MIT BLOSSOMS is moving in a new direction, to provide high school teachers with the resources they will need to feel comfortable and confident in giving Project-based Learning (PBL) a try. Polls show that many teachers would like to use PBL as a way to truly engage their students and teach them 21st Century skills. However, most teachers are hesitant to try PBL since it’s not how they were taught and also because they don’t have the tools or training to get started. BLOSSOMS will develop “ready-made”lesson packages that provide teachers with all the ingredients and guidance they will need to work on a 3-4 week project with their students. Current and specifically designed new BLOSSOMS video lessons will serve as the jumping off points to longer-termprojects that will allow students to explore the academic content further while tackling real world problems in a learning environment that encourages sustained inquiry, group collaboration and self-management. A final element of theBLOSSOMS PBL lesson packages will enable teachers and students around the world to share their PBL research, findings and final products with students in other countries – students working from the same BLOSSOMS kick-off video lesson.The TPL packages will provide teachers and students with access to a Global Education platform, enabling such communication. For updates on this initiative, visit the MIT BLOSSOMS website or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
