PZ PGH Learning and Thinking that Make a Difference (May 2026)

How do educators move from strong instructional practice to influencing the broader conditions that shape learning? This interactive workshop invites participants to explore the Activating Arts Learning framework, an arts learning theory of change grounded in Project Zero research, and to consider how it can inform systems change across diverse educational contexts.

Participants will examine how environmental conditions, elements of instruction, and learner outcomes interact to support deep thinking and understanding. Through close looking, reflection, and dialogue, educators will identify where their current practice already advances this framework and where shifts beyond the classroom may be needed.

Using a structured powermapping protocol, participants will apply the arts learning theory of change to real challenges in their own settings—identifying decision makers, sources of influence, and practical advocacy strategies. While rooted in arts learning, the tools and thinking routines shared in this session are relevant to any educator interested in shaping the conditions for meaningful learning and equity at a systems level.