term Project-Based Learning (PBL) seemed simple enough when I first encountered it in my MAT Pedagogy course. I thought it referred to those classic school projects we’ve all seen: poster boards crammed with facts, tri-fold displays rimmed with border paper, and late-night glue stick sessions. I pictured classrooms buzzing with students “presenting what they learned,” while the teacher finally had a chance to catch up on grading.

In short, I assumed PBL was just a more colorful way to end a unit.

But the more I read, the more I realized I had it backward. Project-Based Learning isn’t the end result of learning, it’s the means to PBL means students learn through the project, not just after the unit is done (Miller, 2017). In other words, PBL isn’t about doing a project for learning; it’s about doing the project as learning.

This distinction is subtle but important. It challenges me as a future teacher to design learning experiences that are authentic, sustained, and inquiry-driven. Not just busy work dressed up with construction paper.

I envision using PBL when my class ventures into new terrain. When we need to build deep understanding of unfamiliar ideas or when the school year starts to sag after the new year excitement dwindles or spring break is long gone. PBL can be a spark in those in-between moments, especially for students who crave something beyond the typical seven-period schedule.

It also seems tailor-made for moments when current events dominate hallway conversations, when a controversial story hits the press, and students are already acting like mini journalists. Why not harness that energy and teach them how to investigate, analyze, and communicate with purpose? Education philosopher John Dewey coined the phrase, “learning by doing,” and that idea still holds power today. If we want engaged citizens as our neighbors, classmates, and friends, it starts with helping students to learning in meaningful ways.

But as exciting as PBL sounds, it’s not without its challenges. For one, true PBL takes time. Time to plan, time to scaffold, time for students to explore questions and wrestle with answers that don’t fit on a worksheet. That’s a lot of extra time and a heavier mental load for teachers who are already stretched thin or expected to “cover” a wide curriculum in limited weeks.

There’s also the risk of inequity. Students without access to resources outside the classroom, whether that’s technology, transportation, or parental support, might struggle to keep pace with peers. Without careful planning and flexibility, PBL could unintentionally widen achievement gaps.

Still, the promise of PBL is worth the effort. When done well, it can shift the classroom from a place of passive learning and memorization to one of active exploration. It can help students see that learning isn’t just about getting the right answer, it’s about asking better questions.

And that’s the kind of classroom I hope to create.

References: Miller, Andrew. (2017, November 3). Getting Started with Project-Based Learning (Hint: Don’t Go Crazy!) Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/project-based-learning-getting-started-basics-andrew-miller