STEM and Sports
What makes certain baseball bats hit the ball farther than others? What material is put inside elbow pads and knee pads to prevent injury? Why does the shape
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Problem Solving and STEM
Throughout the course of the day, teachers ask students to solve lots of different problems. Some problems may be small, while others may require multiple steps. Sometimes problems
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How PBL Aligns with Effective Teaching Frameworks, Part 2: Planning
In my last post, I made the case for easing teachers into the shift from traditional teaching to project-based learning. I discussed the alignment between project-based teaching and
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John Larmer Joins Defined
John Larmer brings two decades of PBL expertise and leadership to Defined NORTHBROOK, Illinois, November 9, 2021— Defined today announced that as it continues to build on its
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STEM and Writing: Connecting All the Pieces
A class of fourth grade students are hunched over their desks writing feverishly about their recent experiment in the STEM lab. Within their science notebooks, you can see
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7 Questions That Guide the Work of Inspired Teachers
I’m near the ocean where the sky is bright blue and the water is placid, but I can’t help recalling how gray, mute, and turbulent the
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Assessing Deeper Learning
The profound disruptions to traditional schooling over the past two years leave educators with unique opportunities to redefine school. Though it may be tempting to try to teach
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3 Keys to Improving Assessments
Educators, policymakers, parents, and others interested in improving the way we measure learning in today's schools need to examine three essential questions: 1) What really matters
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How Project-Based Learning Aligns with Effective Teaching Frameworks
Sometimes, when teachers and school leaders hear about project-based learning (PBL), it sounds like a whole new thing. They can’t imagine adding any more to their already-full
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What is "Deeper Learning"?
Okay, so what is deeper learning? And are we not helping our students learn deeply in our schools already? As more and more of my educational conversations involve
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