Chapter 8: Building Connections and Branching Out

The idea of extending awareness of students' projects and progress using technology has certainly been a wonderful advancement for families, students and teachers. As the text explains, "Digital tools make it easy for students to share their work and exchange ideas with diverse audiences, including family members and peers, local community members, and even the much wider world" (127). Because of this wide accessibility, it has become easier for students to see how their work can make an impact on the world around them. When students work on a project, they are able to advertise it, structure it and advance it in even more ways than many of us ever thought possible.

For example, when I was in high school, social media was just emerging. My business class at vocational school was the first place that ever employed this technology into the curriculum. The teacher had the students organize a charity golf outing which involved fundraising, advertising creation, and getting into with a targeted group of people to spread the word. We used social media by making a page devoted to the event and directing people to use it for the business we were conducting. We saved a lot of time and money on poster making and advertising as a result of this, but the ones that we did do involved using new technologies to make the best looking, professional ones that we could. I learned so much about technology and it's uses in this class and although this might seem commonplace, I can assure that it is not and certainly was rare at this time.

Using this technology to further the goal already set before us made it interesting and engaging. Furthermore, it gave it purpose. We could see the results of our labor long before the golf outing ever took place. We had a steady means of communication with our teacher, supporters, families and business partners the entire time and this was absolutely revolutionary. In normal school, we probably would have written a theoretical plan of action and never would have gotten the opportunity to experience all of this on a higher level.

The chapter also posed a very important questions which is eminent of any great teacher, "What happens when the learning community expands to include not only one classroom or one school, but participants from distant countries and continents" (129)? The exchange of information via the internet allows this problem to quickly be solved. Teachers and students can readily access additional resources and display their work so that this communication and expansion of ideas may occur. The only problem that I have seen with this is when it does NOT happen. For whatever reason, teachers often become too comfortable in their learning circles alone and will not expand to discover others. This entirely limits the students as well as the teacher and is not conducive to a classroom of constant discovery. If we expect ours students to think outside of the box, we must not only give them the resources to do such, but force ourselves to do the same.

Chapter 7: A Guiding Hand - Keeping a Project Moving

The "Speed of Teacher's Walking" experiment in the chapter is a wonderful example of how teachers must always think on their feet in order to keep students' interest, engaged and on an academic journey. I loved how the teachers did not shut down the students initial responses but instead, took them into consideration and showed them how being quick to reach an answer was not an effective way to attain knowledge and information. 

In my limited experience with Project Based Learning, I too have realized how difficult it can be to keep students on task when the ideas get circulating and brains become stimulated in ways that take the course objectives in a different direction. Conversely, I have also experienced Project Based Learning halt because students do not know where to go from where they are. As a teacher, it is vital to do your best to plan for these moments, as well as constantly be thinking of ways to expand on the emerging ideas of students. The text explains, "Keeping a project moving requires teachers to support students on their learning journey. It doesn't always unfold the way you expect. This is where the art of teaching comes to play" (113). 

In accordance with this idea, I also really liked how the text posed the question, "Who does the asking?" I have found myself at times either asking students questions that elicit an easy "yes," "no," or methodical answer that involves no critical thinking on their behalf whatsoever. In this way, it is vital that as teachers we ask questions that cause the students to really think about them. Accordingly, we must also be prepared to give them to the time needed to come up with these answers I have also noticed myself wanting to give answers away if I feel like students struggle, however, I have to remind myself that an appropriate level of struggle is necessary for student growth. I have also found that just because students are not quick to answer, it does not mean that they do not know the answer. If we want to expect great things out of our students, we must also be willing to give them the opportunity and show us!

This chapter also did an excellent job illustrating the importance of technology selection when wishing to elicit the best work out of students. The text detailed, "Consideration of the following questions may help you maximize the potential of technology during a project:

• Is technology helping students reach learning goals, or is it leading them on side trips?...
• Is technology helping students stay organized?....
• Are students able to use technology to expand their horizons by connecting outside experts or a broader community?...
• Is access equitable?"

All of these questions were wonderful, but I especially liked how they each asked about the students' success and not the teachers' comfort ability. In order to ensure every students' success, the teacher may have to change things up and often. This can be a challenge, but it is important to consider that if the technology used is not benefiting the students, it has no place in the classroom. 

Blog 8, Building Connections and Branching Out

There are many ways to build connections and branch out beyond the classroom. The book discuss connecting the students with experts, expanding their learning circle to other classroom or even other parts of the world, and communicating their findings to advocate for a change. I really like the ideas given in this section. Having the students’ research knowing they will experience the virtual deep-sea expeditions and be able to ask questions in real time puts added significance to the experience. Ultimately, with everyone else listening they will want to do their best work to ask intelligent questions. Anytime someone else is reading or hearing them they will strive to do better. I also loved the communicating finding section, children see that there are problems but when they research and take action, they can make a difference.

          Tim Stephenson (a former law enforcer) developed the east Initiative model. What grabs my attention to this program was the fact that he took students who were deemed to fail and was able to engage them in learning. The East model is built on four essential ideas. It is student driven, authentic project-based learning, uses technology as tools, and collaboration with others. The other critical component is training and support for teachers. To me, this type of model is just more evidence that we need to move away from the traditional learning methods to stimulate all of our students.

          I think it is important for students to be able to have some freedom to lead their own project. When they can chose a subject that they are passionate about they will be excited to do it and produce better results. I was touched how Elise Muller encourage Sarah to respond to another teacher’s blog in China. This not only helped Sarah find ways to tackle her own issues but lead to her helping others. This teacher completely changed the outcome for her student. Stories like these make me realize I am in the right field.

          There are many concepts from this chapter that relate to our topic/project. For one, we had to do research to learn about our topic and the many content areas it covers. Two, we created a movie that will be useful for our students learning in the future. Three, we are always blogging and learning from each other ;-)  

Chapter 7, A Guiding Hand -- Keeping a Project Moving

In chapter 7, Boss and Krauss discussed ways to make classroom discussion more productive.  They explained that there are different levels of classroom discussion such as teacher-to-teacher, student to teacher, and teacher to student. I think it is very important that the teacher take the time to walk around and listen to the student’s discussion. If she hears a conversation that indicates confusion, she can probe students thinking by asking questions. I have found this strategy extremely affective in my math class! When you are on the edge of discovery and someone knows where you’re going and can make you reason it out, it’s far more powerful then someone just giving you the answer. 

As for questions to ask when you are checking in on students’ progress, these vary depending on what you want to discover. For procedural questions, you may just want to check if they are on schedule, and remind them of the calendar. I think it is also important that the teacher not just take the students word but check their project logs and checklist themselves. To check on teamwork, a teacher should question if one member is caring more work than others are and make sure the group is treating the members fairly and able to solve conflict issues. For group projects, I believe a teacher must really put thought into who she/he places together. It is important for all students to feel comfortable in their grouping for max results. (Yes, I know we must all lean to work together but we do not need to traumatize the sweet shy kid by putting them with the emotionally disturbed class bully).  I do like the idea of the class poll as long as its anonymous. 

When we optimize the use of technology, our students greatly benefit. Technology can help them stay organized,connect to outside experts, and for most students its easily assessable allowing them to work from anywhere. I loved how the classroom teacher, David Fagg, was not connected to the world of technology and took the classroom irritant (Mp3 players) and used them to teach history. He saw his student’s interest and found a way to make it work.

When we incorporate the use of the 21st-century skills there are things we need to be in tuned to. For one, we need to really know our students and recognize when something feels off. The example in this chapter was a 4^th -5^th grade teacher who matched her students up with high school students to help with their writing. Her class felt intimidated and she was able to have a conversation with them and find ways to resolve the issue. I think another point of concern is communicating with different cultures. It is imperative that we learn about others culture before contacting them! We can learn so much form others but we won’t build that relationship if we are accidentally offending them.  

This chapter touches on group dynamics. We have all had that group member that does not pull their weight. I have to say I feel blessed to have Sabrina as my partner. We balance each other out so well and I never have to worry about her not keeping up her end. ;-)  

Chapter 6: Project Launch- Implementation Strategies

We've read for chapters now how wonderful Project Based Learning can be and how beneficial it is for students. I'm pretty sure many of us, at least myself, have completely fallen in love with this idea of having the students learn through real-world applications that both develop their critical thinking abilities as well as their conceptual understandings. The next thing that needs to be examined is the role in which teachers play in this approach and how their work allows for their students' success.

As the text states, teachers must lay the ground-work for students' projects as, "During projects, students will inquire, study, plan, evaluate, compare, collaborate, manage, create and present" (95). With all of these activities beginning, it is vital that the teacher has a solid grasp on how they are to implemented, maintained, monitored and assessed. Further, before beginning, it is important to "Take time to inspire interest and learn what students already know and care about. Teach prerequisite concepts or skills (including those relating to technology) that students need for their projects" (95).

In my experience, when the students become invested for their own reasons, they have little to no problem becoming invested for ours, which are ultimately to cover as much as the content matter as possible. Often times, once they find an aspect of the content which they cling to, they will discover the rest of it without even realizing it in their personal journey. 

The text also suggests, "Before and after a project, have students complete a self-evaluation that focuses on the learning dispositions you expect them to develop during the project. The act of self-assessment causes students to think about their capabilities and how they direct their own learning" (96). This idea of formative assessment is an excellent way to guide yourself and your students through their learning, as well as our teaching. I strongly connected this part of the text to the speaker that we had this week from MACUL when he spoke about the importance of the formative assessment throughout student learning. He spoke about using the application KAHOOTS to have students assess not only their abilities to answer questions, but how they felt about the questions that were being asked- whether they were relative, important, well structured, etc. or not. I really love this idea and can easily so how it would greatly benefit students and teachers like in the classroom.

In the text it states, "As students gain experience in project-based learning, lay out projects in broad strokes, and help students establish their own goals and standards of excellence" (96). It was so good to see this statement in this text because the more involved I become in classrooms, the more that I am finding that standards of excellence are extremely subjective. What success and excellence might look like for one student, may not be the mirror image of another. Students should have the ability to discuss their own goals alongside of the ones that the teacher/school/curriculum set up for them. There is an enormous amount of encouragement and inspiration that come from allowing the student to determine their own success. One might think that this would lead to students only striving for the bare minimum, but if the teaching direction is aligned with their interest, needs and accommodations, I guarantee, as I have seen in other classes, that they will gladly rise to the occasion and challenge themselves to become the best that they can be.

Blog post 6, Project Launch -- Implementation Strategies

In chapter six, Boss and Kross discuss how technology tools such as blogs, ProfilierPro, SurveyMonkey, and Zoomerang can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths. The teacher to be in me believes blogs such as this are great to aid in our reading comprehension. They help us reflect upon what we learned as well as how others made connections to it. (I secretly must admit tonight the sick tired student in me just wants to start spring break and forget about blogging). I am curious about the ProfilerPro in the fact that its states “you can identify your interest, strengths and weaknesses” (p.96). Would this be a helpful tool to set up our pen pals? I guess I am confused as to how the badge changes when they acquire new skills.

When we are getting our students minds ready for a project, we need to tap into their prior knowledge. Many teachers use variations of the KWL charts. I think guiding the students with deeper questioning is imperative for this to be effective. As Boss and Kross say, “students often don’t know what they don’t know, and they don’t yet know why they should care” (p.101). I have seen many teachers use the KWL charts where they have the students pull out a piece of paper and make their own. They do not push for deeper questioning or even indicate that they will check it out. It is tucked away with a bunch of other meaningless piles of papers.

 The strategies I liked that Boss and Kross mentioned that would shake up ideas of what they know and get them interested were incorporating role-playing predictions and discrepant events. Most children in Elementary school would have a blast acting events out and you would get a true indication where students are. This would also help others get caught up to their classmate’s understanding. As for discrepant events, who else is still wondering why the ice cube sank? Enough said.  

It is important to teach the fundamentals first. Many of the strategies we use we build off the other. Their example about driving hit home. If you have ever been in car and experienced the first time a student in drivers training has used the on ramp to a highway you will get it (you want to open your door and jump out). I cannot imagine how horrible it would be if you started them out there without teaching the basics.

In preparing students for using technology in projects, it is important that we plan efficient ways for them to use it. Some ways the authors suggest are setting up a technology playground where students can explore, allow technology able students to each other’s, introduce project management tools, have a technology specialist demonstrate and record so you can playback later.

What I really like is chapter was the suggestion on how to transform our questions to promote inquiry and deeper thinking. This directly relates to my project. We have learned that students learn best through inquiry method. I am trying to become a more reflective lesson planner so I can develop inquiry questions. I am hoping by again walking through the steps of the students that I will be able to help them develop inquiry questions. Ultimately, I am hoping this skill becomes more natural to me. I am thinking with my next inquiry lesson I should do an experiment on if a stem carries only water. We have seen how carnations carry food coloring but what about salt water or sugar. I think this would be a great experiment for students to see how road salt can negatively affect our crops and shed light on why people are going organic.