Impactful PBL Podcast

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Have teachers implemented a PBL unit but have not seen immediate results? Are you wondering if it's worth continuing? You're not alone. In fact, this is one of the most common reasons schools abandon their PBL initiatives - but here's why that's a costly mistake. This episode reveals a crucial insight: building an eff...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Are you wondering how teachers can use predesigned project-based learning curriculum but still make it authentic for students? Most teachers prefer to have ready-to-facilitate lessons but also worry that the resources may not meet their students' academic needs and interests. This feeling leaves educators wondering how to solve this...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. When launching project-based learning initiatives, school leaders often ask teachers to create resources from scratch or modify existing curricula. While this might seem cost-effective, it's actually compromising both teacher effectiveness and student outcomes. This episode explores why teachers shouldn't create project-based l...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Is your project-based learning initiative struggling to gain traction? You're not alone. Many schools invest in PBL training only to see enthusiasm fade and implementation stall. But there's a crucial element that successful PBL schools have discovered: the power of teacher communities. Our latest article explores how communiti...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. What's one of the biggest challenges instructional leaders face? Viewing project-based learning as separate from their priority initiatives. You're focused on reading scores, math benchmarks, and other pressing goals. PBL feels like a luxury you can't afford right now. But what if PBL could be the framework that makes your...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Remember the last time you sat through a professional development session that had absolutely nothing to do with your needs? That sinking feeling of wasted time while your actual challenges went unaddressed? Let's avoid accidentally hosting a dreadful professional development experience for project-based teachers. It's time to...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Are you struggling to connect teacher professional development with actual student growth in the classroom? You're not alone, and here's the good news: there's a way to ensure every step of teacher growth directly impacts student success! In this episode, we explore how to help teachers make professional development plans...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Picture this: You're excited to bring project-based learning to your school. Your teachers say they're experienced with PBL, and you're ready to dive into advanced implementation strategies.  Sounds promising, right? But here's what we recently discovered at one school: While leaders believed most of their teachers we...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. If you have been following the sustainable PBL series, you now understand that building a sustainable, high-impact, project-based culture is challenging and rewarding. School or district leaders encounter three primary roadblocks when launching a project-based learning (PBL) initiative: lack of clarity, lack of competence, and lack of ca...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. The success of project-based learning initiatives depends on initial implementation efforts and teachers’ ability to sustain project-based instructional practices over time. Instructional leaders play a crucial role in this process by creating the conditions necessary to enhance teachers' ability to enact the core practices of proje...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Project-based learning (PBL) holds the transformative power to engage students actively, foster collaboration, and develop essential problem-solving skills. While PBL yields numerous benefits, implementation has its challenges.  Common challenges teachers face include: Adapting to a facilitator role Leveraging technology effectively Alig...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. The challenges instructional leaders encounter when launching a project-based learning initiative often stem from a lack of vision setting. A well-defined vision for a project-based learning (PBL) initiative is essential.  The vision not only articulates the purpose and goals of the initiative but also aligns with the school's core...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. In this fast-paced, ever-changing world, teachers must adapt their teaching methods to prepare students for the challenges they will face in the real world. One approach that has gained traction for its ability to cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and student engagement is project-based learning (PBL). However, impleme...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Welcome to season 3! This series will focus on how to build a sustainable, high-impact, project-based culture at your school site or within your school district without overwhelming instructional leaders, teachers, and students. This series is designed for school leaders, professional development coordinators for districts, PBL coordinat...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Season 2 of the Impactful PBL Podcast ended in May which marked two years of this podcast. The podcast started as a “learn in public” project so that I can document my professional journey and share insights about what I’m learning about project-based learning. In this episode, I’m sharing a progress update on my 2021-2022 goals and why...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Phase 2 of the Impactful PBL Roadmap™ is to map the scenario and write a driving question. The initial scenario structure will involve first determining what students will learn (i.e. standards), thinking of a theme or topic second, and then writing the driving question. The next step is to draft a scenario. I've noticed that most t...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. As I support teachers to design project-based learning experiences, I notice confusion often arises during phase 5 of the Impactful PBL Roadmap™ planning process. Phase 5 is about creating students' daily learning experiences or lessons. Teachers are usually excited about exploring project-based learning as an instructional method....

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. An essential part of the project-based learning experience is producing a public product or artifact to showcase knowledge for an authentic audience. Depending on the PBL topic and driving questions, the audience could be peers, parents, or community members. Teachers often wonder what students can create for projects besides designing a...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. It is essential students buy into their project since they will be exploring their complex question or challenge over an extended time. While hooks for traditional lessons are typically short, less than ten minutes, project-based learning hooks may vary in length to sustain students' interest over a more extended period. A PBL hook...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. In traditional learning experiences, subject areas are taught in silos, and teaching often focuses on the "what" of a subject area. Students do not synthesize the material when they memorize parts of a cell in isolation or memorize the steps to solve a math problem without understanding why the process works. Educators know tha...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. We've all participated in a fundraiser at some point in our life, especially as a student. It seems kids bring home items to sell every year to support a team, club, or school. Although many students do not necessarily think about whether or not their fundraising efforts are supporting a cause, they gain some valuable skills during...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Project-based learning is an effective way to help students foster their social-emotional learning skills, especially during group collaboration. During phase eight of the Impactful PBL Roadmap™ planning guide, we focus on uniting students and building a collaborative culture. It’s easy to assume that all students enjoy collaborating, po...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Recently I’ve heard from many of you who listen to the podcast, attend my workshops, or communicate with me on LinkedIn that you're finishing up a project-based learning unit.  I've been checking in with past and current members of the Impactful PBL Network to hear updates.  I love listening to what's working, what's...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. As a project-based learning coach, I'm often asked if it's possible to design a PBL unit that integrates standards. Teachers wonder how they will find time to teach content standards and allow students to create public products. Identifying the learning objectives for your project-based learning unit is phase one of the Impactf...

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. I enjoyed college because most of the learning activities the professors used would be considered active learning strategies. We engaged in many case studies or projects, and the professor would utilize relevant current events to lead class discussions. I can share specific learning activities that I experienced during undergraduate and...