What is learning by projects in the classroom

Learning by projects in the classroom is an innovative education method that emerges from Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. This methodology allows children to acquire knowledge and skills becoming protagonists of their own learning. Thus, they can develop their autonomy, being in charge of planning, structuring, implementing and evaluating their own work. That is, actively participate in their own education.

What are the benefits of learning by projects in the classroom

This system of learning by projects in the classroom is increasingly followed by public and private schools in some countries. It is chosen by this option because it sees in it many benefits that traditional school can not provide. Among many of the advantages that this learning implies ...

- Prepares students for real life. Children put into operation a wide variety of skills such as: collaboration, project planning, decision making and time management.

- Increase motivation. When choosing the topics to work, they build their projects according to their own interests so they feel more motivated when working. Students retain more knowledge and skills when they are committed to stimulating projects.

- Greater collaboration. When the children are in the information processing stage, the students share information developing social communication skills, empathy and negotiation.

- Improves research skills. Students research and search for information using many resources. Search and find what they need makes them improve and develop their research skills.

- Improves the ability to solve problems. Students must participate in complex contexts in which they must identify the issues and the problems they bring with them. Children should look for possible solutions both in group and individually which makes them develop problem solving skills and critical thinking.

What challenges does project learning bring?

Like all teaching methods that exist, learning by projects in the classroom presents some challenges such as: Al - When put into operation

. Many times there is a lack of familiarity with the method and many teachers are not sufficiently prepared to give the support and accompaniment that the students need, such as giving rise to the stimulation of creative thinking.- The way to evaluate.

Many times to evaluate in this type of methodology can be a problem for teachers since the acquisition of knowledge is individual for each child and their own developed intelligences so it is difficult to identify each one with certainty. To solve these problems we propose the use of individual or group self-evaluations, or the comparison of the student's own objectives and that of the class. How to apply the methodology of learning by projects

With this system of work by projects students are the protagonists, but it is the teachers who guide and support them throughout the process. To do this they must apply a series of steps:

- Choose a topic linked to reality

and that motivates students to learn and develop their skills. Then ask an open question to know what prior knowledge they have on this subject and push them to investigate to resolve the issue. - Form the teams

. They will be groups of 3 to 4 people and where there is diversity of profiles.- Establish the objective

to be fulfilled according to the competences that they want to develop and also the way to evaluate. - That there is a

planning on the part of the students. A roadmap that specifies everything they are going to do. - Search for information

autonomously by the students. The teacher guides and guides. - Analysis of the information

. Put in common the information that has been sought, discuss it and create hypotheses to find the best answer to the question formulated by the professed jointly.- Work preparation

. Students will apply everything learned to do a job that responds to the question posed creatively.- Presentation of the work

. The students must present the work and how they have responded to the problem.- Finally the

evaluation or self-evaluation is used.