Inspiration (The Why)
- Why statistics?
- Why Excel (or spreadsheets)
- Why PBL?
- Timeline: several weeks, a couple months before
Why statistics?
Sit down with team and look at the course pacing guide to see that statistical analysis and thought is in your course standards, and you're probably not addressing them as you need to.
Even as a math teacher - which do you use more in your day to day work, Algebra, or Statistics?
Why Excel?
If you've never had to use Excel, you've maybe never really USED Excel. The eye-opener for me was a field-trip type experience where I saw EVERY WORKSTATION at a large energy utility running Excel for a few different purposes. Bringing in a professional via video-conferencing or real life will be good for your team to get a broader scope of why your students need it
Why PBL?
Jumping into project based learning is a leap that is best embarked upon with a friend (or two or three), and requires some faith in the mission to carry you through some of the fear.
Showing the "Why PBL" video from Buck Institute is a good opener, and encouraging a twitter search of "#pblchat" will give teachers "role models" to look to and more training resources