Reading Reflection #4

1. Discuss the potential pitfalls in project design. Some potential pitfalls in project design can begin with a project being long on activity, short on learning outcomes.  When planning a project, it is important to remember the outcomes you hope to achieve from the project.  Another potential pitfall is layering technology over traditional practice.  In our generation, it is importance to remember the useful help of technology, but that should not be the primary outcome of a project.  Technology is an important tool to use to help reach their goal, but the value of technology should not be misused.  Thematic unit is not PBL, but it does not mean that it has to be trivial.  As teachers, we have to be careful not to turn thematic teaching into a repetitive, useless project.  Instead we should think outside the box to turn it into PBL. Another potential pitfall in project design is a design that is overly scripted with excessive steps.  When assigning the projects, we should be aware not to assign projects with limited or predictable results. Instead of assigning “recipe” projects, we should encourage to reach their own outcomes.  Awareness of this will lead to more significant learning outcomes. 
2. Discuss the features of a good project. To create a good project, the potential pitfalls discussed above should be avoided.  Also being flexible and avoiding predictable “cookie cutter” projects helps develop good projects.  By making the topic broad, the kids have the ability to explore their own options.

3. Discuss where project ideas come from. There isn’t one specific place to find good project ideas.  Teachers can look through books, get ideas from colleagues, finds ideas online, etc. Once you get an idea for one great project, it will begin generating ideas for your next big projects.

4. Discuss the steps to design a project. To begin designing your project is to revisit the framework.  To revisit the framework, you make a list of the learning objectives and decide what you want your students to obtain from a certain project.  The next step is to have a good grasp on the topic.  If you would like your students to succeed with the project, it is important to understand the topic yourself to help guide them.  The next step is to plan a theme and structure for the project. Finally, you must think of how you will introduce the project and get your students excited to begin it!

5. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project. This chapter relates to our project because it gives us advice on how exactly to set up our first project. As a team we can take advice from this chapter and use the concepts in our own project, such as learning outcomes and flexibility.  Also, this chapter relates to our Kicks for Kids project because in order to develop a successful plan for the project, we were to pick a theme and then become knowledgeable about the topic before we can begin creating assignments.