Building Connections and Branching Out Chapter 8

            Connecting students with experts and expanding their learning circles can be extremely beneficial to their learning. One way teachers can help students connect with experts is through recognizing learning opportunities or making introductions online. Introductions can be made through reading blogs. Teachers can start by making a list of willing experts. Teachers can generate of list of parents with skills and expertise helpful to the completion of the project. Parents may also have suggestions of people they know who can help. Teachers can use a database to organize this information. Teachers can also show the students how to locate experts online, which gives students independence and practice using 21^st century skills (effective communication, researching). Their learning circle can be expanded through the collaboration with students from other classrooms within their school and around the world. This can be done by exchanging videos, blogs and other forms of technology.
            The EAST Initiative Model stands for Environmental and Spatial Technology Initiative Model. EAST students use GIS, GPS, CAD and other technologies to create maps of their local area/community. There are four main ideas essential in the EAST model: student-driven learning, authentic project-based learning, technology as tools, and collaboration. Students are encouraged to take the lead of their own learning.
            There are several reasons why teachers should let students take the lead on their learning. When students are allowed to take the lead on their learning, they are able to pick topics that are interesting and relevant to their lives. They are still gaining the necessary 21^st century skills and knowledge, but they are learning with something that interests them, therefor deeper, more meaningful learning is taking place. The teacher is there to support and guide the students as they take charge. Students should be allowed to take charge because they are very capable of handling it. We need to give them the credit they deserve and support when needed.
            Concepts of this chapter relate to our project, because we need to be able to stand back and let the students take charge of “Taste the World” night. As teachers, we will need to be able to decide when it is appropriate to step in and support the students and when to let them struggle a little. Struggling with a concept is not always a bad thing, in those moments a lot of growth takes place. We also need to be providing our student with many professional contacts, which could include parents who are chefs, local bakery owners, etc.