A seven phase model for PBL instructional design

Phase 1: Introducing the Driving Question

• compelling
• open-ended
• meaningful
• higher-level question requiring students to think deeply
• has no right or wrong answer
• provides instructor an opportunity to ascertain differing levels of prior knowledge and plan appropriately for instruction

Phase 2: Introducing the Culminating Challenge

• needs to be some type of authentic assessment or performance in which students clearly demonstrate learning
• examples might include a moot court, election simulation, authoring a children’s book, developing a web site, a town hall meeting, etc.
• students are provided with guided choice concerning the options for authentic role(s).

Phase 3: Developing Subject Matter Expertise

• creation of individual and team tasks to lead students to success on both the culminating challenge and summative assessment
• students embody authentic roles and thus have a “need to know” more about the concepts and skills
• utilizes inquiry methods to help students explore new concepts, but provide enough background information on the new vocabulary and concepts that students can figure out how to move forward.

Phase 4: Doing the Culminating Challenge

• chance for students to demonstrate their learning in a performance assessment
• if possible, bring in subject matter experts to help assess the quality of student work
• an outside perspective will “up the stakes” for students who are used to presenting just to the teachers or classmates

Phase 5: Debriefing the Culminating Challenge (Ideally with Subject-Matter Experts)

• debriefing is easy to overlook or breeze past due to never-ending time constraints
• reflective practice of debriefing is extremely valuable for students and teachers alike.

Phase 6: Responding to the Driving Question

• ask students to respond to the driving question once again
• students should have new vocabulary and a deep, conceptual understanding of the material covered during the cycle.
• as students complete this exercise, hand back their initial responses
• allow time to examine the differences between the two writing samples and acknowledge the learning.

Phase 7: Summative Assessment

• summative measure is an important way to assess student learning.
• common summative assessment include district benchmark assessment, practice Advanced Placement exam or other unit test
• should measure student proficiency on those concepts and skills deemed important.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/practical-pbl-design-amber-graeber