1. Description of some ways to build connections and
branch out beyond the classroom.
Building connections and branching out beyond the classroom can be done simply by the use of technology. This can be done by blogs. They can be used to help develop students' writing skills and as well as to help students express themselves. Their work can be made accessible to fellow students, people outside of the classroom and connect with experts in the topic they're writing about. Digital-age projects can also encourage or require students to connect with people outside of the classroom, whether they're contacting experts, classrooms across the globe, etc. Projects that incorporate inquiry are great opportunities to involve an expert, and in certain projects as teachers, we can set a stage for these connections. Students should be prepared before these connections by teaching them how to conduct an interview to gather the most conducive information for their project.
2. Description of the EAST Initiative Model.
The Environmental and Spatial Technologies (EAST) Initiative model requires students to use technology to make a difference. They do this by doing projects that help them master different technologies while solving a community problem. The four parts to this model are student-driven learning, authentic project-based learning, technology as tools, and collaboration. This model also includes teacher to teacher support and training. Through this model teachers will change their roles from project leader to project supervisor. Professional development for teachers occurs in three phases. A collaborative training experience held for a week in the summer, when the educators begin to have questions about implementing the EAST model, and when the educators go further into the real-life problems the students run into. Teachers also maintain ongoing support and networking.
3. Discussion on some reasons to let students “lead” their projects.
Students are able to successfully lead their own projects and come up with project ideas that they are passionate about. Teachers don't have to micromanage the learning, creativity, and projects occurring in the classroom, and students can be intrinsically motivated instead of always extrinsically motivated to do projects. Students develop a passion for solving problems through their research and personal connections, so they are excited about solving the problem for themselves, as opposed to solving the problem for a teacher.
4. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.
This chapter relates to our topic and project because we can use this model when developing our topic/project. We can use this project to encourage connections being made with people outside of the classroom in projects and to let students take initiative and independence over their project. We can also use this model in our teaching style. We could encourage teachers to take a step back to be “supervisors” as opposed to “leaders”.
Building connections and branching out beyond the classroom can be done simply by the use of technology. This can be done by blogs. They can be used to help develop students' writing skills and as well as to help students express themselves. Their work can be made accessible to fellow students, people outside of the classroom and connect with experts in the topic they're writing about. Digital-age projects can also encourage or require students to connect with people outside of the classroom, whether they're contacting experts, classrooms across the globe, etc. Projects that incorporate inquiry are great opportunities to involve an expert, and in certain projects as teachers, we can set a stage for these connections. Students should be prepared before these connections by teaching them how to conduct an interview to gather the most conducive information for their project.
2. Description of the EAST Initiative Model.
The Environmental and Spatial Technologies (EAST) Initiative model requires students to use technology to make a difference. They do this by doing projects that help them master different technologies while solving a community problem. The four parts to this model are student-driven learning, authentic project-based learning, technology as tools, and collaboration. This model also includes teacher to teacher support and training. Through this model teachers will change their roles from project leader to project supervisor. Professional development for teachers occurs in three phases. A collaborative training experience held for a week in the summer, when the educators begin to have questions about implementing the EAST model, and when the educators go further into the real-life problems the students run into. Teachers also maintain ongoing support and networking.
3. Discussion on some reasons to let students “lead” their projects.
Students are able to successfully lead their own projects and come up with project ideas that they are passionate about. Teachers don't have to micromanage the learning, creativity, and projects occurring in the classroom, and students can be intrinsically motivated instead of always extrinsically motivated to do projects. Students develop a passion for solving problems through their research and personal connections, so they are excited about solving the problem for themselves, as opposed to solving the problem for a teacher.
4. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.
This chapter relates to our topic and project because we can use this model when developing our topic/project. We can use this project to encourage connections being made with people outside of the classroom in projects and to let students take initiative and independence over their project. We can also use this model in our teaching style. We could encourage teachers to take a step back to be “supervisors” as opposed to “leaders”.
I like how you mentioned that students can come up with project ideas on their own. I think they would be a lot more motivated and interested to work on a project that they themselves come up with. It would present a unique challenge for the teacher in figuring out how to fit the idea into a project based learning situation.
ReplyDeleteI like how you said we could encourage teachers to take a step back to be supervisors as opposed to leaders. I think it's important to allow the students to be the leaders more often than not!
ReplyDelete