Defined Learning Customer Spotlights


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3 years ago, Bartlett City Schools was looking for a STEM-based PBL curriculum aligned to Tennessee standards for students in their advanced program and they chose Defined Learning. Katie MCain, the 6-12 instructional supervisor for Bartlett,  describes the immediate results as amazing. “We got to see kids who usually don’t want to make a mistake, the conversations they were having, how excited they were about presenting… they had no fear! It’s completely changed the culture.” Defined Learning is now provided to all middle schools across the state of Tennessee for free by the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN). Read more...

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To provide teachers with a launchpad for project-based learning (PBL), Norwalk provides Defined Learning. Using Norwalk’s curriculum maps, Defined Learning identified the tasks that align with Norwalk’s units of study which saved teachers time curriculum planning.  “We tried having teachers implement PBL without the use of Defined Learning and the teachers were frustrated. Defined Learning helped us increase momentum." says Tina Henckel, the Director of K-12 STEM. Read more...

Learn how Defined Learning helped Norwalk shift curriculum to respond to the pandemic here and engage students in remote PBL in this recent article. 

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 To add some steam to their STEM program, Greene County decided to use Defined Learning as their “go-to” project-based learning resource. The district created a repository of customized Defined Learning tasks to meet the needs of inexperienced teachers still building a STEM mindset. When the school year begins, teachers select from the repository to use in class or send home. The repository ensures that Defined Learning is used collectively, even if teachers move out of the district. Read more...

prosper ISD

At Prosper Independent School District, the rapid growth of the district requires a constant flow of new teachers, many with limited prior exposure to project-based learning (PBL). To help their teachers implement high-quality PBL with ease, the district provides Defined Learning. “Defined Learning has been a great way to get our teachers to buy in because it already speaks the language they are using. It’s all there for them,” says Michael Pflug, the K-12 STEAM Curriculum Designer. Read more...

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Fulton County Schools faced some challenges getting teachers on board with STEM-based PBL. The STEM Program Director, Valencia Bradshaw, explained “It is difficult to teach teachers how to do a STEM lesson plan and pull them away from teaching in subject area silos.”  Dr. Bradshaw has found success with Defined Learning. Dr. Valencia Bradshaw explains “there are not a lot of good examples of how to do STEM-based PBL well. Defined Learning is the best resource we’ve found to help us achieve this,”. Dr. Bradshaw cites the variety of Defined Learning’s tasks as a key component to the success of the program. Read more...

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[2020 Webinar] The Superintendent of Fallbrook shares how Defined Learning helps them engage students in meaningful learning through performance tasks that can be implemented in virtual, blended, and in-person environments. Watch now...

[2021 Webinar] In this recent webinar, two administrators from FUESD share how PBL by Defined Learning helps them foster student connectedness to content, classmates and careers. Watch now...

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[Webinar] Educators from the Chickasaw school district will discuss effective ways educators can use Defined Learning to expand opportunities for every student to explore career clusters and pathways in a meaningful ways. Watch Now...

Crete-Monee-SD

 [Webinar] Educators from Crete-Monee share how they use Defined Learning to support their remote summer school program. Watch now...

 

camden county schools

A Camden high school math teacher explains how she uses Defined Learning to drive student engagement and achievement:  "I attended a summer institute to learn about Defined Learning after previewing a handful of tasks. During the institute, I conducted a performance task, the Aquarium Designer, with my colleagues. It was really fun and I got to use math the way I want my students to. Defined Learning helps put a name to a face- I can tell students how math is used in the real world, but through the Defined Learning tasks, they can see it for themselves." Read more...

 

 

 

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The Superintendent of Kankakee, Dr. Genevra Walters, shares how Defined Learning helps them expose students to careers starting in Kindergarten. During the school year, students undertake four large-scale pojects that align with their grade-level focus and appropriate state standards. They use Defined Learning to break down tasks by grade level, subject, and standard. Walters explains "Defined Learning's hands-on projects make the careers come alive, because students can apply their classroom knowledge in a real-world setting. When they’re working on the projects, students change their mindsets to think like engineers, designers, doctors, or whatever position is relevant to the task. The students are engaged because they’re using creativity and critical-thinking skills to solve a problem and play a role." Read more...

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As instructional leader for the school, Angie Rowden's observations revealed that the staff was not experienced with PBL and they needed a frame and a toolkit. She sought a portal of resources to pull from, ideas already templated so teachers’ creativity could be channeled toward transferring knowledge across content areas. Rowden looked for a professional development opportunity that would support teachers throughout the year, helping them understand the foundation of PBL and the standards it could support, followed by a second year of on-demand coaching. Then Rowden discovered Defined Learning. “Their cohort-based train the trainer model pulled me in. They would stay with me for years. We had no need for a 2-day workshop, never to hear from the trainer again.”  Read more...

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[Webinar] Two administrators from Richardson ISD share how Defined Learning helped them respond to COVID-19 and combat learning loss. Watch now

 

 

 

 

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[Webinar] In this webinar, you'll hear learn how the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, Battelle, and Shelby County Schools are using Defined Learning to empower educators with the tools they need to engage students in STEM-based PBL. Watch now

 

 

 

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When Superintendent Olinger discovered Defined Learning, he thought it might be just what the district needed to start helping teachers see how to imbed design thinking in their classrooms. After evaluating several products they were already working with, they decided Defined Learning was exactly what they needed to get started. Cooney recalls, “We had momentum after defining the why, but we needed the how. Defined Learning allowed us to get the how into the hands of teachers right away so they could use the career-based experiences to expose kids to curriculum through challenges that included design thinking." Read More...

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Students who attend any of LAUSD's Local District West “Option” schools have an extra dose of happiness added to their schedules this year: a cohort of their teachers are working to become PBL Champions. The program goals include moving towards an integrated curriculum that uses PBL to drive integration, as well as building PBL capacity and culture through each school. In year one, teachers from each school committed to a 4-day in-person cohort program led by Defined Learning mentors. Read More...