Project-Based Learning Pedagogy

In our work at Cabot School, we are building the next generation of a project-based learning (PBL) pedagogy: rigorous, real-world, collaborative, interdisciplinary experiences infused with the arts and informed by social-action.

Project-based learning is highly regarded for creating relevant and engaging opportunities for students, but high-quality PBL can be daunting to plan and more challenging to manage. In the initial stages of project development, teachers are often able to conceptualize solid cross-curricular themes, driving questions, and culminating products for a learning expedition. “Mapping” the project—embedding artifacts, opportunities for assessment, proficiencies, and reflection—becomes increasingly complex.

We aim to make PBL more accessible and meaningful for students and teachers by building an innovative curriculum planning tool that scaffolds best-practice in project design. Our vision is PBL Launchpad – an iPad or web app that serves as a teacher-hub for planning expeditions, sharing ideas, and accessing dynamic instructional resources. This “next-gen” curriculum mapping tool will assist educators in developing, mapping, and managing holistic, interdisciplinary projects.

At its core, PBL Launchpad will provide scaffolded support for building authentic, proficiency-based learning experiences reinforced with the essential components of best-practice PBL. Launchpad will showcase exemplary instructional strategies and offer examples of high-quality artifacts that demonstrate student learning over the course of an expedition. The resource will also offer tips for fostering student reflection, metacognition, and Habits of Mind and Heart.

In the future, we envision the potential for PBL Launchpad to connect students and educators across schools and communities so that teachers can share ideas and collaborate to build meaningful, real-world projects. Ultimately, a strong and relevant curriculum positively impacts school culture and leads to deeper engagement for all stakeholders.

THE BACKDROP

Our Rowland adventure began amidst a sea change on Vermont’s educational landscape. Personalized Learning had recently become state law, pushing schools to create an evaluation framework built on “proficiencies” rather than the traditional A-F assessment paradigm. The initiative also gave students more agency over their education, providing multiple, flexible pathways—in school and beyond—for demonstrating their knowledge and skills. The legislation helped the state usher in an ambitious and progressive vision for education to take Vermont schools into the 21st century.

DESIGNING LAUNCHPAD

With all of these developments, our vision of creating LaunchPad—a curriculum designer built for project based learning-couldn’t have been more timely. At Cabot, we’d witnessed the power and potential of arts-infused project based learning to create a culture of deeper learning. The challenge was how to streamline the process for developing and implementing projects and help teachers across the school become more comfortable and confident teaching with PBL design principles. We also saw the opportunity for LaunchPad to serve as a project based learning hub, establishing connections among teachers and students in schools across Vermont and beyond.

The concept for LaunchPad had been percolating in our brains for several years before the Rowland Foundation helped bring this dream to life. During our Rowland sabbatical, we interviewed educators to discover common PBL “pain points” and spent many hours designing the app’s core elements and interface. We collaborated with Burlington web developers, Agilion, to build a beta version of LaunchPad, and we entered Vermont’s statewide business pitch competition, LaunchVT. Out of 75 start-ups, we were selected as one of the five finalists, and pitched the LaunchPad concept in the LaunchVT finals.

CABOT SCHOOL – EVOLUTION

We’ve developed and refined our brand of project based learning at Cabot School for many years. It’s been amazing to see a PBL pedagogy take root across the school and to know that we played an important role. As part of our ongoing Rowland work, teachers, preK-12, received training and support in PBL instructional methods; we codified language and practices that provide a foundation for a culture of student engagement and deeper learning; we also established ongoing partnerships with community organizations, like WGDR Radio at Goddard College, to help enhance and promote high quality PBL.

This innovative work has yielded positive results. Students, teachers, and parents are enthusiastic about project based learning and value the public exhibitions that allow students to showcase their learning. More broadly, Cabot School is recognized as a regional leader in project based learning. Cabot was a charter member of the League of Innovative Schools and one of three Vermont schools to receive the League’s Next Gen grant.

LEARNING + SHARING

Increasingly, we are sharing our experience with teachers and organizations across the region. We’ve facilitated workshops and consulted with educators about project design, community partnerships, and collaborative practice. Through this work, we developed a collection of Project Design Tips to help scaffold project development, and we launched a non-profit organization, Savi Ed Labs, dedicated to sharing innovative and inspiring teaching practices.

Last summer, we taught a week-long Intensive in Project Based Learning. During this interactive, deep dive, participants explored new practices to spark deeper learning and built a full-scale project that they ‘exhibited’ at the end of the course. The experience was a professional highlight—we had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of talented teachers from all over the state who were excited to explore a project based learning pedagogy. The response to the course was incredibly positive on so many levels—and participants used LaunchPad to build and share their projects! Today, there are approximately 100 teachers and students piloting the beta version of LaunchPad, which will help us continue to improve the experience and scale it for a wider audience.

Notably, our Rowland Fellowship provided us with the time and headspace to connect with so many teachers who are on the front lines of educational transformation. We’ve shared ideas with educators at many top tier schools, including High Tech High, Expeditionary Learning, International Baccalaureate, and many amazing schools and organizations right here in Vermont. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve as Rowland Fellows and look forward to continuing the journey.

“Education is a social process; education is growth; education is not preparation for life, but is life itself.”
—John Dewey