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Project-based Learning and Multimedia: What is it? 

Project-based learning is touted as a way to create standards-based, authentic, engaging tasks that motivate students to learn. However, research on the Internet, "best practices" for unit design and implementation can be overwhelming. Project-based learning tasks take many shapes and offer a variety of venues for presenting the information. Today we will focus on the use of multimedia with a project-based learning task. The professional learning quest will include choosing a curriculum standard, identifying an essential question and creating an assessment. The project will be presented and shared using multimedia. Throughout the process many 21st century skills will be reviewed including using online tools to brainstorm, searching for high-quality resources and using the technologies for creating a multimedia product. 

It's best to start with some definitions. By project-based learning, we mean a teaching method in which students acquire new knowledge and skills in the course of designing, planning, and producing some product or performance. By multimedia, we mean the integration of media objects such as text, graphics, video, animation, and sound to represent and convey information. Thus, our definition is:

Project-based multimedia learning is a method of teaching in which students acquire new knowledge and skills in the course of designing, planning, and producing a multimedia product.

Your students' multimedia products will be technology-based presentations, such as a computerized slide show, a Web site, or a video. These presentations will include evidence that your students have mastered key concepts and processes you need to teach and will be a source of great pride for them and for you.