Enlarging the IMPACT of PBL experiences w/ Stacey Duchrow

Many powerful project-based experiences are borne inside Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, electives, STEM or after school classes. But for most of these PBL experiences, that's where they stay. 

What would happen if these project-based experiences moved beyond the walls of these progams and into the mainstream curriculum and broader community? What IMPACT might they have then? 

In this podcast interview I chat with Stacey Duchrow, the Director of workforce solutions at KTEC technical school, to chat around how she enlarges the impact of PBL by moving it beyond the walls of CTE, and how we as edu-transformers can as well by:

• Building strategic industry partnerships
• Collaborating across disciplines to align on a common vision/graduate profile
• Empowering learners to continue projects long past their due date 
• Framing assessment around key competencies like problem solving, cognitive flexibility, team collaboration and more  

Learn more about KTEC: www.ktecschools.org

View their profile of a graduate: https://www.ktecschools.org/what-sets-us-apart/ 

List of Learner Competencies

Connect with Stacey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-duchrow-a068a5140/ 

Join the Global Community of PBL Practioners for Monthly Forums: Interest Form

Stacey's Bio: 

Stacey Duchrow was appointed to KTEC High School’s Director of Workforce Solutions, a new career and technical education focused charter school. She brings numerous years of educational and industrial experience to the position. Although Duchrow started her industry career as a Microbiologist at Abbott Labs, she soon discovered her passion for education. An experienced science teacher with Kenosha Unified School District and Union Grove High School, Duchrow also served in numerous roles outside the classroom. At Union Grove she was STEM coordinator, career & academies coordinator, district assessment coordinator, and RTI coordinator, all while developing three STEM pathways and working to strengthen the school’s college and career-ready culture.

Following Union Grove, Duchrow was the manager of Business and Educational Partnerships for Milwaukee 7 Regional Economic Development (M7). She worked to foster career pathways, career-based learning, and STEM education throughout Southeastern Wisconsin during her tenure. In addition, she partnered with numerous organizations throughout the region to strengthen business and educational partnerships. After leaving M7, she returned to KUSD, serving as the assistant principal at KTEC East. During her time at KTEC East, she created a Festo Mechatronics camp that allowed 8th-graders to gain industry-driven skills in automation technology by gaining an NC3 certification. Her passion is creating a curriculum pathway that helps all students find their future through robust career exploration and unique skill-based learning opportunities.