Monday, January 30, 2012

Chatting about PBL

Have you joined PBL Chat yet? Launched in December, it's a weekly online conversation about all things project-related. More than that, it's a growing community where project-based learning advocates are sharing experiences and addressing the hard questions that come with projects.
Recent chats have attracted students, parents, and PBL experts along with teachers from across the U.S. and even beyond.
In this blog post for Edutopia, I talk with event co-founder Theresa Shafer and share a few takeaways from recent chats.
The next PBL Chat happens Tuesday, Jan. 31, 6 p.m. PST/9 p.m. EST. Join (or follow) the conversation by following the hashtag #pblchat.
See you there!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Connecting PBL+STEM

We've all seen students whose interest in a subject takes off as the result of an engaging project. These experiences can set the course for future studies or careers if students get a sense of their potential as skilled problem-solvers.
That's why I was happy to hear that project-based learning would be showcased as an effective strategy for STEM education in a new video, "The Future of Science Education: STEM and Workforce Readiness."
The video airs Thursday (2/2), 4 p.m. PST/7 p.m. EST, as the kickoff for a virtual conference. I'm delighted to be one of 25 speakers weighing in on this important topic and taking part in an online chat on Twitter afterwards.
Join the conversation by registering at www.futurewecreate.com. Follow the tweets with the hashtag #futurewecreate. And please share your stories about projects that have ignited your students' interest in STEM careers.