Binge PBL for Teachers by Magnify Learning

By Magnify Learning

WHAT: 20 Episode Podcast (15 Minutes or less) to Give TEACHERS an Overview of Project Based Learning

WHO: Brought to you by Magnify Learning, your customized PBL partner for over a decade.

CALL TO AC... more

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FAQs about Binge PBL for Teachers by Magnify Learning:

How many episodes does Binge PBL for Teachers by Magnify Learning have?

The podcast currently has 21 episodes available.

Binge PBL for Teachers by Magnify Learning episodes:

December 13, 2024E10 - Know/Need to Know Practice
PBL and Inquiry
How Do We Bring Inquiry into the Classroom?
This episode centers on the crucial role of inquiry in project-based learning (PBL) and provides practical strategies for fostering a culture of inquiry in the classroom.
Ryan emphasizes that true inquiry occurs when learners actively engage in questioning and seeking answers, moving beyond superficial engagement to a deeper level of intellectual curiosity.
The episode focuses on "Knows and Need to Knows," a core PBL practice that empowers students to identify their existing knowledge and pinpoint the areas where they need further learning.
Bringing True Inquiry to Life
Ryan differentiates between surface-level inquiry (like asking an engaging bell-ringer question) and true inquiry where learners actively raise questions driven by genuine curiosity.
An example is given of students questioning the feasibility of obtaining $500 for a project, signifying their investment in the problem.
"Need to Knows" serve as a catalyst for true inquiry by encouraging students to articulate their learning needs.
The Power of "Need to Knows"
"Need to Knows" are central to effective PBL implementation. They ensure that instruction meets learners where they are, personalizing the learning experience.
Ryan uses the example of teaching compound sentences. Through pre-assessment or "need to know quizzes," teachers can gauge students' existing understanding.
This allows for tailored instruction: a full workshop for those needing a refresher, and alternative activities for those who've already mastered the concept.
This approach avoids unnecessary repetition for students who have already mastered the content, respecting their time and abilities.
Types of "Need to Knows" and Their Applications
Ryan highlights two main categories of "Need to Knows":
Database Need to Knows: These address specific content knowledge and skills. Pre-assessments help determine which workshops or lessons are needed.
Resources
PBL Simplified on YouTube
Magnify Learning - www.magnifypbl.com
...more
13min
December 13, 2024E11 - Rigor and Relevance
PBL Brings the Rs
This episode focuses on rigor and relevance in Project Based Learning (PBL).
Ryan uses the example of Dixie Elementary, a Title 1 school in Kentucky that improved its rating from a D to an A using PBL.
Ryan emphasizes that Dixie Elementary achieved this success not through rote learning but through best practices, engagement, and empowerment.
Ryan highlights that Dixie Elementary incorporated community partners, workshops with content-based practices, need-to-knows, formative assessments like quizzes and tests, and presentations to authentic audiences.
Ryan stresses the importance of authenticity and relevance in PBL, arguing that it's challenging to have a rigorous problem without a community partner.
Ryan outlines three steps to increase rigor in PBL:
Start with standards, emphasizing the need to unpack them and be intentional about their implementation.
Create a Depth of Knowledge (DOK) level four driving question, which is non-googleable, requires in-depth research, and uses higher-order thinking verbs.
Develop rigorous performance tasks as benchmarks, ensuring students synthesize ideas rather than merely regurgitate facts.
Presentations are a key element of PBL, as they prepare learners and enhance transparency.
Ryan suggests analyzing presentations to gauge the rigor of the performance task, noting that if students are merely repeating facts, the task might lack depth.
Ryan encourages teachers to identify power standards within their district or school, suggesting a collaborative approach to developing them if they don't already exist.
There are three steps for increasing rigor, emphasizing the importance of evaluating driving questions and developing challenging benchmarks.
Ryan argues that rigor and relevance are intertwined, with the real-world problem driving deeper exploration of content.
The episode concludes with a call to action, directing listeners to an on-demand course on end products within the PBL Movement online community.
The PBL Movement Online Community, highlighting features:
Access to on-demand courses on various PBL topics like driving questions and group contracts.
A private and active Facebook group for members with paid moderators to answer questions.
A project library with resources such as rubrics and product examples.
Live support from PBL experts to assist with implementing the resources.
The next episode will focus on intentionally designing learning spaces to facilitate collaboration.
Resources
PBL Movement Online Community
Magnify Learning - www.magnifypbl.com
...more
14min
December 13, 2024E12 - Physical Space - Helping or Hurting?
PBL and Spaces
This episode focuses on the concept of the classroom as the "third teacher" and how to adjust physical space to create a more collaborative and engaging learning environment for Project Based Learning (PBL).
Key takeaways from the episode:
Dixie Elementary School transformed its learning environment and saw a significant increase in its state score. Their success stemmed from embracing the idea of the "third teacher," which recognizes that the physical space can be just as important as the teacher and other students in facilitating learning. They redesigned their space to include tables, chairs, and meeting spaces that encouraged student-centered and collaborative learning.
The National Model High Schools in Indiana and Florida also exemplify the importance of collaborative spaces. Features like booths, openable glass walls, and combined teacher planning areas encourage teacher collaboration and flexible learning experiences.
Teachers can make adjustments to their classroom spaces, even with limited resources, to enhance the learning environment. Ryan suggests three key steps:
Flexible Work Zones: Create designated spaces for different learning activities. For example, arrange desks in rows for individual work and in groups for collaborative projects. This helps students understand expectations and prepares them for the day's learning objectives.
Student Ownership: Empower students to contribute to the design and organization of the learning space. This can involve activities such as planning flexible zones, presenting their ideas, building prototypes, and developing norms for different learning modes.
Visible Thinking: Make the learning process visible by creating spaces that allow students to move, collaborate, and present their work. This can include using podiums for presentations, rearranging furniture for different activities, and utilizing shared spaces like media centers or large group instruction areas.
Call to Action:
Take a picture of your classroom and share it on social media, tagging Magnify Learning. Use this opportunity to showcase your successes in creating collaborative spaces or to seek feedback and support in transforming your classroom.
Other points discussed:
Group contracts are crucial for establishing structure and expectations during collaborative work.
Sir Ken Robinson's work on changing educational paradigms highlights the need for different approaches to learning environments.
The importance of not working in isolation and seeking collaboration with other educators to improve PBL implementation.
The concept of "Big Mo" or momentum is discussed as a key factor in successful PBL implementation, emphasizing the importance of building on successes and continuing to move forward.
Looking ahead:
The next episode will focus on active learning strategies and how to build upon the momentum created by establishing a collaborative learning environment.
Resources
Magnify Learning Facebook and Instagram
Magnify Learning - www.magnifypbl.com
...more
12min
December 13, 2024E13- From Passive to Active
PBL Empowers Students
This episode explores the transition from passive to active learning environments. It highlights the importance of shifting roles, utilizing tools for engagement and empowerment, and incorporating reflection and feedback mechanisms.
Key Concepts:
Shifting Roles: Transitioning from a teacher-centric to a learner-centered classroom dynamic is crucial.
Teacher to Facilitator: Teachers should evolve from dispensers of knowledge to facilitators of learning, guiding and supporting students' exploration.
Student to Learner: This shift signifies a move away from passive reception of information towards active engagement, application, and problem-solving.
Tools for Engagement and Empowerment: Implementing structures that foster active learning is essential.
Protocols: Structured activities, such as the tuning protocol, promote focused interaction, constructive feedback, and efficient knowledge sharing.
Norms: Establishing shared expectations and guidelines for behavior and interaction cultivates a collaborative and supportive learning environment.
Reflection and Feedback: Integrating ongoing assessment and opportunities for improvement is vital.
Iterative Process: Encourage continuous refinement of work through feedback and revision cycles, moving away from one-time submissions.
Culture of Improvement: Foster a classroom environment where feedback is viewed as constructive and essential for growth, both for facilitators and learners.
Call to Action:
Share the Binge PBL for Administrators Podcast with school principals to promote a broader understanding and support for PBL implementation.
Magnify Learning - www.magnifypbl.com
...more
13min
December 13, 2024E14 - 3 Important Distinctions to Improve Assessment in PBL
PBL and Assessments
This episode focuses on improving assessment in Project Based Learning (PBL). It emphasizes the importance of intentional assessment practices and outlines three key distinctions to guide teachers in creating meaningful and effective evaluations.
Key Concepts:
Intentional Assessment: Teachers need to move away from arbitrary grading practices and focus on intentional assessments that provide clear insights into student learning. This involves carefully considering the purpose of each assessment and what it aims to reveal about student progress.
Ongoing Assessment Methods: Regularly assess skills like collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, and content knowledge throughout the project. Formative assessments help guide instruction and provide feedback to students.
Use rubrics to communicate expectations for collaboration and other skills.
Structure assessments to provide specific feedback on different skill areas.
Individual Over Group Assessment: Separate individual learning from group work to ensure fair and accurate grading. This addresses concerns about uneven contributions within groups and provides a clearer picture of each student's progress.
Design PBL units with opportunities for individual research and work.
Use workshops and individual assessments to gauge content mastery.
Self-Assessment Over Peer Feedback: Encourage students to reflect on their own performance and use rubrics to guide their self-assessment. Peer feedback can be valuable, but it should not be used for grading purposes.
Guide students in using rubrics for self-evaluation.
Focus on students' understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement.
Recommended Resource:
Life's a Project by Andrew Larson is recommended for teachers seeking to improve their understanding and implementation of assessment in PBL. The book provides a deep exploration of assessment strategies within the context of real-world project-based learning scenarios.
Call to Action:
Check out the PBL Movement Online Community
Magnify Learning - www.magnifypbl.com
...more
12min
December 13, 2024E15 - Feedback
PBL and Feedback
This episode explains the importance of providing consistent, structured feedback in the PBL classroom. Feedback is compared to a compass that helps students get back on track when their projects get off course. The episode emphasizes the importance of giving feedback on the product and not on the person, providing feedback daily, and modeling the feedback process.
Key Concepts:
Providing structure with timed rounds for sharing work, giving likes and wonders, and giving overall feedback.
Providing sentence starters for giving feedback in a constructive and non-personal way.
Helping students understand that the focus of the feedback is on improving the product and not criticizing the person.
Feedback is essential for successful collaboration in PBL.
Teachers should use protocols to scaffold feedback, such as the tuning protocol.
Tuning protocols have several benefits, such as:
Teachers should give feedback every day to help students develop their feedback muscles.
Teachers should model how to give and receive feedback.
Teachers can ask their learners for feedback and practice listening to and responding to that feedback.
Teachers can model feedback by making changes to the classroom based on student feedback.
Teachers can do a tuning protocol with colleagues to receive feedback on their PBL unit before launching it.
Students can use protocols, such as the tuning protocol, to give each other feedback.
Call to Action: Be generous and share the resources from this episode with others.
Resource: Binge PBL for Teachers
Magnify Learning - www.magnifypbl.com
...more
12min
December 13, 2024E16 - Reflection
PBL and Reflection
The episode begins with a personal anecdote about Ryan’s experience raising chickens and gardening. The anecdote serves as an analogy for the importance of reflection in PBL.
Ryan introduces the concept of the “gardener’s pause.” This is a metaphor for taking time to step back and assess what is working well in a project and what needs more attention.

Reflection is described as being similar to this gardener’s pause. It is a process of evaluating actions and nurturing growth by determining what is thriving and what needs more attention.
Teachers need to develop this “muscle” of reflection, both personally and in their students.
Reflection should be practiced daily and with intention.
Feedback is described as coming from others and is an external perspective that helps teachers and students see things that might have been missed.

Reflection, on the other hand, comes from within. It is an internal process where individuals analyze their own experiences, thoughts, and actions.
Reflection can also be done in groups, where the collective acts as one.
Teachers should use protocols, rubrics, and best practice sheets to help students learn how to reflect.
Ryan acknowledges that teaching reflection takes time, but argues that this time is a worthwhile investment that will pay off in the long run.
When students are able to reflect on their own work, they are better able to identify areas for improvement and make revisions before submitting assignments.
Reflection is a lifelong skill that will benefit students both inside and outside of the classroom.

Reflection is a muscle that needs to be exercised regularly.
Teachers should encourage students to reflect multiple times throughout a project, making it a part of the classroom culture.
Like feedback, reflection can save teachers time. When students can provide feedback to each other and self-reflect, it reduces the amount of feedback that the teacher needs to provide.
However, teachers should still be involved in the feedback and reflection process.
Students need time to apply the feedback and reflection they receive. They need opportunities to revise and improve their work based on what they have learned.
Teachers should build in time for revision after practice presentations, peer feedback, and self-reflection.
Reflection and feedback are twin sisters. Both are essential for creating a positive and productive learning environment.

Ryan reiterates that inquiry is at the heart of PBL.

Listeners are encouraged to visit pblshare.com to submit questions for the PBL Simplified for Teachers podcast.

The next episode will focus on voice and choice in PBL.

Resources
Go to PBLshare.com to get your personal Need to Know answered.
6 Step Process of PBL
Magnify Learning - www.magnifypbl.com
...more
12min
December 13, 2024E17 - Inquiry
PBL and Inquiry
This episode focuses on inquiry-based learning, a key component of Project Based Learning (PBL).
Inquiry is presented as "the spark" that ignites curiosity in learners, encouraging them to be active participants in their learning.

The host emphasizes that inquiry benefits all learners, not just those who are struggling.

Authenticity in PBL units is crucial for promoting inquiry and engagement.

Ryan suggests three moves to use inquiry to develop active learners:
Student-led questions: Encouraging students to develop their own driving questions to foster a sense of ownership and curiosity.
Scaffolding inquiry: Utilizing frameworks, "I wonder" boards, and provocations to guide students' questions.
Emphasizing real-world problems: Linking inquiry to authentic methods used by professionals.
The host highlights that PBL offers a structured instructional model that facilitates inquiry, unlike some other models like STEM or service learning.

The six steps of the PBL process, as outlined in Episode 5 and the book PBL Simplified, are explained as a model for inquiry:
Define the problem.
Determine solution criteria.
Research possible solutions.
Select a solution.
Test the solution.
Reflect on the solution.
Listeners are encouraged to download a resource with the six steps of the PBL process.

The host recommends listening to the PBL Simplified for Teachers Podcast for additional examples and resources related to PBL.

The episode concludes by highlighting that inquiry, facilitated through PBL, empowers students by equipping them with the skills to solve problems.

The next episode will discuss voice and choice, further exploring student empowerment in PBL.

Resources
PBL Simplified for Teachers Bi-Weekly Podcast
Magnify Learning - www.magnifypbl.com
...more
12min
December 13, 2024E18 - Voice is NOT the Same as Choice
PBL and Voice/Choice
Voice is not the same as choice. They just rhyme.
Voice and choice are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct concepts.
This episode explores the differences between voice and choice in Project Based Learning (PBL).
Understanding Choice
Choice is about autonomy and agency.
Choice boards are an example of how to provide choice in the classroom.
Giving students the option to choose their seats is another way to offer choice.
When teachers provide choices, they are requiring students to make decisions about their learning.
This can help students to become more engaged and invested in their learning.
Understanding Voice
Voice is about impact.
Students need opportunities to share their opinions and ideas, and to know that their voices are valued.
Traditional school systems often discourage students from using their voices.
Giving students a voice can help them to move from passive to active learners.
For example, asking students for their "likes and wonders" at the end of a PBL unit gives them a voice.
Even if a teacher does not implement a student's idea, simply asking for the student's input and considering it can be powerful.
The Continuum of Voice and Choice
Voice and choice exist on a continuum.
Some teachers may be more comfortable giving students a lot of voice and choice, while others may prefer to start with smaller steps.
It is important to find a balance that works for both the teacher and the students.
Too much voice and choice can lead to chaos, but too little can stifle student creativity and engagement.
The appropriate amount of voice and choice may vary based on grade level and the students' prior experiences with PBL.
Key Takeaways
Teachers should be intentional about providing both voice and choice in their classrooms.
Choice helps students to develop autonomy and agency, while voice gives them a sense of impact and empowerment.
Teachers should start with small steps and gradually increase the amount of voice and choice they offer as their students become more comfortable with PBL.
It is important to find a balance that works for both the teacher and the students.
Call to Action
Check out the PBL Master Class for Teachers for a comprehensive overview of PBL.
Rate and review the podcast to help other teachers find it.
Magnify Learning - www.magnifypbl.com
...more
10min
December 13, 2024E19 - Final Presentations
PBL and Presentations
Presentations are the megaphone for student voice. They amplify student voices and ideas, ensuring that their perspectives and solutions are heard.
Best Practice 1: Encourage Multiple Ways to Present
Provide a variety of presentation options to accommodate different learning styles and comfort levels.
Allow students to pitch alternative presentation ideas that align with learning standards.
Consider student comfort levels, as public speaking is a common fear.
Start with small, low-stress presentation practice to build confidence.
Provide scaffolding to help students develop presentation skills.
Offering choices in presentation styles builds student autonomy and agency.
Best Practice 2: Structure for Success
Always have a practice presentation before the final presentation.
Practice presentations help students refine their presentations and reduce stress when presenting to community partners.
Share the presentation schedule in advance so students know when they will present.
Knowing the schedule gives students time to prepare and reduces anxiety.
Best Practice 3: Focus on Celebration, Not Grades
Final presentations should be a celebration of student learning and problem-solving.
Content grades should be assessed during workshops and practice presentations.
This reduces stress during the final presentation and allows for a more authentic experience.
Students should present their solutions to an audience that cares about the problem they are addressing.
The authenticity of the presentation experience is maintained throughout the project.
Bringing in community partners increases student engagement and the impact of their work.
The Power of Presentations
Presentations are a game-changer in PBL, as they provide students with a platform to share their work.
Students are motivated by knowing they will present their work to an authentic audience.
Community partners provide valuable feedback and connections to the real world.
By embracing these best practices, teachers can create powerful learning experiences through presentations.
Call to Action
Would it be too much to ask to have you take 2 minutes to leave a review? It helps the next innovative teacher find this podcast. Thank you for the help in spreading the movement!
Key Takeaways
Presentations are an essential element of PBL that amplify student voices and showcase their learning.
By following best practices, teachers can create meaningful presentation experiences that empower students and celebrate their achievements.
Engaging community partners enhances the authenticity and impact of student presentations.
Magnify Learning - www.magnifypbl.com
...more
15min

FAQs about Binge PBL for Teachers by Magnify Learning:

How many episodes does Binge PBL for Teachers by Magnify Learning have?

The podcast currently has 21 episodes available.