Blog Assignment 9

What can teachers and students teach us about Project Based Learning?

In Seven Essentials for Project- Based Learning, every project needs to be meaningful for the students and it needs to fill an educational purpose.  This can be achieved by following these seven steps:

1. A need to know- Teachers must engage their students from the start of the project.
2. A driving question- This is a questions that gives students a sense of challenge and purpose.
3. Student voice and choice- This allows students to have the control over the project.
4. 21st century skills- These skills provide students with an understanding which will help them outside of the classroom.
5. Inquiry and innovation- Inquiry allows students to research their own questions, leading to more questions.  Questions lead students to find innovative answers to their own questions.
6. Feedback and revision- Allowing students to have feedback and revision will lead to a higher quality work from your students.
7. A publicly presented project- By presenting work publicly, the students will create more meaningful work.

In Project-Based Learning for Teachers, teachers are shown the benefits of switching the a Project-Based Learning classroom.  PBL is an important tool when used with Common Core.  Common Core is what needs to be taught, PBL is how you are able to teach Common Core.

Wing Project: Crafting a Driving Question  A good driving question allows students to have multiple variables.  By paring teachers with subject experts, teachers are able to construct something they were not previously involved in, PBL.  A good driving question makes students interested and guides them on how they will do their work.  A teacher can also add real world skills into your question, like the benefits of working in groups.

PBL: What motivates students?

These are some of the things that motivate children today:

Public praise

The ability to take care of a family in the future

Future career

Success

Rewards

Rewards that work for today's students:

Classroom spending money

Candy and/or food

Outside time

School supplies

Brownie points

Classroom dancing

Ten Sites Supporting Digital Classroom Collaboration in Project Based Learning 

It is important to allow students to network while using PBL.  The following sites are tools in order for your students to collaborate while working on their project.

Titan Pad           Wall Wisher            Corkboardme             Google Docs                 Microsoft Live

             Today's Meet            Will You Type With Me                Linoit                 Skype in Education

                               Quick Screen Share