Ch 5 Reflections

When you start your project with your students you need to first consider what materials are going to have to be used in order for your students to be successful in the project. I would first consider what you have in the classroom. Are their enough materials for your students to use in the classroom? Does the students have access to a computer or books or a source of information to research and learn more? Also you need to consider well ahead of time any funds that might be needed in order to complete the project. Some projects might include field trips or projects where the students build or create something. All of those things require you to have the funding in order to pay for necessary transportation, tickets, materials, and untold amounts of things that could come up. Some projects might require you to write a grant to ask for funding from the school district. These grants have to submitted months ahead of time and takes a long time to hopefully get approved (that alone is difficult) let alone receive the actual funding. Often times you might have to cooperate with parents and the community for funds to support the students.

Once the project is started there are some classroom management issues that can occur. I think it is very important for teachers to be flexible and know when to stop the project for the day and to continue tomorrow, or to encourage a topic and pursue it further and move other plans for the day. The Common Core State Standards are very rigid in design, so flexibility can be a huge issue. It can be difficult to encourage independent learning while also attending to what the student has to learn that year in the classroom. That is why intertwining the class management between the project and other coursework.

This connects to our project because we have to consider the materials that are needed to perform our project in class. Can we afford what is needed (cough task stream and books are expensive cough)? Do we have access to a computer in the classroom and out of the classroom? Are we able to keep in contact with our partner and support their material needs? These are all questions we answered when we started this course, we do it before we hash out multiple paychecks to buy what we need to hopefully succeed, and these are all questions that we will face in the classroom.

Chapter 5

There are several items that should be considered before starting a project with students. You need to consider the materials that you will need such as supplies and tools. You also need to consider whether your project will involve the use of technologies that are new to your students. Therefore, you might need to expand the access to technology and your students might need access to experts to answer questions. There are also videoconferencing and virtual field trips that you can access as well. Media specialists and other types of specialists can help with projects too.

Teachers’ management needs include:

·         Tools for communicating with students and others about the project

·         Tools for making milestones and events visible and for notifying students when changes occur

·         Methods for getting resources to students

·         Systems for managing work products

·         Structures that support a productive learning environment in which teams and individuals are engaged in a variety of learning tasks at the same time’

·         Assessment tools and strategies

Students’ management needs include:

·         Systems and tools that help them manage their time and flow or work

·         Systems that help students manage materials and control work drafts

·         Collaboration tools

·         Methods for seeking assistance

·         Ways to get and use feedback on their work, through self-reflection, team input, and teacher advice

·         Ways to work iteratively and to see how parts add up to the whole

There are several technology applications that should be considered for use in a project. For example, there are web-based applications. You can link a set of tools together in a wiki, associate with a blog, or alternatively, use Web-based “desktop” application. One of the simplest ways to begin using the web to support projects is to build a project wiki.

Concepts in this chapter relates to my teams project because my partner and I are constantly working on management needs. We are working on managing our time and figuring out how to get our assignments done that are a part of our group project. We are also working on seeing the parts that we work on add up to make the whole. All of the assignments that we are working on now will eventually produce an overall bigger project in the end.

Chapter 4 review

In Chapter 4, we really take a look at the project and describe what a good project needs in order to succeed.

First there are some potential pitfalls in a project design:

The project could be too short

The project could not encompass the specific standards of what is to be taught this year

The project could take up too much day to day time, and not leave enough room for other subjects and specific instruction

The project could be something that cannot be completed in a year

The project could be hard to assess at the end of the year, and hard to assess from a weekly or day to day standpoint

The students could not be interested in the project

In order for project based learning to be successful you need to have a good project. All good projects share some similar characteristics, and these characteristics are:

The project is something the students are interested in

The project is something the students have to be creative in and create solutions to different problems in the project. The project teaches flexibility

The project can be assessed in multiple ways, and there is day to day assessment and yearly assessment

The project can be worked on everyday while it does not interfere with the other instruction in the classroom

I think that some of the best ideas for a good project will come from the students. As a teacher it is important to get to know each student in the classroom and learn about what those students interests are, and from those interests a good project will come.

This relates to our topic because I can now see how I could use a particular student or a group of students interest in health and exercise or sports, could lead to a project in fitness.

Adams Taskstream lesson plan

https://w.taskstream.com/Lesson/View/311860B769D45C5E59AEFCA0D5FCBE9C

Chapter 4

There are several pitfalls in project design. They include:

·         Long on activity, short, on learning outcomes- If a project is long and carried out and the learning outcomes are short than it is not worth investing the time.

·         Technology layered over traditional practice- Good projects focus on reaching significant learning outcomes, not merely making use of technology applications.

·         Trivial thematic units- A thematic approach can be trivial, but it doesn’t have to be. A theme could unify an entire year’s worth of projects to help students make connections.

·         Overly scripted with many, many steps- Try not to use projects that have many discrete steps.

There are several features of a good project. They:

·         Are loosely designed with the possibility of different learning paths

·         Are generative, causing students to construct meaning

·         Center on a driving question or are otherwise structured for inquiry

·         Capture student interest through complex and compelling real-life or simulated experiences

·         Are realistic, and therefore cross multiple disciplines

·         Reach beyond school to involve others

·         Tap rich data or primary sources

·         Are structured so students learn with and from each other

·         Have students working as inquiring experts might

·         Get at 21^st-century skills and literacies, including communication, project management, and technology use

·         Get an important learning dispositions, including persistence, risk-taking, confidence, resilience, self-reflection, and cooperation

·         Have students learn by doing

You can find good projects everywhere. Some project ideas come from:

·         A tried-and-true project with potential for more meaningful, expressive learning

·         Project plans developed by and for other teachers

·         News Stories

·         Contemporary Issues

·         Student questions or interests

·         A classroom irritant put to educational use

·         A “mashup” of a great idea and a new tool

There are several steps when designing a project.

·         Step 1: Revisit the Framework

·         Step 2: Establish evidence of understanding

·         Step 3: Plan the “vehicle”

·         Step 4: Plan entrée into the project experience

·         Write a project sketch

·         Create an Asset Map

·         Track Assets Online

The concepts in this chapter relates to my team’s project because the project that my partner and I are working on incorporates the features that make up a good project. Features like learning from each other, learning by doing, learning 21^st century skills like communication, project management, technology use, etc.

Chapter 3

 Choosing the "Big Idea" for project based learning is essential because everything that happens in the project will relate back to this "Big Idea". With this much importance there are a lot of questions that need to be thought about when choosing the big idea. The big idea needs to be large enough to be thoroughly investigated by the students, and have enough specific content so each students can do individual research while also, at the same time, small group research and full class research is being conducted. The Big Idea also needs to be dense enough so that work can be conducted through the whole year but yet not too dense because you want the students to come up with solid real world solutions and findings through real life experts and experience.

Project Based Learning is reflected in 21st Century skills and literacy. With 21st skills, students learn about technology use and teamwork between students in group settings and teamwork through students in different places and cultures around the world. Project Based Learning provides an excellent medium through which 21st skills can be used. Students can relate their project to students in different cultures and use their contrasting ideas in order to improve their projects and learn more global solutions to real world problems. In 21st century literacy, students need to be able to understand technology and be able to communicate to students across the globe. Project Based Learning provides an excellent way for students to practice their communication skills and learn skills from others in different cultures

I think that Project Based Learning is a good way to meet 21st Century requirements while also keeping the students interested, and also continuing work on the "Big Idea". Project based learning and 21st Century skills and literacy go hand in hand and its easy to kill 2 birds with one stone which is important when their is limited time in the classroom.

Kayleigh and Adam's Epal Map

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zT-p9yXs-d7k.kU9H3-ZAn_wM

Our project consists of our 8th grade students writing to students in the Dominican Republic. This map shows the placement of the Dominican Republic as well as the distance from Kalamazoo Michigan to the Dominican Republic. The markers in the Dominican Republic show the Santiago Christian School, and different science institutes, parks and universities that the students might use when they write back to our students.

Magic School Bus digestive system episode

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zT-p9yXs-d7k.kU9H3-ZAn_wM

Lesson Plan Topics

Kayleigh Thompson-Cardiovascular System

Adam Fitzmaurice-Digestive System

Chapter 3

There is a lot that should be considered when finding “The Big Idea” for a project. When identifying the big ideas the core concepts and processes are important. For example, ask yourself this question: What should students know after studying with you? What should they take away from what you have taught? Since teachers have to teach from a curriculum there are already opinions on what is considered important. Therefore, students learn no more than what the textbook is offered. Although, projects are contextual because you can make the decisions. Therefore, with this approach the textbook is simply a resource. Therefore, when you realize the concepts you want your students to understand reflection is important that way application can be done.

It is important to realize that projects will help students develop 21^st-century skills. Thinking goes beyond subject mastery. It helps students to expand away from the traditional learning. Projects can include thinking skills like analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

As far as the 21^st century literacies, projects can prepare students for the real world. The 21^st century skills were determined by a team that examined research and conducted literature reviews, interviewed educators, etc. A model that highlights Digital-Age Literacy, Inventive Thinking, Effective Communication, and High Productivity was the result. According to UNESCO literacy if defined as: the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, and compute, using printed and written material associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning to enable an individual to achieve his or her goals. To develop his or her knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in the wider society. There are a wider range of skills that need to be learned in order to live in a digital world that is increasing. For example, creativity and innovation. Therefore, literacy requires students to be independent, aware, and productive citizens of society. I think that this is important to be aware of because these are the skills that the 21^st century requires.

There are several learning functions. They include:

·         Ubiquity-quality of tools that support project learning.

·         Deep learning-help students make sense of “raw” information on the Web.

·         Making things visible and discussable-showing rather than telling.

·         Expressing ourselves, sharing ideas, building community-students can use the Web to express their ideas and build a society around interests that are shared.

·         Collaboration-tools like wikis, office applications, etc. that help people learn together.

·         Research-search engines, tagging tools help students make sense and organize what they need to over the Web.

·         Project management-helps students manage time, work, sources, feedback, drafts, and products when doing projects.

·          Reflection and iteration-deep learning occurs when you examine ideas and the ideas of others.

I think concepts in this chapter relate to my teams project because all of these learning functions are included in my team building our project. It also helps my team develop the 21^st century skills of using technology. Using the project-based learning approach takes us away from the traditional approach of learning. I am definitely happy to be experiencing this different approach of learning.

Part A Epals assignment Kayleigh Thompson & Adam Fitzmaurice

https://docs.google.com/document/d/139hkTFYBoXT487Wl8jQ0NXwydmdr7HdU2n7PRPK67xI/edit?usp=sharing

Concept Map: Fitness Adam Fitzmaurice

https://bubbl.us/?h=26d089/4e6315/25mrOFDitlFNY&r=900595654

Professional Learning Communities

The teacher in the workplace has to deal with a lot of factors. What do you teach and when? How do you teach these different topics? What methods are most effective for teaching different subjects? A teacher that feels unsupported can have a hard time teaching and lead to the students not receiving the education that they deserve. In a Professional Learning Community (PLC) teachers support each other and share knowledge and techniques in order to improve their teaching standards and help the students achieve better grades and understanding of content. In a PLC time is designated for teachers to get together and share ideas, support each other, and work on improving their teaching for the students.


The benefit of a PLC is that all of the teachers are on the same page. A new teacher in the school can jump right in and be an effective teacher right away. Also a community full of different shared ideas and solution provides a larger wealth of techniques and experience than just one teacher teaching behind closed doors. In a PLC the individual teacher is still responsible for teaching his/her own class but the experience can be drawn from other teachers improving the skill and overall education throughout the school.

A PLC benefits the students also. If their is a particular problem with a student or if a student is struggling with a particular question and the teacher does not know the answer, solutions can be pooled in the PLC and a group of teachers can come to a solution that benefits each student best. The PLC opens up a wealth of knowledge and experience and its influence reaches down to the student so that even a new teacher can use an experienced technique to help the student.\

In a PLC the teachers have a shared vision that is discussed and improved on during designated meeting times. Staff are not just involved in creating the shared vision but each staff member helps make goals based on the vision and the staff help each other reach those goals.

The PLC relates to Project Based Learning because in PBL the students need a wealth of resources and in the PLC a teacher can either provide the resource using another teacher or the PLC can come up with ways of bringing resources to the school in order to help the students. This creates a better learning environment for the student who is working on their project, and the student recieves valuable information from better resources from the PLC.

Chapter 2

A learning organization is defined as any business work team, big or small, that engages in ongoing, collaborative problem solving focused on making the business better. The most important thing is that individuals learn how to learn together. Therefore, this is the main focus on learning communities. New contexts for learning create new opportunities for teachers to work together. Also, change can happen when teachers take the initiative to try something new.

There are several benefits of learning communities. There is decreased teacher isolation, increased commitment to the mission, shared responsibility, more powerful learning, and a higher likelihood of fundamental, systematic change. I think that all of these benefits are important characteristics/techniques to learn. When you enter the workforce a lot of these characteristics/techniques you will need to acquire.

Learning Communities affects teachers because it creates a different way of collaborating with colleagues. I think it’s important to recognize that as teachers you should reflect on each other’s classroom interactions. Critical feedback is important because that’s how you improve as a teacher. Therefore, your colleagues are the best resource for improving your classroom and teaching skills.

Learning Communities affects students in beneficial ways. The learning is relevant and students learn to learn together. They develop skills that they will need to use in the “real world.” Some of these skills include: communication, problem solving, project management, motivation, and persistence.

I think the concepts in this chapter relate to my teams topic/project because a main component is collaboration. Without collaborating with your partner or team members there is no way to be successful. The other main component is problem solving. There are going to be problems that arise that team members will have to talk about and decide on. Therefore, decision making is another component. At some points my team member and I will have to be decisive and make decisions. At other points we will have to discuss and collaborate on certain things for our project.  

Concept Map Part A: Fitness

https://bubbl.us/?h=26d088/4e6313/25xyRG/2UA0Jc&r=2094910799