PROJECT-BASED

LEARNING and
MULTIMEDIA
WHAT IT IS?
PROJECT BASED LEARNING REDEFINES
THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CLASSROOM.
NO LONGER STUDENTS ARE CONFINED
TO LEARNING WITHIN THE FOUR WALLS.

At the end end of the lesson, we will be

able to know:

. What is PROJECTBASED multimedia

learning.

. The elements of
project-based
multimedia learning.
2

3. Why we should
use PROJECT-BASED
multimedia learning.

4. The Disadvantages
of the use of project
based learning and
multimedia project.

Teacher
Nachielle teaches
social studies. Her students, as
a part of their studies of
medieval
history,
created
multimedia presentation about
the Black Plague. She teamed
with a teacher in Science
department for the unit. In
Science, students created

animations that stimulated

how the plague virus attacks
the body. In Social studies,
they created computer-based
presentations looking at the
plague
from
various
perspectives that included
14th Century farmers and 21st

Century scientists. Their

presentations used primary
historical resources, as well
as literature and current
events. The presentation
compared the plague to the
AIDS epidemic of today.
(Adapted from M. Simkins, 2002)

TEACHER NICOLES
CLASS

Entering teacher
Nicoles class, you
first notice that
every child is
completely
engrossed. Second,
you notice the
cacophony of
voices, rising and
falling in intense
and animated
discussions among
small groups of
third graders.

You look at the teacher she isnt

conveniently located at the front
of the room. Finally, you see her
down among a group of students.
You wait for her to notice you as
she shows the group how to use
an index of a book to find
information about shelter of a
tribe of Aetas.
As you wait, your eyes move from
group to group. At the computer,
three boys are typing

some text they have composed

for their presentations. A group of
girls paints a colorful scene of a
tribe of Aetas village to be
scanned into the presentation
software later. Another group of
boys uses a Venn diagramto show
fooda in their own diet, foods in
their tribes diet and food they
have in common. You want to ask
them about their work but cant
break their concentration.

Teacher Nicole notices you and starts

toward you, but each group of students
she passes stops her to proudly show off
their work or ask her to check something.
She finally reaches you and starts to
explain the various activities the children
are working on to prepare their
multimedia presentations content
research, art, language arts, math and
technology activities she has designed for
the project. You talk for almost 10
minutes before you notice the most
amazing thing of all the children are all
still working, still engrossed, animated
and focused.

A class that
EFFECTIVELY
employs PROJECTBASED
MULTIMEDIA
LEARNING is
HIGHLY ANIMATED
and ACTIVELY
ENGAGED.

The teacher
does not just
stay in front of
the class
lecturing. She
monitors the
students as
they work.

Do you
think the
content
will be
sacrificed
if we use

This PROJECT
BASED
MULTIMEDIA
LEARNING is the
MOST of all
ANCHORED on
the CORE
CURRICULUM.

WHAT IS PROJECT-BASED
MULTIMEDIA LEARNING?

It is a TEACHING METHOD in
which the students acquire
new knowledge and skills in
the course of designing,
planning, and producing
multimedia products.
(Simkins, et al, 2002)

KEY DIMENSIONS

CORE
CURRICULUM
1.

. REAL-WORLD
CONNECTIONS

. EXTENDED TIME
FRAME

STUDENT
DECISION MAKING
4.

5.

COLLABORATION

6.

ASSESSMENT

7.

MULTIMEDIA

DISADVANTAGES OF PBLM:

1.

Need
for an
extended
period of
time

 2.

Require
technical
skills on
your part
and on

 3.

the tendency to lose

track of you lesson
objectives.

(The academic content and

the technology aspects of
the lesson are equally
necessary)

PROCEED

TO

GROUP
ACTIVITY.

In Summary:
Students end up with a multimedia
product to show what they
learned. They are not just authors
of academic content, but also,
authors of multimedia product at
the end of the learning process. As
they work, they employ life skills
including decision making.