PBL in K-12 Sharing Experiences and International Perspectives
Date | Monday | 17 November 2025
Venue | Sandton
Part of the Combined 10TH INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM ON PBL (IRSPBL)
Anchoring Conversations: Connection, Collaboration, and Co-Creation for the Future
Overall Programme
The first day of the conference brings together school leaders, administrators, teachers, and students from different countries to exchange experiences and insights on working with problem-based learning in K-12 education. The focus will be on sharing experiences in diverse national contexts, international collaborations, and discussing how PBL can shape the future of education. Through presentations, discussions, workshops, and student showcases, participants will gain valuable perspectives on PBL’s role in curriculum reform, school administration, and classroom practice.
Key questions of the day: What are the biggest barriers to international PBL collaborations, and how can they be overcome? How does PBL prepare students for the future challenges and a globalized world?
Aims of the Day and Planned Activities
The day brings together education stakeholders to explore the implementation of PBL across K-12 settings. Through a variety of sessions, participants will share practices, examine system-level enablers, and engage with student-led showcases with the goal of promoting collaboration, reflection, and innovation in PBL across global contexts and trends.
Driving Curriculum Reform Through PBL
School leaders from across countries will share how PBL has been integrated into local and international reform efforts, highlighting both policy alignment and practical implementation strategies.
Enabling International PBL Collaboration
Focused roundtables on the role of education departments and administrators in facilitating cross-border PBL partnerships,
addressing policy, funding, logistics, and cultural considerations.
PBL in Practice Across Contexts
Educators from a range of national systems will present their approaches to designing and delivering PBL, sharing classroom experiences, interdisciplinary models, and methods for enhancing student participation.
Project Showcases from Pre-School to Grade 12
Learners from Future Nation Schools will present a selection of PBL projects that illustrate age-appropriate application of PBL, showcasing the development of critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity across the full schooling continuum.
Integrating Technology and Sustainability in K-12 PBL
Participants will engage in practical workshops exploring how themes of sustainability and digital innovation can be meaningfully embedded into PBL design and delivery to enhance relevance and impact.
