PBL

Project-based learning, as you may know, is a highly effective approach to instruction that’s often tied to increased community involvement and active collaboration among students. So, we’re exploring what helps educators get PBL right, tips for implementing successful projects, and leveraging EdTech tools for the best results.

PBL units can be incorporated into just about any subject. Students can take part in projects, design simulations, and work together to better their school community or actual community. As plans for the 2021-22 school year are developed this summer, PBL could be a top strategy for ensuring access to game-changing learning opportunities.

There are, of course, many different pedagogical approaches that can lead to effective instruction. Some educators are fond of promoting a growth mindset, a maker mindset, or even a collaborative mindset. Whatever buzzwords we throw around, however, are only effective if the corresponding teaching techniques are incorporated purposefully.

PBL involves students working as part of a group most of the time on a community-focused project designed to affect authentic change. You can see how this might be tough to do in a remote environment, but a lot of progress has been made. It takes true teamwork, but PBL IRL (in remote learning) is certainly a possibility.

While not impossible, planning for STEM in remote or hybrid learning does present obstacles for educators, including finding the time to fit it into class meetings, creating lesson plans, and getting materials to students. Online STEM platforms have provided one solution, but, in order to replicate that classroom experience, it can become tricky.

We’re ramping up our Eduporium Featured Educator series to share more accomplishments from teachers, librarians, makerspace leaders, and others! For this post, we’re excited to introduce Sharon Clark, whose made great use of technology in her instruction as a STEAM teacher, using it to help teach both real-world and soft skills.

In what’s rapidly becoming an unprecedented time for those in the education world (as well as other industries that notably include technology and professional sports), the dangerously quick spread of news is something all of us—educators included—have to be weary of and soft skills can play a role for teachers, administrators, and students.

Why would district leaderss create brand-new positions for people or re-assign existing employees to very different roles? Well, technology has a lot to do with that and the effectiveness with which it’s woven into each school’s curriculum and everyday projects can do a lot for a child’s future, helping to equip them with both hard and soft skills.

Though Instructables has been around for quite a while now, it’s still a very valuable resource for STEM teachers or any educator who is looking for some inspirational project ideas. Instructables is home to an online library of various projects completed by students, teachers, hobbyists, and everyone in between.

After setting tech tools up, sliding in some batteries (if necessary), and turning it on, some educators are often left wondering ‘what comes next?’ For that reason, we’ve been big advocates of creating easy-to-follow starter activities for teachers to use in the classroom and now we’ve taken that initiative a step further!