Project based learning (PBL) is an education practice rooted in constructivism, a theory of human development that centers inquiry, direct experience and productive struggle as primary engines of learning, sense-making, and informed action. PREP teachers apply PBL within and across subject areas to engage students in challenging, real-world problems that are meaningful to them. Students learn through a hands-on, learning-by-doing approach that yields a product (e.g. presentation, display) which is shared with an interested audience. Students often pursue tasks in collaboration with peers and supporting adults and increasingly co-create tasks and control their own learning as they gain maturity and mastery. 

In consultation with PBL experts, educators in PPS alternative high schools developed a common framework to guide and assess their work. Follow these links to the framework and examples of PREP projects.

Career and technical education (CTE) in PREP and throughout PPS involves a range of learning experiences, including:

CRLEs--career-related learning experiences that build students’ awareness of their strengths and interests, and offer opportunities to explore and experience a variety of careers. Activities include interest inventories, speakers, career fairs, and work-based learning through job shadowing and internships.

CTE courses--accredited courses that provide students with academic preparation, technical skills, and real-world, hands-on learning experiences. In some cases, students may earn dual credits toward high school graduation and postsecondary completion through CTE coursework.

CTE programs of study--a progression of courses in a career field (e.g. art & design, business, communications, education, healthcare, natural resources, transportation, manufacturing) that align to a postsecondary CTE program and industry recognized standards and open clear pathways to certifications and degrees.

See the PPS CTE/Career Pathways website for more information. 

Social emotional learning (SEL) in PREP engages and equips students and educators to understand themselves, to build respectful relationships, and to create equitable, inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments and opportunities. PREP schools are staffed with a full-time, on-site social worker who is embedded in the leadership team. In addition to traditional one-on-one case management, PREP school social workers (SSWs) lead and support school wide and small group SEL activities. They also provide extensive professional development, coaching, and resources to ensure adults as well as students benefit from social-emotional learning and support in and outside the classroom.

PREP aligns with a transformative SEL framework evolved from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) core competencies (Jagers, et al, 2018), and with multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) that promotes collaborative, data-informed practices to monitor and address individual and systemic barriers to students’ learning and advancement.