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.