Reading Reflection 6

      Technology tools can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths.  Blogs offer students a space where they can reflect over time about what they are learning.  Blogs are very easy to use, and students will feel more involved with what they are learning.  Online surveys are also a great way to get students to reflect on what they have learned.  As a teacher you can use the results to track trends and to help students see how other students in the class surveyed.  

      A good way to get students minds ready for a project is to tap your students prior knowledge.  KWL activities are great for this.  This will get students to write down what they already know, and you can find out what they want to learn.  Express optimism about the learning that is coming ahead of them.  

      The elements of teaching fundamentals first include setting the stage for independent inquiry.  Students need to have an idea of their starting point and have an idea of what their finished project will look like.  It is also important to share the assessment rubric that you will be using with your students.  There is no way for them to know what you expect if you do not openly let them know.  

      It is important to set up a technology playground for your students to play around with and explore before beginning a project.  This will allow students to understand how to use the technology before beginning the project so that no extra time is wasted.  Taping students expertise is also useful for preparing students for using technology.  Let technically able students teach others.  Introducing project management tools will help for your students to be organized.  It is very important to demonstrate the tool that your students will be using so that they are not going into a project blindly.  If you want your students to do something, then you should also know how to use the technology.  Relying on your technology specialist will come in handy!  

      Promote inquiry and deep learning by getting the students to ask themselves a series of questions.  Which one, how, what if, should, and why are all good questions that students should be thinking about while completing a project.  

      Setting up a technology playground is important for students to do for our project.  It is important for each student to know how to navigate the internet to do research, and for students to know how to create a power point.  It is also important for us to get our students involved and to activate their prior knowledge.  Every student has eaten food before, so it should not be hard to do.  It would be good to ask students if they have ever eaten food that is typically made in other countries.  This will get the students thinking right off the bat!