Project-Based Learning Design

When was the last time you asked yourself "What can I add to this learning experience?" You're asking yourself the wrong question. I learned this the hard way when designing a leadership program for first-time managers. My first iteration on paper was packed with content: video lectures, case studies, role-play scenarios, reflection exercises, peer discussions, and multiple assessments. I was proud of how comprehensive it was. Then I realised the harsh truth: these managers do not have so much time. If I were to get this program live, no one would finish it. I needed to simplify it - A LOT. The best learning designs aren't built up. They're stripped down. 🧩 The Jenga Strategy Now I design everything by "designing to the breaking point" - removing elements one by one like Jenga blocks until the tower wobbles, then adding back just enough to prevent collapse. That wobble zone is where the real learning happens. I took a radical approach: no instructors, no videos, no perfect examples. I removed element after element until we had just 4 things: - Real-world case studies - Peer feedback loops - Weekly mentor check-ins - Actionable tools to apply in their context The result? We had a ~90% completion rate! ✅ WHAT WORKS: Removing instructions until learners must think critically Cutting content to create productive struggle Eliminating scaffolding to promote problem-solving ❌ WHAT DOESN'T: Endless resources "just in case" someone needs them Over-explaining that robs learners of discovery Perfect examples that discourage experimentation Your best learning designs aren't the ones with the most elements. They're the ones where every single element earns its place by driving real results. The next time you're designing a learning experience, don't ask "What else can I add?" Ask "What else can I take away before it breaks?"

𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴) Here’s the challenge with interdisciplinary learning: students often 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬, but they don’t always 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 of what they’re learning across subjects. This year, I’m trying a different approach. Instead of keeping our IDU plans “teacher-facing,” we’re sharing 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 with students upfront. It not because a poster changes learning, but because 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵-𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 helps students understand the project, see how subjects connect, and feel more excited to get started. I used 𝗚𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶 to create a set of posters for our MYP interdisciplinary units and framed each one as a short, project-based learning challenge where students collaborate to solve a problem or address an issue connected to the community. Each poster is designed to help students quickly grasp:  • What the project is  • What problem they’re exploring  • What product they’re creating  • How knowledge and skills from different subjects come together to make that possible My hope is simple: if students can see the “why,” the “how,” and the “so what” from day one, they’ll show up with more ownership, better questions, and a stronger sense of purpose. "𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘺, 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 ‘𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦’.” #IBMYP #MYP #InterdisciplinaryLearning #PBL #StudentAgency #AIinEducation #EdTech #CurriculumDesign

If we want teachers to design learning that's real-world, meaningful and hands-on, we need to radically re-think Professional Development for teachers. Here are 3 ideas to shake-up your PD in August before school starts: #1: For real-world connection: Partner with 3-4 non-profit groups in your community. For a 1/2 day, send your teachers out. Have them volunteer with the groups. Learn what they're about and build relationships. For the 1/2 half, teachers create a presentation for their colleagues about how the organisation could be integrated into project-design, exhibition spaces or learning experiences for kids. Outcome: knowledge of local organizations combating local issues. Contact people within these organizations. Easier real-world integration learning. BONUS: Invite guests from other local community organizations during your ongoing PD over the year to give 1 hour presentations about their mission and what they do. #2: For subject-relevance: Partner with local companies that are integrating academic learning into what they do. Send your English teachers to a publishing company or the local newspaper. Send your science teachers to the bio-tech company in the next town. Send your math teachers to visit engineers. Use 1/2 the day to visit these places, talk about the real processes they use academic learning in. For the 1/2 have of the day, teachers work in their subject groups to dive deep into how their subjects can be connected to real careers in project design. Outcome: experience for how subject learning is used in content and processes outside of school. Relationships with professionals who can be experts for kids, projects that support kids to become writers, scientists, mathematicians, engineers, etc. #3: For MAKING: Use what teachers have planned for the first project of the year and spend 1/2 of the day having your teachers MAKE the product they want their students to make. Want kids to make a film? Go out and make a film. Portrait drawing? Draw it. Use 1/2 of the day de-constructing the making process. What steps are necessary? What supports are necessary for kids? Use this experience to help understand better planning for Project-Based Learning. Outcome: More scaffolding for kids in the making process. Creating frames to give freedom and allowing for more student-driven work that is high-quality and integrating a "learning by doing" experience in PBL. BONUS: Make this a regular part of project planning. From the wise words of Jeffrey Robin: Do the project yourself, first. Basically, get teachers OUT. Move PD from academic learning and into experiential learning. We cannot expect teaching for kids to change unless we change how teachers are learning. Need help? Reach out. info@imagineif.dk 📸 : 2023: Lynghede School partnering with Kongernes Jelling where teachers became students and used the museum to create a whole-staff theater performance in one day. #pbl #projectbasedlearning

Project design and proposal writing are foundational skills for organizations seeking to address critical issues like youth reproductive health (YRH) within broader development programs. This guide, developed by the International Youth Foundation (IYF), offers a practical and comprehensive roadmap for designing impactful projects and crafting winning proposals. By integrating frameworks such as the Outcome Logic Model and Results Framework, it bridges strategic thinking with actionable planning. Grounded in real-world examples, the guide explores every stage of the project design cycle—from conducting situation analyses and stakeholder assessments to defining strategic objectives and crafting detailed monitoring and evaluation plans. It emphasizes participatory approaches, ensuring that interventions align with the needs and aspirations of young people and communities. With detailed instructions on aligning project goals with donor requirements, this guide equips organizations to position their proposals for maximum impact. Designed for development practitioners and program designers, this resource is not just a manual but a strategic partner in creating sustainable and transformative initiatives. By applying its principles and tools, organizations can amplify their impact, address systemic challenges, and secure the funding needed to drive meaningful change.

A learning project isn't just about building something cool - it is about the strategy behind it. - Why? What problem are you solving? - How? How are you going to solve that problem (hint: it almost never means building and deploying a learning module as a stand-alone solution, even when leaders ask for it.) - Who? Who needs this and what are their motivators? What behavior(s) needs to change? How do we meet the learners where they are? - When? How can you reach learners in their moment of need? - Is it worth it? How much is this going to cost (money, time, effort lost on other things) vs the value it will bring? How will we measure that? Can learning really solve for that? When I work with new designers, there is an emphasis on the authoring tool or template. And I get it. There is a lot of hype around portfolios to get your foot in the door. But as a leader who has hired ~100 instructional designers, your strategic mindset is what wins the gig. Your strategic mindset is the differentiator to staying nimble and relevant to your business.