Minnestoa Trip

Last week I visited 10 project-based schools in Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin. Seven of these schools use Project Foundry and all ten are innovative project-based learning environments.

I gathered some great feedback in terms of how Project Foundry is working well and areas that can make it even more useful. Project Foundry aside, I wanted to share some of my PBL observations.

* Individual Workspace- Each student had their own space to study, research and interact in addition to the larger gathering classrooms. In many ways the classrooms remind me of conference rooms in a business office and the workstations as an office or cubicle. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating cubicles, but I do think it's neat how the learning environment models what students will experience in the real-world working environment.

* Initiative- In each of these schools, you can't help but feel energy in the air. You see the ususal suspects engaged in what they're doing and observe an initiative would be surprising in a traditional classroom.

* Guides on the Side- I know, I know over used, but it says it so well. Teachers are looked at as mentors or coaches rather than monoliths of authority and information.