Impactful PBL Podcast
101 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago -Hi, I’m Dr. Candice Wilson-McCain, the founder of Impactful Projects, an education organization that provides curriculum, coaching, courses, and a community of practice for project-based educators. Through our core program, the Impactful PBL™ Network, we help teachers transition students from being passive learners in their classrooms to being change-makers in their schools and communities through real-world project-based learning experiences.
This podcast provides proven strategies and invaluable tips for building a sustainable project-based learning culture at your school without overwhelming instructional leaders, teachers, and students. If you are an educator who desires to move from theory to practice with project-based learning, follow the podcast to receive notification of new episodes. Let's talk PBL!
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Episodes
[3.3] Sustaining PBL: Gaining clarity with a vision
April 16, 2024 11:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MBThe challenges instructional leaders encounter when launching a project-based learning initiative often stem from a lack of vision setting. A well-defined vision for a project-based learning (PBL) initiative is essential. The vision not only articulates the purpose and goals of the initiative but also aligns with the school's core values and broader educational objectives. It fosters a cohesive and focused approach to implementation, ensuring educators understand the expectations and engage...
[3.2] Sustaining PBL: Identifying common roadblocks
April 02, 2024 10:00 - 15 minutes - 10.3 MBIn this fast-paced, ever-changing world, teachers must adapt their teaching methods to prepare students for the challenges they will face in the real world. One approach that has gained traction for its ability to cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and student engagement is project-based learning (PBL). However, implementing and sustaining a high-impact project-based culture within a school or district comes with challenges. In this episode, we'll explore the roadblocks oft...
[3.1] Sustaining PBL: Reimagining professional development
April 01, 2024 19:00 - 12 minutes - 8.43 MBWelcome to season 3! This series will focus on how to build a sustainable, high-impact, project-based culture at your school site or within your school district without overwhelming instructional leaders, teachers, and students. This series is designed for school leaders, professional development coordinators for districts, PBL coordinators, teacher mentors, or anyone serving in a role that supports current or aspiring project-based teachers. It's been a while since our last season. So, in...
Reflections from another year of learning in public + podcast update
September 15, 2022 19:00 - 26 minutes - 18.1 MBSeason 2 of the Impactful PBL Podcast ended in May which marked two years of this podcast. The podcast started as a “learn in public” project so that I can document my professional journey and share insights about what I’m learning about project-based learning. In this episode, I’m sharing a progress update on my 2021-2022 goals and why I'm pausing the podcast. Tune in to... Explore what it means to learn in public and why I started this podcast Hear why I'm shifting to building in public...
[2.13] How can we write a compelling scenario for a PBL unit?
May 02, 2022 11:00 - 11 minutes - 7.61 MBPhase 2 of the Impactful PBL Roadmap™ is to map the scenario and write a driving question. The initial scenario structure will involve first determining what students will learn (i.e. standards), thinking of a theme or topic second, and then writing the driving question. The next step is to draft a scenario. I've noticed that most teachers can select standards, a theme, and compose a driving question, but some struggle with writing the scenario in its entirety. This episode will explore how ...
How can we write a compelling scenario for a PBL unit?
May 02, 2022 11:00 - 11 minutes - 7.61 MBPhase 2 of the Impactful PBL Roadmap™ is to map the scenario and write a driving question. The initial scenario structure will involve first determining what students will learn (i.e. standards), thinking of a theme or topic second, and then writing the driving question. The next step is to draft a scenario. I've noticed that most teachers can select standards, a theme, and compose a driving question but some struggle with writing the scenario in its entirety. In this episode, we will explor...
[2.12] How can we create a PBL unit plan?
April 11, 2022 13:00 - 10 minutes - 7.51 MBAs I support teachers to design project-based learning experiences, I notice confusion often arises during phase 5 of the Impactful PBL Roadmap™ planning process. Phase 5 is about creating students' daily learning experiences or lessons. Teachers are usually excited about exploring project-based learning as an instructional method. However, when asked why they haven't implemented project-based learning in their classroom as of yet or why they don't facilitate a project-based learning unit of...
How can we create a PBL unit plan?
April 11, 2022 13:00 - 10 minutes - 7.51 MBAs I support teachers to design project-based learning experiences, I notice confusion often arises during phase 5 of the Impactful PBL Roadmap™ planning process. Phase 5 is about creating students' daily learning experiences or lessons. Teachers are usually excited about exploring project-based learning as an instructional method. However, when asked why they haven't implemented project-based learning in their classroom as of yet or why they don't facilitate a project-based learning unit of...
[2.11] What type of public products can students create during PBL? I'm sharing 50+ ideas
March 28, 2022 11:00 - 12 minutes - 8.91 MBAn essential part of the project-based learning experience is producing a public product or artifact to showcase knowledge for an authentic audience. Depending on the PBL topic and driving questions, the audience could be peers, parents, or community members. Teachers often wonder what students can create for projects besides designing a poster or presentation. Students may also struggle to develop ideas without seeing examples or being given a list of examples of public products. This epis...
What type of public products can students create during PBL? I'm sharing 50+ ideas
March 28, 2022 11:00 - 12 minutes - 8.91 MBAn essential part of the project-based learning experience is producing a public product or artifact to showcase knowledge for an authentic audience. Depending on the PBL topic and driving questions, the audience could be peers, parents, or community members. Teachers often wonder what students can create for projects besides designing a poster or presentation. Students may also struggle to come up with ideas without seeing examples or without being given a list of example public products. ...
How can we get students excited about the PBL topic?
March 14, 2022 11:00 - 7 minutes - 5.05 MBIt is essential students buy into their project since they will be exploring their complex question or challenge over an extended time. While hooks for traditional lessons are typically short, less than ten minutes, project-based learning hooks may vary in length to sustain students' interest over a more extended period. A PBL hook typically occurs at the start of the unit, although it is not uncommon for teachers to integrate several ways to cultivate students' interest throughout the proje...
[2.10] How can we get students excited about the PBL topic?
March 14, 2022 11:00 - 7 minutes - 5.05 MBIt is essential students buy into their project since they will be exploring their complex question or challenge over an extended time. While hooks for traditional lessons are typically short, less than ten minutes, project-based learning hooks may vary in length to sustain students' interest over a more extended period. A PBL hook typically occurs at the start of the unit, although it is not uncommon for teachers to integrate several ways to cultivate students' interest throughout the proje...
How can we promote STEM education via project-based learning?
February 28, 2022 12:00 - 10 minutes - 7.11 MBIn traditional learning experiences, subject areas are taught in silos, and teaching often focuses on the "what" of a subject area. Students do not synthesize the material when they memorize parts of a cell in isolation or memorize the steps to solve a math problem without understanding why the process works. Educators know that knowledge should not be measured by simple content regurgitation. It is often encouraged to connect multiple content areas within lessons. In this episode, we will e...
[2.9] How can we promote STEM education via project-based learning?
February 28, 2022 12:00 - 10 minutes - 7.11 MBIn traditional learning experiences, subject areas are taught in silos, and teaching often focuses on the "what" of a subject area. Students do not synthesize the material when they memorize parts of a cell in isolation or memorize the steps to solve a math problem without understanding why the process works. Educators know that knowledge should not be measured by simple content regurgitation. It is often encouraged to connect multiple content areas within lessons. This episode will explore ...
How can students support a cause via project-based learning?
February 14, 2022 12:00 - 11 minutes - 8.22 MBWe've all participated in a fundraiser at some point in our life, especially as a student. It seems kids bring home items to sell every year to support a team, club, or school. Although many students do not necessarily think about whether or not their fundraising efforts are supporting a cause, they gain some valuable skills during the process. You may be excited (or at least interested) in incorporating a fundraising component into your PBL curriculum but wonder how to get started. As you c...
[2.8] How can students support a cause via project-based learning?
February 14, 2022 12:00 - 11 minutes - 8.22 MBWe've all participated in a fundraiser at some point in our life, especially as a student. It seems kids bring home items to sell every year to support a team, club, or school. Although many students do not necessarily think about whether or not their fundraising efforts are supporting a cause, they gain some valuable skills during the process. You may be excited (or at least interested) in incorporating a fundraising component into your PBL curriculum, but wonder how to get started. As you ...
How can we create a dynamic group culture during PBL?
January 31, 2022 12:00 - 11 minutes - 7.74 MBProject-based learning is an effective way to help students foster their social-emotional learning skills, especially during group collaboration. During phase eight of the Impactful PBL Roadmap™ planning guide, we focus on uniting students and building a collaborative culture. It’s easy to assume that all students enjoy collaborating, possess the skills to handle conflict effectively, and understand how to interact with feedback. However, as educators, we must teach students how to contribut...
[2.7] How can we create a dynamic group culture during PBL?
January 31, 2022 12:00 - 11 minutes - 7.74 MBProject-based learning is an effective way to help students foster their social-emotional learning skills, especially during group collaboration. During phase eight of the Impactful PBL Roadmap™ planning guide, we focus on uniting students and building a collaborative culture. It’s easy to assume that all students enjoy collaborating, possess the skills to handle conflict effectively and understand how to interact with feedback. However, we must teach students how to contribute as effective ...
What role does reflection play in the PBL process?
December 13, 2021 20:00 - 10 minutes - 7.1 MBRecently I’ve heard from many of you that listen to the podcast, attend my workshops, or communicate with me on LinkedIn that you're finishing up a project-based learning unit. I've been checking in with past and current members of the Impactful PBL Network to hear updates. I love to listen to what's working, what's not working, and what you're learning. I know it can be easy to wrap up a project-based learning unit and immediately move on without really having closure. When this happe...
[2.6] What role does reflection play in the PBL process?
December 13, 2021 20:00 - 10 minutes - 7.1 MBRecently I’ve heard from many of you who listen to the podcast, attend my workshops, or communicate with me on LinkedIn that you're finishing up a project-based learning unit. I've been checking in with past and current members of the Impactful PBL Network to hear updates. I love listening to what's working, what's not, and what you're learning. It can be easy to wrap up a project-based learning unit and immediately move on without closure. When this happens, it can lead to a feeling t...
[2.5] How can we teach standards and implement PBL?
November 03, 2021 11:00 - 10 minutes - 7.04 MBAs a project-based learning coach, I'm often asked if it's possible to design a PBL unit that integrates standards. Teachers wonder how they will find time to teach content standards and allow students to create public products. Identifying the learning objectives for your project-based learning unit is phase one of the Impactful PBL Roadmap, the planning framework I created to help educators craft a high-quality project-based learning unit for students. In this episode, I will share the aud...
How can we teach standards and implement PBL?
November 03, 2021 11:00 - 10 minutes - 7.04 MBAs a project-based learning coach, I'm often asked if it's possible to design a PBL unit that integrates standards. Teachers wonder how they will find time to teach content standards and allow students to create public products. Identifying the learning objectives for your project-based learning unit is phase one of the Impactful PBL Roadmap, the planning framework that I created to help educators craft a high-quality project-based learning unit for students. In this episode, I will share th...
[2.4] How can we create a memorable experience via project-based learning?
October 20, 2021 13:00 - 7 minutes - 5.46 MBI 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 experiences two decades later as well. In a previous episode, ...
How can we create a memorable experience via project-based learning?
October 20, 2021 13:00 - 7 minutes - 5.46 MBI enjoyed college because most of the learning activities that 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 experiences two decades later as well. In a previous episode,...
How to create a memorable experience via project-based learning
October 20, 2021 13:00 - 7 minutes - 5.46 MBI enjoyed college because most of the learning activities that 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 experiences two decades later as well. In a previous episode,...
[2.3] How can we elevate our PBL unit with community partners?
October 06, 2021 11:00 - 10 minutes - 7.4 MBWhen 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 design component is to include adult connections/relation...
How can we elevate our PBL unit with community partners?
October 06, 2021 11:00 - 10 minutes - 7.4 MBWhen 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 design component is to include adult connections/relation...
Elevate your PBL unit with community partners
October 06, 2021 11:00 - 10 minutes - 7.4 MBWhen 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 design component is to include adult connections/relation...
[2.2] How can we use portfolios to enhance our teaching practice?
September 23, 2021 12:00 - 9 minutes - 6.63 MBEvery 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 portfolio's purpose and intended outcome. Let's discuss how c...
How to use portfolios to enhance your teaching practice
September 23, 2021 12:00 - 9 minutes - 6.63 MBEvery 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 the purpose and intended outcome of your portfolio. Let's discuss ...
How can we use portfolios to enhance our teaching practice?
September 23, 2021 12:00 - 9 minutes - 6.63 MBEvery 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 the purpose and intended outcome of your portfolio. Let's discuss ...
[2.1] What are the steps to becoming an impactful PBL educator?
September 09, 2021 12:00 - 9 minutes - 6.9 MBProject-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 challenging to identify the next steps on their professional l...
The steps to becoming an impactful PBL educator
September 09, 2021 12:00 - 9 minutes - 6.9 MBProject-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 challenging to identify the next steps on their professional l...
What are the steps to becoming an impactful PBL educator?
September 09, 2021 12:00 - 9 minutes - 6.9 MBProject-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 challenging to identify the next steps on their professional l...
Reflections from a year of learning in public
June 03, 2021 12:00 - 13 minutes - 9.47 MBSeason 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 the podcast. Tune in to... Explore what it means to le...
Shifting students from presentations to presentations of learning
May 18, 2021 11:00 - 11 minutes - 7.91 MBLet’s explore how teachers can enhance their project-based learning unit culminating event. In episode 26, 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 an environment where students are equipped to share their learni...
[1.13] How can we shift students from presentations to presentations of learning?
May 18, 2021 11:00 - 11 minutes - 7.9 MBLet’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 an environment where students are equipped to share thei...
How teachers can improve their PBL experience through reflection
May 05, 2021 17:00 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MBLet’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 them as well. In this episode, we will examine a protocol t...
[1.12] How can teachers improve their PBL experience through reflection?
May 05, 2021 17:00 - 17 minutes - 11.7 MBLet’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 them as well. In this episode, we will examine a protocol t...
How to modify your PBL plan to fit your new teaching situation
April 21, 2021 02:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MBLet's explore how teachers can end the school year strong with project-based learning. Recently, I conducted a check-in with a few members of the Impactful PBL Network, our year-long professional learning program for current and aspiring project-based educators. Many of the teachers' goals involved executing a project-based learning unit this semester, but due to the constant changes with their schools' schedule and logistics, they are experiencing challenges with implementing their plans. T...
Enhance students’ public products using effective feedback strategies
April 05, 2021 21:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBLet'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 fostering a culture of feedback in their classroom. This epis...
Enhancing students’ public products using effective feedback strategies
April 05, 2021 21:00 - 16 minutes - 11.1 MBLet'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 fostering a culture of feedback in their classroom. This epis...
[1.11] How can we enhance students’ public products using effective feedback strategies?
April 05, 2021 21:00 - 15 minutes - 10.9 MBLet'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 fostering a culture of feedback in their classroom. This epis...
[1.10] How can we plan a project showcase without feeling overwhelmed?
March 24, 2021 12:00 - 15 minutes - 10.5 MBLet'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 about the actions needed to execute the showcase. This ep...
How can we plan a project showcase without feeling overwhelmed?
March 24, 2021 12:00 - 15 minutes - 10.5 MBLet'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 about the actions needed to execute the showcase. This ep...
How to plan a project showcase with less overwhelm
March 24, 2021 12:00 - 15 minutes - 10.7 MBLet'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 about the actions needed to execute the showcase. This ep...
12 free Google tools to help manage students' projects
March 08, 2021 12:00 - 11 minutes - 8.09 MBGiven 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, w...
5 thoughts holding you back from trying PBL
February 22, 2021 12:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBLet'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 over...
5 thoughts holding you back from trying PBL
February 22, 2021 12:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBLet'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 over...
What is the teachers’ role during project-based learning?
February 08, 2021 12:00 - 15 minutes - 10.7 MBLet'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 is debatable because depending on who you listen to or what you re...