Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. I enjoyed college because most of the learning activities the professors used would be considered active learning strategies. We engaged in many case studies or projects, and the professor would utilize relevant current events to lead class discussions. I can share specific learning activities that I experienced during undergraduate and graduate school which occurred over 15 years ago. We want students to remember their learning experi...
Oct 20, 2021•8 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. When researching the components of a quality project-based learning unit, you will find several frameworks stating what PBL should look sound, and feel like. Depending on the source, the actual vocabulary may vary, but they all share the same concepts. In Adria Steinberg's Connected Learning Communities: A Toolkit for Reinventing High School , written in 2001, she shares the 6 A's of instructional or project design. One instructional d...
Oct 06, 2021•11 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Every school year, I explore a new professional learning growth project. Some of my past explorations included in-depth research on virtual coaching, program design, curriculum writing, designing after-school programming, and project-based learning. This year, I'm examining how to utilize portfolios effectively to improve practice. There are several types of portfolios. Before collecting artifacts, it's essential to determine your port...
Sep 23, 2021•10 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Project-based learning is not an instructional method where teachers can attend one workshop and master it. As you know, project-based educators continuously enhance their instructional skills by learning from implementation and being lifelong learners. Effective project-based educators focus on student academic and personal growth and their own growth as well. They understand that it's a journey; however, some teachers find it challen...
Sep 09, 2021•10 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Season 1 of the Impactful PBL Podcast is coming to an end. It’s officially been a year since I started this podcast. The podcast started as a “learn in public” project so that I could document my professional journey and share insights about what I’m learning about project-based learning. In this episode, I’m sharing why I decided to create a “learn in public” project, how teachers can do the same, and what to expect during season 2 of...
Jun 03, 2021•14 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Let’s explore how teachers can enhance their project-based learning unit culminating event. In a previous episode, we examined how to plan a showcase to help students share their knowledge with an authentic audience. Many teachers are able to plan creative ways for students to share their knowledge, and their students can create great solutions to their projects' driving question. However, some teachers experience difficulty fostering ...
May 18, 2021•11 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Let’s explore how teachers can improve their project-based learning experience by creating a reflection process. Many of the teachers inside the Impactful PBL Network are wrapping up their project-based learning unit. I'm so thrilled to hear about what students and teachers are learning during their PBL experience. Educators often discuss the importance of providing space for students to reflect, but self-reflection is essential for th...
May 05, 2021•17 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Let's explore how to use feedback to improve students' work during project-based learning by giving quality feedback. Feedback is an essential component of the formative assessment process. The challenge is that sometimes students receive inadequate feedback during the project-based learning unit, preventing them from producing their highest level of work. There are some strategies that teachers can utilize to ensure that they are fost...
Apr 05, 2021•16 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Let's discuss how to plan a showcase to help students share their knowledge with an authentic audience. During phase 7 of the Impactful PBL Roadmap, we explore how to finalize students’ showcase agenda to determine how students will share what they learned during the PBL unit with an authentic audience. At this stage, you may be excited for students to share their public products but may feel a little overwhelmed as you begin to think ...
Mar 24, 2021•15 min•Season 1Ep. 10
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 deb...
Feb 08, 2021•16 min•Season 1Ep. 9
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 t...
Nov 27, 2020•12 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Hey impact makers. Last week, we explored some ideas to assess students during project-based learning, which, if done correctly, will help teachers monitor student's academic progress. I recently received questions from teachers who are implementing project-based learning in a blended learning environment requesting ideas for completing phase six of the Impactful PBL Roadmap, which is to track students' progress. As an educator, you kn...
Sep 23, 2020•8 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Hey impact makers. Recently, I met with a group of teachers to refine an upcoming project-based learning unit plan. We began discussing ways to assess students during the learning experience. One teacher expressed concerns about assigning grades or implementing assessments. The teacher wanted students to enjoy the process, and she didn't want them to earn low grades and become unmotivated or disinterested in projects. That is a valid c...
Sep 09, 2020•10 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. I've seen teachers become excited about implementing their PBL and launch their first unit to discover that students struggle to engage in this form of learning. Specifically, teachers often share how students struggle with brainstorming ideas, sharing ideas, creating questions to research, taking the initiative to work on tasks, etc. There are a variety of reasons why students may experience difficulty engaging in project-based learni...
Jun 30, 2020•7 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. When I lead in-person professional development, believe it or not, we spend a significant amount of time drafting the driving question for a project-based learning unit plan because it's the foundation of the project. In this episode, we will discuss the importance of drafting a quality driving question, explore example questions, and review how to write a driving question for PBL. In this episode, you will learn: Definition of a drivi...
Jun 23, 2020•6 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. If you've been working in education for more than a year, you have probably heard of numerous instructional strategies from education researchers claiming to be the answer to increasing student mastery. Regardless of your perspective, project-based learning can allow students to practice and develop skills useful for the workforce. I believe that we're preparing students for jobs that may not yet exist. You're probably thinking, if the...
Jun 16, 2020•6 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Discussing the difference between project-based assessments versus project-based learning is a popular topic among educators. Therefore, I have this conversation with educators often. I understand why this can be confusing because, for some time, 'doing projects' or project-based assessments, project-based learning, and problem-based learning were used interchangeably. This episode will discuss the difference between project-based asse...
Jun 09, 2020•7 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. In this episode, we will explore how to plan a high-quality project-based learning experience for students. You will find several planning methods because, as you know, educators plan differently based on what works for them. After training hundreds of teachers on planning and implementing project-based learning experiences, I've found success with the method I'm sharing. I call my planning method, the Impactful PBL Roadmap. I provide ...
Jun 02, 2020•13 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Do you have a topic to suggest or insight to share? Text me. Introducing the Impactful PBL Podcast, a show for educators who want to explore how to plan a high-quality project-based learning experience for students. In this opening episode, Candice shares why she started this show, its’ purpose, and how she hopes it will help educators craft meaningful learning experiences for students. In this episode, you will learn: 1:05 Who is Candice, the host, and why she started the Impactful PBL Podcast?...
May 26, 2020•6 min0
