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SHOW NOTES
In this episode of the PBL Simplified podcast for administrators, Ryan Steuer dives deep into the challenges and strategies involved in rolling out project-based learning (PBL) across an entire district. Drawing on 15 years of experience, Ryan Steuer outlines why both top-down mandates and purely organic approaches often fall short, and explains how applying the innovation curve leads to sustainable, successful implementations. Real-world examples, including a case study from Perry Township in Indianapolis, illustrate how to customize the rollout to meet the distinct readiness and needs of each school and leader.
Main Points
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Two Classic Approaches & Why They Fail: Ryan Steuer discusses why rolling out PBL with either a strict top-down mandate or a purely “let it happen” organic approach usually doesn’t produce lasting results.
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Innovation Curve Application: The optimal strategy is matching the district’s rollout model to the innovation curve, aligning cohorts of schools and leaders to stages of readiness (innovators, early majority, late majority, laggards).
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Cohort Structure & Customization: Successful implementation relies on transparent and customized cohort launches, where early adopters build and adjust tools/resources that later cohorts can use more seamlessly.
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Building Capacity and Sustainability: By year 3–4, districts build internal expertise, empower building leaders, and develop district sustainability through certified local trainers.
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Case Study: The approach is illustrated with Perry Township, a 15,000-student district, whose multi-year phased plan exemplifies customizing the process for each building and leadership team.
Notable Quotes
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“There is a pretty solid format that we’ve seen work over and over again in our 15 years of doing this work, and it follows the innovation curve.”
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“When you get to cohort 2, they don’t want to do that. They want the AI to work perfectly. They want it to be set up right. They want to be able to just use it.”
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“Because when people aren’t ready, that’s when you feel resistance. That’s when they pull back, push back, especially if you get into a fight or flight piece.”
Call to Action
Ready to find out if your district is prepared for Project Based Learning? Take the quick readiness assessment and access free resources at pblscore.com.
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