Reading Reflection 4

Discuss the potential pitfalls in project design.

The first pitfall is that the project is long on activity, but short on learning outcomes. As teachers we want to make sure that our students are not wasting their time doing a big project but learning something they could get from just reading a short article. It would be extremely easy to fall into this trap by trying to make learning fun but we must also make sure that the amount of learning matches the amount of time spent on the project. The second pitfall to watch out for is trivial thematic units. We need to make sure that we are combining all subjects (math, science, writing, reading, etc.) into one themed project, not one theme into all different, and separate, subjects. The final pitfall is to make sure the project is not overly scripted with many steps. We need to make sure that we are guiding our students through their learning, not just telling them what to do. If the steps are extremely descriptive and narrow the students will have no room to collaborate, think outside the box or become independent in their thinking.

Discuss the features of a good project.

Features to look for in a good project are, first, that students can take many different paths to learn different things. This means that students will use inquiry to practice risk-taking, resilience, cooperation and self-reflection. The projects must be realistic to situations in life and cross many disciplines. Students must use technology, rich in data, to communicate with each other and manage their projects. Students must construct meaning from the projects and work together, with other students and people outside of the classroom, to learn even more from the project. And most importantly to have the students learn by doing.

Discuss where project ideas come from.

There are many different places to find ideas for projects. Some of which are: a pre-existing project with more potential, projects plans for teachers, news stories and contemporary issues. Many ideas can come from the classroom itself, such as student questions, a classroom irritant (such as an ipod) or a combination of a great idea and a new tool.

Discuss the steps to design a project.

The first thing you need when designing a project is objectives for your students. This is so they know what they are supposed to be doing and what they will achieve at the end. Then it must be decided what 21^st century skills you want your students to use in the project. There are universal skills that will be addressed in every project, such as project management skills. Learning dispositions are the next step, deciding which ones the students will use in the project. Very important is the theme of the project or the ‘challenge’ that the students will be utilizing. And there must be an introduction that you give to your students about the project. Creating a project sketch will help you to see everything that you have already thought out and to see what else you need or what you can take out.

Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

I think a lot of this has to do with our project. We need to plan everything out and know what is included in a good project. We must be aware of what can hinder our students learning in our projects and we should know what to watch out for to prevent these things. This will help us to create our project for this class and for our PBL projects in the future.