PBL Mania … Online Planning Form, Free Webinar, Edmodo Community, Twitter Chat Night, New Conference, And More!

Welcome to another post which is the start to a series I know you will enjoy. On Wednesday, January 25 I will be presenting a webinar on Integrating PBL and Technology for Ed Tech Leaders On-line. It will be a must see webinar for anyone interested in PBL. I will also be presenting this topic in Chicago at the NICE Conference on January 28 and will soon be facilitating an ISTE online PBL course incorporating the NET-S standards.  I have met many of you in PBL trainings I have conducted for the BUCK Institute (BIE). In order to celebrate, I have a fantastic series of articles that will be coming your way in the next two weeks here at 21centuryedtech. In this post I will let you know what is coming up and also introduce you to an awesome free electronic PBL planning tool and PBL professional learning community from the people at BUCK (An outstanding PBL institution).   Before reading and watching, please take a moment to subscribe to this 21centuryedtech Blog by email or RSS and also give me a follow on Twitter at mjgormans.  You will not want to miss this series.  Sign Up Now! As always… thanks and have a great week.  – Mike Gorman (21centuryedtech)

Below, you will find some amazing tools and some great opportunities. As always, most are free. If you wish to learn more about any of these please do not hesitate to comment, or email me at mjgormans@gmail. com.  Now… let’s take a look!

The BUCK Institute (BIE) presents the On-line PBL Project Planner

BIE Electronic Online PBL Planning Site – The BUCK Institute has created an awesome place to plan your PBL Unit. All you need to do is sign up for a  free account and begin putting down your ideas for a Project Based Learning Activity. Don’t have time to finish in one sitting… no problem. It will  keep what you have entered in your very own file cabinet. You will be able to return using any computer from any place that has internet access. You can also keep all of your projects in the “My Project” file cabinet. They will stay there for you to use, print, share, and even edit as you revise your project from year to year. Make sure you check out the “Share” button. Here you will find a link to either copy and send to a friend, or just enter an email address and BIE Project Planner will send it. Those collaborators will have to have a free BIE account. No problem, because that will be an option when they click your link. Not sure what all of this stuff means on the form? Then check out the BIE Do It Yourself Kit.

EdTech Leaders Online Presents:

Free PBL Webinar: Connecting Technology and PBL – by Michael Gorman

Date: Wednesday, January 25
Time: 4:00-5:00 PM ET
Presenter: Michael Gorman, One to One Laptop PD Initiative Coordinator in Southwest Allen County Schools in Fort Wayne, IN… 21centuryedtech… BIE National Faculty… Discovery STEM Academy Facilitator… November Learning… ISTE SIGOL Vice-President… Tech & Learning Magazine Adviser… ICE Indiana Board

Webinar Link Info – Please join me for this special free webinar. It will be a fast paced exploration of Project Based Learning. I will cover the essentials of PBL, explain how technology can supercharge your PBL efforts, and introduce you to a wealth of PBL online resources. Particular emphasis will be made on how to integrate technology and online tools in your PBL classroom. Get ready for an energized tour through a gold mine of resources!

Click here to get more webinar information and how to join me – Thanks! Mike

BIE Creates a PBL  Community Of Close To 3000 PBL Enthusiasts – Join Now! 

Link to BIE on Edmodo – It really is time you joined this amazing community. All you need to do is click this link, sign up for a free Edmodo account, and join the conversation. The BUCK Institute (BIE) extends it outreach  of improving 21st Century teaching & learning by creating & disseminating products, practices & knowledge for effective Project Based Learning in the Edmodo Learning Community. By jumping in you will be able to share, learn from, collaborate, and network with 3000 other like minded educators. Have a question about PBL? There are knowledgeable people ready to help you out including BIE staff and national faculty. Perhaps you want to join a PBL conversation on Twitter. You will learn  at the Edmodo BIE site how to join a weekly hour-long conversation on Twitter, 6 p.m. PST, 9 p.m. EST (every Tuesday), by following the hashtag #pblchat. The link to a transcript is always shared on Edmodo!

21centuryedtech Presents: PBL and Technology Series

For the next two weeks I will be providing some posts that will explore a gold mine of resources facilitating the PBL process and connecting it to technology. In fact, the resources I will share can also be used in non-PBL classrooms that still want to practice the facilitation of 21st Century Skills.  In these posts you will explore:

PBL Post 1: A Land Of PBL Knowledge on the Web – The links  will take you on a journey through PBL Land throughout the vast internet. It starts with what I always refer to as the mother lode at the BUCK Institute (BIE). After all…BIE is a world leader in PBL. With that as a starting point, we’ll continue to explore some additional sites!

PBL Post 2: Web 2.0 Tools That Make the School Walls Transparent Enriching PBL – Allowing students to collaborate while immersed in PBL is so important. This could include communication and collaboration that is student to student, student to teacher, and student to expert. In this post you will find a  collection of tools that might just help make collaboration even more amazing through the use of the online environment. You will love these tools if you are excited about encouraging student communication and collaboration.

PBL Post 3: Online Resources That Can Build PBL Communities – Project Based Learning is collaborative and community based. Perhaps that community is a student’s group, class, school, or better yet… world. In this post I will take a moment to examine some sites that focus on home bases for a PBL group’s virtual community online. You will find other websites that instead connect  PBL learners to other communities across the school, city, state, nation, or world. These communities will grab your attention for PBL practice… or just one engaging lesson!

PBL Post 4: Online Gems That Can Be Used As Resources In PBL – The power of project based learning and online technology allows teachers to provide multimedia that can be used individually, in groups, and even at home. This media can be used to flip the classroom allowing  students to participate and formulate their own inquiry through post related collaboration and discussion. By the way… these gems will also facilitate learning in any 21st century classroom.

PBL Post 5: Resources to Collect Student Voice and Choice in PBL – There are various platforms online that use multiple devices to allow for student opinion, reflection, and feedback. It is this concept that will put students at the center of PBL. You will be amazed at some of these tools and will want to incorporate them whether you practice PBL, are Flipping the classroom, or just want some awesome technology integration.

Short Notes with Links

ISTE To Present PBL Online Course – Check out this link. Perhaps you would like to join me as I facilitate this six week ISTE online learning experience. It will include an introduction to the Project Based Learning Experience while connecting technology and the NET-S Standards.

PBL World – I heard through the grapevine  that the BUCK Institute (BIE) will be hosting the very first PBL World in Napa, California this summer. That same grapevine (lots of those in Napa Valley) seemed to indicate the dates would be June 18 – 22. Four outstanding keynotes and lots of PBL… what an awesome warm up for ISTE! Watch that PBL World Link as more information drips through the grapevine. I hope to see you there!

Fliplab – As you might know, I recently published an article entitled “Flipping The Classroom?… 12 Resources To Keep You On Your Feet” both here and at Tech & Learning Magazine. Feel free to click and read. I wanted to thank all of you for your comments and tweets! It reached thousands of people! In fact through this I learned of Fliplab through correspondence with fellow technology enthusiast Jac de Haan  at Technology With Intention. Wow… looks like an awesome opportunity. By the way, thank you to Technology With Intention for the nice feature on yours truly! Take a look and be sure to see all of the other technology integration educators featured. I am honored to be part of the group.

Siemens STEM Academy – Be on the lookout for some of my findings and writings landing at this outstanding site devoted to STEM education. I will let you know when those posts might begin… but in the meantime, give the site a visit! Some awesome resources! By the way, there are some free summer STEM PD activities offered by Siemens and Discovery Education. Applicants who receive these awesome grants not only are in for a week or two of exciting in-service, but have all meals, lodging, and travel expenses paid! Check out this application which is due February 9! I just might be facilitating one of the workshops in Washington, D.C. this summer… so be sure to check it out!

NICE Conference – If you are in the Chicago area (Jan 28)  and would like some inexpensive Saturday Morning PD… then stop by the NICE Conference (Northern Illinois Computer Educators). It is held at Adlai Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois! It will put you out five dollars but will give you a chance to hear Steve Dembo keynote followed by your pick of three 50 minutes sessions. Choosing could be difficult since there are 28 sessions being offered. I will be offering my Storybook Adventures In The Land Of PBL and From Jukebox To iPod… Transforming Yesterday’s Lessons For Today’s 21st Century Learners.  The morning starts at 8:00 AM and you pay at the door (Performing Arts Center Lobby). It concludes from 1:00-1:30 with an awesome raffle (lots of wonderful prizes). Check this link out for more information.

Thanks for joining me on this exciting 21^st century post. Join me in future weeks as together we continue to explore several more posts devoted to PBL! Remember that even if you do not practice PBL… you will still discover some awesome tools and links. After that series, stay tuned for more 21st century education including such topics as Flipped Classrooms, Assessing 21st century skills, STEM, technology integration, web resources, and digital literacy.  I enjoy learning from all of you. Also, remember to subscribe to this 21centuryedtech  Blog by RSS or email and follow me on twitter at mjgormans. I also appreciate your sharing of this post and any retweets. Keep up the amazing work,  have a great week, and hope to see you at the free webinar, in Napa, in Washington, or just on the web! Have a great week and please come back soon – Mike Gorman (21centuryedtech)