PenPals Map

Hey!

I created a map between Portage Central Elementary School and Seoul Academy International School (South Korea) for Assignment IV Part B. Everyone has access to edit the map. I wrote some notes about having our students talk with other students in South Korea in Part A.

Here's the link! :)

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?authuser=0&hl=en&mid=z-q-RaDoCYNo.k6gj5FBszuIk

Reading Reflection #2

I loved this chapter and how it focused on becoming more collaborative and using learning communities to help create effective systems for using Project-Based Learning. As written in the text, learning communities can be any business work team, big or small, that engages in ongoing, collaborative problem solving focused on making the business better. Essentially learning communities help everyone learn how to learn together as a team. Currently many staff meetings consist of addressing scheduling, individual student issues, school events, and coordinating programs. Teams have very little to no time to discuss what they are teaching and how to go about teaching it. Professional learning communities are great ways to make time for working with colleagues. The learning communities help teachers to come together as a team and discuss how to teach Project-Based Learning consistently throughout academics. I think that it is very crucial to have this time because currently teachers do not have a lot of time, if any, to collaborate and create consistency for teaching. This would provide teachers to discover the full potential of the Project-Based Learning approach. In the text it discusses how learning communities focus on student-centered ideas, ensure that students learn, create a culture of collaboration for school improvement, and focus on results. I really enjoyed seeing that learning communities can help teachers to focus on what students learn rather than what to teach. It also discusses that both teachers AND students can develop skills and dispositions needed in the "real world" which include communication, problem solving, project management, motivation, and persistence. I think this is especially crucial in this generation because specifically students need to develop these skills in order to succeed independently in college and in their future careers. What good is having a career if you can't effectively communicate, problem solve, stay motivated, and be persistent? Chances are if these skills aren't portrayed a company could crash very quickly. The benefits of learning communities include decreased teacher isolation, increased commitment to the mission, shared responsibility, more powerful learning, and a higher likelihood of fundamental, systematic change. If members engage in the learning communities then they can have a clear sense of mission, share a vision of the conditions they must create to achieve the mission, work together in collaborative teams to determine the best practice to achieve the mission, organize into groups headed by teacher-leaders, focus on student learning, are goal and results-oriented, collaborate with each other, hold shared values and beliefs, commit themselves to continuous improvement, and see themselves as life-long learners.

This chapter I felt was very relevant to our topic/project we're working on right now in the sense that we have to collaborate with each other to create a successful kickball tournament to promote a healthy life style for children. We all have to communicate effectively and efficiently, spend time in person or through Google Docs to create our project, and focus on what our students need to learn from this project.

Assignment II Part A

To view the benefits of Kickball, please feel free to view the Concept Map by clicking the link below.

https://bubbl.us/?h=1d1228/47ae08/19r2KNAyYPSoo&r=755002794

Reading Reflection #2

Throughout chapter two, it was made clear that project based learning will be useful in the lives of everyone for as long as there is work to be completed in a learning community.   A learning community can be any business work team, big or small, that engages in ongoing, collaborative problem solving focused on making the business better.  Learning communities are beneficial because they in the process, individuals and the team expand their ability to achieve the end results.  Importantly, they assist each other in developing new ways of thinking and new strategies to find a solution based on the prior knowledge of the individuals.  Learning communities effect teachers because with all of the extra work that teachers are responsible for leaves little time for them to discuss, in detail, and share their strategies with other fellow teachers.  However, learning communities makes this possible and encourages teachers to make beneficial additions to their strategies.  Learning communities affect students by creating a teaching strategy that allows students with many different learning styles to learn.  Shared vision in learning communities creates a school where everyone works together in learning and growing as a whole.  The goals of a school with a shared vision includes that the students are learning, a culture which welcomes collaboration and school improvement in encouraged, and results are focused on.  This chapter on learning communities relates to our project highly in the area of collaboration and shared ideas.  Not only is our project being completed through a process of shared ideas and strategies of our group members, but also in our virtual project as well.  We are extending our learning community across the globe to receive knowledge and exposure to many other areas as well from a country across the world that our students will communicate with. 

Assignment IV Google Docs Link

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17wCkBk2mrJyTnM-WUZc9snEqFD5mWL38ZYEtBqKZFdw/edit

EMAIL!

katelyn.r.seelye@gmail.com

Reading Reflection #1

Throughout the introduction of “Reinventing Project Based Learning”, Boss and Krauss did a great job supporting the idea of establishing a new way of teaching, reinventing Project Based Learning.  All of the stories that were discussed about teachers who incorporated this new project based learning method into their classroom were very excited fulfilled with the results.   

As the students of Western Michigan University’s teaching program are introduced to the reconstruction of Project based learning and the success stories that are available, they more than likely will develop an interest in incorporating this method into their classrooms.  While beginning the journey through Project-Based Learning, it should be kept in mind that the majority of today’s students are up for the challenge.  As students are exposed to new modern forms of technology throughout their everyday lives, they appreciate the opportunity to take advantage of exposure to new technologies through this method of learning.  There will need to be communication and cooperation between the teacher and students.  Project Based Learning is a new direction in teaching that has adjustments that will need to be made.  However, It should be kept in mind that the projects that take place in the classroom are rewarding and worth the effort and will likely restore or create a new passion for teaching.  After the students have completed their project in the past, traditional method of learning,  the papers that contained the regurgitated information are likely to be thrown in the recycle bin and the success of the student’s completed project forgotten.  With the reinvented Project Based Learning, it should be kept in mind that students live and learn in the real world.  Once the student’s projects are successfully completed, they should be encouraged to share their findings and take part in other areas of study of the topic.  With this incorporation of sharing their findings with the public, the students will realize that their work matters. It should also be kept in mind that new, modern technologies such as laptops and access to internet are a context that encourages the Project Based Learning approach to teaching.  The access to this technological equipment and doors of communication it opens should be kept in mind. 

Project based learning is rewarding for the teacher as well as the students.  The relationship between the teacher and the student becomes stronger as they develop new ways of working together and accepting and incorporating new ideas.  Through this new method being used in the classroom, students develop good communication skills as well as inquiry skills, learn to be flexible with their working hours, develop a full understanding of how the world works and come to the realization that they, themselves, can do something to make a change in the world. 

            Although Project Based Learning has received outstanding reviews, there are also areas that need to be considered while undertaking this teaching approach.  Teachers nay discover that they need to conduct more research, or seek expert advice.  Also, unless the entire school’s educational staff is initiating Project Based Learning into their classrooms, it may be an uphill battle to explain the reasoning behind your method of teaching to fellow employees.      New Technology Model has the tendency to attract upward bound teachers and often leads these teachers to advance to administrative positions.  New Technology High received exposure to this method from Curtis, Curtis was eventually promoted to the position of curriculum director.  

Reading Reflection #1

1. When starting the journey through Project-Based Learning, I need to keep in mind that just letting children using a computer isn't quite enough. To have an effective and productive journey through Project-Based Learning I must develop hands-on learning experiences with technology. I need to also remember that Project-Based Learning is a learning experience for myself, as a teacher, too. I want and need to give my students a chance to engage in the lessons better with technology. For example, instead of just having students look up information about how to build a house,  they could create blueprints and build a small model of a house.

2. The overall benefits of the PBL approach are projects are built into the curriculum, it helps everyone gain the necessary skills to problem solve problems, learners pursue their own questions to create their own meaning, technology is effectively and efficiently integrated into classrooms, and it engages everyone in the classroom to learn.

3. The benefits to students who participate in PBL are that they are able to participate in real-world activities, learn how to work collaboratively to solve problems, they gain better communication and inquiry skills, learn how to be flexible, and learn how the world works.

4. The issues that need to be considered in the PBL approach are it takes time to develop new effective, engaging instructional strategies, for veteran teachers it could be challenging to restructure their classroom management styles, and project design is front-loaded work which means teachers must invest in lots of preparation and planning.

5. New Technology High is a school that was designed to meet the needs of the 21st-century learners.  They challenge their students to think critically, collaborate as part of a team, and use technology to solve problems. New Technology High is a smaller school where the student to teacher ratio is also small which is a benefit because it leaves more time for learning and less time for student management issues. I really like that they give teachers the time to get together to work as a team to determine lesson plans/projects for their students. I also really enjoyed that New Technology High has a computer accessible for every student at all times. I hope that one day the school I work at can be just as advanced and technologically efficient as New Technology High.

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EDT 3470

Hi!! :)