Scaling PBL to Transform Elementary Science Learning in the Deep South

Building on the award-winning Multiple Literacies in Project-Based Learning (ML-PBL) curriculum, a dynamic new initiative—Collaborate Science (ColSci)—is set to transform science and literacy education for 4th graders across Alabama and the rural south.

A $10 million Education Innovation and Research grant from the U.S. Department of Education is funding this ambitious project, a collaboration between Michigan State University, Alabama A&M University, and WestEd. Over the next five years, the ColSci curriculum will be rolled out and rigorously evaluated in 80 schools—both rural and urban—reaching over 6500 students.

ColSci brings science to life by connecting classroom learning to the real-world environments students know and care about. Each lesson taps into local phenomena, sparking curiosity and increasing engagement by making science personal. And it’s not just science—students will also see gains in literacy, thanks to ColSci’s integrated, hands-on approach. The curriculum is adaptable to local environments, boosting achievement by making learning relevant and meaningful. Teachers will be provided ongoing professional learning to help them bring project-based learning to life, while innovative AI scoring models will help refine instruction and support student success.

By connecting science to students’ everyday lives—and equipping teachers with ongoing support and innovative AI tools—ColSci is not just improving instruction, it’s reimagining what meaningful, equitable STEM learning can look like at scale.

Innovation Strategies

This project utilizes two key innovation strategies to scale the program:

• Promote teachers' pedagogical knowledge to increase and sustain students' engagement in learning experiences.
  • Prompt design: Revise existing prompts and create new ones for teachers to support and sustain students' interest and motivation.
• Support teachers to effectively use embedded assessments to advance student learning in science through: 
  • Rubric and feedback design: Develop clear rationales for rubrics, include sample evaluations of student responses, and offer actionable feedback to promote teacher learning.
  • Artificial intelligence (AI) analysis: Support teachers in assessment practices by leveraging AI to provide teachers with timely performance data at individual, class, and aggregate levels.

Why This Work Matters

Across the United States, elementary science instruction is often limited—particularly in schools serving low-income and rural communities. This gap reduces early opportunities for students to build curiosity, confidence, and foundational STEM knowledge.

Collaborate Science responds to this challenge by:

• Integrating science and literacy in meaningful ways
• Engaging students in real-world, phenomenon-based learning
• Supporting teachers with tools, data, and professional learning
• Designing for equity from the ground up

This work is not just about improving curriculum—it is about expanding opportunity.

This project addresses that gap by:

• Providing high-quality, engaging science instruction
• Supporting teachers with tools, data, and professional learning
• Making science accessible and meaningful for diverse learners

Key Innovations

🔹 AI-Powered Feedback & Assessment

• AI analyzes student responses in real time
• Provides actionable feedback for both students and teachers
• Delivers insights at individual, classroom, and aggregate levels 

🔹 Teacher Dashboard

• Visualizes student learning progress
• Supports instructional decision-making
• Integrates assessment data with classroom practice 

🔹 Motivational Prompt Design

• Embedded prompts support:
  • Interest
  • Self-efficacy
  • Growth mindset
• Grounded in research on student motivation 

Teachers are not left to navigate new approaches on their own. Collaborate Science provides a comprehensive professional learning system designed to support educators every step of the way. This includes immersive summer institutes, ongoing professional learning communities (PLCs), and both in-person and virtual coaching, all reinforced by supports embedded directly within the curriculum. Together, these experiences help teachers build confidence and expertise in key areas such as project-based learning, three-dimensional science teaching, supporting student sensemaking, and using AI tools effectively. The result is a sustained, collaborative model of support that empowers teachers to successfully implement innovative practices in their classrooms.

Accomplishments and looking forward: 

In its first year, the Collaborate Science (ColSci) project has already begun making a meaningful impact in classrooms. Teachers report improvements in their instructional practices, while students are experiencing science learning as more engaging, relevant, and accessible. At the same time, AI-supported tools are proving effective in strengthening formative assessment, giving educators new ways to interpret student thinking and respond in real time. Together, these early successes signal more than just progress in development—they reflect real shifts in teaching and learning. Building on this strong foundation, the next phase of the project will expand implementation to additional schools and districts, refine AI tools and curriculum materials, and launch a rigorous randomized controlled trial to evaluate impact at scale. This work will position ColSci for broader national expansion, advancing a sustainable, research-driven model for improving science and literacy learning across diverse educational settings.

For more information about this project, contact Project Director Dr. Namsoo Shin at namsoo@msu.edu.