PBL+Exemplary+Projects

Leslie Ford's review of PBL Exemplary Projects:
Summary - The goal of PBL Exemplary Projects is to provide the motivation and support for teachers to get involved with Project-Based Learning (PBL). PBL Exemplary Projects is a service of the WestEd Regional Technology Education Consortium. PBL Exemplary Projects focuses mostly on projects and project based learning for middle school. One of its main goals is to support and help those educators who don’t have much experience in PBL or have only limited experience. These exemplary projects represent the practices of other educators who use this approach and that cover a wide range of standards-based content and technology.

Strengths - PBL Exemplary Projects include detailed, step-by-step directions and examples for how to proceed. The projects are designed around themes, concerns, or issues that are real to middle school students. This site also provides research, assessment, and standards for project-based learning. These projects integrate technology but also allow for teachers to add more or less technology based on the skills they would like to have their students learn. The Exemplary PBL Projects team is comprised of experienced teachers, educators, and researchers. The team also includes people who are currently designing PBL projects.

Weaknesses – Most of the activities are designed for junior high students. There are only a few that are appropriate for lower elementary students. At the top of the page it lists PBLnet.org, but this is misleading. That domain name is actually for sale. The website is actually a service of WestEd Regional Education Consortium.

Audience – PBL Exemplary Projects is appropriate for teachers of grades five through eight. Both novices and teachers who have experience with project-based learning would benefit from this site.

Access – PBL Exemplary Projects is a completely free site. I found it while searching for project-based learning. You can find PBL Exemplary Projects at []

I really want to learn more about Project Based Learning. At this time, I do not feel comfortable writing my own PBL experience. I was thankful that Leslie posted this review and that it has many resources for students of the middle school level. This is a site that I plan to share it with my fellow middle school teachers and continue to reference in the future.
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