sible to do PBL in almost any school environment, it is most feasible and most effective when certain conditions are in place school-wide. Looking at school models where all teachers are successfully creating main course PBL (e.g., Envision Schools, New Technology High Schools, Expeditionary Learning Schools, High Tech High and Middle Schools, EdVisions Schools, etc.), we find they have the following features in common:
• Common values, definitions, and assumptions about what constitutes good instruction. Main course Project-Based Learning is considered the norm by teachers and students.
• Project libraries containing a range of projects to use or adapt. Since these lie at the heart of main course Project-Based Learning, they are vetted for quality, road-tested in class- rooms, and made easily accessible online with complete resources and instructions.
• Professional development and coaching from experienced Project-Based Learning teachers. This includes materials and workshops on designing projects, site visits to model schools where main course PBL is thriving, and sustained support over time from peers and instructional coaches.
• Supportive school policies and practices that improve PBL quality and ease of use. In addition to and as an effective form of professional development, schools with main course Project-Based Learning provide plenty of time for teachers to meet with col- leagues to plan projects, critique and fine-tune lessons, and gather and share re- sources. Common, calibrated rubrics for 21st century learning goals are used by the whole school, and grading policies and practices are standardized to account for the use of PBL. The facilities, materials, and technology for projects are readily available, and shared project calendars make it possible to schedule project components in different classes without conflict. Daily and weekly schedules are adjusted to provide longer and more flexible blocks of class time for PBL.
• Administrative and instructional leadership that puts a priority on providing the time and other resources necessary to make PBL happen. These leaders promote main course PBL to parents, the community, and the students to be sure everyone is on board with the effort and to help troubleshoot implementation issues when they occur.
Moving to Scale
The model schools and classrooms described above provide proof points for main course Project-Based Learning and the 21st century preparation it provides. The features listed above describe what needs to be done at the school level for consistently implemented,
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