IMSA's PBLNetwork Mission

To Mentor | To Explore | To Connect

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To advance the mission of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (www.imsa.edu) , the Academy established the PBLNetwork in 1992.

IMSA's PBLNetwork engages in PBL professional development, research, information exchange, curriculum development and networking in K-16 educational settings.

The goals of IMSA's PBLNetwork are:

To mentor educators in all disciplines as they design and develop effective problem-based learning (PBL) materials and become skillful coaches in K-16 classrooms and other educational settings.

To explore problem-based learning (PBL) strategies as the context in which knowledge is acquired, ethical decision-making is nurtured, and problem-solving skills are developed with learners of all abilities.

To connect problem-based learning (PBL) educators through numerous networking options designed to meet a variety of needs.

To Mentor

PBL is most meaningfully learned through intensive professional development programs that include elements of discussion, modeling, and immersion for teachers and administrators interested in transforming teaching and learning. For this reason, IMSA's PBLNetwork:

presents at state and national conferences throughout Illinois and across the country.

convenes PBL Institutes annually to provide an introductory experience that features modeling, active problem design opportunities, and practice with coaching strategies and authentic assessment.

offers mutually supportive professional development partnerships with schools committed to problem-solving and higher order thinking across the curriculum.

customizes advanced programs for experienced problem-based educators which focus on fine tuning classroom problems, microteaching opportunities for refining coaching skills, and exploring critical thinking techniques to enhance the teacher's problem-solving tool kit.

'I'm a straight A student, but it's mostly because I know how to find answers in the textbooks. I've never had to defend my own answers--I think this is the first time I've ever had to think! Cool...'

Student
Summer Sleuths
IBPLN

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To Explore

PBL and its effects on students' acquisition of knowledge, development of decision-making processes, and refinement of problem-solving skills within and across disciplines are of prime interest. To advance PBL research, PBLN @ IMSA:

raises critical questions about PBL.
studies the nature of PBL itself.
examines the outcomes of PBL--both from the perspective of teacher and student.
reports its findings to the educational community.
encourages informed research by teachers.
collaborates with other institutions in broad-based research initiatives.

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To Connect

PBLN @ IMSA encourages teachers to share ideas, test new strategies, and refine them. This requires a sense of connection and community. Numerous networking options have been designed to build an active, world-wide network of PBL practitioners. To this end, PBLN @ IMSA:

promotes interactive dialogue around PBL issues that encourages creativity, provides support for innovation and resources for development, and builds learning communities.
moderates an Internet listserve linking PBL partners and enabling dialogue about critical issues and concerns.
designs and maintains an interactive World Wide Web site to provide another source of support for educators developing PBL materials.
facilitates ASCD's (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) PBL Net, a member network.
publishes The Problem Log newsletter.
coordinates the Illinois Problem-Based Learning Network for the Illinois State Board of Education.
develops and supports Teacher Associates and Fellows able to assist PBLN @ IMSA in its activities.
arranges PBL classroom observation opportunities.
encourages PBL educators to submit their exemplary materials to expand the work of PBL.

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Some Closing Thoughts

'We had one set of kids making recommendations about district policy to two school board members and a superintendent and a principal. And they walked away from that saying, 'We could say something. We had something to say and adults listened to us.'

Teacher
PBL Partnership

Following the 1992 Wingspread Conference on Problem-Based Learning in which nationally prominent educators met to explore the nature and potential of the approach, one curriculum specialist said, Problem-based learning is a strong paradigm...through which many topics and skills can be learned ... [W]onderful things can happen.

Problem-based learning programs in school systems throughout the country are demonstrating that when students and teachers are actively engaged in real-world problems, teaching and learning are transformed, and wonderful things will indeed happen. We invite you to join us in this promising and exciting venture.

The initiative of PBLN @ IMSA has been showcased in numerous publications including, Educational Leadership, Teacher Magazine, Leadership News, The Executive Educator, IASCD Update, and the Journal for the Education of the Gifted.

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Inquiry about this page?
Contact its editor, Debra Gerdes