My standards

USA- ISTE: National Educational Technology Standards for Students: The Next Generation

Standard: 1. Creativity and Innovation- Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

Indicator: Students: b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.

Standard: 3. Research and Information Fluency- Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

Indicator: Students: b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.

Final Concept Map

Final updated concept map now completely reflects the set up of our entire unit and as listed in our storyboard.

Reflection 11

1. Description of what occurs as a result of using the Project-based learning approach.
2. Discussion on ways to “bring your project home”.
3. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project

There is no doubt that using the project-based learning approach is going to change your teaching style. However it will improve it. Your lessons will be more effective and you will get more out of your students. Your students will benefit from Project based learning. The students will have to solve real world problems and this will help them become life long learners. The approach will benefit both the teacher's and the students' learning experience. 

The book refers to "bring your project home". This is the finalization of your final project goal. All the work that the students have put into the project is finally coming to an end. The project will lead to new open doors and will help the student take his or her learned knowledge and apply it to life's next obstacle. 

This chapter directly relates to our class. We are finalizing our project and creating a final presentation to put it all together.

Chapter 11

There are so many things that occur as a result of using the project based learning approach. The benefits that students can reap are infinite. The skills that students will learn to use in project based atmosphere set them up for the real world but maximizing their retention of knowledge and teaching them cooperation, communication and more. The front loaded work for us as teachers pays off in the end as well. Working with other teachers ensures that multiple thought processes can give the best project as well as being able to tweak it as time goes on. For both the students and the teachers, project based learning can benefit all around.
There are a few ways to "bring your project home." You want to think about how to capitalize your investment. Think back on your project and figure out which activities were the most engaging. Those are the ones to continue to use on future projects. Another thing that is important is to critique your work. Go through and review the students' products. From there you can see which activities were successful and which ones flopped. This is critical in continuing into the next year to alter lessons and activities. Be a resource for your colleagues. When you can share your PBL experience with them it will help gain new insights to the approach. No matter how the project wraps up, it is good to remember that the journey is also important. Take time to see how far you've come and what new things the future holds.
This chapter related to what we are doing in class because with the end of the semester right around the corner, we too are wrapping up. We are working on our websites and finishing up everything we have been working on. Making this website is a lot like "sharing your insights" from the chapter. By making everything accessible online for other teachers to use. This is also a way for us to reflect on the work we have completed.

Reading Reflection 10

“Taking time to reflect helps students feel good about their acomplishments, but more importantly, reflection can be a thing that makes learning really stick.” They will think about things they might not necessarily dwelled on because often in a classroom setting, when a project is finished, you quickly move on without any extra thought. When students are given the time to reflect they are making their own meaning out of what was learned. When a student can have specific meaning, they are so much more likely to remember. This is key because the most important aspect of doing project-based learning, is that students will be able to take more out of it. Offering them time to reflect also allows for critical feedback. 

All schools are different, and schools’ identities are linked to their traditions. When in your own classroom, if you can establish a traditional project it will set up a foundation. Younger students will look forward to getting to your classroom because of years of other students doing the same project. This builds excitement for the younger students to get there.

Showing off student work is absolutely vital for many reasons. This gives students a sense of pride, but it also shows your appreciation for their hard work. When students are spending so much of their time on a specific assignment or project, it is important that their work does not go “unseen” so they don’t feel like it was wasteful.

This chapter relates to our topic because with project-based learning I think it really is important to reflect for feedback. When creating a project you will need to alter it to make is as successful as possible. Getting feedback allows you to do so. Also when doing project based learning “celebrating” the work is just exactly what we do. We post to our blogs, upload videos etc.  

Reading Reflection 9

Reflection 10

            Reflecting helps you improve your learning. Reflecting on what you have learned really helps the information stick. Reflection helps students reveal things that they might not otherwise think about. Students can recognize what they have learned; see their growth as a learner, and what they want to learn in projects ahead. Students should self reflect to find both their strengths and weaknesses.

            Teachers should ask questions that would help prompt students to reflect deeply on themselves. You should focus on just the points of emphasis that will help the student grow. Broad reflections are not always effective. Students could be reflecting on something with little importance. Reflecting can help you improve your deep level thinking and keep you interested for what is next.

            Many schools’ identities are tied to their traditions. For example, many schools are known as sports’ powerhouses. What these schools share is a sense of tradition and an expectation of excellence. When teachers see students reach their goals its important to be excited about it for them and to keep pushing them to their limits. Students should never be satisfied. They need to reach as far as they can.

            It’s important to celebrate project achievements. They should be recognized for all the hard work they put in. The classroom is a team atmosphere. When someone on your team reaches their goals its important to celebrate!

            This chapter directly relates to what we are doing in our class. We are working in teams to reach a goal. Each and every one of us is finding out what we are good at and bad at. It’s important that we reflect on what we are learning so that it sticks with us.

Reflection 9

Activating prior background knowledge is a key concept in learning. When teachers can scaffold their lessons it helps the students learn more. When lessons are connected to each other the students get a better understanding. PBL is a great approach to help students build off what they learned one class and then apply it to the next. A great warm-up activity to activate prior background knowledge is by having every student complete a KWL chart. In this chart the students will list what they know, what they want to know, and what they learned.

It’s important to establish anchors for your students. Before you can assess your students you need to learn about them. Every student is different so you have to plan ways to differentiate instruction. It’s hard to grade every student to the same standards because then you are not assessing them as individuals. By learning prior to a lesson where your students are at you can create better results.  

There are endless ways to assess your students. You can assess your students based on their own improvements or compare them to the entire class. Either way all assessments need to stay private between the teacher, student, and parent. Portfolios are a great assessing tool to watch your students improve over time. Formal assessments can also be used. For example, an exam. PBL uses mainly rubrics for assessing. Many times the teacher and students will create the rubrics together. This way the students understand exactly what they need to accomplish.

This chapter directly relates to what we are doing in class. It talks about how when working in teams you are going to have students of different abilities. Its important to realize that you know every student learns differently. PBL is a great for having students use what works best for them.

Reflection 8

There are many ways to build connections and branch out beyond the classroom. Branching outside of the classroom helps students reach an authentic audience. Students now can use technology to get feedback from people from around the globe. For example, students can use a blog to communicate with someone from outside of their classroom and have them put in their own perspective. It’s your job as a teacher to adapt to the 21^st century needs and provide your students with as many opportunities as possible that will prepare them for the real world.

The East Initiative model is built on four essential ideas, all which are part of the original design. First, students need to be responsible for their own learning. It’s important for students to realize that they are in control of their choices. A teacher cannot teach a student anything unless they take the initiative. It’s also important that students are solving real world problems. If students can make connections to a problem and their own life they will be more engaged. Since it is the 21^st century its important that students have access to relevant technologies. Having experience with these technologies will help prepare students to become professionals. Lastly, It’s essential that students are working together collaboratively. You will accomplish more as a team then you will as an individual. 

It’s important that students learn how to lead so that they will develop professionalism. It’s hard to teach students how to lead. The best way to introduce them is by putting them in the situation. This chapter relates to our class. We are working in groups collaboratively, using relevant technologies, and are developing leaders. By learning from this chapters content you are preparing yourself to be a professional. 

Reflection 7

There are several levels of discussions that take place in the classroom. The first level of discussion is teacher to teacher. It’s important that teachers collaborate together to create the best game plan. Teachers can communicate by using blogs, email, etc. It doesn’t have to be face-to-face conversations only. Student to student conversation are important for establishing teamwork. Having students working together helps them learn from one another. It’s important that students practice communicating with their peers because it helps prepare them for the next chapter in their life. The last discussion the book talks about is teacher to student. In a traditional classroom the lecture format dominates. A classroom discussion is a great way to get all of the students involved. It’s important for students to create opinions at a young age.

In a PBL classroom it’s important that as the teacher you stay aware of how the students are working together. When students are working in groups you can expect them moving at many different speeds, which is completely normal. Students should ask themselves “Are we staying on task?” Students need to track their progress and be able to estimate deadlines. Another question is “How are the team members getting along?” Sometimes some students decide to take on more responsibility than others. As a teacher you need to make sure that some students are taking advantage of the others. “Have you considered this research…? Have you thought about…?” these are great question to help extend students thinking. It’s important to push them to their individual limits. Lastly, it is important to ask questions that make students assess themselves.

It’s important that teachers choose technologies that are going to best meet the needs of the students. To find the best technology that fits is the project is key. If your technology software needs to be taught by a professional then make sure you do so. It’s the 21^st century: implementing technology is a must. It helps them reach their learning goals and prepares them for the future.

Teamwork is another 21^st century skill that can make or break a project. If you see conflict you need help students learn how to manage it. It is a real life skill that will help them later on. Working as a team is the most important aspect of working when you get older. You need to learn how to handle hostile situations. They are going to be uncomfortable no matter what you do. Just try to handle them in a professional matter as much as possible and see what happens.

This chapter relates to our chapter directly. The real world is about learning how to properly communicate with people. Being able to properly communicate with people helps you avoid conflicts, makes challenges easier, and solves problems.             

Reading Reflection 7

There are three levels of classroom discussion: teacher to teacher, student to student, and teacher to student. Teacher to teacher involves the project planning and taking advantage of opportunities to work together. Face to face collaboration isn’t always necessary to work on the project between teachers. The use of project blogs or wiki can help teacher-teacher conversation continue.  Student to student discussion is a crucial part of the learning process. It is important to remind students that good communication skills are a part of effective teamwork and “explaining their thinking gives students opportunities to learn from and challenge each other.” Teacher to student interactions are more dominate in traditional classroom settings. So in a PBL setting might need less teacher to student interactions. Using management tools through project web sites or blogs, online calendar, or online workspace can help check in on the students to see where they’re at.

            Many different questions can be asked to check in on students during a project and for different areas of the project. Some procedural questions include: are we staying on schedule? Do we have the right materials available? For teamwork check in you might ask, “is one student carrying too much of the load for the whole team?  Are students able to manage conflict themselves or do they need my help?” These questions can help move you in the right direction before continuing with the project to ensure a positive outcome. To check in with student understanding it is important to spend time observing them at work and listen to their conversations. If students are struggling you can ask them questions to trigger deeper thinking, “have you thought about ____?” When self-assessing you can ask questions that encourage reflections. Offering project journals and blogs give students the opportunity to share things they might not want to in class.

There are unlimited benefits to students when optimizing the use of technology. An example from the book was the use of MP3 players in the classroom to integrate them into teaching as opposed to confiscating them. The students were able to easily make and listen to podcasts. This helped students because they could go back and listen to the information instead of asking questions repeatedly. The students described this as a “better way of learning.”

            21^st century skills can make or break a project. It is important to watch carefully to students working in teams right at the beginning. Help the students learn to manage conflicts and work together. This is an important skill that they will continue to use throughout life. One idea from the book was to implement roles for each member that consists of certain responsibilities, and if they neglect these responsibilities they can be fired. By making teamwork an assessment like this, it helps emphasize the importance of teamwork.

            This directly relates to what we do in this class because of how important teamwork is. To work in groups sometimes can be hard, but with the right communication and problem solving skills, it can really enhance learning.

Reading Reflection 6

“Through the project and all of its cognitive demands, they will become more experienced, and they will be more capable learners at the end. Before and after a project, have students complete a self-evaluation that focuses on the learning dispositions you expect them to develop during the project.” When students are able to evaluate themselves before and after a project, it helps them specify the certain events that helped them learn. When they are able to pin point the tools in which assisted them in learning they will know for the next project what is most successful for helping them learn. Blogs and surveys are two prime examples of ways for students to reflect before and after projects. This is also a great way to see the difference when comparing the two. Technology can test students on many levels to push them to work outside of their comfort zone.

            Good project start by tapping students’ prior knowledge. An example used was KWL activities. When you start getting students attention, its “all about possibilities”. Let the students think about the topic when they are at home and come back with ideas. Students working on colonizing the planets each brought something to the table. One student made a digital slideshow of photographs, another looked on Ebay for posters.

            Teaching the fundamentals first is a very important aspect of beginning a project. All students need to be equipped with the proper information to move forward in a certain unit to make it successful. “By teaching the fundamentals, I was sure my students would be pointed in the right direction when they started the project.” Another teacher talked about how she worked with her students on online collaboration, video production and other skills for a year before they began their project. This way they are ready and prepared with the right tools.

            There are steps to take in preparing students for using technology. Ask yourself, “What tools are best for the job? What do students already know how to do? What will they need to know?” Before starting a lesson teaching technology, they suggest considering how you can set up opportunities for students to learn among themselves. “Encourage students to teach each other. What to see where your helps is needed.” By setting up computer stations each with one tool or software, this way students can switch between them. It is also important to make sure to demonstrate tools if you are familiar with them, and if not, rely on your technology specialist to help you along as well.

            Students can brainstorm the ways to combine social studies with science, math, literature, and art in their learning. As teachers we can guide their inquiry by using starter questions like, “which one”, “how”, “what if?, “should…” and “why”. Any of these can be used to cover a topic and subject matter to help students inquire.

            This relates to what we are doing in class because when you are teaching technology it is important to demonstrate the way to use these tools, but the best way to actually learn, is to use them yourself. Which is exactly what we do in this class.