Chapter 3 reading reflections

            The main point of this chapter was how to build the framework of a project and how to establish important points. The teacher needs to determine why information is important for students to learn and its relevance to the real world. When a teacher instructs out of a textbook the decisions about what is important has been already made by the author. When a teacher creates a project they can tailor it to the individual need of their students. Textbooks should be used as a resource instead of the foundation of a class.

            The traditional classroom usually instructs with one discipline at a time, but with a project based learning overlapping occurs. Incorporating different disciplines may be challenging, but it is beneficial to the students. Teachers should be flexible and should be open to stepping into “new territory” that requires them to learn and try something new. This is a time where collaborating with colleagues is essential. It is good to meet with colleagues who teach a different subject and brainstorm a goal from each subject. Then find ways to incorporate each subject into the project.

            There are eight essential learning functions that this chapter covered. Number one is ubiquity, which is learning all of the time. Many students have cellphones with web-access, so information is always at their fingertips. The second essential learning function is deep learning. Students are able to make sense of data on the web and go outside of the “filtered material.” The third is making things visible and discussable. Making ideas visible helps start discussion. The next is expressing ourselves, sharing ideas, and building communities. Using social websites such as blogs allow students to share their ideas and interest. The fifth is collaborations. It is better to learn together and technology can assist through webinars or wiki’s.  The next is research which is usually students finding information from the web. The seventh is project management. This helps students manage their work and time and to stay on track and organized. The last learning function is reflection. For example a student who is creating a blog can look and reflect on their work from the beginning. I think that an effective project will incorporate all of these eight learning functions in some way.