PenPal Schools
PenPal Schools is the world’s largest project-based learning community, with over a quarter million students in 150 countries.
Students collaborate through online projects ranging from human rights and the environment to fake news and robotics, all while practicing literacy, technology, and social-emotional skills.
PenPal Schools was recognized by President Obama and selected by Common Sense Education for the Best Edtech of 2017.
PenPal Schools projects are designed for students ages 8-18 and are aligned to a wide variety of academic standards. All projects are inquiry-based and offered at multiple difficulty levels, which can be differentiated based on student ability.
Some projects are designed specifically to accommodate English-language learners.
Students work in groups with classmates to create original videos, presentations, service projects, art, poems, and more.
Students then share their creations with peers, teachers, and parents from around the world in the PenPal Schools Showcase.
As students collaborate with their classmates to create projects, they practice a variety of social and emotional skills. Students must work together to combine their various talents, accommodate multiple opinions, and combine their efforts into one cohesive project.
To help students create their projects, they log in to complete a series of lessons. Each lesson includes:
- A video
- Non-fiction text
- A discussion question
Once students answer the discussion question, they gain access to a forum of thousands of students from around the world who have answered the same question. Students must then:
- Interact with peers worldwide to gather diverse perspectives
- Develop empathy and respect for other cultures and perspectives
- Learn how to collaborate productively with peers who have different working and communication styles
PenPal Schools makes global project-based learning easy for teachers by providing pre-made, self-guided projects.
However, teachers still play an active role by:
- Reviewing student projects in the Showcase
- Monitoring every message that students send and receive in the lesson forums
- Providing private written feedback
- Grading student work on reading comprehension, writing, digital citizenship, and social-emotional skills
Key Features for Teachers:
- Assessment criteria are customizable and aligned to Common Core standards
- Students reflect on their own performance and learning
- Students are encouraged to provide feedback to classmates and peers worldwide
In addition to reviewing and grading student work, teachers can access:
- Supplemental offline class activities
- Professional development resources related to social-emotional, project-based, and inquiry-based learning
- Educator forums to connect with teachers worldwide
Teachers can invite educators from the PenPal Schools community to join projects by searching based on:
- Country
- Subject
- Student age
- Other factors
Professional Development for Educators:
PenPal Schools provides opportunities for educators to discuss project-based learning concepts with colleagues globally. Active teacher forums allow educators and experts to:
- Share tips, resources, and examples of success from their classrooms
Opportunities for Parents:
- Fall 2018: Parents gained the ability to log in and review their students’ work in the Showcase
- Winter 2018: A parent mobile app was launched (see mockup in Exhibit E)
- Spring 2019: Parents and administrators could analyze detailed and holistic student learning data and access recommendations to address learning gaps
Join the world’s largest collaborative learning community.
PenPal Schools makes project-based learning easy and is loved by students and teachers in 150 countries.
