How PilotCity Transforms PBL for Real-World Impact

PilotCity is revolutionizing the world of Project-Based Learning (PBL), offering a comprehensive platform that scales PBL’s potential across districts, classrooms, and subjects. By integrating real-world applications and structured, customizable activities, we’re not just delivering PBL—we’re enhancing it to meet the demands of modern education and career readiness.

Expanding Access to PBL for All Teachers

In our effort to make PBL more accessible, we’ve expanded our teacher access pool from 90,000 Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers to over 900,000 general educators. This broadened reach allows teachers across disciplines to incorporate PBL into their classrooms. Whether teaching English, Math, or Science, educators can now guide students in solving specific real-world problems tied to actual employers and organizations—all while meeting curriculum standards.

Real-World Learning Meets Gold Standard PBL

What sets PilotCity apart is the unique combination of real-world experiences and PBLWorks’ Gold Standard elements. We provide structured, scoped, and sequenced activities that guide students through the process of creating impactful projects. These activities not only ensure a standardized project quality but also allow:

• Student Personalization: Students input their strengths, passions, and career goals while tackling specific problems of interest.
• Teacher Customization: Educators can define project parameters, expected deliverables, and required tools, ensuring alignment with curriculum goals.

This dual-layer of customization empowers students and teachers alike, fostering deeper engagement and ownership of the learning experience.

Comprehensive Tools for Teachers and Students

PilotCity offers a suite of baseline features that make PBL accessible and effective:

• Teacher Monitoring: Real-time oversight of student progress.
• Student Portfolios: A space for students to showcase their projects and skills.
• Flexible Program Design: The ability to add or remove activities as needed.

These features make it easier for schools and districts to standardize PBL delivery while maintaining the flexibility to address unique classroom needs.

Bridging PBL, CTE, and Work-Based Learning (WBL)

PilotCity’s platform bridges the gap between traditional PBL and Work-Based Learning (WBL). Our Project-Based Work Experiences (PBWE) deliver a hybrid model that merges PBL and WBL, providing students with tangible career pathway outcomes across all subjects. Why limit career readiness to CTE classes when every student can benefit from real-world project-based work?

Our platform enables districts to meet goals in career pathways, CTE, and PBL simultaneously. It provides a “no-brainer” solution: all projects should have real-world applicability, whether students are solving problems for themselves or for organizations.

Proven Success with Students and Teachers

Currently, over 10,000 students use PilotCity to structure classroom projects and access internship opportunities. These projects give students an edge when applying to universities and colleges, demonstrating real-world impact and success stories in their personal statements.

Teachers repeatedly rely on PilotCity year after year, confident in the standardized processes that streamline their workload. More importantly, students are motivated by the opportunity to see how their classroom learning applies to real-world challenges. This experience narrows their career interests, builds professional networks, and fosters a sense of community among problem solvers.

The Future of PBL: Real-World Experience for Every Student

At its core, PilotCity’s innovation lies in upgrading the traditional PBL system to include real-world experiences. By combining PBL and WBL into a dual-edged platform, we deliver more than just classroom projects—we deliver transformative, career-ready learning experiences.

With PilotCity, districts can equip every classroom with a robust, customizable PBL platform that prepares students for the future. Our mission is clear: careers should be the desired outcome for every student, and every project should have real-world relevance. Together, let’s make that vision a reality for all learners.