How Does It Work?

Learn how students, educators, and businesses can join authentic learning projects with the Iowa Clearinghouse for Work-Based Learning.

The Process for Students

If you’re an Iowa student in grades K-12 who is interested in joining a work-based learning project, here is the process for signing up:

 

  1. Talk with your teacher or school about getting a student group together for a work-based learning project.
  2. Browse the projects on the board. When you want to select one, use the request feature to send a notification to your teacher.
  3. Your teacher will review the request and, if approved, submit it on to the business partner.
  4. After review of the request, the business partner will inform your teacher on whether or not you have been selected. Work with your teacher to begin communicating and collaborating with the business partner.

The Process for Educators

If you’re an Iowa educator interested in building work-based learning projects into your class curriculum, here is the process for signing up:

  1. Divide your classroom into student groups for projects and take note of their areas of interest.
  2. Browse the projects on the board with your students. When you want to select one, click request and the business partner will be notified.
  3. After review of the request, the business partner will inform you whether or not your group has been selected. Facilitate the completion of the project in the classroom with your students.

The Process for Businesses

If you’re a business interested in having students complete a project for your company, here is the process for signing up:

  1. Fill out the interest form and assign a contact person to discuss project ideas and get assistance before getting started.
  2. Create an outline for the project, including how long it will take and the skills needed to complete the work.
    View the Required Project Submission Fields Here
  3. Enter your project into the Clearinghouse by filling out the interest form or entering it into the virtual project dashboard once it’s available.
  4. When a student group requests your project you can approve it, inform the teacher, move forward with managing the work, and check in with the student group at key points during the project for progress checks. Touch base with the students at the end of the project to collect project deliverables and close out the project.