Impactful PBL Podcast

Given the multi-faceted layers of project-based learning, tracking students’ progress is essential. In episode 15, we explored how to track students' progress and examine ways to set up a project management system to help students stay organized. As an educator, you know how difficult it can be for students to manage documents, resources, and materials. Furthermore, depending on the grade level and subject area, it's possible to find yourself managing five projects or twenty-five projects, which can be overwhelming. Let's explore how you can use a free tool, Google Workspace for Education (formerly GSuites for Education), to manage students' documents, communication methods, and collaboration structures.

Tune in to hear how to:

•  Use Google Classroom to create, assess and share project assignments with students
• Discover five ways to use Google forms during your PBL unit
• Utilize Gmail and Google Meet to communicate with guest speakers
• Incorporate Google chat to plan interdisciplinary project-based learning units with colleagues
• Streamline and organize student work using Google documents, slides, spreadsheets or Jamboard
• Use Google calendar to track project milestones, and Google keep to create an organized checklist for students
•  Employ Google sites to communicate project expectations and updates with parents, guardians, and other caring adults supporting students
• Explore three additional Google resources that you may have overlooked as an instructional tool for your PBL unit

Are you ready to become a high-impact project-based educator?

1. [FREE] Download the Impactful PBL Roadmap™  planning document to craft your next project-based learning unit + receive weekly tips to enhance your facilitation skills via email.
2. [FREE] Check out The Impactful PBL Roadmap™: 9 Steps to PBL Success e-guide which covers the nine phases you need to design a memorable, authentic, and rigorous learning experience for K-8 students via project-based learning.
3. [PAID] Join our Impactful PBL Roadmap™: Launch program, an online course, coach, and community of educators exploring and implementing research-backed project-based instructional practices.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! If you find this podcast useful and would like to support the show, please rate, review and subscribe using your favorite podcasting app. Sharing is caring. When you leave a review, you are helping fellow educators find this podcast enabling them to design impactful project-based learning experiences for their students.

Let's discuss how you have everything you need to get started with project-based learning. I've spoken to many teachers who have read books, listen to podcasts, and even attended workshops about project-based learning because they are interested in becoming project-based educators. However, many teachers are stuck at the exploration stage and are experiencing difficulty transitioning to the implementation phase of PBL. I understand that the idea of trying anything new right now may feel overwhelming. Still, with proper planning and adequate support, it's possible to facilitate a high-performance PBL unit during an in-person, remote, or hybrid learning environment. In this episode, we will discuss five thoughts or challenges that may be holding you back from launching your first or next PBL unit and explore ways to overcome them.

Tune in to hear:

• How my experience with starting a podcast made me reflect on why it's important to take action on your goals even if you don't feel completely ready
• How one teacher gained the courage to take control of her professional development
• The five thoughts holding most teachers back from launching PBL in their classroom
•  Why it's essential to implement what you learn from professional development sessions immediately

Are you ready to become a high-impact project-based educator?

1. [FREE] Download the Impactful PBL Roadmap™  planning document to craft your next project-based learning unit + receive weekly tips to enhance your facilitation skills via email.
2. [FREE] Check out The Impactful PBL Roadmap™: 9 Steps to PBL Success e-guide which covers the nine phases you need to design a memorable, authentic, and rigorous learning experience for K-8 students via project-based learning.
3. [PAID] Join our Impactful PBL Roadmap™: Launch program, an online course, coach, and community of educators exploring and implementing research-backed project-based instructional practices.

Support the show
Thank you for listening! If you find this podcast useful and would like to support the show, please rate, review and subscribe using your favorite podcasting app. Sharing is caring. When you leave a review, you are helping fellow educators find this podcast enabling them to design impactful project-based learning experiences for their students.

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me.

Let's discuss the teachers' role during project-based learning experiences. Last month, I led an "introduction to PBL" workshop, and a teacher asked the following questions: What is the teachers' role during project-based learning? Is it possible to offer too much voice and choice? How much should students contribute to the project? How much should teachers contribute to the project? I know the responses to the questions shared are debatable because depending on who you listen to or what you read, the answer will vary. Some education researchers believe that students should design all aspects of the project. Whereas, some education researchers believe that teachers should take the leading role during PBL. This episode will explore the teachers' role during project-based learning.

Tune in to hear:

• Where the idea of project-based learning originated and how the concept evolved over time
• The common misconceptions about the teachers' role during PBL
•  Why the role of the teacher during project-based learning can be confusing
• What it means to be the facilitator, guide, or coach during project-based learning experiences
•  What to do when a student asks a question, and you don't know the answer
•  How does the teachers' mindset about project-based learning impact student outcomes
• The teachers' role in designing project-based learning experiences

Resource: Read the accompanying article for this episode. 

P.S. Have you taken the Impactful PBL Readiness Assessment yet? It's a great resource for instructional leaders like you who want to make informed decisions about implementing or strengthening PBL in their schools.
Get Your Free Planning Guide Now >>

Support the show

Thank you for listening! If you find this podcast useful and would like to support the show, please rate, review, and follow using your favorite podcasting app. Sharing is caring. When you leave a review, you are helping fellow educators find this podcast, enabling them to design impactful project-based learning experiences for their students.

Let's discuss the importance of social-emotional learning. While social-emotional learning is a vital part of development for everyone, I think we need to emphasize fostering social-emotional learning skills now more than ever. Our students are experiencing new learning environments, hearing and witnessing social injustices, political controversies, etc. Plus, many students are experiencing social isolation or a reduction in other support systems that they typically have access to at school. I've heard from several teachers that they have received very little training and are unsure if they're providing adequate support to students. In this episode, we will explore how to foster social-emotional skills through project-based learning experiences.

Tune in to hear:

• Why some teachers may find it necessary to focus on their social-emotional needs
• Benefits of social-emotional learning
• The five competencies of social-emotional learning
• Why every teacher should take the SEL through distance learning teacher self-reflection survey by CASEL and how to use it to improve their instruction
•  How to utilize social and instructional teaching practices to promote social-emotional learning in your classroom
• Ways to foster social-emotional skills during project-based learning
• What skills or resources do teachers need to be able to promote social-emotional learning in their classroom environment

Are you ready to become a high-impact project-based educator?

1. [FREE] Download the Impactful PBL Roadmap™  planning document to craft your next project-based learning unit + receive weekly tips to enhance your facilitation skills via email.
2. [FREE] Check out The Impactful PBL Roadmap™: 9 Steps to PBL Success e-guide which covers the nine phases you need to design a memorable, authentic, and rigorous learning experience for K-8 students via project-based learning.
3. [PAID] Join our Impactful PBL Roadmap™: Launch program, an online course, coach, and community of educators exploring and implementing research-backed project-based instructional practices.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! If you find this podcast useful and would like to support the show, please rate, review and subscribe using your favorite podcasting app. Sharing is caring. When you leave a review, you are helping fellow educators find this podcast enabling them to design impactful project-based learning experiences for their students.

Hey, impact makers. This week, we are discussing the one component of project-based learning that most teachers either dread or don't want to spend the time doing, but it's vital. As an academic and instructional coach, I spent extensive time planning my daily work experiences. A solid work plan reduced overwhelm and kept my focus on the intended outcomes. During this episode, we will explore why planning is a necessary component of project-based learning and hear how to utilize the Impactful PBL Roadmap to plan a PBL unit.

Tune in now to hear:

•  Why effective planning is a necessary component of project-based learning and what happens when you fail to plan properly
•  The components of the Impactful PBL Roadmap framework
•  An audio walkthrough of how to utilize the Impactful PBL Roadmap framework to create a high-performance project-based learning experience for your students
• Your next steps to start planning a quality PBL unit

Are you ready to become a high-impact project-based educator?

1. [FREE] Download the Impactful PBL Roadmap™  planning document to craft your next project-based learning unit + receive weekly tips to enhance your facilitation skills via email.
2. [FREE]  Review the Impactful PBL™ Toolkit, which provides proven strategies and invaluable tips for building a sustainable project-based learning culture at your school without overwhelming the instructional leaders, teachers, and students.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! If you find this podcast useful and would like to support the show, please rate, review, and follow using your favorite podcasting app. Sharing is caring. When you leave a review, you are helping fellow educators find this podcast enabling them to design impactful project-based learning experiences for their students.

Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me.

Hey, impact makers. Many of you are becoming acclimated to the new normal of school. You have your schedule, routine, and logistics mastered.  Or at least, you feel more comfortable with your new teaching life. Many of you are ready to put theory into practice and plan your first project-based unit, but you are stuck attempting to find an engaging project topic or theme. In this episode, we will explore how to discover a project topic that your students will enjoy and how to create a scenario that your students will find interesting.

Tune in now to hear:

• How many teachers are ready to write a project-based learning unit but struggle  with brainstorming an engaging topic
• What it means to write a scenario for a project-based learning unit and why it's important
•  12 ways to discover a project topic and real-life examples from project-based educators
• How to utilize your learning objectives, driving question, and project topic to create an interesting scenario

Resource: Read the accompanying article for this episode. 

P.S. Have you taken the Impactful PBL Readiness Assessment yet? It's a great resource for instructional leaders like you who want to make informed decisions about implementing or strengthening PBL in their schools.
Get Your Free Planning Guide Now >>

Support the show

Thank you for listening! If you find this podcast useful and would like to support the show, please rate, review, and follow using your favorite podcasting app. Sharing is caring. When you leave a review, you are helping fellow educators find this podcast, enabling them to design impactful project-based learning experiences for their students.

Hey impact makers. Students' ability to showcase their knowledge publicly is a valuable component of project-based learning. While most teachers agree that every project-based learning unit should culminate in a showcase, many find it challenging to brainstorm ideas for what that may look like in a hybrid, blended, or virtual learning environment. We will explore how students can still participate in a showcase regardless of their learning mode during this episode.

Tune in now to hear:

• Why students need to share their knowledge publicly
• How to ensure that you have a suitable driving question
•  Examples of virtual showcases
•  How to brainstorm ideas for a virtual showcase

Are you ready to become a high-impact project-based educator?

1. [FREE] Download the Impactful PBL Roadmap™  planning document to craft your next project-based learning unit + receive weekly tips to enhance your facilitation skills via email.
2. [FREE] Check out The Impactful PBL Roadmap™: 9 Steps to PBL Success e-guide which covers the nine phases you need to design a memorable, authentic, and rigorous learning experience for K-8 students via project-based learning.
3. [PAID] Join our Impactful PBL Roadmap™: Launch program, an online course, coach, and community of educators exploring and implementing research-backed project-based instructional practices.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! If you find this podcast useful and would like to support the show, please rate, review and subscribe using your favorite podcasting app. Sharing is caring. When you leave a review, you are helping fellow educators find this podcast enabling them to design impactful project-based learning experiences for their students.

Hey impact makers. In episode 11, I shared why I believe that project-based learning is great for distance learning. And since that episode, I've coached more teachers who are implementing project-based learning in a blended learning environment. Yes, teachers are experiencing a different set of challenges with implementing project-based learning in a blended or distance learning environment.  So the question becomes, Is it worth trying to implement PBL virtually? During this episode, we will explore why PBL is still valuable regardless of the learning setting.

Tune in to hear:

• The challenges teachers are facing with implementing project-based learning in a remote or hybrid environment
• Why it's still worth implementing project-based learning in a distance or remote learning environment 
• How teachers can use PBL to build the 21st-century skills necessary for college and/or career readiness
• How PBL can improve student motivation and attitude toward learning in remote or hybrid settings

Are you ready to become a high-impact project-based educator?

1. [FREE] Download the Impactful PBL Roadmap™  planning document to craft your next project-based learning unit + receive weekly tips to enhance your facilitation skills via email.
2. [FREE] Check out The Impactful PBL Roadmap™: 9 Steps to PBL Success e-guide which covers the nine phases you need to design a memorable, authentic, and rigorous learning experience for K-8 students via project-based learning.
3. [PAID] Join our Impactful PBL Roadmap™: Launch program, an online course, coach, and community of educators exploring and implementing research-backed project-based instructional practices.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! If you find this podcast useful and would like to support the show, please rate, review and subscribe using your favorite podcasting app. Sharing is caring. When you leave a review, you are helping fellow educators find this podcast enabling them to design impactful project-based learning experiences for their students.

Hey impact makers, recently, I wrapped up a set of virtual professional development. It was an incredible experience because the teachers that I worked with were engaging and inspiring. I've led virtual training in the past, but never an extensive amount of virtual training where we worked together over a series of weeks. At the end of the training series, a teacher mentioned the desire to have ongoing access to a community of project-based teachers. I've engaged in several fellowships or cohort style professional learning communities, so I understand the impact of having access to a network. During this episode, we will discuss four reasons teachers should join a professional learning network and explore the benefits of joining the Impactful PBL Network.

Are you ready to become a high-impact project-based educator?

1. [FREE] Download the Impactful PBL Roadmap™  planning document to craft your next project-based learning unit + receive weekly tips to enhance your facilitation skills via email.
2. [FREE] Check out The Impactful PBL Roadmap™: 9 Steps to PBL Success e-guide which covers the nine phases you need to design a memorable, authentic, and rigorous learning experience for K-8 students via project-based learning.
3. [PAID] Join our Impactful PBL Roadmap™: Launch program, an online course, coach, and community of educators exploring and implementing research-backed project-based instructional practices.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! If you find this podcast useful and would like to support the show, please rate, review and subscribe using your favorite podcasting app. Sharing is caring. When you leave a review, you are helping fellow educators find this podcast enabling them to design impactful project-based learning experiences for their students.

Hey impact makers. Can you believe that we are halfway through the quarter? I previously shared that I've had several conversations about whether project-based learning could occur in a virtual learning format. Recently, a teacher shared that she was in a professional development session or class, and the facilitator stated that PBL wasn't for every teacher or every student. Since I'm a PBL advocate, the teacher wanted my perspective on the topic. During this episode, we will explore the question: Should some teachers avoid trying PBL in their classrooms? Do you have what it takes to implement PBL?

Are you ready to become a high-impact project-based educator?

1. [FREE] Download the Impactful PBL Roadmap™  planning document to craft your next project-based learning unit + receive weekly tips to enhance your facilitation skills via email.
2. [FREE] Check out The Impactful PBL Roadmap™: 9 Steps to PBL Success e-guide which covers the nine phases you need to design a memorable, authentic, and rigorous learning experience for K-8 students via project-based learning.
3. [PAID] Join our Impactful PBL Roadmap™: Launch program, an online course, coach, and community of educators exploring and implementing research-backed project-based instructional practices.

Support the show
Thank you for listening! If you find this podcast useful and would like to support the show, please rate, review and subscribe using your favorite podcasting app. Sharing is caring. When you leave a review, you are helping fellow educators find this podcast enabling them to design impactful project-based learning experiences for their students.