To help educators effectively integrate PBL in their classrooms, we offer a range of Professional Development (PD) options for teachers and school and district leaders. Whether you’re a teacher looking to design and plan quality PBL projects, a school leader looking to support PBL implementation, or a district leader looking to measure and grow the impact of PBL, our PD courses are tailored to meet your specific needs and can be delivered on-site or online.

What is Project Based Learning?

Project Based Learning (PBL) is a student-centered, deeper learning approach that empowers students to learn and apply important knowledge and develop conceptual understanding while growing their problem-solving inquiry skills. Robust PBL is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn by doing, by engaging in authentic and real-world problem-solving and critical thinking. 

Effective PBL projects are designed to be cognitively engaging and open-ended, allowing students to make deep connections in ways that lead to long term and transferable learning. Through PBL, students can develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter, as well as key 21st-century skills such as collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking.

Project-Based Learning Formal Definition

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a student-centered and active learning approach that is defined by the following key Levers for Quality PBL as noted in our model:

1. Aligned Thinking and Learning: The project is intentionally designed to solicit thinking around desired standards, content, & skills students need to know.
2. Rich Inquiry: The project provides multiple opportunities & need for high level questioning by students & teacher.
3. Authenticity: The project challenges students to create products for real world purposes & audiences.
4. Autonomy: The project provides opportunities for student voice & choice in the process & product.
5. Meaningful Assessment: The project guides teaching & learning using purposeful formative and summative assessments.
6. Craftsmanship: The project provides opportunities & reason for students to create craftsman-like products.

Professional Development for PBL Implementation: Options for Teachers and School/District Leaders

For teachers: TeachThought PD services include workshops, continued support coaching, and online resources that guide educators on how to design and plan quality PBL projects, build meaningful assessments, and employ strategies to manage the process. Our workshops are designed to help teachers learn PBL by doing PBL which means teachers will create a project for implementation with their students as our facilitator engages them in the PBL process. Our workshops also include increasing levels of peer critique and opportunities to collaborate with peers to develop and refine PBL experiences and understanding. Our workshops are designed and affordably priced for groups of teachers. For individuals and smaller groups we offer our PBL On Demand option where you can learn on your schedule. 

For school and district leaders: TeachThought PD offers and advocates for school and district leaders to engage in our Leadership PBL professional learning. Rather than engaging in one-off PD, our Developing Sustainable PBL workshop, coaching, and online resources help school leaders think through and plan for the steps to support and sustain PBL implementation at the school and district levels. These programs may include strategies for creating a culture of PBL, setting goals short and long-term goals and plans, building the internal capacity of instructional leaders to implement and support PBL, and measuring the impact of PBL on student learning.

PD programs can be delivered in various formats, including face-to-face workshops and support, online workshops and support, and blended learning experiences. In addition, PD programs can be personalized to meet the specific needs of teachers, school, and district leaders in terms of logistics, schedules, and content. 

Project-Based Learning Examples

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a flexible teaching method that can be applied to various subjects and grade levels. Here are a few examples of how PBL might be used in different classroom settings:

1. In a high school science class, students might work on a project to design and build a water quality testing protocol and event to help their community test their water. The project would involve researching the chemistry of water quality, how to design an effective test, and how to set up and carry out an event that met the needs of their local community.
2. In a middle school social studies class, students might work on a project to create a virtual tour of a historical city for area residents and potential tourists. The project would involve researching the history of the city, learning about the different time periods and cultures that have influenced it, and creating a virtual tour that met the needs of their audience using a variety of digital tools.
3. In an elementary school, students might work on a project to reduce food waste in their cafeteria. The project might involve learning about the stages and process of getting food from the farm to the table, the concepts of reduce, reuse, and recycle, and developing solutions to limit food waste. One of the schools we worked with previously had a great example of a project like this.
4. In a high school math class, students might work on a project to design and create a video game that teaches math concepts for use by an elementary tutoring company. The project would involve researching video game design, learning math concepts and how to apply them to game design, and creating a functioning video game using programming languages.
5. In an art class, students might work on a project to design and create a public art installation that illustrates the questioning of societal interpretations of race and the practice of racialization. The project would involve researching the concepts and effects of race and racism, different types of public art, learning about the design process and materials, and collaborating to create an art installation that will be displayed in a public space.

These are just a few examples of how PBL can be used in different classrooms. The key is to create projects that are challenging, open-ended, relevant to the student’s lives and interests, and that provide opportunities for teachers to teach important knowledge and skills that prepare students for the modern world.