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.
I agree that many teachers want their students to have a hands on experience but sometimes the students don't understand how it connects to what they are learning. When I was in my pre-internship my mentor teacher had the students do a hand on project that didn't really go along with what the students were learning. I think it's always important to keep learning outcomes in mind to make sure the hands on experience is being done for a purpose.
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