Read and Reflect #7

There are several levels of classroom discussion.  These levels include teacher to teacher, student to student, and teacher to student.  Teachers often work with each other while planning a project, and this should be no different while the students are in the process of completing the project.  This interaction can be face to face, or over a blog or wiki if face to face contact isn't possible.  It is important to remind students of the benefits of communicating with their group members while working on a project.  Students can learn from each other and challenge each other the more they communicate with each other.  Whole group discussions will likely lessen while using project based learning as opposed to having a lecture based class.

There are several types of "checking in" questions that can be asked while completing a project.  Procedural questions focus on really keeping students on track.  You can ask students questions such as "are you staying on schedule?" or "do we have the right materials available?".  Teamwork questions are based on just that, teamwork.  These types of questions give teachers an opportunity to assess team dynamics.  It is also important to give students a safe place to express concerns about team members, such as a journal that nobody else will see.  Understanding questions can be used to see student work in progress.  This will help determine if students are going off task or using faulty information.  This also gives teachers an opportunity to encourage students to push themselves when you see students that may be able to go beyond the expectations.  Self-assessment questions are used to find out what students are thinking about the project.  Project journals or blogs can be helpful as they give students a place to describe struggles or frustrations they may have had when completing the project.

There are several benefits to students of optimizing technology when completing a project.  Some of these benefits include helping students reach learning goals, helping students stay organized, and using technology to expand their horizons by connecting to outside experts or a broader community.

Troubleshooting is a 21st-century skill that can make or break a project.  Students will quickly learn that real-world projects come with real-world challenges.  Teamwork is another 21st-century skill that can make or break a project.  It is important that as a teacher you keep an eye on team dynamics.  When you suspect an issue in a team, it is important to help students learn to manage their own team conflicts.

These concepts relate to our project of creating a living museum.  Students will be working together so it will be important to make sure the teams are working well with each other.  I also found the "checking in" questions to be very helpful.  They seem like something that would help students without giving too much away.