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The future is going to look very different. At FYA we believe young people are not a problem to be helped or solved. Young people are ambitious, creative and capable of rethinking the world and solving tomorrow's problems today. And can do it all with a social conscience that will let them build a better world in the process. FYA is all about backing the next generation of young people who are going to rethink the world and create a better future.

Challenge Based Learning is an engaging multidisciplinary approach to teaching and learning that encourages students to leverage the technology they use in their daily lives to solve real-world problems through efforts in their homes, schools and communities.

"Board games are the perfect classroom tools for helping students with critical thinking, problem solving, and more. But have you ever thought of transforming ordinary board games into ways to teach curriculum? "

"Contemporary learning frameworks and related methodologies can learn a lot from what we are experiencing with Covid-19. Applying the two features above to project-based learning (PBL) by using a more fluid rather than static, linear model may best prepare students for what the future of learning and work actually looks and feels like."

"Have you ever thought that all learning is social and emotional learning (SEL)? This is something I recognize as an educator and as a learner. When teaching and learning new ideas, SEL is an essential part of the process. That's why you'll find social and emotional skills in state and national standards. SEL has many definitions with common ideas. At the core of SEL is noticing and regulating feelings and emotions to reach learning goals. SEL gives learners the skills they need to solve problems, work with others, and pursue interests."

"16 characteristics of effective problem-solvers have been have been derived from studies of efficacious problem-solvers from many walks of life"

Using Pourquoi Tales to Foster Logical Reasoning A pourquoi (French for "why") is a terrific way to cultivate problem-solving and divergent thinking-core skills of logical reasoning-in the student learning framework. Logical reasoning is associated with the capacity to generate alternative ideas, and pourquois involve creating alternative ideas to explain a natural phenomenon in the world (e.g., why stars shine at night or how zebras got stripes).

One reason PBL might be hard for some teachers to start is that there's just so much stuff out there about it. Who has time to wade through it all? To solve this problem, I went out in search of the clearest, most authoritative information on PBL and put together a collection of materials that will help you get your feet wet, plus links to more resources for when you're ready to dig deeper.

"To develop understanding of a topic or subject area, one has to experience and engage in Authentic Intellectual Activity. That means solving problems, making decisions, and developing new understanding using methods and tools (Ritchhart, Church & Morrison, 2011). Exploring a range of Thinking Pathways allows teachers and students to move beyond surface learning that focuses on the memorisation of knowledge and facts, to more deep and reflective learning that is focused on developing understanding through more active and constructive processes."

"Critical thinking 'involves students learning to recognise or develop an argument, use evidence in support of that argument, draw reasoned conclusions, and use information to solve problems,' (ACARA, 2016). The ability to 'critically analyse information and ideas from a range of sources' appears across subject areas."

"When we provide students the time and place for reflection, we empower them as learners and thinkers. Reflection on a lesson or on their own progress also allows them to build skills in critical thinking that they can apply when they are problem-solving and learning on their own."

This post unpacks the skills listed in some detail. "Many have attempted to identify the skills important for a learner today in this era of the 21st century (I know it is an overused phrase). I have an affinity towards the skills identified by Tony Wagner: Critical thinking and problem-solving Collaboration across networks and leading by influence Agility and adaptability Initiative and entrepreneurialism Effective oral and written communication Accessing and analyzing information Curiosity and imagination http://www.tonywagner.com/7-survival-skills"

You can do BIG things with Big6 Skills! Big6 is a six-stage model to help anyone solve problems or make decisions by using information. Some call it information literacy, information communication, or ICT skills, or a process, but we call it the Big6.

"How, in this data-heavy world, are we supposed to convince young people that reading books matters? That the stories they consume while turning the pages are exercising their brains to become better at critical thinking and problem solving?"

Wonderopolis is uniquely rooted in the power of learning through curiosity, exploration, and everyday moments, providing thousands of "Wonders of the Day"- fun units of learning and questions such as "What does it mean to stand up for something?" or "Why is the Statue of Liberty green?" Each Wonder of the Day is a launching pad for students reading and learning, maximising multi-disciplinary content with non-fiction text and multimedia as well as commenting, submit-your-own Wonder, and other features designed to keep students-and entire classrooms-engaged with the site. Wonderopolis facilitates students' studies in the classroom as well as self-guided learning at home and on the go.

Discussion on the value of project based learning, why the library is ideal for running PBL projects and some suggested activities

While it's easy to envision using math picture books in elementary school classrooms, literature for older grades poses a bigger challenge. Can reading fit into the curriculum as the books get longer and the math gets more complex? Practical examples and suggestions are included in this post

Teaching Channel link to a range of videos for ideas and inspiration in teaching STEM that include a lesson objective and some focus questions.

"Understand the value of creativity in learning and how to enable it in the classroom by leveraging the full potential of technology."