Transformative Learning Experiences with Kyle Wagner

How do we EMPOWER adolescent learners? 

Anyone who works with this age group, knows that they have a unique set of needs. Adolescent learners have unique needs for increased social connections, purpose, autonomy, ownership, and real-world purpose and pursuits beyond the walls of the classroom. 

As student-centered adolescent educators, how do we design experiences and environments that allow for these?

In this short podcast interview, expert adolescent educator and Montessori guide Julien Lamorte teaches us how to: 

• Build adolescent learning experiences around 4 key 'bricks' or 'pillars' 
• Include adolescent learners in learning design
• Empower them to develop and implement self-directed projects 
• Exhibit their learning  
• Connect them to opportunities in the real-world  
• Increase their agency, voice and choice in all aspects of learning 

Connect with Julien: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julien-jayed/ . Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julien_jayed/. Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/JulienJayed . Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julien.jayed 

Website: julienjayed.me 

Dive Deeper in Designing Learning Experiences for Adolescents- - > Register for the FREE 'Building Student Agency' IB Workshops

Enroll in the 4 session Project-Based Design Certificate Course - -> Here.

Julien's Bio:

Father of 4 Montessori children, Julien Jayed Lamorte has been involved in the Montessori education movement since 2004 as a parent and volunteer president at Lyon Montessori School (France). At that time he was still running a business unit in urban planning and international consultancy. After a few years, this commitment led him to work closely with the AMI accredited French training center, setting up the 1st diploma course ever outside of Paris in 2010 - there were no online courses at that time. From 2008, he also took an active part to the preparatory work that eventually led to the creation in 2014 of the Collège Maria Montessori des Aiglons, the 1st Montessori middle school in France offering a full Erdkinder project. In charge of the administration and community development, he also gave some workshops to adolescents during five years, related to preparation to professional life; a mix of law, economics, finances and personal development allowing adolescents to understand better their possible future roles as adults. Julien Jayed Lamorte has become an international Montessori trainer since 2020, running courses for Montessori school administrators. He also offers consultancies all around the world, coaching school owners and administrators, supporting the development of Montessori curricula, in Europe, Africa and more recently Asia. Living in Switzerland since 2022, still engaged in spreading out Montessori education to the greatest number, Julien Jayed Lamorte volunteers in the Swiss Montessori community and has built a platform (montessoriaction.fr & montessoriaction.com) where he shares with other Montessorians free online resources to parents and professionals.

Taking the first steps 👣 into design project-based experiences can be a scary thought for a lot of teachers...

It certainly was for me.

How will I ensure students acquire the mandated curriculum? Assess learning? Where will I find the time to plan, scaffold the experience, and ensure students reach meaningful outcomes?

Chris Bush, Economics Teacher, and Head of Student Voice and Leadership at University High School had similar reservations. But with the help of Chat GPT and AI acting as a co-pilot, he finally had a tool to not only answer these questions, but dramatically enhance the experience for learners.

Check out our full conversation and learn how to:

👣 Use Chat GPT to most effectively to co-design curricular rich learning experiences

👣 Use AI + Chat GPT to personalize and create differentiated pathways

👣 Create a 'Clone' of yourself using AI to act as a personal tutor

👣 Put Chat GPT into our student's hands to improve learning outcomes

Connect with Chris: Linked In (@chrisjbush), 

Watch the Video on Youtube: Full Interview

Join the Upcoming Webinar: 'Engineering Your First Project-Based Experience:' www.transformschool.com/gptpbl 

Chris' Bio: 

Chris Bush is the Head of Student Voice and Leadership at University High School. He specialises in guiding teachers and professionals to utilise the transformative potential of AI. Chris’ expertise lies in enabling teachers to transform traditional learning into modern, student-centred experiences, where AI is integrated for a range of purposes, from clarifying complex concepts to enhancing practical skill development. His background includes a focus on curriculum development, including roles as Head of Curriculum and Innovation at Prahran High School and with the Safe Schools Coalition Australia, where he authored National Curriculum resources.

Chris Bush is currently Head of Student Voice and Leadership at University High School. He specialises in guiding teachers and professionals to harness AI’s transformative potential. His background includes a focus on curriculum development, having previously worked as Head of Curriculum and Innovation at Prahran High School and for the Safe School Coalition Australia where he authored National Curriculum resources. 

What if you could re-imagine schooling to be student-centered? Build from the ground up? 

That's what Connect Academy did when it was given carte blanche to re-imagine schooling for students in the Poway District. 

It re-imagined:

How we organize learning experiences, by making them interdisciplinary, and community focused.  

How we organize learners, by making classes mixed grade level, and inclusive of all abilities. 

How we organize the school day, by creating extended blocks of time, and project-based opportunities. 

How we CONNECT students, by connecting them meaningfully in daily advisories, and homerooms. 

Connect Academy isn't some fancy prep school built for elite families that live in the Hollywood Hills; it's a public, inclusive school built for kids of all backgrounds, nationalities, and socio-economic status. 

Learn more about their journey from learning experience designers/teachers Joe Gizzo and Karen Rogers, and you can build in these student-centered elements in your classroom or school.  

Learn more about Connect Academy: https://connectacademy.powayusd.com/ , Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/Connect_PUSD, Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connect_academy_pusd/ & https://www.instagram.com/naturaldesigners/ 

Connect with Karen: LinkedIn, Twitter (X), Personal Site: https://sites.google.com/powayusd.com/karen-elaine/home 

Karen's Bio: Karen Elaine Rogers is a visionary who focuses on big picture and deeper purpose. Having directed multiple early childhood centers, started or revamped children's education programs, and pastoring a large and growing non-profit for families, she also fostered and then adopted many children in the first 20 years of her career. As an outside the box thinker who thrives in flexibility and clear purpose, KarenElaine has spent the last 10 years in public education. Focused on behavior modification and music therapy in her time in special education, she then piloted a project and brain based TK/K program in one of Poway Unified School District's Title 1 schools, and then helped launch the district's first hybrid Independent Study school while recently being awarded as Teacher of the Year. Strategizing tasks by building teams & investing in those closest to her, KarenElaine leads with empathy and focuses on team strengths. Her creative and innovative mind is constantly impassioned to dream, collaborate or share. Possessing a way with words, her ability to weave a great story, articulate vision, and influence an audience are what inspires. She aims to transform education & be part of life's most exciting pursuits with women, children and families while living simply with nature!

Joe's Bio: Joe Gizzo has been a teacher in Poway Unified School District for 24 years. He teaches middle school digital arts and computer science at Connect Academy, PUSD’s innovative, hybrid school. Joe strives to build empathy in students to help to create a school culture where everyone is welcomed, valued, and respected. Joe’s students have won many awards, including Digital Art awards from the SD County Fair and Museum of Photographic Arts, Jostens yearbook awards, Outstanding Activities and Leadership Program awards, and the California Association of Student Leaders Service Award. Joe’s awards include the Bob Burton Spirit Award, Area G Service Award, SD County Fair Teacher of the Year, School & District Teacher of the Year, honored as one of San Diego County’s top Teachers, Teen Ink’s Educator of the Year, and California’s designee for the Warren Shull Award. What is truly remarkable is Joe has accomplished all he has while battling a rare & incurable auto-immune disease. His story is truly inspirational for students and teachers alike.

How are you finishing off the semester before Winter Break? 

While many classrooms finish with final exams, as learner-centered practitioners, we understand that it's far more POWERFUL to let our students share their learning. 

Public Exhibitions are one of the best ways to do this. 

Exhibitions provide the perfect platform for learners to share their learning journeys, artifacts/products and work they developed along the way, and the transformations they experienced as a result. 

How, as learner-centered practitioners, do we ensure our exhibitions provide this opportunity? 

Using real case studies and concrete examples, I provide 5 key things to consider. Through these 5 simple tips, you will learn how to curate a beautiful space; equip students; foster audience and visitor interaction; and empower learners to take control of the process. 

Read on the Blog: https://transformschool.com/2023/12/03/exhibiting-student-work-five-things-to-consider/ 

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard: https://transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind/ 

Get the free 'PBL Starter Kit': https://transformschool.com/pblstarterkit/ 

How do we better include learners and learning profiles often left behind in traditional settings? What if we could custom-fit learning experiences around their unique strengths, gifts, capabilities and needs? What if understanding the brain's intracacies and high yield therapeutic approaches helped us support and empower them in the learning process?  

In this episode, Cheryl, Founder and Acting Head of Cajal Academy addresses these questions in context of a program tailor-made for what she calls 'exceptional learners.' All learners, year 1-12 have analytical/reasoning/creative thinking skills in the 'gifted' range, coupled with pronounced learning, social and emotional differences. Through our conversation, we learn how to:

• Create environments that invite, excite and stimulate these 'exceptional learners' 
• Design scaffolds to support these learners through learning journeys and project-based experiences
• Use neuroscience to help amplify their special strengths, and overcome their challenges
• Include them in the process  

Unravel tips, strategies and insights that pave the way for classrooms where every project is an opportunity for diverse minds to shine! 

Connect with Cheryl: LinkedIn

Learn more about Cajal Academy: https://www.cajalacademy.org/ 

Sign up for the PBL Symposium: https://www.21c-learning.com/events/student-agency-and-pbl-symposium/ 

Take the 12 Shifts for 'Learner-Centered Environments' Scorecard: https://transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind 

Cheryl's Bio: 

Cheryl is the co-founder, President and acting Head of School for Cajal Academy, Inc.: a new, non-profit independent school that is innovating education by integrating insights from the fields of neuropsychology and neurophysiology to make them actionable in the classroom.

She is also the Founder and CEO of freedible, the social sharing platform where people with specialty diets can find and share the recipes, life hacks and community they need to thrive.

What these two ventures have in common is a passion for creating inclusive and scientifically-informed solutions at the social level to the challenges posed by individual differences and disabilities. And, they fuel my love for tackling complex problems, picking apart the details and creating from them a new whole.

I am also a passionate advocate for others; I believe that a solution that only works for people with education, resources or health is no solution at all. Her two driving passions are inclusion and empowerment; connecting with new people, whether it's one-on-one or as a public speaker, runs a close third. Cheryl 'wears her heart' on her sleeve, and believes in the responsibility of speaking her own mind- determined to leave this world a better place than it was when she found it. 

How much voice and ownership do you provide students in their learning journey? 

I understand the fears the fears of inviting too much input: 

What if students go in a direction I can’t support? Steer too far away from mandated curriculum? Decide on projects and products I’ve never developed myself?

And so oftentimes we keep learning experiences locked in a tightly sealed, ‘teacher-centred box.’ But what happens when we open up that box? Provide some basic parameters and frameworks, but invite students to help choose how to fill it?

What might student engagement and empowerment look like then?

In my conversation with learner-centered practitioner, Dr. Dom discusses her experience with a project she 'co-designed' with learners fromm start to finish. She shares her journey of involving students in developing learning materials, building partnerships with local schools to enhance the English curriculum, and the creation of 'Teaching Materials.' From our conversation, we learn the importance of forming driving questions for projects, facilitating feedback and reflection, and nurturing collaboration and inquiry among students. 

We leave equipped with tools to start the process with our own students. 

Connect with Dom on Instagram. LinkedIn. 

Dr. Dom's PBL Website: Resources, Reflection and Journey 

Dom's Bio: 

Dom currently teaches primary at KPIS International School in Thailand. Dedicated to educational development Dom is a researcher and educator with proficient career history in varied environments, and considers herself an easily approachable and professionally presented individual. A great ability to communicate, build and maintain rapport over wide range of cultures and social backgrounds. Prior self-employment has created a strong motivation to progress efficiently throughout her career. With a pro-active and enthusiastic attitude, Dom is always keen to further develop both leadership principles and strategy execution, within the school environment. Dom believes that, “a social and emotional learning influence is visibly beneficial to another’s academic development.”

There are several skills that are hard to build in students within the walls of a classroom.

Skills like leadership, community building, survival, mentorship, global citizenship, and expedition planning. 

On expeditions outside of the classroom, these skills come naturally; whether it's assisting farmers plant in the marshes of Indonesia (pictured above), or cultural treks to learn about isolated tribes' way of living in the jungles of Thailand. 

Justin Bedard, co-founder of Jump! and expert Experiential Learning Facilitator leads teams of students in these kind of experiences on a regular basis. In partnering with schools, his team of facilitators grow global citizens, while supporting classroom teachers to transform from subject teachers to experiential learning facilitators. In our podcast interview, we learn as new experiential learning facilitators:

• The key components of experiential learning and how it differs from traditional learning
• How to support students in honing and developing these skills  
• Create the conditions, big questions, and environment that allows for deeper experiential learning to take root within our schools and communities
• How to connect experiential learning opportunities meaningfully to our curriculum  
• How to develop the mindsets and tool set required to shift from a teacher to experiential learning facilitators 

Connect with Justin: LinkedIn (@justinbedard12)

Learn more about Jump!: https://jumpfoundation.org/ 

Take the 12 shifts scorecard around transitioning from teacher to facilitator: https://transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind/ 

Sign up for the PBL Symposium on 'Building Student Agency Through PBL:' https://www.21c-learning.com/events/student-agency-and-pbl-symposium/ 

Justin's Bio:

Born in Lilongwei, Malawi, Justin spent my childhood in Indonesia and formative years in China. Justin has a strong passion for community development and educational innovation which is the foundation of which The JUMP! Foundation has been built.

Throughout his life, Justin has built a focused commitment to youth development programs around the world. 

Wearing many hats, he has had the chance to carry out his passion for adventure guiding, organizational consulting, leadership facilitation, community development, and time playing in the wilderness.

As a speaker, Justin is comfortable speaking to international audiences of up to 1,000. He is excited to share my thoughts, perspectives and strategies with educators, NGOs, youth leaders, and other Changemakers worldwide.

Designing a learner-centered experience isn't that complicated. It requires only a few shifts in the way we currently design projects, units, and lessons. 

Building a learner-centered environment to allows the experience to fly? That takes years.  

It requires a long term commitment from staff, leadership, parents and students to create a culture built around the learner. I call that PBL 2.0. 

How as a learner-centered leader do you move from PBL 1.0 to PBL 2.0? 

Ms. Amina Usman helps us answer this question in the context of her teacher leadership at her PBL School, Beaconhouse TNS. She teaches us how to effectively coach, and create the conditions, culture, and classrooms that allow project-based experiences to reach full potential; while LEARNERS lead the way. 

Connect with Ms. Amina: amina.usman@tns.edu.pk 

Learn more about TNS/Beaconhouse PBL Schools: https://www.tns.edu.pk/

Take the 12 Shifts for Learner-Centered Environments Scorecard: http://www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind

Register for the November PBL Syposium: https://www.21c-learning.com/events/student-agency-and-pbl-symposium/

Ms. Amina Usman's Bio: Amina has been associated with the early years for the past 15 years, and her passion lies in nurturing young minds. It says if you are once a teacher, you are always a teacher, and the same goes for Amina as she started her career. And although Amina became coordinator 3 years ago, her heart  still lies in engaging with young children. Here role as an early years coordinator’s is to ensure that young children receive high-quality, developmentally appropriate experiences that meet their individual needs and help them reach their full potential. She works to ensure that early years classrooms are designed in such a way that promotes children’s learning and development, with a focus on social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. Amina's degree is in Diplomacy and strategic studies, but when I joined teaching I did a number of training sessions to improve myself, with early childhood education.

AI is here. And while many schools are still wrapping their heads around how to best use it, some classrooms are already using it to enhance learning experiences. 

Whether that's in animating student written memoirs; or acting as a co-pilot in student research and investigation.

AI can improve learning outcomes and make our lives easier when we have the courage to embrace it. 

In this episode I sit down with technology/instructional coaches Cora Yang and Dalton Flanagan to learn more about how they are embracing AI and helping teachers across all subjects embrace and integrate it mindfully within their classroom and learning experiences. We learn:

• How to get comfortable and have fun with AI
• Simple ways AI can enhance our learning experiences and engage hard to reach learners
• How AI can help offload some of the things we hate doing as educators, while freeing up time for us to do more of the things we love  

Connect with Cora: Twitter and Threads: @coraedtechcoach, Website, LinkedIn

Connect with Dalton: Twitter: @desertclimber, LinkedIn, Website (https://www.daltonflanagan.me/)

Curated List of AI Tools for Teachers: https://t.co/hN1tGeE3Ik

Even more AI Tools: https://aieducator.tools/

Get the Discounted PBL Design Certificate Course: https://projectbasedlearning.teachable.com/p/projectbasedlearning1?coupon_code=30%25-OFF&product_id=2039146

Register for the PBL Symposium in November: https://www.21c-learning.com/events/student-agency-and-pbl-symposium/ 

Dalton's Bio: Dalton is a Learning and Innovation Coach at Chinese International School in Hong Kong, with over a decade of experience in education. He is by a passion for designing authentic project-based learning experiences, and strives to connect students' learning journeys with cutting-edge technologies, fostering engagement and promoting in-depth exploration. His enthusiasm for experimenting with new technologies drives him to integrate them into the classroom environment. His recent exploration into the realm of advanced AI models, such as Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and ChatGPT, have further expanded his ability to engage and inspire students and educators. As an ardent advocate for knowledge sharing and collaboration, he presents his experiences at conferences worldwide.

Cora's Bio: Meet Cora Yang, a devoted Learning Technology Coach at Renaissance College Hong Kong. Specializing in PYP and MYP tech integration, she enriches education with coding, robotics, VR, digital design, and more. Cora believes technology connects students to real-world opportunities, fostering lifelong learning through innovative projects. Always curious, Cora eagerly explores new tech and shares her knowledge, inspiring students to unlock their potential in our ever-changing world.

What happens when we co-design learning experiences with our students?

Give them choice over the product they create. Questions they pursue. Teammates they assemble. 

This was Maheen's big pondering when she began sharing ownership of PBL experiences with her year 3 students. The results were immediate. Learners inquired more critically, brought in talents she never knew they had, and planned presentations of learning that made adult jaws drop.

Learn more about Maheen's story of transformation from PBL 1.0 to PBL 2.0 and how you can achieve the same results in your classroom.  

Full Show Transcript

Take the 12 Shifts for Learner-Centred Environments Scorecard: https://www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind

Learn More and Register for the PBL Symposium in November: https://www.21c-learning.com/events/student-agency-and-pbl-symposium/

Connect with Maheen: maheen.85856@tns.edu.pk

Maheen's Bio: Maheen is a 3rd Grade teacher from a PBL based school "TNS Beaconhouse" in Lahore, Pakistan. She has experience of teaching primary years and as a homeroom teacher, she is responsible for teaching multiple subjects, along with spending the entire day with her students. At the start of her learning journey with Kyle, she was new to the process of PBL and was having difficulties with inculcating it in her classroom. Now, after her learning journey with Kyle, the PBL process comes naturally to her. Her class has consistently outdone themselves on their projects, which have been guided by student inquiry. Their learning is long lasting and the products the students come up with are full of thoughtful insights. A complete turnaround in a year's time!

We talk a lot about tips, strategies, frameworks, and components of project-based experiences, but we don't talk a lot about mindsets.  

How do you develop the mindsets that allow for creativity, agility, uncertainty, and experiences that move in several directions?

In this episode, Thompson Morrison and Kavita Tanna, Founders of Ustawi Movement Global expose us to a process that builds these mindsets in both students and teachers; changing them from compliant learners to creative geniuses. We peel back the layers of this process and speak with educator Linda Amici about the transformational results she has seen in her classroom. Through it, you will learn:

• Why agility and adaptability are the #1 future skills, and how to develop it in our learners
• A simple framework to transform compliant learners to creative powerhouses 
• How to make learning a continual conversation and not a didactic mode of delivery
• How to use a learning process developed in real world industries like tech/software to guide experiences in our classrooms
• How to help our learners reach their creative potential 

Connect with Thompson Morrison: thompson@ustawimovement.global         

Connect with Kavita Tanna: Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook       

Connect with Linda Amici: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter

Learn More about the DIG Framework: https://www.amazon.com/Dayton-Experiment-reimagined-education-unleashed/dp/0578634392 

Thompson's Bio: Thompson Morrison is the co-author of The Dayton Experiment, a book that tells a story of a five-year journey of reimagining the learning culture of a small rural school in Dayton, Oregon. A software executive deeply versed in the fast, iterative learning cycles that underpin Agile methodologies, he partnered with Jami Fluke, the principal of Dayton Middle School and High School, to reimagine the learning culture in order to unleash the creative genius of every student. From that experience, a learning framework was developed, Designed InGenuity (DiG), which has now been introduced to hundreds of educators around the world, helping to inspire the transformation of schools now on five continents. His most recent book, The Joyful Sandbox, explores how this framework is being used by schools to bring learning alive.

Kavita's Bio: Kavita is a facilitator of mission-driven work with communities around the world. Now pursuing her fourth career as a Global Education Coach, she brings the life experiences of business and classroom teaching to this work of transforming learning in communities. Kavita's mission is to connect with like-minded individuals who wish to empower all people through meaningful, interconnected, and globally-minded conversations. She is a graduate of the Brain-SET Environment Certificate, through which early childhood educators are empowered to design environments with the intention of children learning in calm spaces to support the development of their brains. As a lifelong learner, Kavita is completing a Master's degree with Antioch University, focusing on creating, sustaining and regenerating transformative learning communities using systems thinking. In regular one-to-one meetings, facilitation of team gatherings and large group workshops, Kavita coaches school leaders and classroom educators to recognise the roles they play in shaping the identities, attitudes and behaviours of all learners. By co-designing learning experiences, she offers practical ideas for global and intercultural-mindedness for all learners, including parents, educators and leaders. Through her work as a passionate advocate and mentor for social-emotional-ethical wellbeing integration in the lives of all people, Kavita’s vision is to co-create a harmonious world in which all living systems can flourish.

Linda's Bio: Linda Amici is an educator with a passion to empower future leaders to “be the change” the world needs. As a middle school instructional coach for the Westerville City School District and part-time faculty member for Otterbein University, she seeks to inspire those around her to embrace a growth mindset and take educational risks to innovate transformational practices. Changing the world has led Linda to opportunities that reach beyond the borders of the US. She has worked overseas on projects to bring health and clean water to remote locations in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Amazon river basin in Peru. Stateside, she supports international students on their exchange year as they share culture with US host families. She is energized by learning about new cultures and working with diverse teams to solve global issues. Linda graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor's degree in Education and holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She has had the honor of presenting and collaborating with PBL Works, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), National Center for Urban School Transformation, and she currently serves as an AMLE Schools of Distinction Evaluator. Linda graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor's degree in Education and holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She has had the honor of presenting and collaborating with PBL Works, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), National Center for Urban School Transformation, and she currently serves as an AMLE Schools of Distinction Evaluator. In 2019, Linda was selected as the Sanford Inspirational Award recipient by the National University System for the state of Ohio. She has been recognized as a Great Educational Mentor by her school district, and she was awarded a Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Deeper Learning Grant to awaken learner curiosity within her educational community. She currently serves as the National Teach Plus Fellow for Ohio and is a part of the AMLE support team. In 2019, Linda was selected as the Sanford Inspirational Award recipient by the National University System for the state of Ohio. She has been recognized as a Great Educational Mentor by her school district, and she was awarded a Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Deeper Learning Grant to awaken learner curiosity within her educational community. She currently serves as the National Teach Plus Fellow for Ohio and is a part of the AMLE support team. Linda is a mother to six children, one dog, and a small herd of guinea pigs. In her free time, she enjoys reading, biking, kayaking, and keeping herself and her community strong and healthy by teaching fitness classes to all ages. Connect with her on Twitter at @LindaAmici

As an edu-transformer, if someone asked you point blank, what are the top 10 ways to re-imagine the schooling experience, what would you tell them? 

That's what I asked longtime experiential educator, innovator, school designer, podcaster and project-based learning practitioner Steve Shapiro. And because Steve believes in continually being counter-culture, he gave me 11. 

This episode unpacks those lessons. From obvious lessons around having a growth mindset, to less obvious lessons like making questions in the community, not grades the common motivator for learning. Steve contextualizes each lesson with stories from his career as a long time disruptor and edu-innovator. You will leave with new insights on how to do the same in your classroom or school!

Get in Touch with Steve: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook. 

Steve's Website: https://www.steventshapiro.com/

Get the Project-Based Design Certificate Asynchronous Course for 30% off: Course Link

Enroll in the Synchronous PBL Design Certificate Course: Sign Up Link 

Steve's Bio: Steve Shapiro is a veteran classroom educator. In his 34-year career, Steve has taught sixth grade through graduate school, but his main work has been as a high school teacher and school reimaginer. Regardless of his role, Steve has been committed to providing experiential learning opportunities that transform students’ lives. Having completed his public school career, Steve now focuses his time on coaching, providing professional learning, and keynote speaking on experiential/authentic learning and school change. He also continues to produce episodes of his highly acclaimed podcast Experience Matters with Steve Shapiro.

Why do we still use traditional transcripts to report on learning?

As if academic marks are all that matter. 

Transcripts don't tell the story of a learner's strengths, special talents, competencies, certifications, or skills. Or their abilities as critical thinkers, leaders, creators and collaborators. 

But what if they did? What if in a highly visual way, they created a narrative for the WHOLE CHILD? 

That's what Hamza and his team at 'Start Up Early' have developed in their co-curricular transcript; and it's already making headway in several schools. Learners are gaining special insights into their strengths, passions and possible pathways to explore, while teachers and administrators are assemlbing something more impactful to pass on to parents and universities.

In this interview we unpack the co-curricular transcript and share tips for how you might use it in your own learner-centred environment. 

The Co-Curricular Transcript 

Get in Touch with Hamza: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

'Start-Up Early' Website: https://startupearly.com 

Hamza's Bio:

My name is Hamza Ansar, Founder at Start Up Early. I attained my MSc in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from the University of Southern California after founding my first startup, for which we raised angel investment locally as well as crowdfunding internationally. After returning to Pakistan in ’19, I founded Start Up Early, an education technology platform. Our focus is on helping students identify and pursue their passion in an effort to optimise their career trajectories. Our flagships product is the Student Success Management System.  Student Success Management System (SSMS) is a mobile-first student engagement & success software that helps schools increase student participation outside the classroom, track and assess extra-curricular activities and empower all students to tell their unique stories with our modern individualised co-curricular transcripts. A co-curricular transcript (CCT) is an official set of record, past and present, of a student’s co-curricular and extra-curricular activities (clubs, organizations, activities), awards, accomplishments and honors received during a student’s schooling years.

The co-curricular transcript will include:

• Co-curricular transcript overview of all past student data
• Graphical representation of all co-curricular activities divided in to various categories
• Gamified badges unlocked at milestone achievement
• Co-curricular effort mapped against top tiered students from previous years
• Roadmap and suggestions on how students can improve their co-curricular score
• Competency mapping from prior experiences
• Easy-to-read visual timeline of all activities

As learner-centered practitioners, I imagine we are all firm believers in the benefits, and postive outcomes project-based experiences have on our students. But what about our learners? Do they feel the same way?

In this short podcast interview, I chat with two learners, Stanley and Flora at experimental PBL School VIS Better World Lab in Taiwan to get their take on how project-based experiences have IMPACTED them. From how they have grown as people, to how it has affected their view of learning. 

But it's not all rainbows and butterflies. We also discuss PBL's shortcomings, and the challenges they have faced adapting to this new model. Through a learner's lens, you will gain new insight into:

1. The major differences between PBL and a traditional approach 
2. How to support project teams that collaborate and illuminate invidividual interests
3. Supporting students in the process of investigation 
4. The IMPACT project-based experiences has on learners 
5. Potential pitfalls of project-based learning, and how to overcome them
6. Adopting the mindest it takes to transition from classroom teacher to a project facilitator 

Learn more about VIS: Instagram: (@vis_betterworldlab), Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterworldLAB?mibextid=LQQJ4d Website: https://vis.tp.edu.tw 

Follow VIS Radio: Instagram (@vis_radio_channel), Website: www.vis-radio.com 

Comprehensive Overview of PBL Benefits: Report here. 

PBL Collab and Grab Monthly Discussion Interest Form: https://forms.gle/zY2iG6XBvXqzDTtk7

Oscar and Flora's Bio:

Flora Lin has been a student in VIS experimental High School for 2 years, over which she has not only attended but been selected team leader for many of the PBL projects that she has been involved in. Stanley Pang is currently in 11th grade and finishing up his first year in VIS. Despite only being here for year Stanley has already achieved many great accomplishments like winning the Entrepreneurship award as well as starting his own gym club, of which he leads many of his classmates onto the journey to building better fitness habits Together, Stanley and Flora have proved themselves to be strong VIS as well as strong PBL students. Together they have not only been selected leader in their PBLs and won recognition for their in-school performance. They have also entered a business competition together and got 8th place, out of hundreds of other applicants. Stanley and Flora are both hardworking and diligent students who aim to always put their best effort both in and out of school. We hope that their interview provides listeners more insight into what PBL is like and inspires them to learn more about incorporating PBL in their schools in the future.

What do all of these assessments have in common?

💡 A field guide to the of the local flora and fauna in the region.
💡 A community garden.
💡 A recipe book for healthy meals using only 5 ingredients.
💡 A tourist handbook of the ‘hidden gems’ of the city.
💡 A podcast featuring community stories of hope.
💡 A published paper in a professional magazine around how to protect the local wetlands.

They are all authentic products created by students to demonstrate learning, and make a difference in their community. And they CAN'T be replicated by ChatGpt or AI. 

In this episode I provide insights for how to develop and authentically assess learning experiences using the 4 'A's' of assessment. Bonus resources available below:

50+ Alternatives to Paper/Pencil Exams: 50+ Ideas ways you might assess student learning in project-based experiences

PBL Collab and Grab Forum: Fill out this short interest form to apply for our monthly discussion forums around the most pressing questions and answers to PBL challenges. 

Why do we grade students? 

Is it to measure and evaluate learning? Provide students an incentive to do their work? Reflect the ‘rigour’ of our classroom? 

Research shows that grades don’t accomplish any of these things. 

What if there was a better way to measure, monitor and evaluate student growth? And share a story of their learning journey...

What if we eliminated grades entirely? 

That’s exactly what Gary Heidt, 10th Grade Humanities and Social Entrepreneurship Teacher, did in his high school's 'Nova Lab' learning space. And his students soared to new heights because of it. 

Learn more about the alternative system he co-designed, and how it can help your students:

• Increase work ethic and production
• Become more reflective and meticulous with their work
• Provide detailed descriptions of their learning journey and growth
• Take charge of their learning  

Gary's Blog: https://onlyconnects.wordpress.com 

Going Gradeless Resources

Nova Lab: https://pvhsnovalab.com   

Connect w/ Gary: Twiter (@Ed_by_design) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-heidt-6146656/)  

Gary's Bio: Garreth Heidt has taught middle and high school students via a unique instructional approach to creativity and design thinking for the better part of 30 years. His curricula seek to develop skills in critical viewing, question formation, civil discussion, problem finding, and problem solving. The learning process is driven by design-minded means to a unique educational end for his students, and is focused around two simple questions: “Why are things the way they are? How can we make them better?”

He currently teaches a 10th grade Gifted Humanities class, and is the Lead Learner and co-designer of his high school’s innovation and social entrepreneurship space, NOVA Lab.

Mr. Heidt has spent time teaching and developing classes at the middle school, high school, and college level. He is a graduate of Temple University with a degree in English and a Masters in Curriculum, Instruction and Technology. His work has appeared in or been featured by: School Arts, A Gathering of the Tribes, the Industrial Designers Society of America, The Design Learning Network, Bard College’s “Institute for Writing and Thinking”, and in a forthcoming book on experiential learning in museums entitled, The Museum as Experience.

He blogs infrequently on his own sites, Only Connect (www.onlyconnects.wordpress.com) and Innovation Lab (pvhsnovalab.com). He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Association of the Delaware Valley, Design-ed Coalition, the Design Learning Network, and he is the Director of Learning for the Educational Design Consultancy, Form & Faculty (www.formandfaculty.com ).

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have become a focal point for many schools. 

But few are taking real ACTION on a local level to make these goals become a reality. 

What would happen if we shifted the focus away from seemingly out of reach global goals, to more tangible local goals?

'Think global, act local,' is the motto Paul Karpawich as adopted to achieve this aim through REAL project-based experiences on the ground level. Paul has narrowed his sights on projects that help schools in his area tackle the global food waste problem (SDG #12). Through cafeteria composting, waste management programs, and advocacy, Paul is empowering learners and educators to make a real difference in their communities, one project at a time. 

Learn more about Paul's story and how you as an edu-transformer can: 

• Organize mandated curriculum around the Sustainable Development Goals
• Co-develop project-based experiences that help students address them on a local level 
• Empower your learners to become real environmental scientists, engineers, and community organizers
• Incoporate multiple stakeholders
• Create more sustainable schools and communities

Article on 6th Grade Food Waste Project: https://concordmonitor-nh-app.newsmemory.com/?publink=06815ae25_134aa62 

Compost and Food Waste Diversion in Amherst Presentation: 

https://tinyurl.com/fcrnxvdx  

Connect with Paul: Linkedin, Instagram (@paulkarp). Email: pkarp7691@gmail.com. 

Register for the 'Tackling SDGs through local, student-driven projects' 21CLHK Workshop: https://www.21clconf.org/presentations/pre-conference-tackling-global-sustainable-development-goals-through-local-student-driven-community-projects/ 

Paul's Bio: Paul Karpawich spent 25 years in high tech working for startups and established tech companies. He most recently transitioned to learning about how to lead communities through change to sustainable outcomes. In taking a think global, act local mindset in his own community in Southern New Hampshire, Paul has been drivng food waste initiatives around PBL's in the schools. Through a grant from WWF and his partnership with the Hollis NH school system and Helsingborg Sweden, he has implemented food waste diversion projects that are leveraing a "manage what you measure" approach to getting food waste numbers down. The project has been focused on getting K-6 students to recogize food waste and to understand how it can converted to energy through an anerobic digester. The Hollis and Helsingborg 6th graders have done multiple joint global classrooms to learn not only about how food waste is used to power transporation in Helsingborg Sweden, but they also learned about where their food comes from around the globe. Taking it a step further, the town of Hollis and surronding towns are getting into the act by setting up food waste collection services at transfer stations to divert waste from the landfills. Paul's future goal is to build upon this foundation to allow towns and schools to take on pathways to transition to more sustianble outcomes including waste diversion across the state.

It's not unusual to find MakerSpaces popping up on several school campuses as a way to offer students hands on learning opportunities. 

But does 'making' have to be confined to the MakerSpace for only a few classes per week? What would happen if ALL educators adopted a 'maker' mindset, and provided hands on opportunities that spanned all classrooms, subjects and learners? 

My guest and MakerSpace Founder Mark Loundy discusses how to adopt this mindset, and the transformations we can see in schools as a result. We learn how to: 

• Develop project-based experiences that allow for 'making' across all subjects 
• Help the MakerSpace be accessible to all parts of the school depending on the learning experience 
• Build the WHY for the MakerSpace before the HOW
• Develop a school culture that values flexibility, innovation and tinkering
• Transition from 'MakerSpace' to 'MakerMindset' 

Get in touch with Mark: LinkedIn, Twitter (@markloundy), Facebook, Website. 

Story of the 'CREATE' MakerSpace: https://k5create.blogspot.com/p/the-story-of-create.html

Apply for the PBL Collab and Grab Monthly Forums: https://forms.gle/2vzPknQbeuzTE3h47 

Mark's Bio: Mark Loundy is a former journalist, photographer and social media pioneer. As an online community manager at GeoCities at the turn of the century, he helped build the foundations of what we now call social media. He brings all of those skills to education as an innovative instructional technology specialist in Silicon Valley. He is a three-time Ignited Fellow, working at Lockheed Martin on classified military communications satellites and at Meta (Facebook,) exploring global supply chain issues. He founded and operates the first makerspace in the Cupertino Union School District and lead both the video production team and after-school tech team. The tech team created a coding language to operate a human "computer" in a virtual reality environment.

It's easy in project-based experiences to get caught up in the shiny final 'product' at the end. But just like the tip of an iceberg, the product is only a small part of a much deeper PROCESS of learning taking place underneath.

How do we capture that process, and make it more visible? What simple tool might allow learners to document that process on their own?

Welcome to Unrulr, a social learning app that makes holisitic learner growth visible through capturing authentic moments throughout the PBL process.  

In this short podcast interview, I sit down with Unrulr's Head of Growth, Aaron Schorn to learn how we as edu-transformers can:

• Better elicit student reflection through the PBL process
• Capture evidence of learner growth   
• Make learning experiences feel more social, and community driven  
• Help learners create 'learning journeys' to share their story of learning through meaningful project-based experiences 

Connect with Aaron on LInkedIN and Twitter. 

Learn more about Unrulr: Unrulr.com 

Learn more about the upcoming PBL Collab and Grab global forums and submit an interest form. https://forms.gle/mHo16AJoKMVHQJe8A 

Aaron's Bio: Aaron is Head of Growth and Learning at Unrulr, where he works to make learning visible and joyful. He is also a teacher, program director, and co-designer of student-agency-driven learning communities around the globe. His work is focused on apprenticeship, craftsmanship, storytelling, and providing youth with the space, time, resources, and methodologies to turn their ideas into iterative realities. Aaron's professional background includes education, international business, digital storytelling, and operations/management. At the Nalukai Foundation, Aaron creates and implements entrepreneurship schema and curriculum rooted in culture, hustles to find mentors, and waxes poetic on authentic storytelling. Aaron was also the former K-12 Capstone Coordinator at HPA on Hawai'i Island. Read more about his journey in this Getting Smart article.

Many powerful project-based experiences are borne inside Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, electives, STEM or after school classes. But for most of these PBL experiences, that's where they stay. 

What would happen if these project-based experiences moved beyond the walls of these progams and into the mainstream curriculum and broader community? What IMPACT might they have then? 

In this podcast interview I chat with Stacey Duchrow, the Director of workforce solutions at KTEC technical school, to chat around how she enlarges the impact of PBL by moving it beyond the walls of CTE, and how we as edu-transformers can as well by:

• Building strategic industry partnerships
• Collaborating across disciplines to align on a common vision/graduate profile
• Empowering learners to continue projects long past their due date 
• Framing assessment around key competencies like problem solving, cognitive flexibility, team collaboration and more  

Learn more about KTEC: www.ktecschools.org

View their profile of a graduate: https://www.ktecschools.org/what-sets-us-apart/ 

List of Learner Competencies

Connect with Stacey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-duchrow-a068a5140/ 

Join the Global Community of PBL Practioners for Monthly Forums: Interest Form

Stacey's Bio: 

Stacey Duchrow was appointed to KTEC High School’s Director of Workforce Solutions, a new career and technical education focused charter school. She brings numerous years of educational and industrial experience to the position. Although Duchrow started her industry career as a Microbiologist at Abbott Labs, she soon discovered her passion for education. An experienced science teacher with Kenosha Unified School District and Union Grove High School, Duchrow also served in numerous roles outside the classroom. At Union Grove she was STEM coordinator, career & academies coordinator, district assessment coordinator, and RTI coordinator, all while developing three STEM pathways and working to strengthen the school’s college and career-ready culture.

Following Union Grove, Duchrow was the manager of Business and Educational Partnerships for Milwaukee 7 Regional Economic Development (M7). She worked to foster career pathways, career-based learning, and STEM education throughout Southeastern Wisconsin during her tenure. In addition, she partnered with numerous organizations throughout the region to strengthen business and educational partnerships. After leaving M7, she returned to KUSD, serving as the assistant principal at KTEC East. During her time at KTEC East, she created a Festo Mechatronics camp that allowed 8th-graders to gain industry-driven skills in automation technology by gaining an NC3 certification. Her passion is creating a curriculum pathway that helps all students find their future through robust career exploration and unique skill-based learning opportunities.