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 the student Project Manager. The all-encompassing new platform is designed to help teachers grade project-based assignments and create student portfolios to measure growth over time.

Districts across the country are using project-based learning to help their students develop and apply critical 21st-century skills. Many standardized tests do not measure these critical skills and district leaders need an assessment system to support an analysis of student experiences with these applications and skills. Defined STEM’s new Project Manager provides school district administrators and teachers with valuable information and support related to each students' strengths and areas for growth as they progress through performance tasks and across grade levels. With the Project Manager, district administrators can share assessments with all of their teachers to ensure that they assign and assess the standards, skills, and competencies the school district wants to meet.

Teachers can choose the standards, skills, and competencies they feel are appropriate for any assignment, all while tracking their students’ progress. “Schools and districts can use this feature as a reference to evaluate students and see exactly where they are,” said Joel Jacobson, co-founder and chief operating officer of Defined Learning. “It provides evidence to measure students’ growth over time and display students’ strengths in specific areas.”

The Project Manager makes all the information that teachers and students need accessible in one location and also integrates with tools like Google Classroom. “Project Manager not only delivers data, it connects with districts’ existing edtech ecosystems to give them a clear path to a thoughtful implementation of project-based learning,” said Jacobson.

For more information about Defined Learning, visit DefinedLearning.com

About Defined Learning

Defined Learning is a K–12 educational media company that combines technology, creativity, and curriculum expertise to provide useful and relevant products to schools. Defined Learning's flagship service, Defined STEM, is a platform that enables teachers to provide application of knowledge to students through the use of project-based learning, real-world careers, and meaningful reading and writing activities.