Reading Reflection #6

1.      Discuss how technology tools can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths.

-          Using technology tools during a project will make the learning experience that much more worthwhile because it provides students with the opportunity to look back at their work, evaluate, and reflect. A blog is one example of a technology tool that encourages students to be reflective and evaluate their work. Blogs offer students space where they can reflect and evaluate over time about what they are learning. ProfilerPRO is another technology tool used to encourage students to reflect and evaluate. ProfilerPRO is an online survey that aids in identifying the interests, strengths, and weaknesses of your students to guide learning. Students can create an initial profile, then as learning continues, reflect back on their original and make changes as they acquire new skills and understanding. Another tool is a survey called the SurveyMonkey. A major aspect of the SurveyMonkey that is helpful in encouraging students to be reflective is that it allows students to see how their self-assessment compares to the larger group.

2.      Describe several ways in which you can get students’ minds ready for a project.

-          Activating students’ prior knowledge is the number one thing a teacher should remember when preparing the minds of the students before a project. One activity to aid activating prior knowledge is an activity called the K-W-L (know, wonder, learn). Students need time to let the new ideas “set-in” or settle, so make sure you prepare enough time to let students take advantage of this. While students let the new ideas set-in or settle, encourage them to explore the topic or ideas. You also want to draw students in; prepare them by getting the students excited about the topic or the project.

3.      Discuss the elements of teaching fundamentals first.

-          Before starting a new project, it may be beneficial for the students if prerequisite knowledge or skills students need to accomplish the project are taught first. Prerequisite knowledge or skills will help define a starting point for the project, and drive learning forward. It gives the students a foundation to build up from.

4.      Describe the important steps in preparing students for using technology in a project.

-          Using technology during a project will get the job done, but students need to know how to use the technology and why we use such technology. Ways in which you can help prepare your students for using technology are setting up a technology “playground”, tapping into student expertise, introducing project-management tools, demonstrating, and relying on the help of a technology specialist.

5.      Discuss ways to promote inquiry and deep learning.

-          As teachers, we can guide inquiry and deep learning by having students decide which questions to answer; students make informed decisions. “How” questions ask students to understand problems, weigh options and propose solutions. Hypothetical questions ask students to use the knowledge they already have to pose other questions or make inferences. “Should” questions encourage students to make moral and/or practical decisions based on evidence. To understand cause and effect, one should pose “why” questions for the students.

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

-          The idea of activating background knowledge and teaching prerequisite knowledge and skills before starting a project relates to our project. As teachers, we thought it was important to discuss with our students what exercises they do to be healthy in order to get their brains thinking about exercise in general.