PBLWorks

Get info and pricing on the provider’s website

Go to Provider Site
Designated
SELect
Indicates that a program demonstrates evidence of effectiveness at improving student outcomes at the highest level, supports students’ social and emotional growth through all five competencies, and offers multi-year programming. For a full list of SELect student outcomes see SELect designation.

    • Compare
    Program description

    PBL Works, offered by The Buck Institute for Education, provides a teaching practices approach to SEL. It includes programming for grades 6-12 and demonstrates evidence of effectiveness at grade 12.

    /
        • SEL lessons
        • Instructional practices
        • Relationship building
        • Positive classroom management
        • SEL generalization
        • Shared agreements
        • Student voice
        • Systemic support for SEL
        • Adult SEL
        • Student Voice
        • Service-learning
        • Activities and Resources for Home
      • Onsite in-person training
      • Virtual training
      • Offsite training
      • Train the trainer model
      • Administrator support
      • Coaching
      • Technical assistance
      • Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
      • Online resource library
      • Self-report tools for monitoring implementation
      • Observational tools
      • Tools for measuring student success

    Evidence of effectiveness

    Results of a randomized control trial (RCT) evaluation conducted in the 2007-2008 academic year (published in 2010) supported the effectiveness of PBLworks or high school students. The evaluation included 3,752 grade 12 students (Latinx = 41%; White = 37%; 40% of students at school eligible for FRPL). The evaluation found that students who received the program had significant increases in self-reported academic self-efficacy, as well as higher economic literacy test scores compared to control group students (outcomes reported 17 weeks after baseline while controlling for outcome pre-test).

    /
    • Evidence shown in grades
      12
      School characteristics
        • Rural
        • Urban
        • Southwest
        • West
      Student characteristics
      • Hispanic / Latinx
      • White
      • Low income
      Percentage Low Income
      • Eligible for FRPL: 40%
      Study design type
      • RCT
      Greater than 350 students included in study design type
      • Yes
      Multiple school districts included at study design type
      • Yes
      • Improved academic performance
      • Reduced emotional distress
      • Improved identity development and agency
      • Reduced problem behaviors
      • Improved school climate
      • Improved school connectedness
      • Improved social behaviors
      • Improved teaching practices
      • Improved other SEL skills and attitudes

    How does PBLWorks support SEL implementation across multiple settings?

    “PBLWorks supports the systemic implementation of SEL within project-based learning, Teachers are encouraged to involve parents by inviting them to lend expertise they might have, and/or by attending exhibitions. Additionally, the PBL focus on authenticity results in the regular connection of students to community experts and supporters.”

    Get info and pricing on the provider’s website

    Go to Provider Site

    References

    • Accepted by CASEL

    • Finkelstein, N., Hanson, T., Huang, C.-W., Hirschman, B., and Huang, M. (2010). Effects of Problem Based Economics on high school economics instruction. (NCEE 2010-4002). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
    Access the latest, most trusted information on SEL
    Sign up for our newsletters