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A. Introduction to Project-Based Learning
There is nothing new about Project-Based Learning (PBL). Good teachers have always used projects as a supplement to their regular course of instruction. Any teacher who has taken a group on a field trip, had students enter projects in a science fair, had a class garden, collected and measured the pH of various water sources, or any one of a thousand activities that involve students in studying and interacting with the real world around them, has conducted a project-based learning activity.
We are seeing a resurgence of interest in the idea of PBL and its consistent and successful application and management in classrooms. Many educators, schools, communities, and other organizations are exploring aspects of project-based learning.
We believe that at least some of this renewed interest is due to the project opportunities presented by the Internet and World Wide Web... as this guide attempts to demonstrate by introducing you to projects that use the Internet and World Wide Web.
While the Internet adds critical and valuable dimensions to a PBL experience, the management issues you face as the classroom learning manager of a networked project are the same as those faced by every teacher who has embarked on a traditional "old-fashioned, low-tech" project.
Therefore, this first section briefly introduces familiar PBL management issues and provides some resources to help you grapple with classroom management issues.
