PBL World 2022

Showcasing what works for K-12 learner-led practices

There is a certain energy I’ve experienced with fellow educators when engaging in collaborative construction of learner-led projects. It’s the kind of thought-provoking, light bulb flashing, lean in with your knees on the desk chair kind of energy that results in fast-paced ideation leaving you fulfilled, exhausted, and exhilarated. 

It’s the kind of energy that was palpable at PBL World 2022.

PBLWorks hosts this annual conference to bring together educators, school leaders, and partners around their mission to “build the capacity of teachers to design and facilitate quality Project Based Learning and the capacity of school and system leaders to set the conditions for teachers to implement great projects with all students.” As I reflected on my conference experience in the rolling hills of Northern California, there was a throughline which was hard to miss. This takeaway is best exemplified through the words of Maya Angleou, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

PBL World is a conference for Project Based Learning that brings together educators – K-12 teachers, instructional coaches, school and district leaders – who want to deepen their PBL practice and connect with a community of like-minded peers.

One of the most vivid memories of my time came from the student panel featuring students from New Tech High School of Napa Valley Unified School District. They spoke with pride about their individual and collective work developing skills through projects that extend beyond the school day and school walls. Their message to the teachers in the audience was made clear by one panel member, “…teachers are people too, and it may not always seem like it but we care (about you).” Keynote Dr. Lisa Delpit remarks underlined the importance of emotional support and belief. She reminded the audience of 900 teachers and school leaders of the importance of learner self efficacy irrelevant of background, ethnicity, or academic performance, “In order to be smart and capable they must believe they are smart and capable.” Fellow PBLWorks sponsor, Educator Edge, took advantage of the sunny and playful atmosphere between workshop sessions to outline their offerings to receptive conference-goers. Admittedly, I was a touch distracted by the frisbee, ladder toss, and cornhole. It was a nice reminder of the importance of play irrelevant of age both in and outside of the classroom.

In the workshop series I attended, Erin Brandvold of Envision Schools and PBLWorks National Faculty offered equity levers to consider when creating learner-centered projects. This hit home as an advocate and practitioner of portfolio assessment, a key component of Envision School’s assessment model and LiFT Learning’s learning management platform. Joined by educators from Kentucky, Wisconsin, California, and beyond, we questioned our assumptions, identified areas within existing curriculum to build upon, or just embraced the innovative spirit to think of new practices to focus on for next academic year. As my newly created podmates from Jefferson County (KY) could attest, our passion was omnipresent as we drew a picture of learner outcomes via stick figures and color-coded pathways to success. 

LiFT Learning had the pleasure of partnering with PBL Works in sponsoring this event. We are grateful for the opportunity to share our work, and for the innovators in our network to have access to PBL aligned resources. We are proud to support the deep and meaningful work of PBLWorks and walk away from #PBLWorld 2022 feeling inspired to continue our work helping to create learner-centered systems.