What do we do
We empower teachers to rethink classroom education by incorporating student-centered methodologies such as Project Based Learning. We create beautiful, engaging, curriculum-aligned lesson plans and resources that are shared, for free, through our platform www.aula42.org. Teachers anywhere in the world can download a course bundle (complete with lesson plans, original videos and assessment materials), in order to try their hand at PBL and create a transformative learning experience for their students. Course themes range from Economics to South American History to Nanotechnology; all of them invite students to respond to a real world challenge through collaboration on an interdisciplinary project. For those teachers looking to learn more about PBL methodology and practice, we provide personalized, hands-on teacher-training and mentorship programs. Our approach emphasizes continuous mentorship and feedback to ensure mastery of PBL methods. We have trained over 600 teachers and are currently supporting over 120 spread through 26 schools in Chile. Many more have used our free course materials. Because Aula 42 provides a low-cost, scalable solution to democratize Project Based Learning, we aim to implement it in hundreds of schools across Chile and Latin America over the next five years.
Why we do it
Students today face an uncertain future - indeed, an uncertain present. We must help them develop the kind of skills that will allow them to adapt to this rapidly transforming world. Project Based Learning has been shown to increase student motivation, allowing for deep and long-lasting learning, as well as critical, 21st-century skill development. Aula 42 goes beyond existing PBL online training courses by giving teachers the course materials they need to make the transition from theory to practice.
How we got started Aula 42 began as an adaptation of the Academia de Verano (Summer Academy), a summer learning program implemented by Fundación Consejo de Curso since 2014 in which hundreds of students take an array of diverse project-based courses, from “Colonizing Mars” to “Biocitizens” to “Religions in Dialogue.” Aula 42 adapts courses and teaching methods from the Academia de Verano to the needs and contexts of schools, scaling our best practices throughout Chile and Latin America.
Founded in 2014, Fundación Consejo de Curso works in Chile and Latin America to inspire children and young people with a love of learning. By developing evidence-based educational programs both within and outside of the classroom, Consejo de Curso aims to model the schools of the future. In addition to Aula 42 and the Academia de Verano, Consejo de Curso also operates Verano Trampolín, a play-based early grade reading summer program for elementary aged students. Consejo de Curso has been recognized and supported by the Chilean Ministry of Education, the Chilean Economic Development Corporation (CORFO), Ashoka Foundation, Fundación Colunga, and the LEGO Foundation.
