"Too many of our elementary students are still memorizing the fifty state capitals when they could be building interactive digital maps of the history of the capitals"
I never really thought about the fact that students can learn the capitals in context not as a memorization task. PBL- which I have always been skeptical of- can be a great tool when set in the right way. Students will learn collaboration, innovation, independent thinking and contextual real world application. (I've brought up these skill a lot but it's important.)
Heck while they are making their real. World model they can else earn map skills, facts about the state and even problems within the state allowing us to lead to the next project- developing a solution to this problem. This creates ownership and develops research skills. The connection and learning could go on forever. I never realized how stuck I was in traditional schooling until I started to read this book. PBL no longer frightens me but inspires me. Which makes me think of my psych class. I'm having a kabuki- an ah ah moment where one personal theories dies and a new one is created based on experience. So on fire with thinking innovating and making changes right now. This is what learning feels like!