Final Concept Map

Reading Reflection #11

Chapter 11 - Bringing It Home

1. Description of what occurs as a result of using the Project-based learning approach.

• When a successful project comes to an end, you and your students will feel as if you have "been somewhere" together. Your project should leave you with vivid memories, souvenirs and artifacts you have collected along the way, and plenty more ideas for shaping your next learning adventure. Projects open new doors and create connections that you can build into future project designs. 

2. Discussion on ways to “bring your project home”.

• One way to "bring your project home" is to enter in a contest. It gives you a chance to put your best work forward. You may gain more exposure for your project and your students which all can help raise the profile of what you are doing in your classroom. 

3. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

• The concepts in this chapter relate to my topic by having and allowing our students to learn from the work that we did in the project and use those skills in the future. Giving students memories on the success of a project gives them positive attitudes of being independent and have them be able to create new and exciting projects in the future. 

Reading Reflection 10

1.Discussion on the importance of setting aside time for reflection
Reflection is an essential component for moving forward. Students can look back on their accomplishments with pride. Reflecting not only hardens their knowledge on the topic but they also create their own meanings by observing their work closely. These also help students find out what they want to do next for a project.

2. Discussion on the reason students need to reflect and elaborate
Students shouldn’t have too many questions left unanswered but at the same time, they shouldn’t have to answer too many questions they already know the answers to. The point of reflecting and elaborating is to look back on your work with fondness and think about what you can do for a new project. For reflection questions, focus on the few things that matter most, those that anchor the learning and get kids thinking about themselves and evolving learners. If you make the questions fun and focused on the achievements they accomplish, the students will grasp the final objective better.

3. Discussion on how schools build tradition and identity
Schools these days are known all about their sports. Students and teachers alike get so excited that they also get the community involved. The community helps by getting involved with the fun and helping financially. Schools also have the potential to be known for their academics. More importantly, they can be known for their project based learning ideas. When schools show how effective project based learning is, they can get their community involved and even help open up new resources students can use in their future projects.

4. Discussion on the importance of celebrating a project
Students work hard on the projects they do, it’s only natural that celebrating these projects motivates them and gives them a sense of accomplishment. You can hold a party, display their work, or show everything at the end of the year. Students feel a sense of pride when their projects are celebrated. This also motivates them to work harder in their next project.

5. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project
We intend to have a pizza party at the end of our unit. This will be paid for by the sales students have at the farmers market. I think the students will want to do more if they see the fruits of their labor proudly displayed.

Reading Reflection #9

1. Description of a method of understanding prior-knowledge of students
By finding out what students understand prior to the lesson, you as a teacher have a general idea of what objectives take the most importance over others. You know what areas of study will need to be addressed the most and what areas only need to be fine tuned.

2. Discussion on the importance of establishing anchors for a project
Students won’t all be in the same place learning wise at the end of the lesson. Just like they weren’t all in the same place at the beginning of the lesson. Anchors help you gain a sense of where students are starting and how far they are going as they work to meet learning goals. At the end of the lesson, you also have a better understanding of where every student is.

3. Description of several ways to assess what students learned during the project
Some ways to assess what students learned include tests, asking what they learned, creating something new, model real world assessments, and submitting work for publication or contests. A test is the most traditional way to assess students’ knowledge after a project. Asking students what they learned offers less pressure on the students and acts like a simple talk. But modeling real world assessments is the best way, I believe, because they are used in the real world. The more students get a better understanding of how they’ll be assessed in the real world, the more they’ll be prepared.

4. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project
We’ve looked at the different ways to assess what the students learned. This is difficult because each student learns at a different pace and probably learned something different than their partner. Finding the right assessment is key to growth for the next project.

Reading Reflection #10

Chapter 10 - Celebrating and Reflecting

1. Discussion on the importance of setting aside time for reflection.

• The importance of setting time aside for a reflection it is acknowledged as being an essential element in learning. Taking time to reflect helps students feel good about their accomplishments and it also helps make learning more effective. 

2. Discussion on the reason students need to reflect and elaborate.

• Students need to reflect and elaborate because they will become more accomplished as professional project-doers and you will put more and more decisions for subsequent projects in their hands in the future. You must ask them question such as "What does this get you wondering about next? What do you want to learn now, and how do you want to go about it?"

3. Discussion on how schools build tradition and identity.

• Many school identities are tied to their traditions. What schools share is a sense of tradition and an expectation of excellence. Think about how your class and school can establish a tradition of exemplary project work. Once you have established a tradition of excellence, students will feel it's a privilege to honor the tradition with their hard work.

4. Discussion on the importance celebrating a project.

• Show the students' work, put on an event, create a blog, or throw a party. Any way you do it, celebrate learning by building your school's identity as a place where kids get to learn through projects. 

5. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

• The concept of this chapter relates to my topic/project by the use of our celebration of doing the project. Being able to celebrate by learning and engaging with one another is a great way of treating one's self and reflecting on knowledge and growth. 

Reading Reflection #9

Chapter 9: Making Assessment Meaningful

1)   Description of a method of understanding prior-knowledge of students.

a)   Active learning is essential for good projects and students benefit by being actively involved even at the assessment stage. In a well-designed project, students know why they are taking on a particular task and how it leads them toward important learning goals. Students also know what “success” looks like, and they understand the various categories by which their performance will be measured.

2)   Discussion on the importance of establishing anchors for a project.

a)   By establishing “anchors” the teacher gains a sense of where the students are starting and how far they are going as they work to meet learning goals. In a project-based classroom, you expand the opportunities to differentiate instruction and help all learners be successful.

3)   Description of several ways to assess what students learned during the project.

a)   There are many ways to assess your students’ learning. For example, a teacher who teaches digital media has a circle of friends who work in the graphics and video gaming fields. She drams on these experts to help critique her students’ work, and giving them the real-world experience of having their portfolios evaluated.

4)   Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

a)   This concept relates to my topic because it is very essential to assess students on their work because it gets them prepared for the real-world and helps them take critique well.

Reading Reflection 8

1. Description of some ways to build connections and branch out beyond the classroom.
Technology is a great way to reach an authentic audience. Technology such as blogs help by connecting students and teachers and by giving students their own voice. It creates a communication medium. It also offers opportunities for students to branch out into the community or farther to research topics for their projects.

2. Description of the EAST Initiative Model.
The EAST Initiative model is the Environmental and Spacial Technologies. They work to make technology usable in the outside world. Students master these sophisticated tools and application in context while solving community problems that interest them. Technology is a hook that attracts children to contribute more into their communities.

3. Discussion on some reasons to let students “lead” their projects.
When students lead student projects, they develop an independence and leadership, learning how to interact with their peers and learning what they are most passionate about. Everyone has a part in a project and students can find their own place when they take the lead in a project they love.

4. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.
Our project is very student led and it's given us more independence. I've also learned more about my community during this project.

Reading Reflection #8

Chapter 8: Building Connections and Branching Out

1. Description of some ways to build connections and branch out beyond the classroom.

• Online Collaboration: it integrates a wide range of technologies to help students connect across thousands of miles.
• Authentic opportunities for students to share their research or advocate for a cause offer a robust contrast to more traditional "report out" methods at the end of a project.

2. Description of the EAST Initiative Model.

• The Environmental and Spatial Technologies (EAST) Initiative network of schools have been demonstration the benefits of using technology for a real purpose. EAST students master these tools and applications in context while solving community problems that interest them. The EAST Initiative started in rural Arkansas in 1996 and has grown to include more that 260 schools in seven states. It has expanded from high school program to included students from second grade to post-secondary levels.

3. Discussion on some reasons to let students “lead” their projects.

• When teachers become more comfortable with the project approach, they sometimes find that students are quite capable of leading their own projects. Students have the potential to chart their own learning path by students with learning disabilities. Collaboration is key for students to work together and lead their projects. 

4. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

• This chapter relates to my project because it relates to the virtual penpals assignment in regards to students being able to communicate to other students across thousands of miles. 

Reading Reflection #7

Chapter 7: A Guiding Hand--Keeping a Project Moving

1. Description of the levels of classroom discussions.

• Teacher to Teacher: These conversations will likely touch on everything from the procedural to a formative assessment. If teachers do not have time for face-to-face collaboration, be sure you are using a blog, wiki, or any other collaborative tool to keep the conversation going.
• Student to Student: They should be talking about their learning experiences as they unfold within their teams as well across teams. remind them that good communication skills are part of effective teamwork and will help keep them organized and on track. 
• Teacher to Student: The teacher is apt to be circulating, observing, and talking with smaller groups of students. This method is ideal for practicing your own listening skills and asking probing questions that push students toward high-order thinking.

2. Discussion on the questions for “checking in” on students during a project.

• Procedural: Are we staying on schedule? To track progress toward milestones and deadlines, remind students of the project calendar and monitor students' project logs and checklists.
• Teamwork: How are team members getting along? Circulate and ask questions to help assess team dynamics. If you have students using a project blog or journal, ask them to write an entry specifically about their team's progress. Give them a safe place to raise concerns or to ask for help if they are experiencing team trouble. 
• Understanding: Have you thought about...? Spend time observing teams at work, listening to student conversations, and asking questions. Review online work spaces where you can see student work in progress. if you see students going way off task or basing their decisions on faulty information, ask questions or suggest resources to redirect them. 
• Self-assessment: To find out what students are thinking about the project, ask questions that encourage self-assessment and reflection. Project journals or blogs offer space for students to describe challenges or frustrations =, to ask questions that they may not feel comfortable asking in class, or to share their excitement about the project. 

3. Discussion on the benefits to students when optimizing the use of technology.

• Students will gain new insights into how to communicate with a culturally diverse audience. Students may also gain benefits in the outset of a project or by taking in constructive criticism. 

4. Discussion on the 21st-century skills that can make or break a project.

• During a project, pay close attention to team dynamics and if you detect trouble, help students learn to manage their own team conflicts.It is a real-life skill that will serve them well for years to come. Encourage self-assessment by asking the students to describe the skills they have to offer a team. 

5. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

• The concepts of this chapter relate to my project tremendously due to the "checking in" system on a student in a project. These procedures are extremely important and effective in regards to make sure the students are accurately engulfing themselves in project-based learning and collaboration of both teachers and students. 

Reading Reflection 6

1. Discuss how technology tools can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths.
Technology tools can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths. It can also offer a captivating introduction to a project.

2. Describe several ways in which you can get students’ minds ready for a project.
To get students ready, you'll need to get an idea of what they know about the project and find a way to excite their curiosity about the project. Invite them to open their eyes to the different possibilities the project can have and encourage them to think about the topic. Have them discus the idea with their friends and family. AS you slowly introduce the project in bits and pieces, their curiosity makes them more willing to participate in the project.

3. Discuss the elements of teaching fundamentals first.
To make sure the basics are covered for your project, it is best to teach prerequisite knowledge that the students will need. Many times big projects contain many fundamentals that need to be covered and without proper knowledge of these fundamentals, students will have lacking projects from lacking information. Fundamentals also set a starting point for indepentent inquiry where students put their prior knowledge with their new questions.

4. Describe the important steps in preparing students for using technology in project.
The important steps to preparing students for technology are:

• Set up a technology background- consider how you could teach them to teach themselves using opportunities
• Tap student expertise- let the more technologically ableled students teach the less able
• Introduce Project Management Tools- Use logs or journals to help them track their progress
• Demonstrate- show them how it's done

5. Discuss ways to promote inquiry and deep learning.
Guide students as they choose questions, plan investigations, ad begin to put their plan into action. Have them further explore their thinking and ideas. They explore the ways to combine social studies with academics in the learning ahead.

6. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.
We've been using a lot of new and interesting types of technology for the different parts of our project.

Reading Reflection #6

Chapter 6: Project Launch---Implementation Strategies

1. Discuss how technology tools can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths.

• Technology tools encourage students to reflect and evaluate their own strengths by because they are easy to use. the students become very familiar with how to build and apply to it. It helps them track their progress toward their goal and they gain new skills in troubleshooting delays or other setbacks. 

2. Describe several ways in which you can get students’ minds ready for a project.

• In order to get students ready for a project, the teacher must first activate the students' prior knowledge. Get the students attention and give them ideas to settle their imaginations. encourage your students to explore and think about the topic and discuss their ideas with peers. 

3. Discuss the elements of teaching fundamentals first.

• Before beginning a project, a teacher must teach prerequisite knowledge or skills students needs in order to work with the degree of independence in their own investigations. As a student starts to wonder, encourage deeper questioning with transforming questions like "why?", "should", and "how" questions that will lead to more complex and interesting investigations. Also, giving a student an assessment rubric is like a road map to great achievement. Discuss the dimensions of performance and the scale of each values for rating performance on each dimension. 

4. Describe the important steps in preparing students for using technology in project.

• In order to prepare students for a technology project, the teacher must set up opportunities for students to learn by and among themselves. Set up a technology playground for students to explore. Learning to use technology or an application for a project can be a rich problem-solving experience in itself. Let technology able students teach others. Have a student use a project log in order to help them track their progress towards goals. Also,If you are comfortable with the tools students use, demonstrate their use.

5. Discuss ways to promote inquiry and deep learning.

• In order to promote inquiry and deep learning is to guide students and have them choose questions, plan investigations, and begin to put their plan into action. Engaging projects goes into many directions and they learn many things together, students are challenged to explored their own interest too. Guide students toward skilled questioning by imagining what practitioners or experts might ask.

6. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

• The concepts in this chapter relate to my project because the use of technology and learning more on how to use it is a great way of students collaborating with one another. Students who do not know much about technology can be helped by those who do and that student can benefit that student by applying their own strengths. 

Revised Concept Map

Reading Reflection 5

1. Discussion on the items that should be considered before starting a project with students
Before starting a project with students you need to consider the following:

• What and Who You Will Need- What materials you'll need, you can also put out word about the upcoming project. If your project uses new technologies then think about the essential learning functions you need technology to deliver and select the appropriate tools. Having an expert come and talk to the students also helps and now videoconferencing and virtual field trips can help with this.
• Milestones and Deadlines- Time management is a skill that will support students throughout their education and beyond. A project calendar is helpful because it breaks up big tasks into smaller ones and it's a helpful tool to have in the future.
• Team Planning- How will student teams be organized? Remember students will be doing different things at different times so how will you ensure that all students are challenged? Team approaches require you to reset your expectations and experiment with different combinations.
• Plan for Assessment- With planning and practice, you can take advantage of assessment opportunities throughout the project. How will you know that it has been a successful learning journey? A complex project requires multiple assessment methods.

2. Discussion on teachers’ and students’ management needs.
Teachers need to include:

• Tools for communicating with students and others about the project
• Tools for making milestones and events visible and for notifying students when changes occur
• Methods for getting resources to students
• Systems for managing work products
• Structures that support a productive learning enviornment in which teams and individuals are engaged in a variety of learning tasks at the same time
• Assessment tools and strategies

Students need to include:

• Systems and tools that help them manage their time and flow of work
• Systems that help students manage materials and control work drafts
• Collaboration tools
• Methods for seeking assistance
• Ways to get and use feedback on their work, through self-reflection, team input, and teacher advice
• Ways to work interatively and to see how parts add up to the whole

3. Discuss some of the technology applications that should be considered for use in a project.
Two web-based applications are wikis and blogs. A wiki is collaborative and anyone can edit and read from anywhere. It can be syndicated so readers can learn about new content as it changes. It also maintains a version history so if something goes wrong, users can revert to an earlier version. A blog is a one-to-many delivery system with one author. The simplest way to begin using the Web to support projects may be to build a project wiki. Students can communicate with teachers and build more pages on their own as the project progresses.

4. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.
Our project is focused on using a blog as the center of our topic. This also focuses on our learning of project-based learning.

Reading Reflection #5

Chapter 5: Project Management for Teachers and Learners

1. Discussion on the items that should be considered before starting a project with students.

• The items that should be considered before starting a project with students are first to take a look at your inventory and view as to what materials, tools, or supplies are available at school or offered by the parent community and other supporters. You would have to ask yourself does your project involve the use of technologies that are new to you or your students and what will you need to do in order to expand your students' access to technology? Also you would have divide responsibilities to a collaborating team and decide which tasks they will be responsible for and how will that team organizes who does what. 

2. Discussion on teachers’ and students’ management needs.

Teachers' Management Needs: 

• Tools for communicating with students and others about the project.
• Tools for making milestones and events visible and for notifying students when changes occur
• methods for getting resources to students
• systems for managing work products
• structures that support a productive learning environment in which teams and individuals are engaged in a variety of learning tasks at the same time
• assessment tools and strategies

Students' Management Needs:

• systems and tools that help them manage their time and flow of work
• systems that help students manage materials and control work drafts
• collaboration tools
• methods for seeking assistance
• ways to get and use feedback on their work, through self-reflection, team input, and teacher advice
• ways to work interactively and to see how parts add up to the whole

3. Discuss some of the technology applications that should be considered for use in a project.

• Some technology applications that can be used in a project are wiki which is an easily edited  page. Another technology application is using a blog. The structure and the flow is a one-to-many delivery system with one one primary author controlling the contents. 

4. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

• The concepts of this chapter relates to my topic by knowing the roles that a student and a teacher has .in participating in a technology-based project consisting on collaboration. It is important for students to feel responsible for a role in an organized assignment in order for them to be engaged in a job succeed in making the project come together nicely. 

Reading Reflection 4

1. Discuss the potential pitfalls in project design.

• Long on activity, short on learning outcomes: If the project's outcome is solely information that they could read or find in a book then the activity was a waste of time because of how long it takes.
• Technology layered over traditional practice: Good projects focus on reaching real life learning strategies, not just using electronics to show what you learned using electronics.
• Trivial thematic units: Thematic teaching is not necessarily project based learning but have the potential to to be trivial if the theme can unify a year's worth of projects and teach the real life learning strategies.
• Overly scripted with many, many steps: If the instructions are overly scripted then they leave no room for real learning to take place, they are simply following step by step instructions.

2. Discuss the features of a good project.
The best projects:

• are loosely designed with the possibility of different learning paths
• are generative, causing students to construct meaning
• center on a driving question or are otherwise structured for inquiry
• capture student interest through complex and compelling real-life or simulated experiences
• are realistic, and therefore cross multiple disciplines
• reach beyond school to involve others
• tap rich data to primary sources
• are structured so students learn with and from each other
• have students working as inquiring experts might
• get at 21st-century skills and literacies, including communication, project management, and technology use
• get at important learning dispositions, including persistence, risk-taking, confidence, resilience, self-reflection, and cooperation
• have students learn by doing

3. Discuss where project ideas come from.
Good projects can come from anyone and a successful project can be the beginning of a new project. Ideas can come from project plans developed by and for other teachers, news stories, contemporary issues, student questions or interests, a classroom irritant put to educational use, or a "mashup" of a great idea and a new tool. Technology helps by connecting us to view and explore other projects to improve our own.

4. Discuss the steps to design a project
First you'll want to revisit the framework. Make a list of learning objectives and dispositions you want to foster and accomplish. You also will want to decide on the 21st century skills you'll want to address. Next you'll want to establish what you you believe the students will know and what different things they will be able to do once they have learned. Then you'll want to plan the theme or challenge. Imagine what life connections students will get out of the project and how real life people would address the topic you've chosen. Finally you'll plan on how to get the students interested in the project you have. You'll want to edit and revise the material a few times before you create a sketch to get an idea of what your project will look like.

5. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.
With a theme like growing tomatoes, there is a wide range of project ideas that teachers can use. The concept map we made is proof of that. Making a good project will help students get more out of the lesson.

Reading Reflection #4

Chapter 4: Strategies for Discovery

1. Discuss the potential pitfalls in project design.

• Long on activity, short on learning activities
• Technology layered over traditional practice
• Trivial thematic units
• Overly scripted with many, many steps

2. Discuss the features of a good project.

• A good project must require "a flexible framework" for the people in the group. A group must think about the importance of straying away from traditional thinking when starting a project. In order to engage learners, there has to be a situation set up in which they want to ask questions, want to learn more, need to know something that don't already know, and believe it is really important to them, and to the community to find out. 

3. Discuss where project ideas come from.

• project plans developed by and for other teachers
• news stories
• contemporary issues
• student questions or interests
• a classroom irritant put to educational use
• a "mashup" of a great idea and a new tool 

4. Discuss the steps to design a project.

• revisit the framework
• establish evidence of understanding
• plan the project theme or challenge
• plan the entree into the project experience

5. Discuss on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

• This topic relates to my project because my group member and I have to set up a procedure in order to make the outcome of this project successful. The concepts in this chapter really helped me understand all that I need to include in my project in order to make it seem better. I also think know what are the flaws of designing a project are is also beneficial to me because everything has pros and cons.

Reading Reflection #3

1. Discussion on what should be considered in finding “the Big Idea” for a project.
We learn that the more complex an idea is, the better suited it is for the 21st century project treatment. You can find the big ideas in the table of contents, curriculum standards, or even by asking colleges. Once you identify these big concepts you want the students to understand, figure out why these concepts are important. What is their application or relevance in real life? Who outside of school pays attention to this fundamental idea? When students think about what affect their project has on their community, they become more involved and interested.

2. Discussion on the 2lst Century skills.
The book describes 21st century skills as thinking beyond subject mastery. It says a well designed project causes students to stretch their intellectual muscles in ways traditional learning activities may not. Bloom asks how your project can evolves using the following skills: analyze, evaluate, and create.

3. Discussion on the 21st Century literacies.
A well done project can prepare students for activities in the real world using the tools they have learned to better their community. 21st century literacies come down to students learning to be independent, aware, and productive citizens. 21st century literacies are based off of visual and technological literacies.

4. Discussion on each of the essential learning functions.
-Ubiquity: giving students the opportunity to learn inside and outside the classroom
-Deep Learning: Using higher order thinking to go beyond "filtered" information to come up with your own answers
-Making Things Visible and Discussable: Tools like google earth, flickr, and other digital tools to show more than tell
-Expressing Ourselves: Using the social media to find ways to expand your thinking and analize other's work
-Collaboration: Working with others
-Research: Learning to filter through an abundence of information given to us through search engines
-Project Management: Teaching students to manage time, work, give feedback, make drafts, and manage products
-Reflection: How will this project help in the real world

5. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.
This relates to our topic because gardening is much older than a 21st century concept. But gardening has evolved through people coming up with projects and considering how it will benefit the real world. Even today, people look to the web to see how the 21st century gardeners grow their favorite plants. Each of the learning functions is essential for any project because they teach us how to think beyond a normal graded project.

Reading Reflection #3 - Chapter 3: Imagining the Possibilities

Reading Reflection #3 -  Chapter 3: Imagining the Possibilities 

1. Discussion on what should be considered in finding “the Big Idea” for a project.

• The things that should be considered in finding "the Big Idea" in a project is by identifying the core concepts and processes when teachers teach the first step of project planning. scanning the table of contents of your teaching guides and reviewing the curriculum standards of your subjects are great ways of finding it. 

2. Discussion on the 2lst Century skills.

• In the textbook, it states that 21st century skills such as well-designed projects cause students to stretch their intellectual muscles and use their knowledge for granted. It also discusses about the higher-order thinking categories of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives which move from lower-order to higher-order of thinking. 

3. Discussion on the 21st Century literacies.

• For learners, 21st Century Literacies are based off of visual and technological literacies by having the ability to effectively use real-word tools. Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, and compute  using printed and written materials associated with different contexts. 

4. Discussion on each of the essential learning functions.

• Ubiquity: Learning inside and outside the classroom, and all the time.
• Deep learning
• Making things visible and discusable 
• Expressing ourselves, sharing ideas, and building community
• Collaboration---teaching and learning with others
• Research
• Project Management: planning and organization
• Reflection and Iteration

5. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

• The concepts in this chapter relate to my topic because the idea of combining literacy and 21st century skills will benefit the students drastically and they will be more engaged to learn and be able to do what they want that interests them. 

Virtual Penpals Project Part A

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t_Fh4ooQGO6TWqb_PCbGY_z9TwKXBiDCaRnUaGHa1vc/edit#heading=h.njqm0fqcwssd

Virtual Pen Pals Part B

Gardening in Kalamazoo

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Reading Reflection 2

1. Discussion on the focus of Learning Communities
I believe the focus of learning communities is to create a setting when students and teachers alike can asses each other's work for the purpose of improving it. There are many forms ranging from formal to informal and digital to personal. They focus on ensuring students learn, creating collaboration for school improvement, and focusing on results.

2. Discussion on the benefits of Learning Communities
Learning communities bring students and teachers together. Before, teachers worked alone and rarely worked with other teachers. Learning communities not only help teachers improve their curriculum but it also helps teachers learn to asses each others work without being critical. With teachers working together, the school is filled with a curriculum that can't fail.

3. Discussion on how Learning Communities affect teachers.
Learning Communities affect teachers mostly because they are new. They produce a decrease in teacher isolation, increased commitment, shared responsibility, more powerful learning, and a higher likelihood of fundamental, systematic change. They have a wider range of help available to them on the internet where all over the world teachers are committed to helping each other.

4. Discussion on how Learning Communities affect students
Learning Communities affect students by providing them with a richer enviornment for learning and they learn new patterns for thinking.

5. Discussion on the components for shared vision in Learning Communities
The components for shared vision in Learning Communities are decreased teacher isolation, increased commitment, shared responsibility, more powerful learning, and a high likelihood of fundamental systematic change

6. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project
This chapter relates to our project because we are both assessing each other and looking at previous work to influence how we proceed with our project. We will look into our own learning communities to help us develop a great project.

Reading Reflection #2 - Chapter Two: Creating a Professional Learning Community 

1. Discussion on the focus of Learning Communities.

Learning Communities focus on engaging in ongoing, collaborative problem solving focused on making the business better. Individuals and the team as a whole expand their views to create the projects that they desire

2. Discussion on the benefits of Learning Communities.

The individuals in the Learning Communities benefit from it by learning how to create new patterns of thinking, learn how to capitalize on the knowledge of the group, and they learn how to learn together. 

3. Discussion on how Learning Communities affect teachers.

Learning Communities affect teachers by having them find the time to observe and reflect on each other's classroom interactions and learn how to give each other constructive feedback. They also engage in new patterns of thinking and learn how to learn together as a community.

4. Discussion on how Learning Communities affect students.

Learning Communities affect students by helping them develop the skills and dispositions that are deemed necessary in the "real world" such as communication, problem solving, project management, motivation, and persistence. 

5. Discussion on the components for shared vision in Learning Communities.

• Decreased teacher isolation
• Increased commitment to the mission
• Shared responsibility 
• More powerful learning
• A higher likelihood of fundamental, systematic change

6. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

These concepts in this chapter thoroughly relates to my project because this is a shared commitment. As a group, my partner and I must be able to communicate with one another in order to successfully complete this project . 

Reading Reflection #1

1. Discussion on what you need to keep in mind as you start the journey through Project-Based Learning (PBL)
Technology is providing opportunities for projects to be more connected to student's lives. The results are worth it when students find themselves connecting with the material and then using it in the real world. Most importantly, teachers will be learning with the students since this is a new way of learning.

2. Discussion on the overall benefits of the PBL approach.
By using the PBL approach, students are introduced to more real life experiences that they will use outside of the classroom. Students are more interested in this approach because it connects to the real world and it uses topics they're more interested in which in turn encourages them to participate more. I also believe that with the teachers learning alongside the students, the students will be more eager to learn when they can discover things with the teacher rather than always from the teacher.

3. Discussion on the benefits to students who participate in PBL.
Students learn to work and communicate their ideas collaborativley with other students which is an essential tool to use both outside the classroom and in the work force. They learn to meet deadlines better when they know others depend on them. They develop a key set of inquiry skills that lead them to explore ideas with their teammates. And most importantly, they develop a set of communication skills to break through cultural misunderstandings.

4. Discussion on what issues need to be considered in PBL approach.
We need to consider that this is a new approach for teachers and students alike. It will be a learning process where we will need to work together. Teachers will also need to be more developed in the understanding of technology. Right now we live in an age where students know more about technology than teachers. As teachers we need to know as much as we can so that we can help students in their struggles

5. Discussion on New Technology High as an example of New Technology Model.
I think it's important to have a smaller design that cater to each student's individual needs. It also has the teachers working together to perfect their lesson plans.

Reading Reflection #1 - Chapter 1 Mapping the Journey-Seeing the Big Picture

1. Discussion on what you need to keep in mind as you start the journey through Project-Based Learning (PBL).

In PBL, Teachers need to learn how to engage students in real-world projects. The teacher's role also shifts which gives the students more in control with their projects and it keeps them more interested. 

2. Discussion on the overall benefits of the PBL approach.

The benefits of the PBL approach was discussed over a debate about the accommodations of the digital-age learners and the workforce needs of the new century still continues to engage a global audience. The corporate world demands employees who can work as a team, access and analyze information, and be able to think creatively in order to solve problems. Educators routinely call for new strategies to better connect with the generation that is more accustomed to technology.  

3. Discussion on the benefits to students who participate in PBL.

In the Project-based Learning approach, the students will be able to create their own questions and meanings and it has shown to be extremely effective in increasing students' motivation, problem-solving and higher-order thinking skills. In Project-Based Learning, students will discover open-ended questions and will be able to apply their knowledge in order to produce their own products. 

4. Discussion on what issues need to be considered in PBL approach.

The issues that need to be considered in the PBL approach are working with colleagues and taking advantage of the benefits professional learning communities. Teachers must be able to embark on the right path and do some research in order to gather your own evidence on the benefits of digital-aged projects. 

5. Discussion on New Technology High as an example of New Technology Model.

A teacher named Paul Curtis left a traditional high school environment and joined the staff at the New Technology High. This school was designed to meet the accommodations of the 21st-century learners. The entire beliefs of the school supports the approach of PBL and textbooks were very scarce. The students had computers in reach at all times from every classroom and collaboration was given for both students and teachers. The projects immerse the students in real-world learning and teachers are given time to work together which included shared planning time and staff meetings that focused on instruction. also, online assessment tools enable the teachers to provide students wwith feedback and the student is most likely to receive multiple grades on one project in order to focus on their areas of improvement. 

Concept Map