Why Project Based Learning Works

Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. When looking at the pyramid above, it is striking at how little we learned from all those lectures we endured! Lecture based instruction is the least effective method of instruction. So what's the most effective?

As you look down the list, it becomes apparent that the more actively involved students become in the learning process, the more they learn. The most effective method, at the bottom of the pyramid, involves direct, purposeful learning experiences, such as hands-on or field experiences. This has become the basis for our instructional approach at CLC.

Through our projects, students develop knowledge and or skills they did not have when they began the project. Because of our project based instruction, our students retain what they have learned, apply these concepts to new situations, build upon their learning to develop new perspectives, and continue the learning process as they become life-long learners.