Services
BIE conducts PBL Professional Development for K-14 educators throughout the United States and internationally. This professional development occurs in a sustained-support model, meaning we only agree to partner with organizations (districts, counties, ministries of education, states and - in rare instances - individual schools) that are willing to commit energy and resources to a collaboratively crafted multi-year program of face-to-face and virtual support.
We begin with an on-site three-day PBL 101 workshop in which participants actively learn how to design, manage and assess standards-focused projects and the student work that is generated by them. Those workshops are followed by two or more annual onsite visits, which take the form of small-group workshops on pertinent topics, classroom observations, analysis of student work, review of project designs, etc. Each support visit is preceded by an online survey of participants to ensure they receive guidance, resources and instruction that meet their needs. Virtual support is provided at no charge through our PBLCommunity on Edmodo and our Do-It-Yourself site.
We do not conduct workshops at our offices in Novato, CA.
We highly encourage our partners to engage us for a one-day PBL Lead workshop, which provides site administrators with an array of best practices that enable the successful and sustainable implementation of Project Based Learning.
In 2012 BIE will unveil its half-day workshop for district leaders, intended to equip upper management (superintendents, cabinets, managers, directors, etc.) with a toolkit that focuses on systemic, sustainable change.
We customize each sustained support program to meet the specific needs of our partners and help them to develop a classroom, school and district culture focused on producing college and workforce ready 21st century learners.
BIE professional development activities are facilitated by our core Staff and National Faculty, who bring an extraordinary array of talent and experience to our programs. We offer PBL sessions that are geared to different programmatic levels (K-5, for instance) or disciplines (math, science, social science, career technical education, etc.) or school population (alternative education, special needs, continuing education, after school, gifted, credit recovery, tribal, etc.). We have experience in a variety of school models as well, including New Tech Network, Expeditionary Learning, EdVisions, High Tech High, International Baccalaureate, Coalition of Essential Schools and Asia Society/ISSN.
Our approach to professional development is informed by research on best practices, as discussed here.
For general questions (pricing, content, scheduling, etc.) please contact Lauren Scheller, Professional Services Coordinator (415 883-0122 x 311).
For question about leadership programs, please contact Rosanna Mucetti, Director of District and State Initiatives (415 883-0122 x304).
For questions about strategic partnerships, please contact David Ross, Director of Professional Services & Dean of National Faculty (415-883-0122 x 309).
