CHEYENNE – Wyoming’s Future of Learning Partnership, a collaboration including the office of Governor Mark Gordon, the Wyoming Department of Education, the Wyoming State Board of Education, University of Wyoming College of Education, Wyoming Community College Commission, and Wyoming Association of School Administrators, has launched Powering Project Based Learning (PBL) to provide educators with resources designed to take PBL from theory to practice in Wyoming.
PBL empowers students to take ownership of their education, making learning both relevant and impactful. Connecting to real-life contexts and issues, with local businesses and organizations, students gain deeper knowledge and retain what they’ve learned longer. During the regional one-day workshops facilitated by TeachUNITED, educators will hear from experts in the field, collaborate with colleagues, and depart with practical, implementable strategies. Additionally, four PBL focused Micro-Credential courses are being made available through the WDE Educator Professional Development Portal.
“I can not think of a better use of remaining COVID funds than adding to our current efforts in progressing student centered learning across the state,” said State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder. “Building on what was started with the RIDE Pilots, this is just the beginning of the shift in our state to better prepare students with skills necessary for actual jobs.”
Utilizing remaining COVID ESSER funds, the project will also provide six school districts including Fremont County #1, Fremont County #24, Park County #6, Park County #16, Teton County #1, and Washakie County #2 with $150,000 for PBL initiatives locally.
Additionally, the UW College of Education was awarded $175,000 to expose Wyoming educators to the inner workings of highly successful PBL schools, such as American Heritage School in Salt Lake City, Utah. Educators from four Wyoming school districts including, Fremont #24, Park #6, Park #16, and Washakie #2 will be participating in this opportunity.
“I am thrilled to see our educators embracing Project Based Learning to transform teaching and learning in Wyoming. This initiative not only equips teachers with innovative strategies but also supports a culture of inquiry and critical thinking among students,” said Jenna Shim, Dean of the UW College of Education. “By immersing educators in hands-on experiences with successful PBL schools, we are laying the groundwork for a future where learning is deeply connected to real-world challenges and opportunities, preparing our students to thrive in a rapidly changing world.”
Educators will work in groups to complete an assigned PBL unit of study that uses cross-curricular programming to meet multiple content and grade-level standards. Participants will then create a PBL unit of study to be used in their own classrooms and will be provided training to mentor other educators in their district or across the state.
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Media Contact:
Linda Finnerty, Chief Communications Officer
307-777-2053
linda.finnerty@wyo.gov
