What is the difference between PBL and STEAM? As elementary schools all over the world push for their teachers to implement Project Based Learning, there have been some hiccups. As an online instructional coach, a PBL instructor of over 8 years, and a member of several PBL social media groups, I have noticed a major misconception in the PBL community.
PBL Units are NOT STEAM challenges.
So, what is the difference between PBL and STEAM? The use of STEM challenges as PBL units, is a gross underestimation of the power of quality Project Based Learning. Here are 3 ways that PBL and STEM/STEAM are different and why you should not use them interchangeably.
1. It’s all in the questions
Project Based Learning poses a Driving Question to students that allows them to explore MANY ways to answer with MANY different products. However, a STEM challenge typically defines the parameters of the product.
For example, a STEM challenge might be “How can we build a better mousetrap?”. All of the students in the class will be building a mouse trap. The teacher probably provides certain materials and lays out a few ground rules. The class then begins to work on creating a product with the same function, to catch a mouse.
A PBL unit’s Driving Question might be posed by the school custodian, who is facing a serious issue, “How can we as concerned pupils, help our school with our mouse issue?” Now, we have taken the same principle of reducing the population of mice, and made it into a problem that our students can solve in a variety of ways. For example, they might...
- - Build mousetraps.
- - Fundraise to call an exterminator
- - Petition the school board to allow a cat in the school for both mouse control and to read with students.
- - Purchase better tupperware for the cafeteria, so open food containers don’t draw mice
- - All of the above options combined, either together or attempted one after the other
The Project Based Learning approach empowers the students to research the Driving Question, critically think about the question, research solutions, and implement those solutions through real world and authentic learning. Sometimes STEM is involved in that process, but simply giving students a STEM challenge and calling it a PBL unit is grossly underestimating the power to empower through the PBL approach.
2. STEM is not a PBL unit, but a PBL unit can be STEM
STEM/STEAM challenges are an incredible way to teach. As a former robotics coach, STEM for Girls club coach, and avid STEM enthusiast, I think that STEM is a crucial element to any classroom. However, the challenges posed within these lessons are not the same as a Driving Question. Most of the time during a STEM challenge we give students the materials, parameters, and rules. This allows students to focus on the engineering aspects of STEM in a “micro-dose” fashion, in which they are able to complete the challenge quickly and in somewhat of a uniform way.
A Project Based Learning unit can include STEM. In fact, a Project Based Learning unit can even be based in STEM principals, like robotics, coding, or the environment. However, to really immerse students in a Project Based Learning unit, we include community partners, focus on the topics of our PBL unit through ALL subjects including ELA and Social Studies, and learn through the unit for an extended amount of time. Students become experts in PBL related topics and multiple standards of learning are tied into the immersive unit. STEM challenges can be used to support the learning that occurs during a PBL unit.
3. It Takes a Village
When I coached robotics and a STEM for Girls club, we would often have guest speakers come into our clubs to speak about STEM careers. They would even give us feedback occasionally on our challenges or work. But a majority of the time, these community members built relationships with us that were more of a mentorship, than a collaboration.
Through Project Based Learning, students are working with community partners to collaboratively solve problems, analyze their community’s needs, and develop partnerships that act as a resource. Project Based Learning is often based on the needs of a community, whether that community is as small as a classroom or as large as the globe. The partnerships within a PBL unit serve a purpose for both the students and the partner. It is deeper than that of a guest speaker and asks those coming into the classroom to be a mentor, collaborator, resource, facilitator, and coach. Drawing students alongside community members as empowered challenge conquerors, instead of audience members.
I hope my passion for STEM/STEAM came through with this entry. But I also hope that you can see the difference between a quality STEM challenge and the power of a quality PBL unit.
You might also find it helpful to learn more about the difference between a PBL unit, project, and thematic unit. Learn more with this free download "How can you tell the difference between a PBL unit and a project or thematic unit?"
Did I miss a way that PBL and STEM are different? Share your thoughts in the comments below.