Concept Map #3

Reflection #11

There are many aspects that occur as a result of using project based learning. The student become more engaged in their learning. They get excited by the change of pace opposed to the boring monotonous schedule of lesson after lesson. Giving the students the option to bring up topics that they would enjoy learning about. Projects also can be looked back upon and changed for future use. Collaboration with other teachers will help gain new ideas that can make your project better. Also sharing your project, via a blog or website, is a great idea also. You can help other teachers better their units and make adjustments to your unit as well.
Once you develop a project, "entering your project in a contest gives you a chance to put your best work forward." It is also very important to take the time and think about how far you have come from day one. Project based learning has many aspects that allow you to reflect on how much your students have learned. It will also give you a chance to see where you will go next. Students will be excited to learn and can even give you ideas on what to teach next. It is important to keep that in mind as you wrap up a lesson.
In our project, wrapping up and reflecting on our project will be an important aspect. I think once we get reflections from all the students and how they felt about the project we will have a pretty good idea how the project flowed for the students. Like we are doing in class by making a website about our project for any other teachers. Other teachers can help us develop our project further or they can use it in their classroom.

Reading Reflection #11

Sarah Betzold

EDT 3470

Reading Reflection #11

            As a result of using the project-based learning approach, the teacher and the students should have many memories to look back on. There will be souvenirs, artifacts and possibly some new future project ideas. The results of project-based learning will allow the teacher to reflect on what worked and what did not. The teacher can look back at times where students were most engaged and try to recreate that in future projects. When teachers use the project-based learning approach, students learn new skills that will help prepare them for their future careers.

            Teachers can “bring their projects home” in many ways.  The teacher can share project ideas on iEARN or GlobalSchoolNet, create a project library, put the project on the Internet, or publish a project on teacher sites that share project ideas. The teacher may also want to help other teachers use the project-based learning approach and inform other teachers on what really seemed to work. The teacher can even enter the project in for a contest. This can help your school gain recognition for great project-based learning. Overall, it is important for teachers to enjoy the experience and think about how much has been accomplished.

            Our projects relate to these topics because we are ending our units and creating a website that displays all of our project ideas. It allows us to see how much we have accomplished and the types of artifacts that we would have if we were to actually do our project with a classroom. We have continuously been reflecting on our projects and are much more prepared for what project-based learning will look like in our own classrooms one day.  

Reflection #10

It is very important to set aside time for reflection either during or after your project. It is a good idea to give the students time to reflect on their accomplishments that they achieved during the project. School can be fast paced with all the objectives that need to be met within a short period of time. It will be good as teachers too to reflect on the outcome and process of the project for any future changes that may need to be made. I know as a college student in one of my classes our teachers asks us to write a letter reflecting on what we learned in the chapter. She asks us to reflect on how we have grown as writers and readers during the section. She asks us to think if there was an "a-ha" moment when something clicked. I love doing this type of reflection because I can see if I made any progress and I know that my feedback will be beneficial to the teacher.
Students need to reflect and elaborate. While they are being asked to reflect have students elaborate as to what they are wondering about next or what do they want to learn. Their responses will lead teachers to even better projects which can be developed by the students. This will guarantee that the students will be interested in the topic because they are the ones picking and developing the project.
Some schools have a specific reputation or traditions that create their identity. Project based learning is a great way for your classroom to build its reputation which can hopefully make its way into more classrooms. Younger students will be excited to be emerged into project based learning as they see the success in their peers. Community members will also notice the accomplishments of the students and may offer support which can better your project.
It is also very important to celebrate a project. Displaying student work is a great way to show among their peers and school. Holding a party or celebration where the parents and people in the community can come in and see what the students have done is a great idea. Having the students be able to show off their hard work to other people will be very rewarding to them. Another good way to show students work is to have a "Year in Review" event. Compiling all of the students work is a great way to show how much they have learned and accomplished as students. Pictures, blogs, sketches, drawings, are all great things to include to remind them what they did.
I really like the "Year in Review" event idea. With our project I think it would be a good idea to even do it at the end of the unit just because we have two major sub units, nutrition and physical activity. This can show where the students started and how much they have learned. Having the students reflect on what they learned will be a great way to understand what knowledge they gained from the unit as well.

Reading Reflection #10

Sarah Betzold

EDT 3470

Reading Reflection #10

            It is very important for teachers to set aside time for students to reflect. Students are learning everyday at a fast pace and should have time to think about what they have learned. When students reflect, what the students have learned is more likely to stick with them. From personal experience, when I have reflected on my work in classrooms, it has made me feel proud of myself to think about all that I have accomplished. It also allowed me to think about things that I normally would not have thought about. For instance, my strengths, weaknesses, what I enjoyed or did not enjoy, etc. Teachers should set aside time for students to reflect so that students can use their knowledge and experience to grow as a learners, researchers, speakers, writers, etc.

            Students need to reflect and elaborate because they may have ambitious goals that a teacher should to know about. Students may have a strong desire to do a more challenging project or may have other ideas that would be great for a teacher to incorporate in a classroom project. Teachers can help students accomplish whatever students set their minds to so it is important for students to reflect and elaborate.

            Schools build traditions and identity. My high school was known for our football team. Our team was always in the playoffs and won the state championship my senior year. All schools are usually known for something. I think it is important for teachers to want to build traditions and identity. Exceptional project work can be a tradition and identity that all teachers can work towards. Getting the community involved in projects as well as parents, experts, etc. will help build those traditions. Every teacher should want students to have a lasting experience that they take pride in. I know I will take the skills I have learned from this class and try to build traditions and identity in my future classroom.

            Celebrating projects is also very important. I have done this in a few of my classrooms and it made my classmates and I feel good about what we have done. Celebrating learning makes students like to learn. Students feel a sense of accomplishment and know that they have the ability to learn challenging concepts. Overall, celebrating projects is fun for everyone and displays all the hard work the students have been working on.

            The concepts in this chapter relate to our projects because we need to know how to effectively wrap up a project. Reflecting, building traditions and identity, and celebrating projects are all huge concepts that we will be doing in our future classrooms. All of these concepts are important for us to think about as we wrap up the projects we created. This chapter taught us how to effectively do that.

Reflection #9

Reflection #9
One method of understanding prior-knowledge of students is by using a KWL chart. This way teachers will know what each students knows in th K section of the chart before beginning the project or assignment. It is important for teachers to understand that not all students will be starting at the same place.
It is important to establish anchors for a project. Anchors will let the teacher know where students are starting and how far they are going as they work to meet learning goals. Using KWL charts is a great way to know where students are at. Also this will help the teacher know how to differentiate instruction to help all kinds of learners in the classroom.
There are several ways to assess what students learned during the project. When assessing students at the end of a project, letting the students being creative is a great way to see what they learned. One teacher from California had their students create a comic book of a book they read. They had to use quotes and symbols they read in the story.
Another way to assess what students learned during the project is to flat out ask the students what they learn. It is hard to give a student a multiple choice test and know exactly what the student knows. I learned in another class the best way to know what a child has comprehended is by verbally talking to the student or having the student write down what they know. The students can be in groups while the teacher is over-seeing the conversation and taking anecdotal notes on what the students know. The students can present in front of the class. Or if the student is not out-going having them write down what they know lets the teacher inside the brain of the student and what they learned.
Another way teachers can asses student learning is having the students create something new. At the end of a project having a student create an extension. This way the students have to take what they learned within the project to apply to something new. This gives them the chance to be creative as well as letting the teacher know what they have learned. Another great way of assessing it entering a contest or submit for publication. This gives the student something to work for that is not only school based.
Many of these topics can be used in our project. When assessing students during a project I think the best way to assess would be to have the students create extensions off the project. Staying healthy is a wide range topic which gives the students to be really creative with what they already know and what they may want to know.

Reading Reflection #9

Sarah Betzold

EDT 3470

Reading Reflection #9

                        A great method for understanding prior-knowledge of students is by doing a Know-Wonder-Learn (K-W-L) activity with students. This method allows the teacher to learn what the students already know and encourages students to ask questions about what they don’t know. It has students answering questions about what they know, wonder and want to learn about a particular topic. This is a great way for teachers to find out a lot of information about what students already know about something before beginning a project.

            It is important to establish anchors for a project because it will help you plan out where students will start with a project and end. It will help you plan out how students will reach their learning goals as well. Every student is not going to be on the same page when it comes to what they already know. For this reason, it is important for a teacher to establish anchors and differentiate instruction to make sure all students achieve.

            There are several ways to assess what students have learned during a project.  I really like the idea of simply asking students what they have learned. For instance, in our book, Reinventing Project-Based Learning by Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss, an Australian teacher videotaped his students as they told him what they learned and reflected on their experiences. I thought this was a creative and different way to assess students. Students can also be assessed through a presentation on what they have learned or create something new by applying what they learned to a new context. Teachers can also assess students by modeling real-world assessments such as having students create portfolios. The portfolios can then even be judged by a panel. This gives students an idea of how people are often assessed in the real world. Another good idea is having student submit their best work in a contest. This is a great motivator for students to work hard and allows students to present why their project is worth winning.

            These concepts relate to our projects because they are important for us to know as we start wrapping up our units in our class. It is important to know that assessments should not just be multiple-choice tests. There are many creative assessments teachers can do to see if students have met learning goals. It is also important for us to know the importance of establishing anchors so that we have a direction as to where our projects are going. All of these topics are especially useful for us to consider as we begin our teaching careers.  

Reflection #8

Some ways to build connections and branch out beyond the classroom would be connecting with experts and expanding the learning circle. Teachers can use experts for students to incorporate inquiry which is an important component in the learning experience. Using student's parents and knowing their occupations is a great tool when you want the students to use experts. The parents students are probably the most willing to help out but other experts will be wiling if you give them enough notice. When asking experts to come into the classroom, make sure they know the topic you are focusing on so that the expert can direct his or her answers to student questions. This is a great way for students to relate topics to the outside world and real professions. Connecting students to other countries is a good way to go beyond the classroom. Like virtual pen pals or flat Stanley projects.
The EAST (environmental and spatial technology) initiative model is a network of schools that have been demonstrating the benefits of using technology for a real purpose. This project uses technology and multimedia tools and geospatial technologies. The EAST model used digital media and the middle and high school collaborated to produce an award-winning documentary about a Japanese American internment camp that had nearly disappeared from their community's collective memory.
Some reasons to let students “lead” their projects is that students are more than capable of making and controlling their own projects. As a teacher we won't have to micromanage each project. Students can decide what they are passionate about and develop their own learning and the teacher can be there for support and provide the tools to help them achieve what they want to know.
Concepts in the chapter relate to our project in many ways. I think we can use experts in our project to help connect what the students are learning. Using a nutritionist or maybe a physical therapist who knows a lot about staying healthy. WebMD is also a good website for students to do research. Also students can lead their own projects as well. Maybe at the beginning of the project having the students brainstorm ideas about what they really want to know about nutrition or physical activity.

Reading Reflection #8

Sarah Betzold

EDT 3470

Reading Reflection #8

Using technology is a great way to build connections and branch out beyond the classroom. Wikis, podcasts and Skype can be used for real conversations that can be used to reach others in the community or across the globe. This allows students become aware of the culturally diverse world we live in and discover new information through real conversations rather than books or through lecture. Teachers need to know how to contacts experts and can involve parents in that process. Teachers can set up a blog or website informing parents of what type or expert is being looked for. Parents can often help as well as coworkers, friends etc. There are several ways to branch out by communicating to people you know and by using technology.

The EAST Initiative Model represents four main ideas. The first idea is that students should be held responsible for their own learning. The next idea is that students should engage in problem solving in their communities. Another idea is giving students the necessary technology and experts to help solve the problem. The last idea is collaboration. When students work together they learn what it is like to work in the real world with others and problem solve.  EAST stands for Environmental and Spatial Technologies. The EAST Initiative Model focuses on student-driven learning and allows students to learn by doing.

Teachers should let students “lead” their projects because they can generate project ideas that they are passionate about and take interest in. Students can learn a lot through their own interests and gain independence by creating their own project. The teacher will be there for support but the student will ultimately be responsible for his or her own learning. Allowing students to lead their own projects prepares students for the real world where someone will not be telling them exactly what to do.

   These concepts relate to our projects because we are designing a unit that focuses on all of these ideas. We will need to know how to build connections and branch out beyond the classroom when we one day have our own classrooms. Our Virtual PenPals project was a great example of this. The EAST Initiative Model is also important because it gives those ideas are ideas that we have learned about throughout the semester and have incorporated in our projects. Also, allowing students to lead projects is an important idea that we may want to try in our future classrooms. All of these concepts are extremely important to think about as we begin our teaching careers. 

Reflection #7

Reflection #7
There are different levels of discussion that should take place in the classroom. There should be teacher to teacher, student to student and teacher to student. All of these types of discussion will be important for a successful project. Collaborating with other teachers will help better the projects procedures or assessments. Two or more heads are always better than one. Students should be interacting with each other as well. They will be able to form questions that other students may be able to help them with. It is important for them to give them the opportunity to challenge themselves and each other. Students and teachers should also be interacting. There could be times where it is a whole group discussion but teachers should also not be afraid to work with small groups or even individually. It is a great time to assess students for understanding.
When the students are divided into teams they most likely will be at different points so the teacher should be checking on student process. Types of questions to ask are divided into 4 categories. Procedural, teamwork, understanding, and self-assessment. Procedural questions are questions that will remind students of project deadlines or milestones and the teacher will know where the students are at. Teamwork questions are questions to ask about the group dynamic. Teachers can have the students blog or journal on their teams progress or raise any concerns they have about their team. Understanding questions can direct students to other resources if their project is off task. These questions can also push the students to thinking outside the box and going beyond the expectations. Self-assessment questions can find out what the students are learning or thinking about the project. You can ask the students to journal or blog about what they are finding frustrating or interesting.
There are benefits to students when optimizing the use of technology. When integrating technology into the project make sure that the technology is ultimately helping the students reach a learning goal. The students should also stay organized. The students should take advantage of all the tools. The students should also use the technology to expand their horizons. Students may really benefit and learn something they didn't know or intend on learning.
There are some 21st-century skills that can make or break a project. Teamwork is a very important aspect and 21st century skill. Teachers should pay attention to problems within groups and help them learn to manage their own problems. Having students reflect on how their team worked together at the end of a project and if there was anything they would do differently is a great for students. The students will be able to recognize what they learned as a team and individually and recognize and interpret their mistakes.
I really like the teamwork aspect of this chapter and how it emphasized how important it was. In our project there can be many opportunities for students to work as a small team. Also with the virtual pen pals the students would be optimizing the use of technology. Maybe they could do some sort of blog about their virtual pen pals which would work on their organizational skills another 21st century skill that will benefit them greatly.

Reading Reflection #7

Sarah Betzold

EDT 3470

Chapter 7:

A Guiding Hand- Keeping a Project Moving

            Levels of classroom discussions take place while implanting a project. Teacher to teacher is one of the levels and is important because teachers can share ideas, plan together, talk about what is taking place in the classroom and if students are understanding what they are supposed to be learning. Working with other teachers is helpful and a great resource. If talking face to face is not a option, other tools can be used such as blogs, wiki and others collaboration tools. The next level of classroom discussion is student to student.  Students to be discussing things together as they work through their projects. This includes explaining things to classmates, asking questions, giving feedback, etc. Modeling for students how they should be working together will help students effectively collaborate with each other and they will continue to  learn how to work as a team. The next level of classroom discussion is teacher to student. This is important during projects when a teacher needs to make an announcements, check for understanding, introduce a new concept, etc. However, most of the time teachers will not be having a whole class discussion because students will be working out their projects.

            Checking in on students during a project is important so that a teacher can know where students are at in their project. Checking in with students also allows the teacher ask herself or himself certain questions along the way to make sure the project is running smoothly and effectively.  For instance, when think about procedures, the teacher may ask herself or himself, “Are we staying on schedule? Do we have the right materials available? When’s the best time to schedule a field trip, expert visitor or other activity?” (Boss & Krauss, 2007).  When thinking about teamwork a teacher might think about if students a working well together and allowing students a safe place to raise concerns about their team. An online survey tool such as wiki, might be a good way to do that. When teachers are thinking about students’ understanding, the teacher may want to plan questions that might probe students to think further and encourage students to go beyond the expectations. Students can learn a lot from a teacher asking students questions throughout their projects to make them think further. As an assessment a teacher might also want to check in on students to determine what they are thinking and learning. Asking questions that allow students to reflect and think back on what they have done is a great way to assess.

            There are many benefits of optimizing the use of technology in a classroom. Technology can help students reach their learning goals. Many students enjoy working with technology and it gets them interested in what they are learning.  Sometimes it’s even a good idea to even let students pick the technologies they want to use. The students can think about which technology tools with help students reach their learning goals. Students benefit and get to new ways to communicate and learn by using technology.

            It’s important to think about things that can make or break a project. A 21^st –century skill is troubleshooting. If students are struggling or there are setbacks, it’s important to help students get back on track or brainstorm ideas to help students feel better about their assignment. Sometimes students can be intimidated when using technology or communicating with others. Teachers should keep these things in mind and set up ways to make students feel more comfortable.  Troubleshooting should be a skill that teachers need to have otherwise a project may not meet its learning goals. Teamwork is another 21^st century skill that needs to be seen in a classroom. It’s important to take notice of who gets along with each other, who slacks and how groups works together. Teachers can have teamwork-scoring rubrics that students can fill out for students in their groups. I also like the idea of students keeping a journal about their teamwork. Teachers will then also get a good idea if the team is working well together. If teams do not work well together it can be an issue in terms of the students meeting their learning goals.

            This chapter relates to our projects because we want our projects to run smoothly. These topics are especially important to consider when we one day have our own classrooms. Since we are not actually doing our projects with students it’s important to keep in mind obstacles that we may be faced with and how certain tools can be of used to benefit our projects.  

Reflection #6

Reflection 6
Technology tools can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths. Blogs, ProfilerPro, and things like SurveyMonkey and Zoomerang can help with these aspects. Blogs offer a great space for students to get down all their thoughts in one space and then be able to go back and review their thinking. This will allow the students the opportunity to evaluate and potentially change any thoughts that they had. ProfilerPro is an online survey tool that allows students to self evaluate themselves. It will give them a chance to evaluate their weaknesses and strengths and then re-assess themselves and compare their results at a later date. SurveyMonkey and Zoomerang are online survey tools that students or teachers can create on their own. They will allow students to be creative and make up their own surveys as well as track different trends as they allow other students to take the survey.
There are many ways to engage your students to prepare their minds. A good way to before starting a unit or topic is by tapping into students prior knowledge or schema. KWL charts are a great way to start getting the students thinking in the direction the lesson is going. A KWL chart taps into what the child knows, wants to learn, and then finally learn. Another great aspect to add to the KWL chart is making a KWHL chart. The students can write down what they know, what they want to know, how they are going to find that out, and then finally what they learned. The How is a great way to get the students involved and explore ideas within the subject they will be learning.
There are positive outcomes when you teach the fundamentals first to the students. Students will gain more out of the bigger chunk of a project if they spend the small amount of time building their skills. Teachers should set the stage for independent inquiry. Before a project or lesson students should assess on what they know and don't know. KWL charts are a great way to let the students process this information before diving into the project with no understanding why. Another element that teachers should do is share the assessment rubric with the students. This way the students know the ultimate goal that they should reach at the end of the project. This will set the students up for success since they know the scale and values they should be shooting for.
There are important steps in preparing students for using technology in project. The important steps are set up a technology playground, tap the student expertise, introduce project-management tools, demonstrate, rely on your technology specialist, and analyze if the technology is a one size fits all or not. I really like the aspect of having students explore among themselves by setting up technology based assignments. This will increase students problem solving skills, which is a 21st century skill. I also like that after the students explore they can share with their classmates and collaborate with each other.
Teacher should also promote inquiry and deep learning. Guiding students to choose questions, plan investigations, and begin to put their plan into action. This produces many great ideas that the students will want to explore and be engaged in. Teachers should also guide students toward skilled questioning. This will lead to deeper thinking because they are tapping into their prior knowledge and applying what they know to what they want to know.
I think the whole aspect of promoting inquiry and deep learning applies in our project. By making the student develop their own meal plans or workout plans allows them to question what goes into a meal, or how a meal is served or prepared. This could be used doing a blog in which the students can collect their initial ideas and build on what they have written. This can help with the strengths and weaknesses while at the same time heightening their 21st century skills.

Concept Map #2

Reading Reflection #6

Sarah Betzold

EDT 3470

Reading Reflection #6:

Project Launch- Implementation Strategies

            Technology tools can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths because students are constantly learning how to use technology. The students are learning by doing and become more experienced after each project. It’s a great idea for students to reflect and evaluate their own strengths before and after a project. This will allow students to feel a sense of accomplishment and forces students to think about their learning. Technology tools such as blogs, ProfilerPRO, SurveryMonkey and Zoomerang are great for reflecting. Students can create their own surveys to evaluate themselves or reflect over time using a blog. Reflection and evaluation also helps teachers know if the students are on track and learning what they are supposed to be learning.

            There are several ways teachers can get students’ minds ready for a project. Getting students interested and excited about a project is very important. It’s important to lead with what students already know and encourage students to ask questions about what they don’t know. A great way to do this is by doing a Know-Wonder-Learn activity. This activity allows students to think about what they know, wonder and want to learn. It gets students excited about what they will be learning. Teachers can encourage students to explore their project topic as well. Teachers can also bring in artifacts that go along with the project a week before the students begin their projects to excite the students about what they will be learning. Technology can also be used for introductions to projects. It’s important to get students thinking about what they will be learning before they begin their projects.

            Teaching fundamentals first is extremely important. The teacher should teach students prerequisite knowledge that the students will need to know in order to successfully start their projects. Teaching a few lessons before the students begin their projects, such as using technology and key information that students will need to know is important so that students are on the right path when they start their projects. Teachers should also set the stage for independent inquiry before beginning projects. The K-W-L activity is great for that as well as encouraging students to think deeper about the topic and come up with questions they would be interested in investigating.  It’s a good idea to share the assessment rubric with students before they begin their projects as well. It will inform students of what is expected and can be used as a roadmap for their learning.

            There are many important steps teachers do take to prepare students to use technology in their projects. Demonstrating is a great way for students to learn how to work with new technology. Teachers should allow students time to explore technology and teach each other how to use the technology. It also is a great idea to collaborate with the school’s technology specialist. It’s always a good idea for the teacher to be well educated on technology so that students do not run into any problems that the teacher cannot fix. The technology specialist would definitely be able to provide support as the students are using technology for their projects.

            There are many ways to promote inquiry and deep learning. It’s important for teachers to push students thinking and guide their thinking to a deeper, more critical level. The students can brainstorm how to go about investigating questions and how to collect data. By student figuring out ways to problem solve through their own questions, it will allow students to think deeper and be a great inquiry based project.

            The concepts in this chapter relate to our projects because we are creating a unit and need to know how to launch our projects. This chapter gave me great ideas for how to get students prepared for a project. I will definitely look back at this reflection as I plan for how to introduce a project to students. 

Reflection #5

There should be some things to take into consideration before starting a project with students. Teachers will have to make sure that they know what materials they will need throughout the project. It will be important to get materials if the teacher cannot find them within the school or community. A good way to acquire materials is to send out a letter or include it in a newsletter to parents. Teachers will also need to take into account if any technology will need to be used. The teacher should be familiar with any sites and if the students need login names or passwords. Experts are also something to take into consideration. Experts may have jobs and will need to be contacted ahead of time which will give the teacher time to prepare students. Some experts may not have time to visit a classroom but the use of technology can help. Video chatting or audio chat with the class can include an expert and involve the students. Also if a teacher is using technology the staff in charge of the technology can be a great resource to the students and the teachers.
Teachers can teach students to become great managers of their own time. This is a great skill that students should be learning throughout the project because it is a skill that they will use throughout their life. Creating a project calendar that serves as a way for students to check where they are is a great tool. Putting different milestones on the calendar and sharing it with the students will help the teacher check to see if the students are on task as well as the students managing whether they are on schedule. This will allow the teacher to stay organized as well as the students as they reach certain deadlines.
The technology applications that can be used in a project is personalized web pages. Students can make their own space on the internet to collect their ideas, research, and publish their work. By doing this the students can figure out tools to use and organizational styles that will suit their page or blog the best. This is a great 21st century skill in that they are using deeper thinking and applying themselves.
I think the use of technology can be a good tool in our project. I really like the idea of giving the students freedom to make their own blogs or web pages. In our unit we could give the students the opportunity to create their own blog when we have them create their own workout plan. This could be a great way for students to conduct research and take data while at the same time giving them the space to organize their thoughts in their own way.

Reading Reflection #5

Sarah Betzold

EDT 3470

Reading Reflection #5

Project Management Strategies for Teachers and Learners

            Teachers need to think about what specific resources can be used to support their projects. There are so many tools and materials that teachers can include in their projects. It is important to think ahead about what will be needed. If a teacher does not have a certain resource, I like the idea of making a wish list and sending a newsletter home to parents. Teachers should consider if students will be working with technology and if they know how to use it. It is also a good idea to think about if students should hear from an expert on a certain topic. Since experts aren’t always able to come to the classroom, videoconferencing or virtual field trips might be something a teacher may want to consider. It is also important to think about others that can help with your project. The technology coordinator, media specialist librarian, etc. may be of great help. There are so many resources teachers can use so it is important to plan ahead in order to make sure those resources are available.

            Teachers should be effective managers and teachers should teach students how to become effective managers. Projects should allow students the opportunity to gain skills in planning, time management, leadership, organization, collaboration, responsibility, etc. I like the idea of a project calendar that can help students meet project deadlines. I think it is important to teach students to be on top of things and organized. Teachers and students need to know management skills in order to organize and complete everything that goes along with the project.

            There are several technology applications that should be considered when designing a project. Web pages, blogs and podcasts are great ways to publish students work and suit the needs of a project. However teachers should have control over what is published. Teachers should decide if the students work is ready to be put on the blog, web page, etc. The teacher should consider how these web-based applications will further students learning and what students will need to know in order to use the technology.

            The concepts in this chapter relate to our projects because we are using several resources for our projects. We are so far using Google maps, blogs, virtual penpals, podcasts, etc. We are managing technology and going to have to teach students how to do so as well. The concepts in this chapter tell us everything we need to be thinking about while planning our projects and including web applications and other recourses. It definitely helps us understand everything that goes into creating a project for students. 

Chapter 4 Reflection

Chapter 4 Reflection

There are some potential pitfalls when developing a explicit project. Some of the pitfalls would be long on activity and short on learning outcomes. I can see this pitfall being one that many teachers get hung up on. I think that many teachers want the students to have a hands on experience but sometimes if it lingers we might lose the students. Another pitfall is technology layered over traditional practice. I think this a pitfall many teachers face. Teachers may think having the students use the Internet is incorporating technology. But a main idea if the teacher wants to use technology is to make sure it is bringing students together or provide some unique way for students to create learning products.
some features that make a good project that I found to be really important to me were having students learn by doing, reach beyond school to involve others, and projects are loosely designed with the possibility of different learning paths. These features I think are the most important to me because I think that the students should have a hand in their own learning. By having them lead discussions could lead to a whole different topic or misconception that during planning you didn’t think of. I strongly believe that the students will only learn to do that by doing.
As stated earlier in the features of a good project, by students leading the learning outcomes might lead you to another topic to use for another project. Project ideas are all around the classroom or the community or a world event. Teachers can also collaborate to make their own projects.
There are certain steps or guidelines to help design a good project. The first step that should be taken is to revisit the framework. The teacher should make a list of learning objectives that they want the students to accomplish. Decide on the specific 21st century skills, which include things like creativity, critical thinking, and communication. The next step is like a KWL chart. How will this project trigger students prior knowledge, what will they want to learn, and in the end what will they end up learning. The next step is to develop the theme. The teacher will have to think of what students will want to know about. This could be triggered by the students inquiry. The last step is captivating the students. The teacher should plan on how they will engage the students from the beginning of the project.
In this chapter I can see many ways we can incorporate quality projects into our unit. I think it leaves many opportunities to integrate what the students want to know more about. Many kids love food or some kind of food. Integrating a project to do with nutrition will be a great way to start out our unit. Then after nutrition starting out the physical activity aspect of staying healthy will trigger their curiosity in knowing more information about that.

Reading Reflection #4

Sarah Betzold

EDT 3470

Chapter 4 Reading Reflection:

Strategies for Discovery

            When designing lessons, there may be potential pitfalls that a teacher has to rethink. It is important that teachers always focus on learning outcomes. Projects should be done to accomplish something. If technology is used, it should have a purpose as well. Students should not simply research something just because. It should be meaningful to the students and connect the students to what they are learning. Also, when picking themes for projects, the themes should be relevant to the students. Teachers need to remember that they should design projects that students can make connections to. It’s also important to not over script project plans. Teachers should give students room to use their critical thinking skills, problem solving skills and creativity. If students are told step by step exactly what to do, every student will come up with a very similar product and not be able to put their skills to use.

            There are several features that make a great project. Projects should be aimed to answer a question or structured for inquiry. Students should have a reason for researching and feel interested and connected to it. Projects should give students an opportunity to be creative, confident,  take risks, share ideas, self-reflect, cooperate, and allow students to bounce ideas off of each other. The main goal is for students to learn by doing and learn from any mistakes that may come up.

            Great project ideas can come from anywhere. Some of the best project ideas that I have seen have came from students themselves. If students are interested in something it can be turned into a great learning opportunity. Project ideas can also come from other teachers, current events or issues, stories, etc. Those may be good ideas but it is always important to keep in mind the potential pitfalls that I discussed earlier.

            There are quite a few steps that go into designing a project. First, it is important to look at what you want the students to learn. Teachers should make a list of their learning objectives and go from there. The next step is to imagine what you want the students to learn and understand before the project and during. Next it’s important to think about true life connections and if the project will provide meaning to the students. The theme of the project should be in some way interesting to the students. The last step is to plan out the project and make sure that the learning objectives are being met. It’s also important to figure out a way to get students interested and excited about the project.

            The concepts in this chapter relate to my project because I want to make sure I am designing my projects in the best way I can. These concepts help us structure our projects and know if we are missing something. For instance, after reading this chapter, I realized my project might not be very exciting for students. I think I need to find a way to get students excited about staying healthy. Our goal is to make a great project and this chapter gave us many great ideas on how to do so. 

Reading Reflection #3

When finding the big idea of a project it's important to think of the outside world. Students will enjoy learning more if they know they are solving a problem that pertains to outside the classroom. If the students know what they are doing will result in helping the community it is more likely the "big idea" will stick in their head. I think expanding learning outside of the classroom is a great way to capture the big idea with out reading straight out of a textbook.
The last three steps of Bloom's taxonomy will really help develop 21st century skills. They are analyze, evaluate, and create. I see these three things as way for students to control their learning. Like having them be scientists and make up their own science experiments. These are skills that are used in the 21st century like problem solving on their own.
There are many definitions of the word "literacy" but I like how the book said that ultimately literacy ends up letting the students become independent, aware and productive citizens. I would have never thought of literacy that way. From previous classes I think of literacy as students gaining comprehension and fluency in reading and writing. But as the book said ultimately they are becoming more independent and aware of things around them and productive citizens. These are skills that are seen in the 21st century.
There are 8 essential learning functions that will help promote 21st century skills. They are ubiquity, deep learning, making things visible and discussable, expressing ourselves, sharing ideas, building communities, collaboration, research, project management and reflection and iteration. I think all of these can be used interchangeably or simultaneously. Like deep learning can take part in reflection. Students will be using deep learning to gain insight on what a lesson is and they might even work collaboratively which builds learning communities.
I think many points in this chapter will relate to our project. The students can work together to and also explore the outside world. In our project they will be learning what nutrition is like in other countries. So this is 21st century related because they are connecting what is being learned in the classroom to real people in another culture.

Reading Reflection #3

Sarah Betzold

EDT 3470

Reading Reflection # 3:

            When creating a project and finding “the big idea,” the curriculum should be considered. It’s important  for teachers to look over the standards as well and make sure they understand exactly what they want the students to learn. Working together with other teachers can help teachers find “the big idea for a project.

            It is also important to consider 21^st Century skills, which includes attitudes, habits of mind and important skills. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy is a great way to promote higher-order of thinking.  Bloom’s Taxonomy helps teachers organize objectives from a lower to higher-order of thinking. 21^st century literacy is also important. According to Boss and Krauss, “literacy boils down to learning to be independent, aware, and productive citizens.” It’s important for students to develop 21^st century literacy skills so that students can learn new information and be able to understand and apply it.

            Essential learning functions support student learning. For instance, making things visible, discussable, sharable, and researchable are great ways to help students learn. Students should have opportunities to plan, organize, express themselves and reflect on all points of view relating to what they are learning. The concepts in this chapter relate to our projects because we are incorporating many of these ideas into our project. For instance, in our unit we will a keeping in mind the “big idea,” using Bloom’s Taxonomy, exposing students to literature, research, and giving students opportunities to work together and engage in learning.  

Virtual Penpal Assignment

Virtual Penpal Assignment

ePal Map

ePal Map
The students will communicate with other 3rd graders from Nigeria, Africa through ePals. They will ask questions dealing with nutrition and physical activity to gain insight into another culture. Students can use Google Maps to see how the climate may affect the food grown in Africa.

web evaluations

Hey Katie! These are the three internet cites I'm evaluating. Just wanted to let you know so we don't do the same ones.

http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/children.html

http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/pyramid.html

http://www.healthychildren.org/english/healthy-living/nutrition/Pages/default.aspx

Concept Map #1

Concept Map 1

Reading Reflection #2

Sarah Betzold

EDT 3470

2-2-12

Reading Reflection #2:

Creating a Professional Learning Community

            Jeff Whipple, a Canadian middle school teacher stated, “Having somebody to brainstorm with about planning, having colleagues to reflect with about what was going on in the classroom- that was great” when talking about his first teaching job and the value of having teachers to collaborate with. Learning communities are focused on allowing teachers to work together to come up with best practices, improvements, ideas, projects, etc.

            There are many benefits of learning communities. A huge benefit is that teachers no longer have to work on their own. Teachers can work together with other teachers to come up with great ideas for lessons, classroom management, projects, etc. Teachers overall are able to make improvements in their classrooms and as a group focus on student learning.

            Learning communities affect teachers in positive ways because teachers are able to learn new strategies for teaching and receive useful information from other teachers.  Teachers are able to bounce ideas off each other and reflect on what has been working in the classroom and what hasn’t been working. Teachers no longer have to work in isolation. They share the responsibility with other teachers of bringing good ideas into the classroom.

            Learning communities also have a good affect on students because learning communities focus on student learning. The topic of discussion is always the students and how to provide students with the best learning experiences. Teachers focus on improving and doing their best to help students learn.

            There are many components of shared vision in learning communities. It’s always important that teachers share the same focus on student learning, goals, improvements, beliefs, values, etc. Teachers should be committed to working together and sharing ideas.

            The concepts in chapter two relate to my project in this class because my partner and I are working together and sharing ideas to come up with a good unit on staying healthy. We are sharing the responsibility and bouncing ideas off of each other. Great ideas come from working in with others. I can already tell that my partner and I are benefitting by working together rather than alone because we each have good ideas.

Reading Reflection #2

After reading about learning communities I think it is the most beneficial way to successfully conduct project based learning. The focus of learning communities does not only benefit the students but the teachers as well. By surrounding yourself with other colleagues who may have the same goal or maybe a different goal will better yourself as a teacher.
The learning community will ultimately make the "business better" as Peter Senge says. By creating the community everyone will "expand their capacity to create the results they desire".
This is just one of the benefits for learning communities. The teachers are not the only ones benefiting. The main ideas of the communities is to "ensure that the students learn, create a culture of collaboration for school improvement, and focus on results.". So students, the school, and teachers gain all the benefits of the collaborative community.
Teachers will learn that maybe what they thought was an effective way of teaching a certain subject in math was better to do it a different way. Taking all the constructive criticism will be the best way for teachers to better instruct their students. Also as a teacher you are not alone. You won't have such a high burden of making sure the students learn what they are supposed to. This is that shared responsibility.
Students will gain the advantage of collaborating with other students whether it be within their grade, school, or internationally. By using project based learning the possibilities are endless in the student sense that they can gain a lot of information in ways they haven't before.
The components for a shared vision in learning communities are all things that will make the student succeed and the teachers as well. All the components have some sort of aspect of sharing. They "share a vision, hold shared values, collaborate with each other, work together in collaborative teams" all of the components require team work and sharing ideas and achieving the shared vision.
Concepts in this chapter relate to our project in many ways. Not only the obvious that we are sharing a blog together to bounce ideas off of each other. But also as a class we can view each others blogs and see maybe a different approach to a similar idea we might have for our project. Also in this chapter I like how it gave places to use online collaboration. I think this might be an aspect for our project that we want to incorporate.

Reading Reflection #1

Reflection #1
There are many things to keep in mind while starting on the journey of integrating project based learning in the classroom. PBL is a great tool to engage the students and to be able to connect the students lives to different subjects. The students are up for the challenge. They are close to fully being emerged into the digital world. They are familiar with technology and are excited to use it. Students also live and learn in the real world. It will be more useful for them to recall the meaning of something when they can remember a fun activity they did.
The benefits of PBL will help both the students and the teachers. A motto that was in the chapter 1 that I thought was really well said was "teach less, learn more". The ultimate goal is the students will learn more because they are finding out the answers to the open ended question through the process of PBL. No student likes to be lectured at by the teacher. The teacher can only say so much but whether or not the student is actually listening is a long shot. With PBL the students have to engage and almost teach themselves.
The students are going to get the most out of PBL. They are encouraged to work collaboratively and solve problems on their own. They are put into authentic situations which makes PBL real to the students. These are everyday scenarios that they will see for the rest of their lives. PBL is going to prepare them for future careers and other aspects of life.
Teachers need to be aware that their initial lesson plan or set up for PBL could very well go in a different direction. Since PBL is a student run project they are in control of what they learn. As a teacher we need to be able to be okay with the fact that the end result might not be what initially was planned. This is the same concept as teaching a lesson. There is always an objective for each lesson, but sometimes the students lead into a more interesting topic which is fine. Being able to adapt to change will be the key to success for PBL.
The New Technology High is a school that has PBL included into their entire curriculum, which was the center base of the teachers instructional design. Like the New Technology Model says "technology is everywhere" but technology should be used as a "tool rather than the focus of learning.". I agree just because PBL uses technology doesn't mean that it should revolve around it. Technology is just a tool that students should be familiar with. The sense of working as a collaborative team should be the main focus and the drive of PBL.

Chapter 1 Reading Reflection

Sarah Betzold

EDT 3470

Reading Reflection: Chapter 1

As I start creating my project-based learning project, I know I need to keep in mind my learning goals and what I will expect students to be able to do. I will need to be prepared to put the spotlight on the students and interact with them rather than lecture. I’ll help students get better at keeping track of their own progress and frequently reevaluate what needs to be highlighted as student are working through their projects. I will be mindful of what learning artifacts I collect and make sure to be able to explain to parents and colleagues why the project based learning approach is so beneficial.

There are several benefits of the project based learning approach. Students learn how to communicate better with others, which often eliminates cultural misunderstandings in the classroom. They gain inquiry skills, technology skills and often think more about the world they live in. Students begin to understand real life situations and that they can make a change in the world. Students are also forced to become more responsible because they have to meet certain deadlines and will often have other students counting on them. The project based learning approach is also very hands on which forces students to participate and be engaged in learning. It has great learning opportunities for teachers as well. There is always more to learn and students can pull out facts and ideas that are great for everyone to learn.

As I create project based learning projects in my future classroom, I know I will have keep in mind the issues that can come up. Often parents don’t like the idea of computer use because they relate it to playing games. I know I will be prepared to discuss with parents the usefulness of the project based learning approach and whatever concerns they may have. Also I will constantly keep in mind the goal of the project. If the class becomes off track, I will be sure to lead them back onto the right path.

The New Technology Model is based on a school, New Technology High, where project based learning is put to use throughout the entire curriculum. Everything the students do in school is based on research. The students use technology, work together, problem solve and are engaged in learning. The New Technology Model is becoming more and more popular around the U.S. and I definitely support it.

practice concept map