June 13-17, 2016

This week’s stories are all related to PBL World 2016, our annual event that took place this week.

14 Tech Tools to Enhance Project-Based Learning
Getting Smart
A report by Emily Liebtag on the EdSurge workshop on day four of PBL World, where various tech companies showcased their PBL-enabling products and services.

Promising Practices in Equity and Project-Based Learning
Getting Smart
One of the “Deep Dive” sessions on day one of PBL World was a presentation by BIE Executive Director Bob Lenz entitled “It’s a Project-Based World.” Bonnie Lathram connects his talk with educational equity work in the Deeper Learning network and elsewhere. A key quote: “Preparing students for a project-based world also represents the path forward to freedom in a new and ever changing economy.”

My Voyage Malama Honua: Appisode 1
Polynesian Voyaging Society
One of the “Deep Dive“ sessions at PBL World was presented by Miki Tomita of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. They’ve created a cool interactive video app for the iPad that lets kids follow the journey of the traditional Hawaiian voyaging canoe Hokule’a around the world.

Think It Up
Expeditionary Learning
Another “Deep Dive“ session was presented by Expeditionary Learning’s Jessica Wood. EL’s new Think It Up website generates ideas and funding that “will turn students’ passions into projects that connect what they’re learning in the classroom with the things that matter to them outside of school.”

Coolest Freshman PBL Ever - Touchless Gardening
Take Action Science Project Blog
Middle school teacher and blogger Sue Boudreau, who attended PBL World, reports on the Day Two keynote by high schoolers Leona and Briana Das, in which they described their hydroponic gardening project and others. Her blog has lots of other great resources for PBL in science.

How Early Should Gamers Start Playing? On the Floor of E3 with a Game Design Academy Founder
EdSurge
Our partner in the program for day four of PBL World interviewed Peter Warburton, co-founder of Rizing Games, which helps kids build their own video games. His goal: by the time students graduate from college, “they’ll be near-professional quality video game makers. They’ll also have an impressive portfolio, as gaming is a heavily project-based pursuit.”

Follow us on social media: Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Edmodo, YouTube and LinkedIn. For information about BIE professional development services click here.