Final Concept Map Revised

Here is our final concept map revised. This revised map includes more information about what each of the 6 groups will be studying in each area of the school environment. It has narrowed down which areas we will be focusing on and has more of a detailed structure about what the project is going to include.

Reading Reflection #6

   1.       There are several technology tools that can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths. One tool is the blog. Blogs offer students a space where they can reflect over time about what they are learning. Another tool is ProfilerPRO. This tool is an online survey that allows teachers to identify the learning characteristics of individual students. Teachers can identify interests, strengths, and weaknesses through this tool. This information can be used to guide student learning. Two other tools include SurveyMonkey and Zoomerang. These tools also help teachers to set up online surveys. Teachers can use the results to track trends and help students see how their self-assessment compares to the larger group.

   2.       There are several ways in which teachers can get students’ minds ready for a big project. One way is to tap into their prior knowledge. By doing this, you can learn what they already know, what they might wonder about the topic and what they want to learn about the topic. Teachers can also get students’ minds ready to start a big project by talking it up, really emphasizing how much you are looking forward to working on it and how much fun it will be for the students. By talking the project up, students can really get a feel for what they will be doing and will start playing possibilities in their heads of what they could do for the project. This also helps their imaginations to run and really get excited to work on the project.

   3.       Teaching the fundamentals first is a very important part of starting a project. To be able to work independently or with others on a project, the students need to know prerequisite knowledge and skills to be able to work on it. Knowing the fundamentals also help students to get pointed in the right direction when starting a project. If students don’t start with the fundamentals, they might start off on the wrong foot and it would be hard to reign them back in and go in the correct direction.

   4.       The book describes 4 important steps for teachers to take with preparing their students to use technology in a project. First, teachers need to set up a technology playground. This can be done by letting the students play and try to figure out the technology on their own. The kids won’t get bored by having the teacher demonstrate all the time and students can lean on their classmates to figure out how it works. Second, teachers can let technically able students to teach others. The teacher could train students in the technology and these students can help others in different work stations around the room. A third step teachers can take to prepare students to use technology is to introduce a project-management tool. This could be a checklist or some sort of project journal. These tools can offer up a place for reflection about the project; it can also provide just-in-time assessment and opens up doors to get feedback or correction that the students may need. A forth step is for teachers to demonstrate the technology. If the teacher does not know how the technology works, you could ask a technology specialist, another teacher or a tech-savvy student to demonstrate to the class how the technology works.

   5.       There are several ways teachers can promote inquiry and deep learning. Teachers can shape students’ interests into real inquiry, so they guide them past the superficial and factual to more meaningful research. Students can often led themselves into limited explorations, but teachers can guide them to think in deeper ways, transformed by deep inquiry. Together, teachers and students can arrive at more challenging questions that encompasses the first idea, and covers a lot more, deeper ground and understanding. Teachers can guide their students to think more like experts in a certain area, leading students to ask more skilled questions.

   6.       I think a reflection tool, such as a project journal or blog, could be a really valuable aspect of our project.  This could help the teachers get into the minds of the students, see what they are struggling with, what they like about the project and could shape what future projects look like. I think a good prior knowledge activity to do with our students about the project would be for them to brainstorm different areas of our school and what they know about those areas. It will help the students and the teacher be able to see what they already know, what they wonder, and what they want to learn about each area. As far as steps we could take to prepare students for the technology, we first need to decide what technology we are going to use. After we decide, we can train certain students to learn how to use the technology or let the student kind of get to know the technology on their own before they start the project. Also, I think as a group we need to discuss what deeper thinking we can have our students do regarding the project. To know how to go beyond just the superficial and really get students’ brains thinking in the deeper way about the material.

Reading Discussion #5

   1.  Many things should be considered before starting a project with students. The teacher will need to gather resources. They can do this by taking an inventory and seeing what supplies, tools, and other materials at the school or offered by parents and/or the community have available. Teachers also need to make sure their students will have access to technology that will be easy for them to use and that will be able to be accessed frequently. Teachers also want to keep in mind the type of experts that could come into the classroom in which students could learn from. Teachers also might want to consider videoconferencing or virtual field trips that could take place for the students if actual traveling is not available. Teachers also want to make sure they have a project calendar that is posted online or in the classroom that highlights when deadlines with tasks are due. Teachers also want to make sure that they plan their teams well, making sure each team has a good mix of skills. Teachers also want to plan what assessments to do throughout the project and create opportunities to know what your students are thinking and understanding throughout the project, not just at the end.  There are many things to think about before starting a project. It can kind of be overwhelming to think of it all, but front-loading at the beginning of the project is totally worth it in the end to have a successful project that the students enjoy.

 

    2. Teachers’ management needs include: tools for communicating throughout the project, a tools for making milestones for the students (like a school calendar), ways to get students access to resources, systems for managing work products, structures that support a productive learning environment, and assessment tools and strategies.

Students’ management needs include: systems and tools to help them manage their time, tools to help them manage materials and drafts along the way, collaboration tools, method for seeking assistance, ways to get and receive feedback on their work, a way to see how parts will add up to the whole project.

   3.       The book presents 4 technology applications that should be considered for use in a project. First, a wiki can be created to share content and to be able to write and edit from anywhere. Second, a blog is more of a one-to-many delivery system, one primary author controls the contents. Viewers can comment on posts. Blogs can be great for communicating about progress or milestones. Third and fourth, Drupal and Textpattern are more sophisticated spaces that combine content management and blogging. These have plugins such as discussion forums and surveys.

  

   4.      There is so much to think about for finalizing our project idea. We will need to think about how we can gather resources for our students. We will also need to think about what types of technology our students can use for the project. We need to discuss experts that could come into our classroom that could talk about their own work in our project area. We also need to think about possible virtual field trips that we could take our students on to deepen the project experience. We need to get organized and figure out a project calendar on what students should be doing when and when things should be due. Finally, we need to think about the ways in which we are going to assess for this project.

Reading Reflection 4

1. The potential pitfalls in project designs include not being the "right-size", not using technology in the right way for students to be creative when presenting findings, making a theme for the school year that doesn't get the student thinking outside the box as well as too many steps that causes the same information from everyone.

2. Features of a good project:
     -loosely designed with different learning paths
     -causing students to construct meaning
     -focus on a driving question
     -capture student interest
     -realistic and cross multiple disciplines
     -go beyond school and involve others
     -reach primary sources
     -structured for students to learn as a team
     -use 21st century skills
     -teaches important dispositions
     -students learning by doing

3. Project ideas are infinite. Some project ideas come from previous successful projects.

4.   a. Revisit the Framework
      b. Establish evidence of understanding
      c. Plan the project theme or challenge
      d. Plan entree into the project experience

5. The concepts in this chapter relate to our topic/projects reflect what we are trying to accomplish. We have to have students come up with a way in order to present their findings in a technological way. We also want the students to be engaged and interested in what they are researching.

Reading Reflection #4

      1. One potential pitfall in project design is having a project that takes a long time to finish, but doesn’t really meet a lot of learning aims. Another pitfall is not just using technology to make a research report type of project, but to actually use the technology to bring people together, connect students to rich data and to be able to create unique learning products. Another pitfall projects can fall into is trivial thematic units. These types of units can get away from using multiple disciplines, having collaboration, and being rigorous, which are all areas of PBL that need to be present in order for it to be successful. A final pitfall that projects can fall into is having a lot of steps to get through; the best PBL projects have students make critical decisions in their learning path.

   

      2. One feature of a good project is letting the students’ interests and curiosity drive the learning experience. Another feature is to have students develop inquiry skills. Another is to teach the students how to do internet research to answer their own questions. Another feature is to have the students keep asking questions and wanting to ask questions about the material surrounding their project. Another good feature is to teach the students something that they do not already know, and to keep them wanting to learn more.

     3.  Good projects come from anywhere. Tried and true projects from the past, projects made by and for other teachers, news stories, contemporary issues, student questions/interests, and/or a classroom irritant name a few places where ideas can come from.

  

     4. One step to designing a project is to make a list of the learning objectives you want your project to hit. Another step is to decide what 21^st century skills you want your students to learn during the project, such as critical thinking and collaboration). Another step is to identify learning dispositions you want to foster, such as persistence and reflection. Another step is to imagine what you would want the students to be able to do after completing the project. A final step is thinking of a project that will captivate your students’ attention and get them excited to learn.

  

      5. I feel like there could be many pitfalls in the project design that my group has so far. We need to determine what we really want our learning aims to be, and not just let the project be really long with no real learning involved. We also need to make sure we are using technology in a good way and figure out when and where to use it within the project. I think we really need to sit down and write out a project sketch like the book suggested and try and identify what our goals and objectives and overall project is going to look like.

Reading Reflection 3

1.  The project has to be purposeful for the students; once you have determined the effectiveness of the project you should consider the relevance. Is this project going to be the relevant to students’ lives and the society they spend life in? The “Big Idea” should be realistic, engaging, and promote higher order thinking skills. It should be clear to the students how the project will modify the world around them.
2. The 21st century presents students with an entire set of new skills they need to know to succeed in this day and age. Bloom’s taxonomy can help to shape lessons and projects to help students develop higher order thinking skills along with 21st century skills. The taxonomy will help to develop these new skills by forcing the students to justify, characterize, design, and explain their topics of study and learn about them in depth.
3. Literacy skills are continually evolving with the technology of the present day. Literacy is not only being able to read the written word. It has transformed into being able to think outside the box, navigating the digital age, and doing this all on a deadline. In addition to reading in writing today's students have to have the ability to collaborate and community with many different kinds of people, along with understanding social responsibilities. The world has shrunken down to fit it in our pockets one persons reach has never been longer.
4. I find that the learning functions are essential to all successful learning communities. Some students despise school and only go because they are told to or have no other place to move. This doesn’t have to be the case; students’ perceptions can be changed. Learning can be made enjoyable and not seen as a chore. By implementing these functions, students will want to attend school and to learn from you. They will allow the students to relax and do not think of the pressures of the outside world.

• Ubiquity: Students should get help to realize that the majority of learning is not done in a classroom and not all-important knowledge comes from a book. Their brains are constantly taking in new information, processing it and putting it to good use. Learning should be about what happens in life, not just what happens in the classroom.
• Deep learning: Allow students to find out more information about the things they enjoy and integrate them into the lesson. Shape the lesson around the student and don’t force the student to fit the mold.
• Making things visible and discussable: Many students would classify themselves as kinesthetic learners meaning they need to be hands on, manipulating and touching in order to understand. According to the cone of learning people remember 20% of what we hear, 50% of what we see, but we remember 90% of what we see and do. Allowing for open discussion will inform the teacher of the interests their students have and what they want to learn, and not what they are told to learn.
• Collaboration: In today’s world the people who are most successful are the people who can work together to get things done.
• Research: Without even realizing it students are constantly doing research. A lot of the time it is not academic but for entertainment, but they are using those skills that prove to be beneficial. Allow them to convert these interests and skills to develop a finished product they can display proudly.
• Project management: Students today are busier than ever with school, sports, work, and personal obligation. Teaching these students projects and time management skills early will only be to their benefit. Assisting them to plan and organize will seem unimportant to them at first, but as they mature they will realize its importance in life.
• Reflection and iteration: Humans are a stubborn creator. It’s in our nature. We tend not to learn the lesson when it is told to use, but after we have lived it ourselves. Thinking back and reflecting on life events and how it made you feel will deepen your understanding of the world around you and the learning experience. Taking the successes and defeats of a project will force students to truly think about what needs to be fixed later and what they should do the next time. Teaching students about metacognition and reflecting their learning will enable them to develop and further engage in their projects. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.
  
  

       5.Implementing these ideals will allow us as teachers to develop projects that have a longer reach           out into the community and develop our student’s higher level thinking skills. They will help               us to engage our students and better develop the 21st century skills that are a necessity.

Reading Reflection #2

This chapter is about collaboration between teachers. I have never heard of this concept but it is brilliant. By doing this, students benefit because there is no confusion between grades because the teachers know what is exactly taught and they won't be skipping out on subjects or topics.

In the Spotlight section, Elise collaborated with four other teachers. She  said that they "have a 'gotta know' attitude" as well as making sure that they push each other to take their projects to the next level. This is a really good idea because as teachers, we want our students to be prepared as they continue their educational careers. The more we push ourselves to explore further or think of how to make our lessons or projects better by using technology, the more the students will know to take with them.

Collaboration between teachers seems to be essential in the school. You want to have a team of teachers that will challenge your thinking as well as improving the way you teach. You also want to be able to work with a group of in which everybody puts an effort forth. The list that Boss and Krauss has provided in this chapter is extremely helpful in what to look for in a group.

Here is the link to our finalized pen pal assignment.

Reading Reflection #3

1.       Several areas should be considered when finding “the Big Idea” for a project. First, you should make sure the big idea covers multiple content areas. Using your big idea, you should be able to incorporate math, science, language arts, art, and history in the project. If one of those areas doesn’t fit into the big idea, then the project will not be considered a true PBL approach. Other areas to consider include being able to teach and discover the big ideas in multiple ways. PBL does not only use a textbook approach, it uses many other resources and avenues to get the students the information they need to complete the project. Finally in finding a big idea for a project, the teacher should look at the curriculum and decide one of the big themes that the curriculum is trying to teach. Teachers can take an overarching theme and create a project that uses multiple subject areas.

2.       The PBL approach helps students to develop 21^st century skills. PBL goes beyond the overall subject and helps students to follow higher-level thinking skills. Some of these skills include: analyzing, evaluating and creating. When students are completing the project, not only are they learning the content, but they are also learning the actions that go along with these higher-level thinking skills.

3.       The PBL approach also helps students to develop 21^st Century literacies. When a child is 21^st Century literate that means they can be independent, aware, and productive citizens. So not only do the students have the 21^st Century skills, as mentioned above,  they also have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use information and these skills in everyday life.

4.       There are eight essential learning functions. Ubiquity is a learning function that helps students have the tools that they need to become mobile learners, to be able to learn when and wherever they are at. Deep learning is a learning function that is occurring when students are navigating, sorting, organizing, and analyzing the material that they find. Making things visible and discussable is more about showing and sharing with the students about something, rather than telling them about it. Expressing ourselves, sharing ideas, and building community is a learning function where the students can use the web to express and share their ideas with others in the class or the community. Another essential learning function is collaboration. Collaboration is using tools that can help students learn together and use shared applications. Research is a function where students can use quality directories or search engines with filters that can help students find and organize the information they need to know for the project. Project management helps students manage their time, work, sources, feedback, drafts, products and all other aspects of the project. Reflection and Iteration is the final essential learning function.  This function helps the students to examine their ideas from every side and receive other points of view than just their own.

5.       Our project will be about making a school brochure. We will need to implement all the subject areas into our project…for history we will learn about the history of our school, when it was founded, changes it has had over the years, etc. For science, we thought about learning how paper is made and why it is good to recycle (because we will be making paper brochures). For language arts, we will write about what makes our school unique and what some of the defining aspects of our school are. For math, we will talk about how many brochures should be made to pass out around the community and for prospective students. For art, we will design a brochure.

Some of the skills they will be using will be analyzing – they will use this when thinking about their school and what makes their school unique and why they think so. Another skill will be creating – they will learn how to create and design a school brochure.

They will also be implementing many of the essential learning functions. They will be doing deep learning when navigating, sorting, organizing, and analyzing the material that they find about their school. They will be expressing themselves when they share with the class what certain things they like about their school. They will also be collaborating when creating their school brochure; they will probably be in groups and will have to decide what information to keep and how to design it using everyone’s feedback in the group.  They will also be using research to find certain information about their school. They will also be using project management the time, work, sources, feedback, drafts, and products aspects of their project. They could use reflection when assessing another group’s work and what they like/do not like about another group’s brochure.