Reflections on the Project-Based Learning (PBL) Book Club Journey

About four months ago, I reached out to Dr. Kristin Wobbe, co-editor of Project-Based Learning in the First Year, to see if she’d be willing to give a talk on the “What, Why, and How” of Project-Based Learning. After a great Zoom conversation, she kindly agreed to volunteer her time. I was genuinely excited to share this opportunity with our faculty.

Her upcoming presentation sparked the idea to start a campus-wide book club. I set a goal of 30 participants, ordered 30 books—and to my surprise and delight, every spot filled. The strong interest and positive energy from across campus made it clear that this topic really resonated, and it felt like the start of something meaningful.

The kickoff session with Dr. Wobbe was warmly received and helped spark the launch of the Book Club. With the support of Colleen, Elisabeth, and Fred—who joined me as co-facilitators—we officially launched the club in February, building on the momentum and shared interest in project-based learning.

Over the course of three months, the Book Club met regularly on Zoom, focusing on one section of Project-Based Learning in the First Year each month. Each session sparked vibrant, thoughtful discussions as participants shared insights, experiences, and questions about integrating PBL into their teaching.

During our final meeting, we conducted an informal survey to explore interest in continuing the conversation beyond the Book Club. The response was clear: faculty expressed strong enthusiasm for forming a Community of Practice as a next step—one that would allow for deeper collaboration, ongoing support, and continued exploration of PBL strategies.

Here is some of the feedback from the Book Club’s written reflections:

"I really enjoyed the kickoff presentation by Dr. Wobbe. Her enthusiasm for PBL and its benefits provided the motivation I needed to commit to the group. The follow-up workshop sessions were equally valuable."

"In terms of instructional design, one of my key takeaways is the importance of consistent messaging about high expectations."

"When I signed up for the Project-Based Learning book club and seminar, I was not familiar with the term Project-Based Learning and what it entailed. This whole experience has been enlightening, and I have learned a great deal from the book and our meetings."

"Currently, I provide criteria projects must meet, ideas, lists of on and off campus partner possibilities....I now have ideas on how to create clearer and narrower parameters of projects pre-set for them [students] to select from.

Building on the success of the PBL Club this spring, we’re excited to launch the PBL Community of Practice this fall! You are invited to join a vibrant, collaborative space where faculty come together each month to share ideas, tackle real-world challenges, and deepen their project-based learning practices. Whether you're new to PBL or looking to expand your approach, this supportive community is here to inspire and empower your teaching journey.

We'll kick off the fall with a PBL Mixer, followed by four hybrid meetings on the first Friday of each month. It’s a great chance to connect, share ideas, and support one another in our PBL journey.

We hope you will join us in the fall!