Novato, CA (March 30, 2022)– PBLWorks, the leading provider of professional development for high-quality Project Based Learning (PBL), has partnered with the Kentucky Department of Education on a four-year initiative to increase high-quality Project Based Learning in K-12 schools throughout the state.
The Scaling Gold Standard PBL Kentucky initiative will provide Gold Standard PBL training and support to Kentucky educators and leaders across Kentucky through a blend of face-to-face workshops, personal online coachings, school site visits and deep collaboration via a peer network of fellow Kentucky PBL leaders. The Kentucky PBL Leader Network, the first leader cohort in the state, launched in November 2021. The next Kentucky leader cohort launched in March 2022 and concludes in January 2023, with more leader cohort start dates to be announced. Training for teachers will begin in the summer months.
“Strong leadership, targeted professional development, and ongoing support are all critical for high-quality Project Based Learning to occur. We encourage Kentucky educators and school leaders looking to gain the skills and knowledge for successful and sustainable implementation of PBL to join this initiative,” said Bob Lenz, CEO of PBLWorks.
Jason E. Glass, Kentucky’s Commissioner of Education and Chief Learner, said Kentuckians “are calling for bold changes to education in our state around giving our students the kinds of learning experiences that prepare them for an automated, lightning-fast, globally interconnected economy.
“Our best way of going about that is to change the kinds of experiences our students have in classrooms – making those experiences hands-on, authentic, meaningful and connected to the kinds of work they will need to do outside of school,” Glass said. “PBLWorks helps move us from just talking about these shifts to the real work of implementing them in classrooms across Kentucky. This will give our educators the supports they need to design experiences for students that get them ready for that new future.”
About the PBL in Kentucky initiative
The Scaling Gold Standard PBL Kentucky initiative aims to scale high quality PBL to one-third of Kentucky’s public schools. PBLWorks’ Kentucky National Faculty team will facilitate gold standard workshops in all educational cooperatives across the state. In addition, participating schools will receive PBLWorks’ Gold Standard PBL 101 training and ongoing support for their teachers to begin (or continue) implementing high-quality projects with students.
For more information about the initiative, contact your regional education cooperative. Participation is free for K-12 public school educators serviced by the Kentucky Department of Education.
Why Project Based Learning?
Now more than ever, students need to learn independently and engage with their learning material. PBL works in both in-person and virtual settings, and teaches standards-aligned material to students, through fun, real-world challenges. When done well, PBL:
Transforms students by inspiring them to think differently about themselves as learners, collaborators and leaders
Prepares students for success in college, career and life
Leads students to master core academic content and builds success skills
Advances educational equity and empowers the youth who are furthest from opportunity
Enables teachers to make a difference in their students’ lives
The Scaling Gold Standard PBL Kentucky initiative is an example of PBLWorks’ ongoing leadership in providing professional development for high-quality Project Based Learning. PBLWorks also offers PBL School Leader Networks in Hawaii, California and Massachusetts, an annual PBL World professional development conference in the summer, ongoing workshops and training throughout the year, and multiple online PBL resources.
About PBLWorks
The Buck Institute for Education is a national nonprofit (dba PBLWorks). Our mission is to build the capacity of teachers to design and implement high-quality projects and for school leaders to create the conditions for teachers to do so. Our vision is for all students, including Black and Brown students, to engage in high-quality Project Based Learning (PBL) to deepen learning and achieve success in college, career, and life. We have offered professional development in Project Based Learning to teachers and leaders at the school and district level since 1999. For more information, visit www.pblworks.org.
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