Working with external partners

Planning and Working with external partners – Why, how? 

Teachers can ensure that they have the subject and content knowledge to facilitate their project effectively but working with external partners means that students get a broader range of experiences and can connect their learning to the real world. 

In some cases, teachers may rely on a broker, such as university education outreach or a Local Enterprise Partnership advisor, to connect them with external partners.  In others, they may use their own contacts through personal or professional networks and as teachers develop a network of contacts, they have a greater range of expertise to draw on when planning their projects.

External partners can also develop a teacher’s subject knowledge, particularly if the project is cross-curricular or integrates real world concepts which are new to the teacher, topical or link to the wider picture.  External partners bring so many benefits to a PBL project, from collaborative planning to providing a real-world perspective in the shape of visits and talks.  There are of course mutual benefits for the external partners.

Students can exhibit increased motivation and ambition in a project if they know that it will be publicly exhibited, showcased or critiqued, by family, peers or invited “industry experts”.  The project outcome becomes more than simply getting a good grade from their teacher.  External partners invited as panellists or audience for a showcase give the students incentive to produce the best work possible, and again, increase the authenticity of the project. 

How to collaborate with external partners: 

• As a teacher, who do you know?  What links do you already have to businesses, industry partners, community groups, or specialists in your field? 

• Who else can you ask?  Parents may have skills or experience that fit your project plans.  Colleagues will also have connections.   

• Access your local resources, such as university education outreach teams, Local Enterprise Partnerships, careers and skills providers, local councils, and arts, heritage and cultural providers. 

• Think about what your external partners can bring to the project, in terms of their assets, compatibility, experience, and availability.  Will you work with them in person or virtually?  Is the partner willing to accept students to their workplace, or come into the classroom?  Are they willing to plan collaboratively?   

• What benefits will working with this partner bring to the students and their project?  Will working with this partner inspire and motivate your students?  Do they bring authenticity to your PBL project? 

• Identify any adjustments that will need to be made to your project plan, particularly in terms of time, space and resources. 

• Determine measures of success and what both students and partners can achieve through collaboration. 

• Assess risks and consider other important factors such as costs to your institution or your students, travel requirements and possible impact on other courses or colleagues. 

• Think about how the partners can be involved in the final outcomes of the project – the product and the showcase.   

• Review and reflect – gather feedback from external partners and students in order to inform future iterations of the project. 

Adapted from from the teacher planning guide, Planning curriculum-embedded Project-Based Learning with real world connections, created by David Leat, Ulrike Thomas and Alison Whelan from Newcastle University.