Step 3: Previous Teacher Research

Selection of available tools and resources

Before issuing the challenge to students, the teacher should have conducted his or her own exploratory research. This step involves determining "how" and "what" to work with.

The educator must select the pedagogical and technological tools that best serve the purpose of the project.

It is not a matter of using technology for fashion, but of choosing those resources that facilitate creation and research.

Will we use video editors, design software, or lab tools? The teacher should verify the availability and functioning of these resources to avoid improvisations that stop the workflow. This research phase also includes content curation.

The teacher does not give them the answer, but must know the reliable sources and the possible paths that the students could take.

He or she must anticipate technical needs: if the final product is a podcast, the teacher must know what free applications exist and how they basically work.

This prior preparation gives the educator the confidence to act as a technical guide and mentor when students encounter operational difficulties during implementation.

Adapting to limited resources

A common misconception is that PBL requires state-of-the-art technology. The teacher's research must contemplate resource-limited scenarios, especially in vulnerable contexts or emergency situations (as occurred during the pandemic).

If Internet access is scarce, research should be redirected toward physical resources: classroom libraries, interviews with family members, visual encyclopedias, or observation of the natural environment.

The teacher must be creative in designing research routes that do not depend exclusively on connectivity.

For example, if the objective is to investigate local flora, instead of asking for a Google search, a field trip can be organized where students collect samples and use paper guides to classify them.

Visual encyclopedias and traditional textbooks regain value as sources of structured information.

This flexibility in the selection of resources ensures that no student is excluded from the project for socioeconomic reasons, maintaining equity and educational quality regardless of the technological infrastructure available.

Summary

Before launching, the educator must carefully select the necessary pedagogical tools and technological resources. This preparation provides confidence to act as a guide in the face of technical difficulties.

Research includes content curation and verification of reliable sources of information. The teacher must be aware of the possible paths that students could take.

It is vital to adapt the project to resource-limited scenarios to maintain educational equity. Physical libraries or field trips can be prioritized if digital connectivity is lacking.