hen you walk into a vibrant classroom, you feel it—students buzzing with ideas, debating solutions, and working together to turn ideas into action. It’s the energy of learning that stretches beyond the textbook and into the world outside classroom walls.
Today’s students are growing up in a society that’s more connected, more complex, and faster changing than ever before. To thrive, they need to develop skills that go far beyond rote learning, memorization, and recalling information. They need to learn how to think critically, communicate effectively, collaborate with others, and adapt to new challenges.
When teachers design learning experiences that weave these abilities into authentic, real-world contexts, students begin to recognize the value and relevance of what they are learning and feel its impact in the present. Engagement soars and learning sticks.
Here are two ways to create learning experiences with real-world impact, along with Adventist Learning Community resources to help you get started.
From Local Lessons to Global Connections
Adventist Learning Community
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Associate Director / Educational Professional Development Coordinator
FALL 2025
Dive into Project-Based Learning
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Project-Based Learning (PBL) challenges students to apply what they’ve learned to real-world challenges, combining academic content with hands-on experiences. Instead of solving problems on a worksheet, students can team together to tackle complex issues following a structured process. For example, students can design a school recycling program or create a podcast on local history.
You can strengthen PBL even further by partnering with your community. For example, invite an entrepreneur to share start-up insights, a firefighter to explain emergency response, or arrange field trips that are directly aligned to the curriculum. Add depth to PBL by incorporating service learning and addressing genuine community needs. For example, plant a pollinator garden or run a health awareness campaign. These experiences build empathy, leadership, and responsibility while making a tangible difference in the community.
Find project starters aligned with the Adventist worldview on Adventist Teacher Connect—click “Participate” to view instructions. Have a project of your own? Share it on the platform to inspire other educators.
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"Connect with other Adventist classrooms around the country and the world"
Looking for a classroom to collaborate with? Adventist Teacher Connect is a hub for partnering with fellow Adventist educators across the NAD and around the world. Search by location or subject to find the perfect match, then work together to design joint projects and connect students virtually for meaningful, real-world learning. You can share videos or meet through video calls—using Zoom or other online platforms—to bring students face-to-face, no matter the distance. Whether it’s sharing class projects, exchanging local historical or geographic insights, sharing student work, or joining together for a time of worship, Adventist Teacher Connect makes it simple to find like-minded teachers and create connections between classrooms. Find teachers looking to partner with other teachers and classrooms on Adventist Teacher Connect—click “Connect” to get started.
Sign in using your AE Dashboard email and password to access features and courses available to NAD teachers only! If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact paolaoudri@nadadventist.org.
Need training and ideas for PBL? The ALC has self-paced courses you can take! Visit Adventist Learning Community to explore courses and resources to help you start!
