Nov. 14 - 18, 2016

Each Friday we post a list of articles, blog posts, and other resources we’ve run across that relate to Project Based Learning.

Here’s what we liked this week:

Preparing Teachers for a Project-Based World
Getting Smart
Emily Liebtag and Tom Vander Ark announce a new paper describing what “an ideal preparation program and early career professional learning for teachers ought to look like if we want to develop high-quality PBL teachers.” It comes with a nicely-designed PBL Quick-Start Guide for Teachers.

30 Leaders on the Successes and Challenges of Project-Based Learning
Education Week
Bonnie Lathram follows up Getting Smart’s previous report on what 35 leaders say about PBL with comments from 30 more leaders. Lots of wisdom here.

Response: 'Give Me Longer Class Periods and More Space,' Science Teacher Pleads
Education Week Teacher
Blogger Larry Ferlazzo asked science teachers about their biggest challenges and how to respond to them, and many of their thoughtful responses point to PBL. I like the idea of the “surface and dive” approach, where the teacher covers the broad view of the content but also provides experiences for students to go deep into a topic.

In the Midst of a Shift: Undergraduate STEM Education and "PBL" Enactment
ResearchGate
This paper by professors from LSU brings good news for K-12 PBL educators about changes afoot at the college level: “Accreditation mandates and job market expectations underpin the need for more learner-centered approaches to instruction.” They take a close look at the use of PBL in two “communication-intensive” engineering courses.

12 Grab’n’Go Projects for Health
The Health Teacher
When I first saw this I thought “probably dessert projects” but they’re actually pretty nourishing “main course” ideas—befitting for a health class. They’re from Scholastic.com, and come with a list of suggested lessons and resources.

My 1st graders created inventions based off the external parts of CA animals!
Twitter post by @karis_jewell
This teacher’s post contains much more than 140 characters’ worth of information: zoom in on the four photos of her kiddos’ displays of their project work. Love the gloves with shark-tooth fingertips!

P21 Exemplar Program Promo Kit
Partnership for 21st Century Learning
P21 is seeking applicants to “showcase innovative educational practices and map out where successful implementation happens.” Spread the word to schools, districts, and early learning programs, who can apply until Jan. 31st.

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