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Blog 11

Back to the Future by: Brian Crosby

  Throughout the video Brian Crosby did a great job at explaining ways on incorporating project based learning in the classroom. The survey was a great way to evaluate students. After all his explanations and projects students were able to answer the same following questions from previous survey. I plan on using this method as a tool to evaluate student's active learning. He also demonstrated that all students have schema, it's just not the same middle class background that most teachers have. As teachers we can provide our students with the schema they need with hands on, real world experiences in the classroom. Brian created a learning environment that was fun and creative to all students. Great video!  

Blended Learning by: Paul Anderson

 I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Paul Anderson explain the ways he incorporated blending learning cycle in his classroom.  I plan on using this same acronym Quivers (Qu- question, I- investigation/ inquiry, E- elaboration, R- review, S-summary) with science lesson and many more lessons. It's a great tool to use to monitor student's progress before moving to the next step, and also a great time for teachers to give one on one feedback to each student.  

Making Thinking Visible by: Mark Church

  Mark Church shared the importance on the depth of students thinking and reasoning. He explained that students can use real life experiences to make connection with lesson to help students understand.

Building Comics by: Sam Pane

 Clever! This is a great example of project based learning. Sam Pane challenged the students to be creative in making a superhero using  the information they received. This also was a great way to capture students' attention by incorporating things that are familiar to students.

Project Based Learning by: Dean Shareski

I love PBL! Project Based Learning (PBL) can be an effective tool on ways to motivate students. PBL helps teachers to provide quality feedback for students. Also, technology and PBL enhance learning significantly.

Roosevelt Elementary's PBL Program

Awesome video that goes in depth on the meaning and benefits of PBL.

What is project based learning PBL?

• In depth learning
• Integrated thematic instruction
• Based on "real world" problems
• Research- based
• Project and presentation

Benefits of project based learning PBL.

• Provides different ways of learning 
• incorporates real-world solving
• Requires public speaking and takes the fear away st young age
• Problem solving

Blog 10

Wow! I am so amazed and fascinated by the ways Ms. Cassidy integrated technology into her classroom. I always knew that you could integrate technology, but I never thought about having the students create a blog, Skype, or play Nintendo DS. She created a classroom where the students were confident in their work and eager to share. I was amused when one of her students said, "Always be careful what you write and say on your blog."  After this comment, I realized that the students valued their work, their comments, and the amount of views they received from others. This was a  great tool for parents, students, and teachers to  navigate students improvements by viewing each blog post.

            To see Ms. Cassidy use Skype in the classroom was a shocker to me. This made me realize I need to catch up with modern day technology. I enjoyed seeing the students conversing with other peers and teachers. Using this tool is a great way to receive feedback and advice on ways to improve and give ideas on new material. This is also a great way to help students gain confidence in public speaking and listening skills.

            I always thought that Nintendo DS were only used to play video games. This activity was an awesome way to capture students’ attention in a way that is familiar to them. Ms. Cassidy explained that this also helped students learn how to share with others.

            From this video I learned that technology can be integrated in the classroom in a variety of ways to capture the students’ attention. I also learned that there are numerous ways to integrate technology other than showing a video, playing games, or using a smart-board. I look forward to using Ms. Cassidy’s tools in my future classroom, I thoroughly enjoyed watching this video.

 

Blog 9

    After reading the first required section Seven Essentials for Project Based Learning  I learned the differences between busy work and the effective way to do a project based learning activity. In the article John Larner and John R. Mergendoller, states, “A classroom filled with student posters may suggest that students have engaged in meaningful learning. But it is the process of students' learning and the depth of their cognitive engagement rather than the resulting product that distinguishes projects from busywork.” For teacher to have an effective and meaningful project  first students must perceive the work as personally meaningful, as a task that matters and that they want to do well. Second, a meaningful project fulfills an educational purpose. Well-designed and well-implemented project-based learning is meaningful in both ways. Along with making the project meaningful there are seven steps to project based learning.  The seven steps are: Need to know, Driving Question, Student Voice and Choice, Skills, Inquiry and Innovation, Feedback and Revision, and Present. During the seven process the students will learned the important things in project in the process of completion.

    

        In the second video Project Based Learning for Teachers Tony Vincent explains project based learning as having students working over an extended period of time answering a driving question. The questions are deep and requires students to complete and end product to share their learning. In this video Tony states the students will learn collaboration skills, communication skills, critical thinking skills, and career and life skills. Students take charge of their learning.  After watching both videos I learned that it’s important for the students to have a voice and choice in their learning during project based learning.  

Three additional videos

 What Motivates Students?

After the video these are some of the reasons the students discuss in the video.

•      Give praise on completion
•        Recognition
•        Career plans
•        Parents
•        To stay out of trouble

In the video the students explained ways teachers gave rewards for good behavior.

·       Money buckets

·       Brownie points

·       Food

·       School supplies

·       A different theme each day throughout the week

Ten Sites Supporting Digital Classroom Collaboration in Project Based Learning

Allowing students to network while immersed in project based learning is so important. This could include communication and collaboration student to student, student to teacher, and student to expert. To list a few Wall Wisher, Miscroft Live, and Google Docs.

Project Based Learning and Physical Education

The project can be geared toward any standard and any audience. Its focus can be narrow or broad, and it can last anywhere from several days to several months. The payoff is engagement. Students will see the relevance for their learning in PE through the authentic task of a project based learning project. You must give up power in order to empower your students; empower them in their physical education.

Blog 8

Randy Paush's Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
https://youtu.be/ji5_MqicxSo

      This is by far the best video I watched for EDM 310. Randy Paush is such an inspiration to me. Throughout the video he kept a positive attitude even through his health issues. I could feel his passion and dedication while watching the video. I wish I would’ve studied Randy Paush before his last lecture. He never gave up! There is so much I learned that I look forward to using in my daily life and my future classroom. Here is a list of the advice from Randy Paush I look forward to using:

• Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things. Brick wall only stop the people who don’t want it bad enough.
 • John Snoddy, “Wait long enough, and people will surprise and impress you.” He said “When you’re pissed off at somebody and angry at them you didn’t give them enough time.”
 • Set high standards for your students.
 • Get a feedback loop; and listen to it!
• Don’t bail, the best gold is at the bottom of the barrels.
 • Don’t complain, work harder.
 • Be a role model.
 • We learn from our students.
• Make learning fun.
 • Always have something to bring to the table. It make you more valuable.
 • Never lose site of the children dreams.
 • Never lose the child-like wonder. It what drives us.
 • Loyalty is a two way street
• Lastly, Never give up!!!!!

EDM 310 Parent Video