Purpose is an essential part to all the other P-s. Without purpose the other Ps will be lacking something. Purposeful play means students are engaged in play in order to learn curricular outcomes and student goals. Purposeful peer interactions means peers are working together to develop communication skill and collaboration skills. Purposefully projects means students are investigating critical questions and issues that are important to them. Adding purpose to portfolios prevents them from becoming art galleries or scrapbooks about school field trips. Purpose is the wheel barrow that holds all the other tools. It is a key ingredient when cultivating modern day competencies.
Purpose can also be described as the engine of a train. It is what pulls all the other 5-Ps forward. Purpose keeps classroom activities focused on curriculum and twenty-first century competencies. Without purpose the classroom may be filled with a lot of fun activities but the learning can easily become directionless. The cars on the track remain motionless and stuck as unintegrated learning often is in student brains.