Week 8: Designing an AI-Informed Project-Based Learning Unit
Big Idea: Projects should mirror the real world—and the real world includes AI.
As educators, we often say we want our classrooms to prepare students for the real world. But in today’s world, real-world thinking includes tools like artificial intelligence. Rather than treating AI as an add-on or a novelty, what if we built it into meaningful, inquiry-driven work?
This week, we explore how to design a Project-Based Learning (PBL) unit where students use AI tools to explore, create, and reflect—mirroring the complex, tech-integrated world around them.
Example Unit: Designing for Impact – Solving Local Problems with Global Tools
Driving Question:
How can we use AI to identify and solve a real-world problem in our community?
In this unit, students will identify a local issue—such as climate concerns, accessibility gaps, or community well-being—and develop a creative solution. Along the way, they’ll use AI tools to brainstorm, research, analyze, and present their work.
Phases of the Unit
1. Entry Event & Launching Inquiry
Start with a real-world story of AI for social good—like using AI to detect wildfires or help with disaster response. Ask:
What problems do we care about? How might AI help us better understand or solve them?
2. Project Proposal Planning
Students select a problem and fill out a proposal form that includes:
Problem/issue being addressed
Driving question
Research plan (including lateral reading)
AI tools they plan to use
Final product format (video, infographic, prototype, etc.)
Timeline and milestones
📄 Download the Updated Project Proposal Template with AI Reflection
3. Research & AI Tool Integration
Students begin researching their problem using vetted sources and Checkology-style lateral reading. AI tools support their process:
ChatGPT for idea generation or outlines
Google Trends or datasets for patterns
AI image or voice tools for media production
4. Creation & Iteration
Students use AI to help produce parts of their final product—scripts, visuals, campaign ideas, etc.—with regular feedback and critique. They document how AI helped (or didn’t).
5. Final Showcase + AI Reflection
Invite families, community members, or other classes to an in-person or virtual showcase. Include QR codes or displays of student reflections on how they used AI.
Add this final reflection question to deepen metacognition:
“Did the use of AI tools make your project deeper or more meaningful? Or did it feel like AI was added just because it was required? Explain your reasoning.”
Assessment Rubric
A well-rounded rubric for this unit should include:
📊 Download the Assessment Rubric Template
Why This Matters
Too often, we teach technology in isolation—either as a separate unit or as a novelty. This project flips that by asking: How can AI be a tool for authentic problem-solving and student expression?
By treating AI as part of a real-world toolkit, we shift the conversation from "Should we use AI?" to "How can we use it responsibly, creatively, and critically?"
Action Steps
Try the unit with your class or adapt it for your own community
Download the editable Proposal Template and Rubric
Share your students’ AI-powered projects with us using #AIinPBL or tag @FuturiseEdu
Real-World Examples of AI-Infused PBL
Looking for inspiration? Educators and researchers are already experimenting with AI-integrated project-based learning in creative, impactful ways. Here are a few examples to explore:
Elementary Students Build AI-Enhanced Lego Cities
In this playful PBL unit, young students designed cities with Legos while using AI tools to assist in city planning and collaboration. This early introduction to AI fostered creativity and problem-solving.
🔗 Read more on Edutopia
AI in Biomedical Engineering Education
Georgia Tech and Emory University launched a three-year initiative where students solved authentic biomedical challenges using AI. The project not only deepened learning but also advanced innovative health tech.
🔗 Explore the study on arXiv
How Teachers Use AI to Plan PBL Units
Trevor Muir offers a practical perspective on how AI can support educators in designing PBL—from generating ideas to managing logistics—making teaching more efficient and engaging.
🔗 Check out the blog on TrevorMuir.com
These examples show that integrating AI into PBL isn’t just a future idea—it’s already happening. Whether you're in an elementary classroom or teaching at the university level, AI can be a powerful partner in authentic learning.
