Reflection #6

1.  Discuss how technology tools can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths.

• Blogs-students can use these to journal their ideas during the project and then reflect on them later.

• Profiler PRO – by creating a survey for the students to take that assess their skills, they can retake it several times to see how their abilities have developed.

• Tools such as Survey Monkey and Zoomerang- students can use these sights to asses themselves.  Teachers can use the information to find areas for improvement and the students can see how their progress compares with their classmates.

2.  Describe several ways in which you can get students’ minds ready for a project.

The topic for the project can feed off the student’s prior knowledge and relevant issues.  It would be best to present the topic ahead of time, about a week or two.  This gives the students time to think about the possibilities and to talk it over with classmates, friends and family. Then they will have time to settle into the idea of it and get excited about it.

3.  Discuss the elements of teaching fundamentals first.

Students need to know the basics before they start a big project.  It is best if smaller concepts are broken up into lessons ahead of time, that way the students are spending their time actually doing research and completing the project, instead of trying to figure out the little stuff.

4.  Describe the important steps in preparing students for using technology in project.

• Asses what they already know how to do.

• Set aside time for them to learn to used divides on their own and from each other.

• Let students who know how to use the technology, teach their classmates.

• Create a project log or journal for students to track progress.

• Demonstrate the skills needed to the class yourself or through a video.

5.  Discuss ways to promote inquiry and deep learning.

Asking the right kind of questions of the students is important.  Also, it could be interesting to start a out with physical props and a mystery question, before the project begins.  The students begin research and try to find the answers, and in doing so, they become involved and interested in the topic and willing to dig deeper into their understanding.

6.  Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

With gardening, self-evaluation of the students will be a good tool.  Students may start out with a limited understanding of plants and how to plant and care for them.  By doing regular assessments, they can see and track their own progress.