David Lee EdTech

  For years, I’ve had a recurring conversation with school leaders and passionate teachers. It usually starts with a spark of inspiration—perhaps from a YouTube video on Project-Based Learning or a keynote on Design Thinking —and ends with a difficult question: "David, can you help our school with this approach?" As a consultant, my answer has always been a mix of excitement and hesitation. I love the energy of a live workshop, but I’ve also seen the limitations of the "consulting model." We spend a couple of days together, we build momentum, and then... life happens. The bell rings, the emails pile up, and that "innovation" gets pushed to the back burner because there wasn't enough time to truly embed the change. In a VUCA world (one defined by Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) where the ground is constantly shifting beneath our schools, educators don't need more one-off 'PD days' to prepare their students for a world of...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoZxs7BBlm0 This video shows the process I use (and mindset) to design project-based (PBL) learning experiences that are optimal for design thinking integration. Thank you so much for checking out this video. If you are interested in learning more please check the link below to receive free resources that can help you start on your journey of equipping your students with design thinking. Learn more about these experiences here: lpbeta.org/book Timestamp 0:35 Start with the Standards 1:81 Develop a Real World Context/Task 2:35 Develop a Learning Narrative 4:00 Develop a Learning Plan 4:56 Integrate Assessments You can watch these videos to learn more about the city plan project. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYyk4fLjIwR956i1EZWlFUIK8pc1G-HOr DT Unit Project Videos Designing Products and Services for Marketplace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypOJ2yfRi1s Designing Festival Floats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAlA-x-m0vQ ...

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE-0aZL5_0A To learn more about design thinking in education, check out my book "Design Thinking in the Classroom."

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLpdfIrr-cY Why embed STEM into the education we provide our students? It is a question that goes beyond curriculum design—it cuts to the core of how we prepare children for an unpredictable world. First and foremost, STEM education is crucial for equipping students to navigate the scientific discoveries and technological advancements that shape our lives (Smithsonian Science Education Center, 2023). We are facing a "skills revolution." According to the World Government Summit and McKinsey & Company, schools currently face the imperative of preparing students for an uncertain future that requires new competencies and the ability to adapt to a constantly changing workplace. Beyond Rote Memorization This approach directly challenges the status quo highlighted in The Opportunity Myth  (TNTP, 2023). This report critiques traditional education for failing to prepare students for real-world experiences. STEM education offers the solution by shif...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ek0n8LOo90 "STEM" is a term we use constantly in education, but if you ask five different stakeholders to define it, you might get five different answers. Originating in 1993 with the National Science Foundation (originally called SMET!), the acronym is well-known, yet "the finer points of this construct often cause confusion" (Breiner, 2012). Some educators argue that teaching a standalone math class counts as STEM. However, research suggests that the true power of STEM lies not in silos, but in integration. After analyzing various perspectives, I’ve identified a common thread consisting of four essential elements: Interdisciplinary Approach: We don't treat Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math as separate subjects. We look for connections to create a holistic understanding. Real-World Problem-Solving: We apply these combined disciplines to challenges students encounter in the real world. Project-Based Learning: ...

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRP7g4Sn5Fw Want to take your students’ conceptual understanding to the next level? I had the incredible opportunity to join the first cohort of Julie Stern ’s “Learning Transfer Endorsed Educator” course . As someone whose school uses a conceptual approach, I couldn’t pass up the chance to learn directly from the expert herself. Here is a breakdown of the key tool I learned—the Learning Transfer Mental Model —and how I used it to design a 4th-grade STEM project. Why We Need This Model Our world is becoming increasingly complex. Students need more than just information retention; they need to think divergently and apply knowledge to unpredictable challenges. The Learning Transfer Mental Model helps organizing information into “concepts”—fundamental elements that act like mental folders. This organization builds schema in the brain, allowing students to retain information better and transfer it to new contexts. The Storyboard Phases 1. Acquire (Sur...

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQbUrFo8WG8 As a learning designer, I love finding connections between seemingly disparate subjects. Recently, I collaborated with Sean Smith, a 5th-grade teacher, to merge two unlikely partners: NGSS Science standards (Ecosystems & Earth’s Systems) and Fantasy Writing. The result? A project-based learning experience centered on Worldbuilding . The Challenge: Connecting Middle-Earth to Science  We needed to integrate standards about matter, energy flow in ecosystems, and the interaction of Earth’s spheres (geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere). Looking at these concepts through an “eduPermaculture” lens, I realized they are essentially the rules that govern a world. This led me to J.R.R. Tolkien. His creation of Middle-earth wasn’t just about characters; it was about geography, history, and systems. This process is called “worldbuilding.” We used this real-world creative process to frame our driving question: How might we create a ...

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPg9PPMPnoU What happens when you combine student passion with a framework for deep learning? You get meaningful engagement. This year, the Grade 5 Learning Community embarked on Personalized Inquiry Projects (PIPs)—long-term, transdisciplinary experiences co-designed by students based on their own interests. From Passive to Active Traditional learning can often feel passive, short-term, and siloed. PIPs flip the script. They are active, open-ended, long-term, and deeply personalized. Students weren't just completing assignments; they were driving their own learning journey. The variety of projects was staggering: Two students used Blender to design and mint NFTs, actually selling one on a marketplace. Another student prototyped custom sneaker colorways using design software. One group created a website with strategies for students with autism. Others built a Minecraft solar system, wrote original music, or designed digital comic book...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCO0qh4_XrA If you look at the "About" page of almost any school website, you will likely find a mission statement about nurturing students to be "creative, collaborative problem-solvers." We all agree this is the goal. The Future of Jobs Report confirms that innovation and interpersonal skills are rising in prominence. However, when I entered the teaching profession, I have to admit I was ill-equipped to teach these skills. My training focused on content, not on how to design authentic experiences that empower students to design their own future. Through my journey to fix this gap in my own practice, I discovered Design Thinking . More Than Just Brainstorming : While traditional Creative Problem Solving (CPS) focuses on innovation, Design Thinking is the "ultimate toolkit" because it is rooted in empathy . It cultivates a human-centered culture where solutions are born from the needs of others. Putting It i...

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QnsV9pDKZs&feature=youtu.be ecently, I had the chance to do exactly that when my colleague, Gabe Haydu, introduced me to a team of 5th graders who wanted to build a hexacopter drone. Here is the catch: I had never built a drone in my life. But I realized this was the perfect opportunity to show students that you don’t need to be an expert to tackle a complex challenge—you just need passion, persistence, and a growth mindset. The Reality Check We bought a QWinOut F550 Drone Kit and started the build. However, we hit a wall almost immediately. I had made two unfair assumptions: that the students knew how to collaborate effectively, and that they possessed project management skills. We had to pause the build to build the team. We established collaboration norms—like "mistakes are okay as long as you learn from them" and "communicate feelings productively." We also developed a concrete Action Plan to track goals, resources, and ti...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe9bv9w5-o0 In this conversation, Joyce Pereira and I dive into the innovative KoLAB program —a unique STEM and project-based learning (PBL) initiative that blends transdisciplinary pedagogy with real-world challenges. I share insights into the program's foundational principles, including its focus on authentic contexts and applied learning practices, while we explore its impact on students and educators alike. We also discuss thoughtful strategies to breathe new life into the program, from aligning with community needs to integrating cutting-edge technologies and sustainability goals. Whether you're an educator, program designer, or STEM enthusiast, this episode offers inspiration and actionable recommendations for creating transformative learning experiences. Let’s reimagine the future of STEM and PBL education together! Joyce Pereira inkedin.com/in/joycelourencopereira

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVOlS5mUjHk I was honored to learn that a Design & Technology Book Club selected my book as their featured read for the month. It is always a privilege to engage with fellow educators who are passionate about innovation, and the members sent over some truly thought-provoking questions regarding the text and how my perspective has evolved since its publication. I wanted to share those questions and my responses with you here, as they sparked some deep reflection on my own journey with Design Thinking. Here are some key takeaways from our discussion. Has the Vision Changed? : A common question was whether my view of Design Thinking has evolved. The short answer is yes. While I still believe it is a powerful, human-centered toolkit for navigating a world of constant change, I’ve realized that Design Thinking is only as effective—or as harmful—as the person using it. As designer Jennifer Daniel noted, "Design is not good unto itself. D...

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaZ0COelJ34 Project-Based Learning (PBL) has a unique power: it makes learning come alive. It transforms abstract standards into essential tools for solving real problems. I recently experienced this firsthand while collaborating with educators Mary Kate Burke, Matt Kish, and Sean Smith on a Grade 5 science unit rooted in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The Challenge: Hand Sanitizer Shortages   We started with a real-world problem. During a time of panic buying and empty shelves, we posed a driving question to our students: “How might we create our own hand sanitizer for our classmates due to shortages?” This wasn’t just about mixing chemicals. It was about becoming product development chemists. By framing the unit this way, we created a learning narrative  — a story where the students were the heroes and the science standards were the tools they needed to succeed. Empathy & Design Thinking   Before mixing anything,...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M05mEpYq6KQ One of the essential elements of Project-Based Learning (PBL) is Sustained Inquiry . According to PBLworks.org, this implies an active, in-depth process where students “seek information or investigate,” rather than just looking things up online. A powerful way to facilitate this is by tapping into real-world experts. I saw the value of this during a 1st-grade STEM project led by Ms. Gillian Lait. The students were tasked with designing their own instruments to create music for a puppet show. To help them understand the science of sound, we invited James McMullen, our Middle School Makerspace Specialist and a former engineer who builds guitars out of cigar boxes. James didn’t just show his instruments; he explained the engineering behind them. He taught the students how to choose materials that vibrate effectively (like springy spruce) and how to design the structure so that nothing limits those vibrations. He transferred professional strategi...

 When designing learning experiences, it is easy for educators to get fixated on the What —"What will the students learn?" We list out the standards, the concepts, and the vocabulary. But to create truly impactful learning, we must also focus on the Why . Why do they need to learn this? What problem could they solve? What could they create? I like to think of this as the “Brownie” within the educational context. Traditional lessons often feel like we are just handing students individual ingredients—flour, sugar, eggs. But lessons need to be designed so that students don’t just hold the ingredients; they mix, heat, and blend them to bake a brownie. A Case Study Let’s look at a concrete example using Grade 5 Science standards focused on the Structure and Properties of Matter . Students are required to know: 5-PS1-1: Matter is made of particles too small to be seen. 5-PS1-2: Regardless of heating, cooling, or mixing, the total weight of matter is conserved. 5-PS1-3: Identifyi...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hik_zwqtgeg Why is it so critical for us to design learning experiences that mirror real-world scenarios? The answer lies in preparation. When we create authentic scenarios, we help students develop the practical skills, critical thinking abilities, and problem-solving capabilities they will actually need outside the education system. It bridges the gap between theory and practice, allowing students to see the purpose behind their work. I often think of an analogy involving two awe-inspiring structures here in Singapore: the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest . These artificially designed environments showcase the extraordinary beauty of plant life. But what makes them truly special is how they were created. Horticulturists meticulously studied the ideal conditions found in nature and replicated them within these structures. Through the careful control of temperature, humidity, light, and water supply, they created microclimates that closely resemble nativ...

Sammamish High School was given a federal grant to redesign their curriculum and school with project-based learning (PBL). The school plans to transition the whole school to a PBL curriculum by 2015. Edutopia created this video to document the school's first year of PBL implementation. Here are some of the things Edutopia found out:  All disciplines and grade levels are shifting from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered learning.  There is a great focus in engaging students with authentic challenges. Students are learning academic content through the process of finding the solutions to authentic problems.  The hands-on experiences also help students to retain information better. Students were motivated to created quality work when clients were involved.  Teachers are required to attend a five-day professional development on PBL in the beginning of the year.  ELLs can benefit from projects that require them to work in groups. These ...