Chapter 2 Reading Reflection

     Learning communities focus mainly on the idea of colleague collaboration. The beauty of learning communities is that they do not have to take place in the school where one teaches. Members of any given learning community can be from all corners of the globe. 

     Learning communities are a way to get project ideas out in the open and to get feedback on them, from a wider variety of people. Teachers are removed from their comfort zone (i.e. their classroom) and are able to obtain this vast knowledge from other teachers that they are collaborating with. Through this collaboration they can share teaching techniques, project ideas, and even critique a colleague's project and offer advice on how it could be improved. It breaks away from the normal isolation that comes with the profession and allows teachers to socialize with others with similar interests and ideas in regards to teaching students. It can make teaching more rewarding by knowing there are others with the same goals, interests, and ideas as you. 

    Learning communities take time and effort. It's not something that just happens overnight, and those involved have to be one hundred percent committed. The main focus of a learning community is to learn, which completely flips the role of a teacher, which is to teach. If a person is not willing to learn and be open to new ideas, chances are, that particular learning community will not be as successful and will not be able to gain much out of the experience. The willingness of learning from the teachers can greatly impact their students. If their teacher doesn't want to do it, why should they? It's all a form of mentality. Every member, teacher and student, of the learning community must be willing to give it a chance. 

     Shared vision is the concept of people being attracted to those with similar view points and ideas. People are more willing to work together when they know that their ideas won't be questioned harshly or be shot down outright. The members of the learning community must be able to agree on a single idea in order for it to be a success for all involved. 

     Our topic (local history) is affected greatly by the concept of the learning community. The three of us have to learn to collaborate and be open to every idea, and while they might not all be used, we have to at least be open to the possibility or be able to see the merit of the idea. As long as we communicate thoroughly with one another, our ideas will get across, and no one should feel as though they did not get a chance to be heard. 

     

Chapter 2 - Creating a Professional Learning Community

     The focus of learning communities lies primarily in collaboration amongst teachers in order to create a new and positive learning experience for students and teachers alike. Learning communities lean away from a traditional teaching environment in which a teacher is isolated to his or her classroom, and encourage teachers to work together, provide feedback, and develop new and more effective ways of teaching. The overall goal is to help students learn in the best ways possible.
     The benefits of learning communities are vast. Not only are teachers pulled from the isolation of a classroom (as in a traditional setting), but teachers can socialize and brainstorm ideas with one another. Students benefit from more specialized and revised lesson planning when teachers can use experience, opinion, and insight to fuel their lesson planning. A sense of shared responsibility amongst faculty can ignite a new or rekindled passion for teaching and seeing students succeed. From just a few initial benefits of this sense of community, positive outcomes can accumulate for both students and teachers.
     There are some potential bumps in the road for learning communities. When teachers collaborate and use the same ideas, the assignments for students are similar; if students across grades and classrooms are working on the same material, cheating and copying can occur. It's important to pay close attention to student assignments and look for these patterns to avoid these kind of habits. The most important outcome of learning communities for students is that they receive the best instruction with the best absorption of knowledge. 
       In order for shared vision to be a part of learning communities, some amount of agreement must be in place amongst peer teachers. A project will flow best when all teachers have a shared interest in it, and all criteria are being met for the students (Standards, curriculum guidelines, etc.). It's best to maintain as much objectivity as possible and make sure that feedback is well meant and well accepted in order for learning communities to maintain focus and positive energy.
     This chapter related to our topic (local history) primarily because we are working as a group to create a project. In order to work together, we must provide each other feedback and accept each others' opinions. As a overall focus, we need to maintain our goal of creating a project that will inspire us to use the tools we are learning now to do the same for our future students.

Reading Reflection #2

The focus of Learning Communities is very important and beneficial for students and teachers both.  Learning communities offer teachers an opportunity to collaborate and brainstorm with their colleagues.  This, in turn, benefits the students.  It is important to give students the most effective learning experience they can have, and learning communities really make this happen.

There are numerous benefits to learning communities.  When teachers have the opportunity to work together, it is possible that they can create higher quality lesson plans which will create better learning for the students.  Two brains are always better than one, and it is possible that one teacher could have a productive suggestion or creative twist to add on to a lesson plan.  A few other benefits are decreased teacher isolation, shared responsibility, and more powerful learning.

Learning communities can have an affect on teachers in several ways.  Teachers need to become less isolated and be ok to taking constructive criticism.  It is very important in a learning community that teachers actively participate in team work in a positive way.  Communication between teachers is extremely important in a learning community.  If there is no effective communication then the community will not be successful.  Teachers also need to be organized as they will be collaboration with other teachers and not just working with themselves.

Successful learning communities can have a huge impact on students.  Because teachers are working together to create better lesson plans, students receive a better quality education.  One of the main, and largest focuses of learning communities is student learning.  The biggest goal is to make sure students are learning in the most effective way possible.

It is important to have a shared vision with the fellow teachers that you are working with.  If that is not there, most likely there will be clashes of idea and thoughts which will lead to unproductive collaboration.  It is important that members of the learning community focus on student learning, are goal and results oriented, collaborate with each other, and commit themselves to continuous improvement.  Without these components it is likely that the learning community will not be successful.

Being in this class is essentially being in a learning community.  Having group work throughout the whole semester acts as our community.  Taking all of the aspects talked about into mind is very important in order to be successful in our group work.  Collaboration and having an open mind to other peoples’ suggestions and ideas is extremely important.

Concept Map of Local History Project

Reading Reflection #1

Project Based Learning(PBL) is a style of teaching that is starting to appear more and more.  PBL is a much different style of teaching and learning than what takes place in the traditional classroom.  One thing to keep in mind while starting PBL is that students are up for the challenge.  Students are capable of much more than anyone can expect as long as they are given the tools and resources needed.  Another thing to keep in mind is that PBL will require more planning and work on the teachers’ behalf.  Despite this, it is worth the effort by the teacher because of how much the students get out of it.

Through the use of PBL, teachers and students benefit greatly.  While the teacher does have a lot to do with the planning of the lesson, they are also learning as well.  Rather than the teacher standing in the front of the classroom reciting information to students, it is the students that gather information in order to learn.  Many activities will involve real life situations that students can use and apply to their lives outside of the classroom.  Another benefit is that teachers often collaborate with other teachers from across the globe giving students and opportunity to interact with other students in different cultures.

Students who participate in PBL are really gaining a plethora of skills that they can use for the rest of their lives.  Students will be actively working within groups during PBL which will give them teamwork skills.  Technology is also often incorporated in PBL, which gives students exposure on how to use technology and the internet as an efficient  resource.  While working in groups students also learn the importance of meeting a deadline because other students in their group will be counting on them.

Many people are apprehensive of change and may question whether or no what you are doing is worth all the time and trouble.  It is important to prove to these skeptics why it is important and how it will greatly benefit the students.  It is very likely that some lessons may also take some time and tweaking in order to be successful.  It is important not to get discouraged and keep putting in the effort, because it will be worth it.

New Technology High is a school that was built specifically for the use of the PBL curriculum style.  In this school, text books are few and far between.  Rather, students rely on technology.  New Technology High is a small school, with no more than 100 students per grade.  This is extremely helpful as teachers really have a great opportunity to get to know their students.  Teacher collaboration is also a large part of New Technology High.  It is important to have plans and lessons looked over by colleagues because they can provide feedback to help improve what you already have.

Overall, PBL is a great way of learning for students that hopefully will start showing up more and more in schools.

Reading Response 1: Introduction; Chapter 1

     Project-based learning (PBL) is a relatively new concept that is still not incorporated in every school. It is a very collaborative process and is very difficult to manage on ones own; many times teachers need input from their colleagues in regards to a project that they want their class to partake in. Throughout the majority of the process, the teacher is often the spring-board for more questions regarding specific projects the students are putting together, as opposed to a teacher standing at the front of the class and dishing out facts to be memorized for a text only to be forgotten within two or three days.
     PBL incorporates new technologies in schools and educates people in how to use these new technologies with efficiency. While technology is not the key point of PBL, the two are carefully intertwined with one another, as the use of technology does make the use of PBL as a teaching method much easier to navigate.
     PBL allows students to work in the real world. They are encouraged to work cooperatively in teams, research concepts and new ideas that will assist with their projects, think critically, and use new technology as a tool to aid in that research. This is how it is set up in the "adult world" in which we all live. We all must learn to work collaboratively and use technology as effectively and efficiently as possible in order to just get through every day life. PBL starts this key aspect of the real world early when used as a teaching method in elementary schools.
     PBL is not a perfect method, and it takes time to work out the kinks. A teacher must always consider if the project they have in mind is too difficult for the class, or even too easy. If the project is too difficult, it runs the risk of frustrating the students, which could end up in them disliking the use of PBL as a teaching method, or of school in general. If a project is too easy, the students might end up getting bored with the project, which may make them think the teacher is just slacking off and giving them projects to keep them occupied during class. The planning of the project takes a great deal of time and collaboration, with colleagues in the school the teacher works in, and even teachers from other countries (depending on the type of project). Even by the end of it, the teacher often asks input on his or her plan, and in the end, it still might have some major flaws that need to be worked out before it can be presented to the students for them to work on.
     The New Technology model works best when implemented in a school with smaller class sizes, generally roughly 100 students per grade. This minimizes class sizes which means more one-on-one with the teacher for discussions regarding the project, which maximizes the students' opportunities to learn. It emphasizes on the fact that technology is everywhere, even in places we do not really think about anymore, because those objects have become so mundane to us, and teaches students how to use the technology efficiently. Often times the finished projects are put onto a website for the entire world to see. Which means that the project could be used again by a teacher in Singapore or Australia. And since a large majority of this is done via Internet, the teacher can easily track their students' progress and even provide feedback on the project at different points in the process.

Introduction, Chapter 1 : "Mapping the Jouney - Seeing the Big Picture"

  As we begin the journey toward implementing Project Based Learning (PBL), some things to keep in mind vary from being patient with the process to acknowledging that feelings may be mixed toward the approach to learning. PBL begins as a learning experience and trial and error, and continues throughout the implementation. Despite being the educator to develop the project, effort may be required on our part to let go of the reins and trust students to know how to guide themselves through the learning process and become self-sufficient with the technology. It is also important to remember that technology is not the focus of PBL, but rather the tool in the memorable learning experience for both students and educators alike. Lastly, it is important for us to remember that although technology plays a very large role in society, not all minds will be open to joining it with the educational experience.
     Some benefits of PBL to be considered primarily consist of the wealth of knowledge and understanding it gives to students and teachers alike. As it prepares students for futures and careers that could potentially include any combinations of technology, teachers can also benefit and learn from PBL by simply adding it to their curriculum and dissecting what it means to teach in a project-based manner. By using this method, teachers become guides rather than the end-all be-all font of information for students. Students that struggle in a more traditional classroom setting may see improved grades and grasp of concepts with this more hands-on approach. Both students and faculty gain better social skills with their peers and in group settings as they work through the project, or even developing and fine-tuning the project (for teachers). The benefits of PBL are not only for students, but for the endless learning process we will encounter as instructors as well.
     Some issues may need to be considered with this learning approach. One concern is the adverse reactions that might come from parents or faculty peers, who might see this new method of learning as inappropriate for students and classrooms. The extensive work that needs to be put into creating a technology-fueled project might be off-putting to some teachers, while parents might only see the negatives of such resources as the internet (think video games and Facebook). Although technology is a big part of our lives, another worry is that the myriad tools we might think to employ might not necessarily be available to every student at all times.
     The New Technology High School in California is a great example of how PBL works for students. Meeting concern of local businesses about the requirements on the 21st century workforce, New Technology High began using a critical thinking, collaborative curriculum that included technology as a tool for problem solving and meeting those expectations. A lottery-chosen, small enrollment environment allows for more personalization amongst both students and teachers and more time for learning. Projects become the greatest focus of the curriculum, and mimic real-world situations and potential demands on students in their future careers. While technology is a cornerstone of the new technology method, it is merely a tool and not a focus of the projects. Teachers work together (and are given the time and resources to do so) to develop and fine-tune projects and curricula. Overall, learning is vital, and camaraderie is a positive outcome of this project based learning process for both teachers and students alike.