Reading Reflection 6

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

·       There are many different ways that technology can be used as a reflective device. In EDT 3470, we use blogs to reflect on our work. I think this is beneficial because our group members and the instructor are able to see different thought processes throughout the semester. Another way that technology can be used as a reflective device is through surveys. Surveys such as ProfilerPRO and SurveyMonkey provide a way for both students and teachers to reflect on previous assignments. Students can give instructors feedback about different projects by assessing what went right and what could have gone better. Students can also identify their own strengths and weaknesses and reflect on the different skills they learned throughout the process.

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

·       The text suggests that all projects start out by tapping students’ prior knowledge. There are several ways that an instructor can tap into their students’ background knowledge and get their students’ attention. This can be as simple as starting a discussion about the topic or having them fill out a KWL chart. The instructor could bring in several items that have to do with the topic and have students guess what the upcoming project might be about. Whatever way the instructor decides to spark the interest of their students, the important thing to remember is to give students time to think about and discuss the topic. When this time is given, students will become intrigued and excited to start learning.

3.Discuss the elements of teaching fundamentals first.

·       When diving into an intricate project, it is important for teachers to understand where their students are starting out. It would be unrealistic to ask students to inquire about a topic if they do not have a solid knowledge base to start their thought process. One way that teachers can find out where their students are starting out would be having students fill out a KWL chart. This will give teachers a clear understanding of how much their students know about a specific topic. Once the KWL chart is completed, a teacher may notice that his students do not have very much background knowledge about the topic. The teacher can therefore determine that he needs to teach the fundamentals first before moving onto the project that he had planned.

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

·       Before starting a project that will involve students’ use of technology it is important for teachers to prepare their students to work with different technologies and understand how they will be using the technologies to learn. This requires advanced planning on the teacher’s part. Teachers need to evaluate what technologies they will be using and how much knowledge their students have about the use of these technologies. The teacher may want to ask tech-savvy students or the school’s technology specialist for help in teaching students how to use technologies before diving into the project. Teachers may develop a screencast in order to further help students use the technologies.  

5.Discuss ways to promote inquiry and deep learning.

·       One great way to promote inquiry and deep learning is to integrate several different subject areas into the project. Projects are much more beneficial and authentic to students’ lives when the project can be related to several different content areas. In the text, there was an example of a project on the topic of money. This project combined social studies, science, math, literature and art. The combination of these different subjects benefited the students’ learning more than if the project would have just focused on one subject area.

·       Another way to promote inquiry and deep learning is by redirecting questions that students may ask during a project. As teachers it is important that we learn how to redirect students’ questions so that they are set up for deeper learning. If a student asks, “What is money made of?”  we need to be able to redirect the question to, “How can you analyze money to learn what it is made of?” When questions are turned into other questions that are more challenging, it sets students on a path of inquiry.

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

·       My group can use the concepts in this chapter to help our students throughout our project. I think that it is important that before we start the project, we need to figure out how much they know about exercise and the different technologies they will use throughout the project. As fifth graders, they may know a little bit about computers, but they may not know how to Skype or edit a video. We need to think about how much time we will need to allot to teach our students how to use various technologies.

Inspiration Collaboration

ASSIGNMENT II, PART B: By now, you should have discovered some new ideas for your Collaborative Project. Therefore, you need to revise your Collaborative Inspiration concept map. This should be discussed as a post in Blog of what changes you have found and what changes need to be changed. You will also need to decide which team member should download the free 30-day trial of Inspiration Trial (10 Megs) Kidspiration Trial (16 Megs)-- be sure that only one group member does this. Then the concept map needs to be revised. (It will be compared to first one for revisions.)

 

This is what the website says. What are some things we could add to the map?  

 

What about things we will discuss with our pen pals, things we need for the video, maybe ways we will incorporate math and science into the project?

 

For the video:

script, camera crew, editors, actors,  music, etc. 

Pen pals:

Sports they play, how often they exercise, what they know about exercise

Ways to incorporate math and science:

Figuring out how many total hours (a week/a month/a year) we should exercise?, How exercise physically affects the body?

 

What do you think?

Reading Reflection #5

1.      Discussion on the items that should be considered before starting a project with students.

I believe that preparing heavily before starting a project with students is important. Obviously one of the first things to consider is what materials you need. Having all the materials before the project is started will help it to run more smoothly and efficiently. The next question is how much technology your students will need to use and if you will need to more access than you already have. Will you need to have students talk to experts to keep the project going is the next question. If so these people should be contacted as soon as possible to see if they can visit the classroom. We must also look to the parents and the community to see who else can help with the project. As a team, teachers must decide which part of the project they will become responsible for. 

2.      Discussion on the teachers’ and students’ management needs.

 

I believe that students need to be able to manage themselves. I wish that I was given more practice of this in school so that I would be more efficient today. I agree that giving students small chunks at a time will be helpful and show them that taking one step at a time will create a great project. Also, chunking the tasks will be easier on the teachers so they will not feel as overwhelmed. I think that a class calendar and blog is a great idea and will really help the students and parents stay on top of the project.

3.      Discuss some of the technology applications that should be considered for use in a project.

 

 We should be using web-based applications. These can be blogs, wiki, or web-based desktop applications. Creating a wiki will have students place their knowledge onto a webpage that they can share with the rest of the world. They can add web links and even create their own pages to develop the information that they have. I really like the idea of a wiki, although I know we will need to make sure the students are keeping record of their sources. In a web-based desktop application they can create a place just for them to keep their records. It will be like an 'office' to keep their information. I believe that this will help students to stay very organized.

 

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

 

I think this really relates to our project because I am chunking things day by day on my own calendar, we have a group blog and we are each deciding what  part of the project we will be responsible for. I believe that planning as much as possible will help me be a better teacher so I can prepare for any struggles or hurtles we must overcome. Also, having something planned day by day will help my students to feel like I have prepared well for them and I am confident they will do well.

Reading Reflection #5

1.      Discussion on the items that should be considered before starting a project with students.

-          Before starting a project, a teacher should plan for what resources/items will be needed. First, a teacher should check available inventory to see what supplies, tools, and other materials are available for use. Computers, computer software, and the Internet are technology resources that may need to be available before starting a project. Referring to experts of the community may also be a resource to take into consideration before starting a project. Knowing in advance the resources you have available will help organize the project and help things run smoothly.

2.      Discussion on the teachers’ and students’ management needs.

-          In order for a project to be successful, teachers and students need to work collaboratively together. Teachers and students also have to entail certain management skills so that the project is organized and productive. Teachers need to plan for how they will communicate with their students and others about the project. Teachers also need to plan milestones and make events visible for students to notify students of possible changes. Also, teachers must manage the methods for getting resources to students and managing a system for working projects. Management tools and strategies students need include: managing their time and flow of work, managing materials and control work drafts, collaborating, get and use feedback on their work (through self-reflection, team input, and teacher advice), and work iteratively and to see how parts add up to the whole.

3.      Discuss some of the technology applications that should be considered for use in a project.

-          Web-based applications are important aspects of project-based learning. There are several ways to go about using web-based applications to make your project successful. Some of the web-based applications are a wiki page, a blog, Drupal, and Textpattern. All of these web-based applications help students and teachers communicate among each other. It makes it easier to plan, set milestones, manage research, add web links, and edit information collaboratively.

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

-          The concepts of this chapter relate to our project because we are using web-based applications (such as a blog) to communicate among group members. The blog makes it easy for us to communicate on a day to day basis about our research and discuss project progress. A blog is something I would incorporate in my classroom practices; whether it’s with students, parents, or other teachers in my school or other school districts.

Reading Reflection 5

1. Discussion on the items that should be considered before starting a project with students.

• Before starting a project with students it is important that a teacher plans for what resources they will need. In-depth projects may depend on many resources-computers, computer software, Internet access, etc. Projects also may depend on help from experts in the community. It is important that teachers plan ahead of time what they will need for the project and also provide a back-up plan in case something does not work.

2. Discussion on teachers’ and students’ management needs.

• During the project it is important that both teachers and students stay organized. Without an organized classroom management plan the project may not be as successful as it could be. Teachers need to plan for how they will communicate with their students about deadlines and changes. They also need to plan how they will structure the learning environment so that students are engaged. In order for students to be successful during the project, they also have to have their own management plans. Students should be prepared to know how to ask for help when help is needed, learn how to manage their time and work flow and also how to reflect back on their work through constructive feedback from peers and instructors.

3. Discuss some of the technology applications that should be considered for use in a project.

• The most important thing to consider in project-based learning is communication. For a project to be successful there must be open and active communication between students and instructors and students and their group members. One way that teachers can incorporate technology into their projects to make communication easier is by creating a blog. Blogs are a great tool for communicating progress throughout the project and allows group members and instructors to discuss project ideas.

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

• In this class, we use a blog to communicate ideas about our project and submit assigned work. I like this idea because it makes it easy to communicate outside of the classroom. I think that incorporating a blog into our project would be beneficial for students. They would be able to reflect on project ideas and communicate new ideas to group members both in and outside the classroom.

script

Hello Parents of Room 2202, here's what happening in our classroom.

We are going to be incorporating project-based learning into our current unit on exercise. Project Based Learning is a new way of doing projects in, and outside of a classroom. It is a great way for our students to become familiar with the real world and practice the skills they will need to succeed with today’s technology and practices. Project Based Learning serves as the centerpiece of the curriculum while incorporating countless other subjects, such as math, science, art, reading and the list goes on and on. Your children will be learning to work collaboratively to answer their own questions and reach their goals. They will learn to manage themselves and the time they use to be efficient and create a quality project.  Project Based Learning helps students to explore all corners of the globe and incorporate many different cultures into these projects through the use of technology. Project Based Learning may seem new and a little strange to our students at first but once they see how they are answering their own questions and achieving their goals through research it will be a piece of cake!

Throughout the last few months, our class has been learning many different things about physical activity. We started off our unit by asking our students one question: What is exercise? Students discussed in their groups and then shared with the class different activities that they partake in.  Many students said that they play football, basketball, swimming and running for exercise. Our goal for this unit is for our students to discover the benefits of exercising through research. As well as develop knowledge about different or new ways that they might achieve these benefits.  

The students started off their endeavor by using the Internet and databases to research the different physical, emotional and social benefits of physical activity. They then worked in groups to present a multimedia production of their choice. Students had the freedom to present this information in the form of blogs, podcasts, Power points, posters, written essays, webcam, videos, or pictures. This lesson incorporated creativity, collaboration and resourcefulness, which are all major aspects of project-based learning.

Next the students researched different physical activities that may have been unfamiliar to them up to this point. Students researched different activities involving meditation, cardio, core-strengthening and aerobics. The students used this information as a base when they created their own weekly work-out log. Students were challenged further to conduct interviews with the gym teacher, the health teacher and family physicians to talk about what activities might be best for them as fifth grade students. As they created their logs, they were asked to describe in detail how they will benefit from each activity.

As we continue with our unit on exercise, students will be communicating with fifth-grade pen pals via email and webcam in Australia. They will learn and discuss how physical activity compares to their peers living across the globe. Students will share what they have learned with their pen pals and learn to play the popular Australian sport of Cricket. Students will have the opportunity to research about the history, view videos on how to play this game and eventually play.

The lessons that we have completed thus far have prepared our students for our final project. Students will create their own workout video to share with their families, pen pals, and students in their school. They will be using the information they have learned in their research to create an informative and fun video. Students will be using all aspects of project-based learning by creating their own outfits, writing the script, filming and acting. This project will incorporate math, science, language arts and physical education. After the final project is completed, parents and family members will be invited to our exercise fair which will display all of the projects that were completed throughout the unit.

We hope that this will be a learning experience not only for our students, but for everyone involved.

Reading Reflection #4

1.      Discuss the potential pitfalls in project design

-          Long on activity, short on learning outcomes- You want to create a project that will meet the learning goals of the lesson quickly and efficiently. You also want to create a project that is “right sized”; meaning, the amount of time spent immersed in a project should reflect positively in the learning outcomes. If students are spending a large amount of time on the project itself and are not gaining enough out of the “learning” experience, then that particular project may not be worth the time.

-          Technology layered over traditional practice- Incorporating technology into a project can be beneficial to the students learning and essential to their learning experiences. However, it is important that the project focuses on reaching the learning outcomes through the use of technology. Using technology should bring students and co-workers together, connect students to rich data or primary sources, and provide another way to allow students to create unique and high-quality learning products.

-          Trivial thematic units- It’s important to know that thematic unity doesn’t necessarily mean project-based learning. However, teachers can decide to use an overall theme to unify projects. A unify theme can help students make connections from project to project.

-          Overly scripted with many, many steps- Projects can sometimes include too many detailed steps that can actually take away from the learning experience. On the other, starting what may be a complicated project may be worth all the detailed steps. It all depends on the learning objectives and the student outcomes.

2.      Discuss the features of a good project

-          Good projects share many qualities. Some important qualities that teachers should keep in mind at all times include: loosely designed with the possibility of different learning paths, generative- causing students to construct meaning, capture student interest, realistic, reach beyond school to involve others, are structured so students learn with and from each other, get at 21^st century skills and literacies, and have students learn by doing. If teachers can keep some of the above qualities in mind when designing/implementing a project, students should have the experience needed to accomplish the learning goals.

3.      Discuss where project ideas come from

-          Project ideas can come from anywhere. Students can be a great resource for driving project ideas. Also, the Internet is full of ideas and ways to help change/create project ideas. News stories, contemporary issues, and student questions/interests are also ways in which a project idea can be developed or created.

4.      Discuss the steps to design a project

-          There are many crucial steps one must take in designing a “good” project. The first thing a teacher should do is return to the framework of the project. When doing this, review the learning goals and the objectives of the project, and decide on the specific 21^st century skills you want to address. Next, establish ways to identify evidence of understanding. How will you know your students are making progress? How will you assess their learning? The next step is to plan and execute.

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

-          This chapter gives us the necessary insight, tools and resources to create our own projects. Not only can we develop/create a project through the ideas and concepts discussed in this chapter, we now can develop/create a project that is appropriate and worth the learning experience.