Last week I began writing about the impact that design thinking can have on project-based learning, particularly in terms of taking PBL from theory to actual classroom practice. Here are two favorite methods to support the feedback and revision phase of your projects. Be sure to check out the explainer videos for a step-by-step tutorial! […]
Design Thinking: Bridging the Gap in PBL Theory & Practice (Part I of a series)
Project-based learning always sounds great in theory. But as many of us know, it doesn’t actually stick when it comes time to change instruction. One reason is that we often don’t bridge the gap between theory and actual practice. The first time I learned about PBL, I was sold. Period. And then I had no […]
5 PBL Do’s and Don’ts for Administrators
We’ve had the privilege to work with hundreds of PBL educators across many school systems; here are a few pieces of advice for any administrators who want to embed project-based learning into their schools: Do’s Start by educating yourself about PBL. This will demonstrate your commitment to the work while making you better equipped to […]
Creating a PBL Rubric? Advice Part II
In case my last post on rubrics wasn’t exhilarating enough, I’m back with a sequel! But seriously, rubrics are really valuable tools, especially as an assessment and guide for PBL instruction. If you ever struggle with creating rubrics (like I sometimes do), here are a few suggestions to help you along the way: Add a […]
Creating a PBL rubric? Here’s a little advice.
A well-crafted rubric is the Swiss Army knife of assessment tools: it communicates expectations for student work; it describes clear steps for learner growth; it provides a guide for students throughout a project or unit; and perhaps most importantly, it requires educators to really reflect on what it is they want their students know and […]
PBL, the Global Goals, and Empathy
“How can I connect my content standards to something that is real for students?” This question comes up a lot during our PBL trainings. And to be honest, depending on the subject matter in question, I’ve not always had a stellar answer. But hey, we learn and grow. However, when I receive this question now, […]
5 Ways to Boost Student Reflection from Project Zero
If you’re not familiar with Harvard’s Project Zero Thinking Routines Toolbox, I hope this post will convince you to take five minutes to explore their website. Reflection is a key element of project-based learning (not to mention all learning), and I’m pretty sure the PZ Thinking Routines could be a one-stop-shop for all of your […]
The Authentic PBL Audience Within Your School
Think about that first time that your students saw you outside of the school setting. Maybe you’re shopping for groceries, out for lunch, or on a walk. My middle school students usually exhibited mild shock that I existed anywhere other than within the school campus; I’m pretty sure they assumed I emerged from my supply […]
Six Strategies to Strengthen Student Research
Reinforce Key Skills Beforehand It’s increasingly likely that students will engage with digital resources online rather than in a library or with an actual textbook. This means that students need to build the skills and meta-strategic knowledge to locate, navigate, and evaluate information on the internet. CommonsenseEd offers a digital citizenship curriculum for free, and […]
Five Ways to Create a Safer Space for Student Feedback
Set Time Limits Feedback sessions can be awkward, for both the student whose work is being critiqued as well as the student responsible for the critique. Setting clear time limits helps to ease the stress of the experience; for students who are new to the feedback process, consider starting with very short sessions, maybe two […]
