Finding The Time

Typically, high school is the hardest place to integrate a project-based learning approach. The issues for high school are many, including: (1) Students are available for only an hour a day (except in blockscheduled schools); (2) Teachers specialize in certain subject areas; (3) Teachers feel pressured to prepare students for tests and college. The hardest thing for high school teachers is the pressure they feel from end-of-course exams. They feel driven to "cover" the curriculum when they use traditional teaching methods, where instruction is often delivered through lecture with students taking notes and giving answers to questions. PBL changes this setting for instruction. Teachers assume a role of support, and students are led to discover information. Though it can seem time-consuming, it actually frees the teacher to work individually with students.