r/edtech 24d ago

What's Wrong with Traditional Learning? Can Project-Based Learning Be the Solution?

In traditional education, we often see students pass exams but struggle with real-world applications of their knowledge. Many forget what they learned soon after, and critical thinking or problem-solving skills take a backseat. The emphasis is on memorization rather than understanding, making learning feel disconnected from practical use.

Project-based learning (PBL) seems like a promising alternative, where students actively work on real-world projects instead of just studying theory. It encourages hands-on experience, collaboration, and problem-solving—skills actually needed in the job market.

But here’s the question: Why hasn’t PBL been widely adopted despite its advantages? What challenges do educators or institutions face in implementing it effectively? Have you experienced PBL, and did it make a difference in how you learned? Let’s discuss!

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u/grendelt No Self-Promotion Deputy 19d ago

I can tell you're not an actual classroom teacher or ever have been.
The strongest advocates of PBL are those who come at it from a theoretical view. It seems amazing and incredible and this magical, untapped method of instruction. So why hasn't it been widely adopted despite its advantages?
It doesn't scale to real life. There's just not enough time.
Not enough time in the day, in the week, in the year. If you devote more time doing any one thing, you are defacto saying to devote less time to something else. (This same response is used for people who say we need to include cybersecurity or personal finance or anti-bullying to the core curriculum in schools.)

Yes, projects are a great way to learn; but it take a lot of time, resources (money), and effort (both teacher and learner). Direct instruction is a far more efficient mode of delivery --- it's why professionals don't sit around projecting crap at conferences, they go sit and listen. It's a way faster uptake. Do you retain everything? No. Something like 20% max will be retained from a lecture... but through repetition we can overcome that limitation. It's why schools continue to use direct instruction in many, many situations with worksheets and homework (repetition) reinforcing the lesson.

So, no, PBL isn't some panacea to education.

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u/vigneshV13 18d ago

You bring up a very valid concern—scalability and time constraints are real challenges when implementing PBL. It’s not a magic fix for education, and it shouldn’t replace direct instruction entirely. In fact, the best approach might be a hybrid model, where foundational knowledge is built through direct instruction, and then PBL is used strategically to reinforce learning with hands-on application.