Elementary school students in Illinois whose teachers used a project-based-learning curriculum had stronger scores on a math test that measured problem solving than their peers from more-traditional science classes.
When students become part of their own learning they take pride in their education and become more engaged.
By Nate Hassman I’ve got a pretty tough job, because sometimes chemistry is a hard sell. Some students love it and embrace the periodic table and Newton’s laws of motion, but as research shows —a majority simply don’t see how it connects to their lives. It’s my role as the…
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By Yvette Ramirez According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 4.5 million public school students (9.3 percent) were English language learners (ELLs) in the 2013-2014 school year. This means that almost 1 in 10 students have the difficult challenge of learning the English language at the same time he…
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By David Reese, Ed. D. Working with schools around the country, educators frequently refer to PBL in their discussions. When I ask whether they are referring to Project-Based Learning or Problem-Based Learning, some are definitive in their answer and others ask “what’s the difference”? Often people believe they are…
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Editor’s note: This is part one of a two-part blog series on differentiation. By Kelsey Bednar Differentiation is an instructional strategy used at all levels of K-12 education to meet the needs of students with diverse abilities. Though widely used, questions still exist for teachers about how they…
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By Jessie Smith In addition to core classes, students at Memorial Middle School participate in a research course where they engage in cross-curricular project-based lessons that build 21st century skills. We focus on creating a student-centered classroom in which the teacher plays the role of a facilitator as opposed…
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Editor’s Note: This is the second of a two-part blog series on differentiation in the classroom. Click here for part one. Differentiation is an instructional strategy employed by many classroom teachers around the world. It is based on the following idea: let us provide learning experiences that meet all…
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For these two teachers, PBL is the key to differentiating lessons for students of all ability levels. By Jamie Kuminga and Brandi Zivilik | T.H.E. Journal What do special ed (SPED) and gifted students have in common? They both have unique educational challenges and are often removed from the classroom…
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By Dr. Kerry Speziale A recent case study conducted by my colleagues and me at MIDA Learning Technologies compared elementary classes who were piloting project-based learning (PBL) against classes that were continuing to use the district’s traditional curriculum. Our findings were consistent with a broad array of existing research that…
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The Illinois district aims to use performance tasks to encourage student growth and assess students’ understanding of standards-aligned learning. (CHICAGO, IL) November 1, 2017 —Defined Learning today announced its partnership with School District U-46 in northern Illinois for a district-wide implementation of Defined STEM, a web-based curriculum resource that supports project-based…
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By David Reese, Ed.D. I frequently collaborate with teachers around the ideas of making learning authentic and relevant for students. The conversation is often driven by the need for student engagement, igniting student passion, and ensuring students develop the skills needed to be lifelong learners. In my years of…
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By Carolyn Marchetti Districts and schools everywhere are seeing the value and benefits of using project-based learning in the classrooms. It may seem easy for science teachers because they are accustomed to inquiry-based teaching, and maybe even elementary teachers because they have the same students all day and can…
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The new tool allows school district administrators and teachers to assign and assess student portfolios to measure growth over time. (CHICAGO, IL) April 11, 2018 —In an effort to support project-based learning, Defined Learning today announced its latest extension to Defined STEM, the student Project Manager. The all-encompassing new…
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A district is preparing its students for the future by focusing on the skills and connections students will need in their careers. By Felice Hybert Having a job may seem a lifetime away for a child, but by exposing them to different career paths, we can get them thinking…
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By: Dr. Angela Mullennix More than ten years ago, I started my career in education as a lateral entry English teacher. The concept of rubrics was an emerging one in the school district where I taught. In fact, I remember attending a professional development seminar in which a state…
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Learn how PBL can bring about rigorous and engaging teaching needed to build students’ future-ready competencies. By Anne Jolly Teaching STEM? What do you want your students to know and be able to do as they go through their STEM journey? I’m guessing some student skills at the top of…
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A district leader discusses how they determined the best way to scale PD and prepare teachers to implement project-based learning. By Megan Raftery and Maggie O’Brien “What does Project-Based Learning (PBL) look like for Norwalk?” This question has been Tina Henckel, Director of K-12 STEM in Norwalk, Connecticut’s primary…
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By Anne Jolly, During this unprecedented time in our education history when many schools are closed nationwide, how can parents and other caregivers set up environments and activities to help kids continue their learning? And what kind of learning is most useful? This Worlds of the Future report spotlights four…
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By Anne Jolly As the pandemic crisis slowly eases, I wonder what lasting impacts this protracted event will have on K-12 education – specifically on teaching and learning in the PBL/STEM arenas. Many educators predict that teachers will incorporate and expand the use of virtual learning and continually improve…
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By Meghan Raftery The motto for the Westminster School District is “Building Tomorrow’s Leaders Today.” This motto frames the work of all-district teams, including the Department of Educational Services. “Our goals are firm, but the means are flexible.” Lori Hernandez, the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning for Westminster…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth As schools continue to work through their experience from school closures during the last academic year, we are also preparing for the unknown of the upcoming school year. Educators are spending time this summer looking for new ideas and different tools that can help with…
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When you are a STEM coordinator of a diverse, rural district with limited funds and high hopes for a superior summer school program, you must get creative. As Kathryn Zanin, Altar Valley STEM Coordinator, knows it is a big responsibility to ensure that all students have access to STEM learning year-long…summer being no exception.
How can a school district that has tripled in size since 2000 effectively develop a “career and college ready” student who’s steeped in STEM learning?
Ohio schools are teaching STEM across all subjects for a more holistic approach to STEM education.
Defined STEM is an excellent service that offers an enormous collection of pre-created problem and project-based learning resources for all core subjects in K-12. Each resource is built around a specific career to help increase relevancy, and comes with all the resources, standards, materials, and so on that you could possibly need. It’s a wonderful service, so let’s check them out!
At Phoenixville Area Middle School educators have introduced a new program, which they say is on the cutting edge of innovative learning.
By offering engaging lessons and embracing a chaotic classroom, one teacher brings STEM into her English curriculum.
As one district proves, you don’t have to wait until high school to expose students to their futures
By Mathew Lynch – Education Week 4/6/2016 The STEM team at Huntingdon Area Middle School uses a rotational model to engage students in multifaceted, multimedia projects with real-world implications.
A STEM rotation model engages students in multifaceted projects with real-world implications
From the moment students walk through our doors to the time they walk across the stage to receive their high-school diplomas, it’s our job as educators to do everything we can to prepare them for life outside the classroom and for the jobs of the future.
As more and more subjects jump on the STEM train, what about social studies? Here, four teachers share their best practices for linking social studies and STEM.
The familiar garbage in/garbage out axiom has long been a mantra of computer programmers, and nowhere is the cause-and-effect principle more apparent than when working with robots.
Just like in the real world, in my classroom students show what they’ve learned through project-based learning (PBL) and application using real-world examples. Is it working? Well, according to state science exams, my students consistently score higher than other science classes in my district.
In a recent study, students learning via project tested better and improved applied problem-solving skills
Two curriculum coordinators share successful PD to help educators shift to digital learning models
How can the consideration for an audience enhance performance-based learning?
Parties, shopping and vacation time can derail learning. Here are rock-solid solutions to keep students on task
4-H students are spending a lot of their time focused on areas like civics, sustainable living, technology, and leadership skills—and they’re doing it largely on their own.
As 2016 drew to a close, we asked educators in variety of positions to reflect on what they have learned this year. Here, a quartet of superintendents offer thoughts on leadership, PBL, and the challenges of turning around schools and districts.
The best educational leaders are lifelong learners. They are constantly expanding their knowledge, refining their skills, and looking for creative ways to help kids learn. As these four principals look back at 2016, they recall the most important ed tech lesson they learned this year—and look forward to inspiring their staff and students anew in 2017.
When you think of STEM, it’s likely you think of science, technology, engineering, and math, all rolled into one. At Kankakee Schools in Illinois, our STEM program aims to do a lot more than teach four topics: We want our students to apply what they learn in real-life settings.
Relating classroom lessons to real life helps students at any level connect with the content and interpret it in a way they are able to understand.
Working with a number of school systems around the country, I have witnessed a number of commonalities that have led to successful STEM learning experiences and initiatives.
In their mission to prepare every student for college or a career, today’s K-12 schools have to support not just high achievers, but students with emotional disturbances, language issues and hearing challenges. Here are three educators whose creative solutions are making “readiness for all” a reality.
This week in S’Cool Tools, we again share the real experiences of three teachers using three different tools, written in their own words.
A new report from MIDA Learning Technologies studied project-based learning in second- and fifth-grade classrooms during the 2015-16 school year
BY ANTHONY JOHNSON | February 23rd, 2017 | eSchool News Just as few modern-day workers could function in their jobs without a cellphone, a laptop, or periodic trips to Google, I want my students to learn how to solve problems using devices that will likely be similar to ones they will…
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By Richard Cheng | THE Journal Great things can come from humble beginnings. Anthony Johnson, a former high school dropout, is a teacher of the year winner in his school district and the southwest region of North Carolina. He is also a finalist for state teacher of the year. At…
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By Dr. David Reese | February 24, 2017 As a new teacher, I remember listening intently to my school leader share new initiatives we would be required to implement. As I feverishly took notes, two veteran teachers looked at me and told me to “not waste my time”. They went…
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By Maggie O’Brien | March 31st, 2017 Below is a list of noteworthy articles on STEM education that we came across this month. These articles support our mission of assisting students in developing the 21st century skills they need to succeed in college, career, and life. Engineering Making…
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By: Dr. Ruben Alejandro, Lydia Withrow, and Vicky Gorman | The Learning Counsel With report after report touting the American economy’s need for STEM workers, school districts across the country have rushed to roll out STEM and STEAM initiatives. As is often the case in education these days, though, specific…
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By Dr. Genevra Walters | Getting Smart Are we really doing all we can in our current educational system to prepare today’s students for the careers of tomorrow? Think of your current job. Are you tasked with memorizing facts, filling out worksheets and taking formal exams? Probably not. In…
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By Dr. Genevra Walters Are we really doing all we can in our current educational system to prepare today’s students for the careers of tomorrow? Since I started in education, I’ve used the motto, “The transition to adulthood starts in preschool.” Today, the phrase is the mantra pushing my…
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By Maggie O’Brien | May 1st, 2017 Below is a list of noteworthy articles on STEM education from the past month. These articles support Defined STEM’s mission of assisting students in developing the critical 21st century skills they need to succeed in college, career, and life. Be The…
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By Meghan Raftery Just because the “s” in STEM does not stand for “social studies” does not mean that social studies does not have a place. Economic, geographic, and civic knowledge are crucial components to good citizenship and deserve an equal place in terms of emphasis in curriculum, as…
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By Shannon Turner As a language arts and STEM research teacher, I use project-based learning (PBL) to bring relevance to my lessons so students can learn to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. One way I connect the classroom to the outside world is by making them think they…
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By Jamie Kumiega The project-based learning (PBL) trend is sweeping schools across the nation, and my special ed (SPED) classroom is no exception. Students in my classroom have a variety of disabilities, which make specialized instruction in content areas necessary. In class, we focus on functional life skills that…
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Educators share their strategies for teaching academically challenging (and fun) lessons that support native and non-native English speakers. By Karyn Lewis and Yvette Ramirez | The Edvocate Transitions can be challenging for any student, whether that is moving from elementary to middle school, or moving to an entirely…
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By Meghan Raftery At the beginning of the school year, our school district announced a new strategic plan that called for deeper and expanded partnerships within our community. Our goal, at the District’s Office of Community Engagement, was to communicate something different to our schools and community about the power of…
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By Brian Cook, Ed.D Dream and innovate – these are goals that I set for my students. Finding opportunities for them to realize these goals has grown complicated because, as educators, it’s mandatory for us to focus on standardized tests in our current educational landscape. However, state test scores…
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By Maggie O’Brien Project Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional methodology encouraging students to learn by applying knowledge and skills through an engaging experience. PBL presents opportunities for deeper learning in-context and for the development of important skills tied to college and career readiness. Characteristics of Project Based Learning Here…
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“A stellar collection of STEM resources that support project-based learning” -Common Sense Education Defined STEM was recently rated 4-stars by Common Sense; the leading independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology. We are excited and proud to be included in their prestigious lineup of educational…
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By David Reese, Ed. D. I often see former students of mine around town. Inevitably, I ask them what they remember from class and I expect them to talk about photosynthesis, mitosis, and food webs, but that is seldom what is discussed. Instead, they mention the skills they learned…
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To help provide inspiration and new ideas for engaging your students, we’ve put together a list of articles featuring a few of our favorite trailblazing teachers. 5 stories featuring inspiring K-12 educators: I made my classroom look like the real-world—and test scores soared eSchool News Elementary school teacher,…
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Schools can see big gains in creativity by letting students take charge of their classroom —and their learning. By Stephen Noonoo Even when students aren’t sitting through lectures, they’re still accustomed to letting their teachers dictate the pace, style, and direction of learning. But some forward-thinking classrooms have turned…
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The refreshed site provides educators with an easy-to-navigate, step-by-step approach to authentic applications of STEM and project-based learning (CHICAGO, IL) June 20, 2017 — Defined STEM, a web-based curriculum resource by Defined Learning that supports project-based learning, today announced the launch of its newly redesigned website. “Our goal is to…
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Editors Note: This is an excerpt from the article “She Believed She Could” featured in Tech & Learning. SHE BELIEVED SHE COULD By Ellen Ullman | Tech & Learning If you’re the parent of a girl, you probably tell her she can be anything when she grows up—even President of the…
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By Jason Braddock | eSchool News Here in eastern Ohio, some of our students are embracing their entrepreneurial spirit right at school, engaging in a style of learning that helps make lessons come alive. The students, spread throughout nine districts, are working with my organization, the Mahoning County Educational Service…
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By Maggie O’Brien Each month we post a list of news articles that relate to STEM education and project-based learning (PBL). Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and PBL initiatives in schools. These articles support Defined STEM’s mission of using real-world projects to help…
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By David Reese, Ed. D. In my role as Chief Academic Officer, I spend a large amount of time helping educators make decisions on strategies and tools to support authentic learning. These discussions usually start with curriculum alignment based upon an identified set of standards and move to tools…
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Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from the July issue of Tech & Learning Leader As a futurist and innovator, Tim Brown looks at emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, and robotics to figure out where the economy, industry, and technology will intersect in the…
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By Dr. Art Fessler | Getting Smart Passion is a driving force in all facets of life, especially teaching and learning. Learning in Community Consolidated School District 59 (CCSD59) in the Chicago suburbs reflects the actual work being done in the world, empowers the learner, solves real-world problems and provides for student…
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By Dr. David Reese, Ed. D. In my research to learn about what attributes school systems envision for their future graduates, I’ve found that content applications were a constant based upon academic standards. However, many systems focused on how the content was to be used by the future graduates….
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By Maggie O’Brien We reviewed the major news articles written on STEM education and project-based learning (PBL) last month and found five that we think are exceptionally inspiring and educational. Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and PBL initiatives in schools. These articles support Defined…
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By Art Fessler, Teri Fleming, and Jordan Mening | eSchool News Project-based learning (PBL) is a trend that’s spreading faster than a wildfire during a drought. Why? Because research on PBL proves that it increases student engagement and achievement, and helps students develop the 21st-century skills they need to succeed in…
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By Dr. Art Fessler To make sure our students are future-ready, learning in District 59 reflects the real work being done in the world, empowers the learner, solves real-world problems, and provides for student agency. We are moving from a traditional means of education to an environment where kids…
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A New Jersey district uses a train-the-trainer model to introduce educators to project-based learning. If you had walked into a Hopatcong Borough School District classroom two years ago, you likely would have seen students seated quietly, with a teacher standing at the front of the class giving a lesson….
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Two elementary school teachers explain how they infused literacy and STEM to create an engaging lesson that improved their students problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Last year, Lake Lehman School District (Lehman, PA) created an innovation team that consisted of a group of lead innovative teachers responsible for working with…
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By Maggie O’Brien We reviewed the major news articles written on STEM education and project-based learning (PBL) last month and found five that are exceptionally inspiring and educational. Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and PBL initiatives in schools. These articles support Defined STEM’s…
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The performance tasks are extremely thorough, result in student products, and cover key concepts in science and math. Title: Defined STEM Summary: Stellar collection of STEM resources supports project-based learning Pros: The performance tasks are extremely thorough, result in student products, and cover key concepts in science and math. Cons:…
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A New Jersey superintendent shares her successful strategy for introducing educators to project-based learning. By Dr. Joanne Mullane If you had walked into a Hopatcong Borough School District classroom two years ago, you likely would have seen students seated quietly, with a teacher standing at the front of the class…
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Four Teachers from four different classrooms at Huntington Middle School (PA) used their individual strengths in a rotational, project-based model to teach middle-school students how to apply STEM to real-world situations. The team included technology teacher Matt Rakar, library media specialist Sally Steward, math teacher Ben Young, and science teacher…
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By Maggie O’Brien Each month we review articles written on STEM (science, technology, education, and mathematics) education and project-based learning (PBL). Below are five that we found exceptionally inspiring and educational last month. Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and PBL initiatives in schools. These…
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By: Holley Burford It is no secret that student’s in today’s increasingly complex world need to be equipped with a vast range of skills to enter the workforce. Many are learning and preparing for jobs that have not even been created yet. To help our students be prepared, teachers…
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By Anne Jolly If you’re a new STEM teacher you may be wondering: “What should my STEM class look like? What should my students be doing?” If you’re a veteran STEM teacher perhaps you are asking yourself: “How are my STEM classes coming along? What does an action-packed STEM…
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By Maggie O’Brien Each month, we review news articles written on STEM education and project-based learning (PBL) and list five that we find exceptionally inspiring and educational. Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and PBL initiatives in schools. These articles support Defined STEM’s mission of assisting…
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By Jamie Harbin As a STEAM teacher, I believe it is critical that our students understand and make connections between the classroom and the real world. While not every child aspires to be an engineer, nor do we expect them to be, every child will be faced with challenges…
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By Kelsey Bednar In today’s educational culture, you would be hard-pressed to find a school that did not count STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) or Project-Based Learning (PBL) as one of their core initiatives. While these educational philosophies sound different on the surface, in actuality, they are more…
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By Kelsey Bednar High-Quality Project-Based Learning (PBL) provides opportunities for sustained inquiry over multiple working sessions. Transitioning to PBL involves shifts in planning, instruction, classroom management and teacher-student interaction. In my experience supporting educators who are making this shift, I hear one challenge voiced more consistently than others: how…
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By Maggie O’Brien | November 2017 Each month, we review news articles written on STEM education and project-based learning (PBL) and list five that we think are exceptionally inspiring and educational. Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and PBL initiatives in schools. These articles…
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By David Reese, Ed.D. I often come across educators who are concerned with the time that project-based learning can take in their classroom. Often, shortcuts are looked for and taken, which diminish the value of the learning process. It is important to have a vision for the outcome and…
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By Kelsey Bednar As both teachers and students come back to school in January rested and re-charged, it is the perfect time to implement a new, engaging strategy like Project-Based Learning (PBL). If you want to try this out but your school has not developed a plan for the…
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By Maggie O’Brien We reviewed the major news articles written on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education in 2017 and found ten that we think are exceptionally inspiring and educational. Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and STEAM (STEM+Arts) initiatives in schools. These…
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Tips on providing opportunities for students to apply problem-solving and collaboration skills. By David Reese, Ed.D. As educators, it’s our job to prepare the students of today for the jobs of tomorrow. Collaborative problem-solving is a critical part of the 21st-century workforce and essential to success. In 2015, OECD and PISA…
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By Maggie O’Brien Each month, we list news articles on STEM education and project-based learning (PBL) that we find exceptionally inspiring and educational. Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and PBL initiatives in schools. These articles support Defined STEM’s mission of empowering students to…
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Defined Learning By: Ariana Fine Education technology company Defined Learning, announced that it is releasing its Defined STEM project-based learning materials in Spanish. The web-based curriculum resource will be available in Spanish for grades K-8 by February 15, 2018. “The feedback we have received on the English version of Defined…
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By Maggie O’Brien Each month, we list news articles on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and project-based learning (PBL) that we find exceptionally inspiring and educational. Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and PBL initiatives in schools. These articles support Defined STEM’s…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth There are many ways to provide students with authentic learning experiences in the classroom. We promote student choice by offering a variety of ways for students to show their learning, whether it be through the use of digital tools, or by designing their own demonstration…
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By Maggie O’Brien Each month, we list news articles on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and project-based learning (PBL) that we find exceptionally inspiring and educational. Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and PBL initiatives in schools. These articles support Defined STEM’s…
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BY CAROLINE GORDON MESSENGER AND FELICE HYBERT Districts around the country are moving away from teaching models based on lectures and textbooks—but transition isn’t always simple. Creating a competency-based or mastery-based environment requires re-thinking everything, including teaching methods, assessments, and how to best prepare students for life after school. Both…
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By Maggie O’Brien Each month, we list articles on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and project-based learning (PBL) that we find exceptionally inspiring and educational. Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and PBL initiatives in schools. These articles support Defined STEM’s mission…
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By Anthony Johnson Think about the jobs in today’s economy — the ones we’re supposed to prepare students for after graduation. Are employees evaluated using bubble-in tests to prove they know the ins and outs of their job? Do they learn and use new skills one at a time…
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BY DR. GENEVRA WALTERS, DR. NICOLE DEVRIES, AND JAMIE HARBIN Many of you are familiar with the four C’s of the 21st-century learning framework: collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. But step back for a second and remember why you teach students in the first place–so they can be successful…
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A Defined STEM Learning Experience From: Nancy Nunn 4 th- and 5 th -Grade Reading Enrichment Teacher Morgan County Elementary (GA) Performance Task: Business of Farming Here’s What We Did: For this task, students worked in groups to design an advertisement for local farmers, promoting their product and emphasizing the…
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By Felice Hybert Back in the early 1900s, John Dewey promoted the “learning by doing”approach to education, which would later become the foundation of project-based learning (PBL). This framework allows for students to use knowledge from all areas of study to complete a project or task, a process that prepares them…
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A Defined STEM Learning Experience From: Jill Voiland Third-Grade Teacher Sonoran Heights Elementary (AZ) Performance Task: Design Architect Here’s What We Did: The first step I do when using any Defined STEM task is to introduce students to the task with the help of an instructional aide who helps with…
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By Maggie O’Brien Each month, we list articles on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and project-based learning (PBL) that we find exceptionally inspiring and educational. These news stories support Defined STEM’s mission of empowering students to build future-ready skills through authentic project-based learning. Here’s what we liked this month:…
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By Anne Jolly Happy summer, filled with lots of good sunshine and time to explore! And during that prized time, perhaps your Stem preparation for the coming fall is ramping up – or will be soon. If you taught STEM this past school year, you may be searching for ways to make…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth Project-based learning (PBL) is fairly new to me. A few years ago after attending some conferences and reading a few books, I realized that I had not been doing authentic PBL. Instead, I had been assigning projects, and only promoting student choice by offering a variety…
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By Larue Fitch At Kankakee School District, we asked our students the question, “What was your most memorable moment in school?” More than 90% of their responses reflected a project they created on their own, and the relationship they had with a teacher during it. They remember the moments…
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By Maggie O’Brien Each month, we list articles on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and project-based learning (PBL) that we find exceptionally inspiring and educational. Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and PBL initiatives in schools. These articles support Defined STEM’s…
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A school district uses project-based learning to introduce students to a variety of careers starting in kindergarten. By: Suzie Boss In Kankakee, Illinois, students begin exploring future careers as soon as they start kindergarten. By engaging in project-based learning units that have a strong career focus, students experience education through…
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By Kelsey Bednar One of the many initiatives that districts across the U.S. are working toward is the successful implementation of project based learning (PBL). If you are looking to incorporate this strategy for the first time or enhance your current PBL curriculum, this article will review four important…
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By Maggie O’Brien Each month, we list articles on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and project-based learning (PBL) that we find exceptionally inspiring and educational. Topics range from research reports to feature stories about new STEM and PBL initiatives in schools. These articles support Defined STEM’s mission…
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By: Anne Jolly So, you’re going to be teaching STEM? That’s great! You may be a first-time STEM teacher, or perhaps you’re an experienced STEM teacher eager to add new energy and pizazz to your lessons. In either case it’s time to roll up your sleeves and dive in to…
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Two educators share how they use innovative real-world projects to build entrepreneurship skills and inspire creativity in their students. By Grayson McKinney and Zach Rondot Let’s change that, shall we? We’re attempting to change this narrative and inspire innovative thinking in our students through real-world project-based learning. Our favorite…
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By Heather Wertman and David Reese, Ed. D. For many educators, the practice of project based learning (PBL) is new. Many educators have long thought that PBL was focused on the project. However, attention should be focused as much on the process, as the content-related products. Beginning PBL in a…
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By: Caroline Messenger Research shows that young children are more active and intentional about their knowledge-gathering when they’re asking questions like “How?” and “Why?” These simple questions have led my district to discoveries that have transformed our teaching. When we set out to build a competency-based curriculum from scratch in…
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By: Chuck Hensley and Larue Fitch You’ve heard them before: the moans and groans from students when introducing a new unit or starting a new project. “Why do we have to learn this?” “When will I ever use this in real life?” Education is designed to expand outside the walls of…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth The start of each new school year is such an exciting time for educators and students. After the summer break, educators head back into their classrooms and schools, hopefully feeling recharged, excited for the new school year, and ready with a list of new teaching…
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By Deanna Freeman, Intervention Educator at Castle Heights Elementary School, Lebanon, Tennessee The Challenge: Building critical-thinking and problem-solving skills in students that are in my response to intervention (RTI) groups. Project-based learning helps my students connect what is being taught in the classroom to everyday life. They see…
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A reflection by Susan Sokolinski, 3rd–5thgrade math teacher for gifted students, Grace McWayne Elementary School and Louise White Elementary School, Batavia, Illinois “Defined Learning was something we knew we could incorporate into our teaching. These projects have inspired them to make learning their own, it got them out of…
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An instructional coach and media coordinator share how they collaborated to create an innovative and engaging PBL curriculum By Dr. Angela Mullennix During the most recent school year, I was fortunate to work with an individual who made my job of coaching teachers through the inclusion of project-based learning (PBL)…
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By Darielle Timothy, K-5 Teacher at Sugarland Elementary, Sterling, Virginia. The Challenge: Implementing a project-based learning curriculum that was effective for every student and customizable for teachers. Exposing students and even teachers to project-based learning (PBL) can be intimidating. It’s a lot of work to implement and at…
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By Joshua Arnold There are plenty of guru-led ideas in education right now that you can have trouble finding one that works for your classroom. Most of these ideas are backed by teaching methods that have been tried and have shown success. Whatever path you choose for your learners,…
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Looking to integrate math, science, and engineering in your classroom? Start with the science and math practices! By Carolyn Marchetti STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) is more than just a grouping of subject areas. It is a movement to develop deep understanding between these content areas, so students are more…
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Equitable STEM education in elementary and middle school can level the learning field and close STEM achievement gaps. By Anne Jolly Back in the days before STEM made a formal entrance into the school curriculum, I sometimes struggled to make lessons relevant for my widely diverse student population. I had…
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By Alan Oakman When I was a student, I used to wish for two things: no boring lectures and no homework. The tides have changed and I have become a teacher now. But I can sense that even my students want the same things that I did, i.e., interesting lessons…
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A Defined STEM Learning Experience From: Amber Bush 1st-grade reading, social studies, and technology teacher Diamond Springs Elementary School in Virginia Beach, Virginia Performance Task: Reporter The Challenge: Finding a project-based learning platform that fits students at any level of learning. I have students with a wide variety of…
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By David L. Reese, Ed.D. Through project-based learning (PBL) and the use of real-world performance tasks tied to social challenges, students have the opportunity to apply competencies associated with social and emotional learning. In a previous blog post, I shared five aspects of the PBL process and how it encourages…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth A few years ago, after reading some books over the summer (LAUNCH and Pure Genius) and doing some reflection, I realized that what I had been doing was not authentic Project-Based Learning (PBL). Instead, I had simply been doing projects based on learning, quite different than…
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A Defined STEM Learning Experience From: Bob Johnson 9th-12th-grade forensics, environmental science, earth science, and physical science teacher ARTS Rise Program, Stamford, Connecticut Performance Task: Nutritionist The Challenge: Getting students excited about science As a science teacher for more than 25 years, I have found that students perform…
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By Maggie O’Brien We’ve reviewed articles on STEM education and project-based learning (PBL) throughout the year and took note of the stories we found exceptionally inspiring and educational. Below are our favorite articles and some of the most highly read in 2018. Topics range from research reports to feature stories…
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By Anne Jolly Half a century ago Project-Based Learning (PBL) emerged as a practical teaching strategy for allowing students to solve problems or do simulations that mimic real life. Today, PBL remains the optimal education method for authentic 21st-century learning. This research-based learning process continues to be the engine for…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth Students need opportunities to do more than just sit passively in the classroom. We need to create learning experiences where students can collaborate, problem solve, build their social-emotional learning skills, and go beyond simply learning the content. With the power of technology, we have more resources…
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By Anne Jolly Girls’ education has been a major focus for researchers for decades. I strongly advocate for more STEM success and preparation for girls. I write blog posts on girls and STEM on Defined STEM and other blog sites. I scatter references to the need for more attention to STEM…
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By Anne Jolly Kids are born creative, curious, and imaginative. They like to daydream and ask questions. Children you teach have the potential to make unusual connections, imagine, and come up with multiple ways to do things differently and better. Classrooms are filled with potential pioneers and innovators who can…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth About a year ago, I read about something called the “gig economy.” Not knowing what that meant, I turned to Google to do a search and within .30 seconds, I had over 35 million results. After a more advanced search and filter, I learned that the…
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By Anne Jolly Creativity is crucial when it comes to education. According to the Future of Jobs report, creativity is one of the three top “must have” skills in our workforce and society. Since creativity is crucial for learning, fostering creativity should be a natural function of schools. Think about…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth Most schools have reached that somewhat chaotic or challenging time of the school year. Spring is in full swing with schedules packed with academic events, sports activities, high school musicals and of course, the testing season is upon us. For some, when April hits it can…
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By Anne Jolly I remember a haunting conversation with a 7th-grade science teacher – I’ll call her Sara. Actually, I guess Sara was the one who was haunted – haunted by the possibilities of what STEM could mean in her classroom if she could just pull it off. Her frustration…
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Introduction Defined Learning (formerly Defined STEM) is a platform for providing project based learning to your classroom. Defined Learning combines project-based content that accentuates the goals of STEM education and the tools to customize, evaluate, assess, and create portfolios. Real-world videos set the stage for each lesson by showing the…
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Understanding by Design (UbD) UbD offers a planning framework to guide curriculum, assessment and instruction with a focus on teaching and assessing for understanding and transfer. Defined Learning provides sets of performance tasks, literacy tasks and constructed responses in which students engage in “real world” applications of key concepts and…
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A high-school math teacher shares tips on building a collaborative high-school STEM classroom at the start of the school year. By Dr. Roxanne Comegys Let’s set the stage… It’s the first day back from summer vacation at a high school. The students have missed each other. They have so…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth As we head back to our classrooms and prepare for the upcoming year, there are many things we need to consider. A few of my reflections are: What worked well last year that we should continue and build upon? What did not work well that…
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By Anne Jolly Ten years ago, a groundbreaking event occurred in the K-12 education arena. The Common Core Standards introduced a set of clear, consistent guidelines for what every student should know and be able to do in math and English language arts from kindergarten through 12th grade. The…
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A STEM education consultant explains how consistent collaboration among teachers can foster effective STEM-based PBL instruction. By Anne Jolly I entered the teaching profession directly from working in a virology lab. Every day our lab team met to discuss what was happening with our experiments testing potential medicines, what we…
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By Jacie Maslyk A 3rd-grade class is preparing for an upcoming unit of study. The teacher envisioned a cross-curricular approach to connect content in social studies with English Language Arts (ELA) using project based learning. She mapped out some potential topics and pulled some resources for students. She hoped…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth In education today we need to stay informed of the different strategies and resources that are available for providing more personalized learning experiences for our students. Being able to differentiate our instruction, relies on our understanding of the types of learners that we have in…
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By Anne Jolly Project-based learning is an engaging way of learning for students. It’s real. It’s creative. It helps kids make sense of the subject matter they’re learning. That’s why the PBL process is closely tied to STEM projects. But, despite the fact that STEM-based PBL is fun, there’s one…
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Learn about Sustainable Development Goals and get tips on raising awareness and introducing these important goals to students. By Meghan Raftery Adopted in 2015, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and in the…
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By Dr. David Reese The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are designed to address global challenges, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and leave no one behind. Looking at these sustainability goals through the lens of problem and…
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By Anne Jolly STEM and project-based learning (PBL) are closely connected. In fact, well-implemented STEM projects generally require a PBL approach. That leads to this question from teachers If I’m doing PBL, am I doing STEM? The short answer is – maybe or maybe not. STEM cannot happen without…
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An elementary school intervention teacher shares how imagining their own bakeries inspired her students to collaborate, create, and consider future careers. By Deanna Freeman Project-based learning (PBL) helps my students connect what is being taught in the classroom to everyday life. They see how the language, science, and…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth There are a lot of questions about what the world of work will look like in the future. What skills will our students need and how can we best prepare them for jobs which may not even exist yet? What types of experiences should our…
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From professional development opportunities to connecting lessons to careers, here’s how schools and districts can promote STEM for all By Joel Jacobson In schools across the nation, approximately 136,000 students took advanced placement (AP) computer science, a 31 percent increase from last year. This group included a record…
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By Anne Jolly Let’s say that you’ve heard the hype about Project Based Learning (PBL), perhaps tried some PBL ideas you’ve read about, but you haven’t actually put the entire PBL experience into action in your classroom. Now you’ve decided to jump right in – after all, how hard…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth Over the past year, there has been an increase in the discussion of how to prepare students for the future of work and the future of learning. With so many changes happening when it comes to education and technology, as educators we must focus on…
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Learn how the fastest-growing school district in TX is empowering its teachers to deepen students’ understanding of career pathways through authentic project-based learning. Imagine if a district had a chance to build their schools from the ground up knowing what they do today about how to create an environment…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth To prepare for the future, we need to help our students develop skills that will transfer to whatever they decide to do once they leave our classrooms. An important part of learning is also the practice of reflection and becoming self-aware in the process. Beyond…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth It is important for us as educators to continue to ask ourselves two questions: ”How can we best prepare our students for the future?” and “How can we best prepare ourselves?” We have been looking toward the future, preparing for 2030. Here we are in…
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By Meghan Raftery Dr. Valencia Bradshaw may be a 14-year veteran of Fulton County Public Schools, the fourth-largest school system in Georgia, but she has not always been an educator. She spent 18 years in the financial management industry before becoming a business education and marketing teacher. For the…
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By Dr. David Reese When we think about the remote classroom it is important to keep it structured for both the teacher and the student as everyone slowly becomes comfortable working remotely. Defined Learning provides teachers with a library of engaging performance tasks and an easy-to-follow framework that can…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth One area that I have tried to bring into my teaching practice more over the past four years, is Project Based Learning (PBL). When I first started teaching, I thought that I had been doing “PBL” however I was not. Making connections with educators, attending…
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By Dr. Carolyn Marchetti Teaching math in a remote classroom needs to be even more engaging than face-to-face since we are not next to our students to give them a nudge when they are off task. One way to engage them while reinforcing our math standards and practices is…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth The past month has definitely been a challenging time in the world. We are experiencing unprecedented changes in our daily lives and in particular, in education. These changes have forced us to act quickly so that we can support our students and their families and…
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By Meghan Raftery As schools across the world participate in large-scale remote learning amidst the outbreak of COVID-19, Defined Learning can be helpful to ensure meaningful learning takes place away from the classroom. Below are five ways that Defined Learning can be used to facilitate remote learning. For more…
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By Rachelle Dene Poth With many schools around the world facilitating remote learning for the remainder of this academic year and possibly longer, we must find ways to provide more than just the content for our students. We need to consider how we can use this time as an…
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By Meghan Raftery When teachers are first learning how to engage students in project-based learning (PBL), one question comes up most often: how should students be grouped? It’s a challenging question because there are a lot of factors that go into how a teacher decides to group students. FOMG…
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Effective July 27, 2020, Defined Learning has partnered with Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN) to offer schools STEM career awareness curriculum through project-based learning tasks for students grades 5-8 at no cost to schools. Defined Learning was selected as it is a curriculum proven to engage students in project-based…
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