I like the opening
story about teachers making use of technology students already have. A lot of
kids these days are going to prefer to be on a cell phone so it makes a lot of
sense to incorporate it into the lesson and give it a purpose. It also demonstrate
how to use what kids already know and are interested in when building a
project, which leads into the idea of designing a good project.
Reviewing
different projects is definitely is definitely a good starting point, unless
there are other circumstances it would be really hard to have a fully developed
idea for a project ready to go. I do agree with the fact that projects need to
be carefully reviewed ahead of time though. Even if it is a well-designed
project (which not all will be) it may not work for every school or every
student. It has to work for your students, and work within the learning goals
set for them. The pitfalls that were addressed make a lot of sense to consider,
length of a project definitely does not mean a student is getting a lot out of
it. It is also important to think about how technology is being incorporated
into the project itself, not just added as an afterthought. Having thematic
units that can change and grow with students is another good thing to look out
for, versus trivial thematic units that may seem fun but do not really address
key issues. I really agree with the last one about not wanting the project to
be too scripted. If a project is about students learning and exploring they
should be in the drivers seat, they should be nudged along and guided by the
teacher but not hand a step-by-step road map for each component.
Looking at what
other teachers who have experience with this method of teaching has done is
definitely helpful. No one has all the answers, so the resources given to be
able to look at the work other teachers have done will prove to be a valuable
asset when faced with the challenge of actually implementing project-based
learning. These things can only help, especially on top of the many important
features of a project and where to get ideas.
ReplyDeleteI like that fact that you brought up how projects need to be carefully reviewed ahead of time. It’s true that a project might not work for every student. Great point about how the project has to work with the students! I definitely agree with the fact that the length of a project does not mean the student is going to get a lot out of it. I think the reverse effect might actually happen. It is important for teachers to access resources like looking at what other teachers have done in the past. Your right about how no one has all of the answers. Therefore, using resources can be extremely beneficial if you are using them the right way.
I like that you made a point that the students should be in the driver seat and nudged along the way. It is much easier to create a step-by-step lesson with identical outcomes than it is to develop a good inquiry question that leads them to the learning outcomes. Like one of our past chapters we will have to put up a lot of work in the beginning but end results will pay off.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post Emily. I like that you brought up that it is a good idea for teachers to look at what others have done when trying to come up with new ideas. I like what you said about students learning and how if a project is truly about it then they should be exploring and in the driver’s seat while receiving guidance from the teacher but also being nudged along. I think that if we do not give students a step-by-step procedure then they will learn more because they are building the road map themselves creating more opportunity for learning. I also liked the opening story about how teachers made use of the technology that students already had, I think that is a smart tool for them to use and if students are already wanting to use it in class then it gives them an educational way to do so. The point you made about even the well-designed projects many not work in every school or for every student is something I think every teacher needs to remember especially the ones just starting to use project based learning because it’s a useful tip that could save them from frustration when it isn’t working or doesn’t want to work from year to year. I like the points you brought up and your summary of the chapter.
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