Charting the past, present, and future of Project Based Learning Thom Markham is one of the pioneers of project based learning, having contributed to its growth as an education philosophy over the decades. He witnessed the introduction of edtech into the classroom, furthered the blending of PBL with social-emotional learning, and championed youth development and whole child education across the country and the world. Over many years he has remained committed to transforming schools and instruction by showing educators how PBL can help students become real world-ready.
I sat down with Thom to reflect on his long and successful career, exploring the past, present, and future of PBL in the United States while assessing the current trends. We discuss classroom tools and philosophies used and how they have evolved through trial and error to create the current climate of successful PBL worldwide.
Interview Highlights Timeline
3:55 – How does PBL fit into the classroom?
6:35 – How will teachers do professional development with PBL?
8:00 – Can PBL exist without edtech?
10:00 – How difficult is starting PBL in a well-established school?
11:10 – What’s the biggest misconception about PBL?
Thom Markham, Ph.D., is an author, keynoter, consultant, and a founding father of PBL. He offers world class work to web, online training in PBL for teachers and schools through www.pblglobal.com. Follow Thom Markham on Twitter and sign up for the Online PBL Course Library.
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Thom Markham 
