Reflection 6, Chapter 6

1. ProfilerPRO, blogs and SurveyMonkey ae a few tools that can help kids be reflective and evaluate their own strengths. We used the ProfilerPRO at the beginning of class to see what we knew about technology for this class. We wwill also do it at the end to see what we have learned from this class. This will show use where ore strengths are and help us reflect on what we might need to still work on. When we use the blogs (as we are now) others see our work and can comment on what we have said and what we are doing. This gives us feedback that can help us make corrections or give us new ideas of where to go with a project or how to tackle a problem with our project. 2. Using a K W L is a great way to get the students ready for a project. In seeing what they might not know about a subject may help them get interested enough to go above and beyond the research that will be necessary in learning about what they don't know. I whole heartedly agree with "giving the idea time to settle in their imaginations". Talk about the project for at least a few minutes every day and answer any questions they may have but let them figure out what to do or how to do it in their own way. I know I find it more intriguing to hear about a subject or project a little at a time. It makes my interest in it go way up. Teachers could also bring in any elements that might be included in the project for the students to see, feel or smell. Maybe a finished project from another class could bring the interest level up and get students engaged enough to want to learn more and do the project to the best of their ability. 3. We must teach fundamentals first in order to get the srudents ot the place in thelearning that is essential for doing a project. We can't just tell the students to do a project on microbes as a life form (like in the book) and expect all of the students to know what that means. By teaching them what a microbe is we give them the prior knowledge needed in order to do the project as it is intended. We need to build up the information to the project so they are ready to dig in and do the project and learn with the project the things that are in the Wonder prtion of their K W L. 4. "Learning to use technology or an application for a project can be a rich problem-solving experience." By setting up a tchnology playground, the students can explore on their own and teach others. Setting up computer stations with at least one tool they will use in the project for them to get use to that tool and the technology. Students can help others when they need help with this also. Some students tend to thrive when they are asked to help others. They feel useful and important. Using a project management tool such as a journal or a log can help students track their progressand be a source for reflections. Modle the tools yourself. Modeling for the students is the best way to teach them how to do something. If yo are not comfortable with modeling it, ask a specialist to come into the classroom and teach the students about the tool. 5. Guiding student to more skilled questions and deeper research can promote inquiry and deep learning. Instead of doing reports, the students can do research on the best place to live or the best company to buy something from. Ask them to propose a solution to landfills filling up fast instead of doing a report on landfills. Using hypothetical questions make students use the knowledge they have to pose a hypothesis and consider options. What if questions like what if the price of gas was the same as it was in China? Using should questions makes students decide on a moral or practical decision. Using why questions helps the students understand cause and effect. All of these help students dig deeperr in their projects. If the project is one to help make something better like "How can we keep landfills from filling up too soon?", the students may be helping their future by finding ways to keep the landfills low. This helps them, their kids and the rest of the world. 6. These concepts relate to our projects in that we are learning the technology in class first before we use them in our project. We need to get the students interested in the projects and make sure they have some prior knowledge about the project. If they do not, we need to get them to that point with short, easy lessons that will help them and everyone. In our podcast we asked the students to take a survey about our topic, to see what information needed to be taught more or less. If a topic is too easy and the students know everything about it they will be bored and uninterested in doing the project. In my opinion, there has to be at least one element in a project that will have the students asking questions and wondering more about that project.