Reflection #7

1.  Description of the levels of classroom discussions.

• Teacher to Teacher- These kinds of discussions are necessary for teachers who are collaborating together as project facilitators.  Communication is needed in order to figure out who is covering each responsibility and to keep track of student progress and needs.

• Student to Student – It is important for the students to develop strong communication skills.  It helps them work together effectively.  Discussion time is needed for them to bounce ideas off each other and develop their projects.

• Teacher to Student- While lectures may not take place as often as they would with non-project based learning, it is still important to have regular interaction between students and instructors.  The teacher can have small discussions with individual students and groups and have larger discussions while instructing the class on the basics, such as how to use certain digital devices.

2.  Discussion on the questions for “checking in” on students during a project.

There are four types of questions in this criteria, Procedural, Teamwork, Understanding, and Self-assessment.  Procedural and Teamwork questions are focused towards the instructor.  Many questions can be posed to see if the projects are on task and to keep track of where all the students are at.  It is also important to keep track of how the teams are working together, so no one is doing more or less than the rest of the group.  Understanding and Self-assessment are directed towards the student.  It is important to make sure every student understands what is going on and to make sure they are headed in the right direction with their project.  It is also important to ask careful questions to help them look critically at their work, and an online journal would be useful for reflection.

3.  Discussion on the benefits to students when optimizing the use of technology.

Using the technology that students normally use in a recreational setting, in an educational manner, makes learning interesting.  It grabs the student’s attention and takes away from the negativity of always having to confiscate the items.  When students learn how to use the items in an educational manner, it increases their capacity to learn in and out of the school setting.  It also keeps their interest and they are more likely to actively participate.

4.  Discussion on the 21st-century skills that can make or break a project.

Technology is a great tool, but it can also become very distracting.  Care should be taken to keep students on task.  It is also important for the students to know the direct requirements with the technology, so they don’t get hung up on making something look cool and yet it doesn’t achieve the goals that were intended.

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

It is important to let the students have discussions among themselves.  They can figure out a lot on their own.  It is also important not to lead the conversations too much and when asking questions it is important to ask them carefully, to keep the conversation in the right direction.