Monday, September 23, 2013

 
 
Reading Reflection #1

 
Michelle Webb
 
                While reading Chapter 1: Mapping the Journey - Seeing the Big Picture, of  our class book
 Reinventing Project-Based learning, the important things that I found to keep in mind for teachers starting to work with project based learning is on pages 18 and 19. You should know the material of what your students need to know well enough that if they start to take the project a different way than what you anticipated you can either softly redirect them or allow their unexpected idea to continue. The communication within your room should be open and your classroom management style should be clear and easy for the students to follow. The way the classroom is set up should be conducive to a project based type of learning. Assessments and what you as the teacher collect are also important to consider. Finally, the last thing you should keep in mind is the way you communicate with your colleges and parents of the students within your building.

Benefits of PBL overall are that teachers and students invent new ways of learning and work together to make that happen. Students throughout the year become better at working in teams among their group members, completing their work before deadlines, resolve conflicts by themselves in a way that allows the group to continue working together. Most of all the students become much better at investigating and finding the answers to the questions that they created.

            Benefits specifically for students who use PBL are that students improve on their communication and inquiry skills throughout the year. Students are able to learn how to be flexible with the way that they work, get a better understanding of how the world actually works and they are able to achieve the feeling that not just a group but specific people can change something about the world.

            I believe a huge problem that would face teachers who are trying to use PBL is that not enough teachers are given the knowledge to work with new technology. They are many teachers that I know that are not exactly “technology savvy” and this would create s problem for PBL. The teachers need to be better prepared to handle the new technology so that they can better inform their students on what all is out there that they can learn.

                New Technology High is a great example of a New Technology Model.  This is because in order for this type of learning to take place the students need to be supported by their parents and teachers and the teachers need to be supported by the school. PBL would be easiest to take place within a school that is built for such learning.

1 comment:

  1. I agree that communication and knowledge are key to getting the students actively engaged. I believe that PBL is a great way to get students more comfortable with group work, communication, and it allows them to bounce their thinking off of their peers. What is a clearer way of understanding the New Technology High?

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