ABSTRACT
Project-based learning has become increasingly popular in recent decades, with a variety of organizations offering their own definitions and best practices. Common to most of them is that project-based learning engages students in sustained pursuit of a problem, goal, or question that culminates in the creation of a well-developed artifact. Educational programs incorporating project-based learning should also incorporate instruction that models the required assessments—i.e., standardized test taking. Effective project-based learning breaks projects into logical chunks and uses these chunks to emphasize specific learning outcomes. Two practices stand out in effective project-based learning: projects have discrete stages tied to specific learning outcomes and projects are “hard fun.” Projects that are “hard fun” are both challenging and meaningful to students. Good storytelling can be essential in engaging students, turning dull technical challenges into hard fun.
