Top 8 PBL News Stories

 

June 20-24, 2016

 

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

Here’s what we liked this week:

A Diploma for Deeper Learning: A System for 22nd-Century Skills
Education Week
Jal Mehta asks, “What if there were an International Baccalaureate-like system for deeper learning?” and lays out a detailed (& PBL-friendly) vision for a system with externally-scored assessments plus interim assessments scored by teachers and schools.

Crazy or Brilliant: Marriage of Deeper Learning and Personalized Learning
Huffington Post
President and CEO of New Tech Network Lydia Dobbins discusses the overlap between PBL (which she calls “our proxy for Deeper Learning”) and Personalized Learning. She makes the important point that the latter should not only be thought of as the use of technology to remediate individual students or to tailor content to individual interests.

Planning for Great Group Work
ASCD
I’m noticing more and more articles about PBL in the popular press these days, but a few of them mention the challenges of group work and, because of it being managed poorly sometimes, some of the articles even hint at a backlash. So this is timely, with great advice: assign groups with intention; design group-worthy tasks; require individual accountability.

How Can I Assess Group Work?
Carnegie Mellon University
This article is aimed at university instructors but it applies to the K-12 world too. Excellent practical advice, such as: assess individual learning and performance as well as group; assess process as well as product; make your criteria clear. Provides links to assessment tools such as team contracts, rubrics, self- and peer assessments.

Assessing Project-Based Learning in the College Classroom: Part 1 of 3
merlyn21c blog
Another great find from the post-secondary world, and the ideas and information provided by Holly McBaz can be easily applied to K-12 education. Very much aligned with BIE’s model of PBL. Part 2 discusses formative assessment, Part 3 summative.

It’s hard to say goodbye to Da Vinci family
The Davis Enterprise
An article in the local paper in Davis, CA by Eli Inkelas, who just graduated from Da Vinci High School in the New Tech Network, where BIE staff and National Faculty have worked. It shows how a small learning community builds a healthy culture for students to “grow as learners and people.”  I love his reflections about learning collaboration skills, and how the PBL-infused program prepared him well for college.

The Stepping Stones to a Lifelong Learner
New Tech Network
A nice year-end story about a student, 4th grader Cassidy Riddle from Washington Discovery Academy in Plymouth, Indiana. She describes several projects that taught literacy and STEM content, built her confidence in making presentations, and developed her collaboration skills.

Arkansas High School Expands on a Human Scale
Education Week
Fayetteville High School was originally built institution-style for 3000 students, but was recently redesigned to resemble a modern workplace, making it feel more personal – and PBL-friendly.  It features common spaces for collaboration called “project labs” and moveable walls for classrooms to accommodate groups of varying size.

 

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