Students benefit greatly from Project-Based Learning. As a result of PBL, students will walk away with knowledge that they will be able to recall for a lifetime, as opposed to studying for a test, taking it, and forgetting all of the information. Students can also use what they have learned to help them in future projects. Through PBL students learn time management, project management, how to work with a team, and many other useful aspects that can help them in the real world.
In order to "bring your project home" it is important to capitalize on your investment, critique your work, share your insights, become a resource for your colleagues, enter a contest, and enjoy the journey. It is important to look back at your project and realize what planning helped to make the project successful. There may have been certain technological tools that either worked well or not so much, and that can help in planning for future projects. It is important to share your project with other teachers as they will learn from you.
These concepts apply to our project of creating the living museum because it is our hopes that they will walk away from the project with skills they can use later on in the real world, and also ideas on what they can do when they have other projects to complete. It is also important that we "bring our project home" rather than just completing it and being done abruptly.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Chapter 11 - Bring It Home
Looking back at the end of a lesson, using a project-based learning approach has a long list of benefits. But at the end, what you're really looking back at is the experience of working through the project. The end is really a time for reflection - how everything played out, how much the students enjoyed it, what you might do differently next time. Essentially, what you want to come away with after using a PBL approach is a sense that students truly learned something. Using this learning approach is setting students up for success in their futures; the ultimate goal at the end of the project is to have students that know truly know more about the world around them than they did when they started the project.
As the project comes to a close, it's important to reflect on everything that occurred along the way. While not being too hard on yourself (if using PBL is a first), it is an important step to critique your work; see what areas were successful, what techniques need improvement the next time around, etc. This is also the perfect time to reflect on collaboration that may have occurred with other teachers. While you once bounced ideas off each other when the project was underway, now you can give one another insight into how the pieces of the puzzle fit together. Another suggestion is sharing work with other colleagues (or with others in general). This is not only helpful for your own needs, but gives other teachers a point at which to begin their own exploration into project-based learning.
This chapter gave some wonderful insight into our topic because it gives us an endpoint as the guides in the process. Since we have built the foundation and executed the project, we now know where to go next, what to fix, and even what to expect when we implement these techniques in our future classrooms.
As the project comes to a close, it's important to reflect on everything that occurred along the way. While not being too hard on yourself (if using PBL is a first), it is an important step to critique your work; see what areas were successful, what techniques need improvement the next time around, etc. This is also the perfect time to reflect on collaboration that may have occurred with other teachers. While you once bounced ideas off each other when the project was underway, now you can give one another insight into how the pieces of the puzzle fit together. Another suggestion is sharing work with other colleagues (or with others in general). This is not only helpful for your own needs, but gives other teachers a point at which to begin their own exploration into project-based learning.
This chapter gave some wonderful insight into our topic because it gives us an endpoint as the guides in the process. Since we have built the foundation and executed the project, we now know where to go next, what to fix, and even what to expect when we implement these techniques in our future classrooms.
Chapter 10 - Celebrating and Reflecting
There is importance in making time for reflection. In this fast-paced world, students often lack the time it takes to reflect and review what information they were just given. According to the constructivist theory, this time is an essential part of the learning process, and gives students a chance to look at information at all sides, while simultaneously forming new inquires in their mind and asking questions. This practice, just as with many other steps in the learning process, is basic and needs to be remembered and utilized.
As students come to be familiar with creating and accomplishing projects, they inadvertently begin to expand their knowledge and thought processes - basically, students are elaborating on information they already knew by learning more and participating in projects. A natural progression of this is that students want to know more. Asking students what they want to know - what questions they still have, what new ideas surfaced, etc. - gives way to deeper and more elaborated learning. Taking time at the end of a project to ask students what they learned and what gaps they'd still like to fill (or even what new avenues of information they have wondered about) is a perfect opportunity to open doors to more projects.
The identity of schools and the traditions they uphold go hand-in-hand. From anything like a championship football team to award-winning Mathletes, success helps make schools known. It's never too late to put a school on the map for learning excellence - all it takes is one class to start the tradition. Implementing project-based learning early helps set young students up for the expectations that await them in their later school years. When success plays a role for multiple years and generations, notice is always taken. In many disciplines it is said that introducing a concept to children at a young age sets them up to be more proficient throughout their lives; such success in school is no different.
Along with reflecting on a completed project and being recognized throughout a community for such success, a celebration needs to be a part of the project. The ideas for creating such a celebration are endless, with only one thing to keep in mind: students should be rightly proud of all they've accomplished. Examples such as displaying student work, creating an event where the community gets a chance to view their accomplishments, even praise from parents and family - all of these ideas instill pride in hard work and greater self-esteem.
This chapter relates to our current project primarily because it gives us an idea of what to plan for as a project comes to a close (much as ours is soon). It reminds us to remember the final steps in project-based learning: reflection, elaboration, and celebration.
As students come to be familiar with creating and accomplishing projects, they inadvertently begin to expand their knowledge and thought processes - basically, students are elaborating on information they already knew by learning more and participating in projects. A natural progression of this is that students want to know more. Asking students what they want to know - what questions they still have, what new ideas surfaced, etc. - gives way to deeper and more elaborated learning. Taking time at the end of a project to ask students what they learned and what gaps they'd still like to fill (or even what new avenues of information they have wondered about) is a perfect opportunity to open doors to more projects.
The identity of schools and the traditions they uphold go hand-in-hand. From anything like a championship football team to award-winning Mathletes, success helps make schools known. It's never too late to put a school on the map for learning excellence - all it takes is one class to start the tradition. Implementing project-based learning early helps set young students up for the expectations that await them in their later school years. When success plays a role for multiple years and generations, notice is always taken. In many disciplines it is said that introducing a concept to children at a young age sets them up to be more proficient throughout their lives; such success in school is no different.
Along with reflecting on a completed project and being recognized throughout a community for such success, a celebration needs to be a part of the project. The ideas for creating such a celebration are endless, with only one thing to keep in mind: students should be rightly proud of all they've accomplished. Examples such as displaying student work, creating an event where the community gets a chance to view their accomplishments, even praise from parents and family - all of these ideas instill pride in hard work and greater self-esteem.
This chapter relates to our current project primarily because it gives us an idea of what to plan for as a project comes to a close (much as ours is soon). It reminds us to remember the final steps in project-based learning: reflection, elaboration, and celebration.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Read and reflect #10
Setting aside time for reflection is very important when students complete a project. Setting aside time for reflection helps students reveal things they might not otherwise think about including what they learned (and what they enjoyed about learning), their growth as learners, and what (and how) they want to learn in projects ahead. Students are able to reflect on how the project became personally meaningful. When thinking about reflects is is important to ask students how specific learning behaviors factored into the success of a project and their skill development.
One important factor that helps schools build tradition is building awareness in others. When families, the community, and students coming up through the grades know what you are up to, you have the foundation for tradition. As community members begin to notice and value students' accomplishments they will become enthusiastic and show support. It is helpful to ask community members to participate in learning. This way they can see how your class accomplishments are the results of students' commitments to their own learning.
Creating a celebration for a project can actually be a project in and of itself. Put students in charge of planning the celebration. Celebrating a project can help build the school's identity as a place where kids get to learn through projects.
All of these concepts relate to our project of creating a living museum. I think it would be a great idea to have students plan an event to hold for their parents and members of the community once they have experienced the living museum the students created. Planning the event could be incorporated as part of the project, giving each student an opportunity to plan some aspect of it as they are also creating the living museum. I also think that reflection upon the project could be a part of the event as it would give community members a chance to hear the students' thoughts on the living museum they worked on.
One important factor that helps schools build tradition is building awareness in others. When families, the community, and students coming up through the grades know what you are up to, you have the foundation for tradition. As community members begin to notice and value students' accomplishments they will become enthusiastic and show support. It is helpful to ask community members to participate in learning. This way they can see how your class accomplishments are the results of students' commitments to their own learning.
Creating a celebration for a project can actually be a project in and of itself. Put students in charge of planning the celebration. Celebrating a project can help build the school's identity as a place where kids get to learn through projects.
All of these concepts relate to our project of creating a living museum. I think it would be a great idea to have students plan an event to hold for their parents and members of the community once they have experienced the living museum the students created. Planning the event could be incorporated as part of the project, giving each student an opportunity to plan some aspect of it as they are also creating the living museum. I also think that reflection upon the project could be a part of the event as it would give community members a chance to hear the students' thoughts on the living museum they worked on.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Chapter 9 Reading Response
Having students write a brief summary about what they already know about the topic is a way to gain understanding of a student's prior knowledge. You can also have a student fill out a KWL and can either have the students read them aloud to the class or have them hand it in to you and read them yourselves.
By establishing an anchor, it's easier to gain a sense of where each student is starting in the project and how much work they need to put in in order to reach their learning goals. Since, in a PBL based classroom, you have more opportunities to use different forms of instruction in order to help all types of learners be successful in the project.
One type of assessment that can be utilized is to simply ask the students what they learned. You could even videotape these mini interviews with the students in order to look back on them and see how each child differed. You could have them create something new at the end of the project as a whole as a way to summarize the entire project and what they learned while they were doing it. You could evaluate the work of the students using model real-world assessment, by applying the skills of professionals in a particular discipline.
This chapter was very useful to our project subject. Since our subject is history, it can sometimes be rather difficult to find ways to assess the students. This chapter provided ample examples of ways that we could assess our students in this particularly difficult subject.
By establishing an anchor, it's easier to gain a sense of where each student is starting in the project and how much work they need to put in in order to reach their learning goals. Since, in a PBL based classroom, you have more opportunities to use different forms of instruction in order to help all types of learners be successful in the project.
One type of assessment that can be utilized is to simply ask the students what they learned. You could even videotape these mini interviews with the students in order to look back on them and see how each child differed. You could have them create something new at the end of the project as a whole as a way to summarize the entire project and what they learned while they were doing it. You could evaluate the work of the students using model real-world assessment, by applying the skills of professionals in a particular discipline.
This chapter was very useful to our project subject. Since our subject is history, it can sometimes be rather difficult to find ways to assess the students. This chapter provided ample examples of ways that we could assess our students in this particularly difficult subject.
Read and Reflect #9
One helpful tool for determining students' prior knowledge is the use of a K-W-L chart. A K-W-L chart gives the students an opportunity to describe what they already know, what they want to know, and what they learned. Almost always, not all of the students will be starting with the same knowledge level. This is also true for what they may learn by completing the project. Establishing anchors in a project is very important because you are able to gain a sense of where students are starting and how far they are going as they work to meet learning goals.
There are several ways of grading your students in a way that can really gauge what they have learning. Multiple choice tests are not one of these options. Some of the ways to assess students include asking students what they learned, having students create something new, model real-world assessment, or entering a contest or submitting their work for publication. By have students create something new at the end of the project it requires them to go back and recap what they have learned. This also helps you find out if the student can take what they have learned and apply it in a new context.
These concepts are all very important in creating our group project. I think the best method of grading the students working on our project is by having them model real-world assessment. They will be completing all the tasks it requires to create a living museum, and some of them will even be transforming themselves in to characters other than themselves.
There are several ways of grading your students in a way that can really gauge what they have learning. Multiple choice tests are not one of these options. Some of the ways to assess students include asking students what they learned, having students create something new, model real-world assessment, or entering a contest or submitting their work for publication. By have students create something new at the end of the project it requires them to go back and recap what they have learned. This also helps you find out if the student can take what they have learned and apply it in a new context.
These concepts are all very important in creating our group project. I think the best method of grading the students working on our project is by having them model real-world assessment. They will be completing all the tasks it requires to create a living museum, and some of them will even be transforming themselves in to characters other than themselves.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Chapter 9: Making Assessment Meaningful
Students come from a variety of learning backgrounds, with varying degrees of experiences with learning and being taught. In order to delve into students prior understanding of a subject, the KWL (Asking students what they Know, what they Wonder about, and what they want to Learn) approach is very beneficial. This will establish an idea of where students are at in their learning careers and what they can gain from a project. From this point, anchors can be established based on student needs and potential progress in the project. This gives each student a pace that he or she can be comfortable with and still yield the benefits of project-based learning.
When assessing a student's work and progress, some tool of measurement needs to be established, whether it's a guide for the whole class or based on an individual student (as in an instance of a student with an IEP). A very simple yet effective assessment is asking students: "what did you learn?" This can be asked in a formative assessment, or on a day-to-day basis in a student journal or whole-group discussion as class winds down for the day.
When projects cross multiple subjects, multiple assessments and grading scales will inevitably need to be part of the overall rubric of the project. This is why a rubric, discussed with the class, is a great way to both assess students and help them assess themselves. Giving students the rubric at the beginning of a project gives them a tool to gauge their own progress, stay on-task, and help them become self sufficient (for example, finding answers to questions on their own). One detail to consider adding to a rubric is dates for assessments throughout the project; this way students have deadlines for certain portions of their projects, and are prepared to focus on what they're learning, what they have done, and what still remains to be completed.
This chapter relates to our own project primarily because it reiterates the need for regular assessment, both of ourselves and of one another as peers and as students. Tools like formative assessment are becoming more mainstream that summative forms of assessing students, and it's important to practice these tools now so that we can implement them in our future classrooms, and practice being good models of self-sufficiency.
When assessing a student's work and progress, some tool of measurement needs to be established, whether it's a guide for the whole class or based on an individual student (as in an instance of a student with an IEP). A very simple yet effective assessment is asking students: "what did you learn?" This can be asked in a formative assessment, or on a day-to-day basis in a student journal or whole-group discussion as class winds down for the day.
When projects cross multiple subjects, multiple assessments and grading scales will inevitably need to be part of the overall rubric of the project. This is why a rubric, discussed with the class, is a great way to both assess students and help them assess themselves. Giving students the rubric at the beginning of a project gives them a tool to gauge their own progress, stay on-task, and help them become self sufficient (for example, finding answers to questions on their own). One detail to consider adding to a rubric is dates for assessments throughout the project; this way students have deadlines for certain portions of their projects, and are prepared to focus on what they're learning, what they have done, and what still remains to be completed.
This chapter relates to our own project primarily because it reiterates the need for regular assessment, both of ourselves and of one another as peers and as students. Tools like formative assessment are becoming more mainstream that summative forms of assessing students, and it's important to practice these tools now so that we can implement them in our future classrooms, and practice being good models of self-sufficiency.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Chapter 8: Building Connections and Branching Out
There are some great ways to build connections and branch out beyond the classroom. One, connecting with experts, is a great resource and should eventually become second nature when student inquires are made. Expanding the learning circle implies not only including other classrooms or the school in aspects of the project, but crossing city, state, even continental borders in order to expand learning. Communicating project findings in the community can mean a plethora of things and details, but can be as simple as addressing an issue within the students' own community. Letting students lead the project can be a daunting idea, but can yield amazing results in student learning, as well as their feelings of self (self-esteem, self-worth, etc.). Another important branching opportunity is to just let some projects run their course; while some projects might have a very obvious endpoint, others might not answer all the questions posed and may lead on for an extended period of time.
The Environmental and Spatial Technologies Initiative (or EAST) has been a great advocate for using technology to solve real-world problems and improve communities. Started in 1996, EAST has now grown to reach over 260 schools and communities and has branched to include all ages and grades. The EAST model is made up of four ideas that have remained original since its inception:
1. Student driven learning
2. Authentic project-based learning
3. Technology as a tool
4. Collaboration
This initiative has grown an expanded since its founding, and has not only helped students and communities, but taught teachers a new way of leading their classrooms and aiding education,
The first idea in the EAST model, student driven learning, requires that students be responsible for their own learning. There are so many benefits to allowing students to take the reins: increased interest, increased responsibility, heightened level of accomplishment, calls to action, etc. The list of benefits far outweighs the list of drawbacks; once you become comfortable with teaching and know that students can handle the responsibility, the anxiety of a student-lead classroom will ebb.
Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project. This chapter on branching out relates to our project because it gives us two points of view: one as a teacher, and one as a student. As a teacher, it's easy to see how these elements can come together in project-based learning, but some of the major concepts listed can seem daunting (student-driven learning, communicating with experts, etc.). On the other hand, through the eyes of a student, it's easy to see how we might be responsible for our own learning and progress, find channels to branch out and apply our project to the community, and so on. When these two points of view are melded together, a picture of how PBL could work in our future classrooms seems a little more realistic.
The Environmental and Spatial Technologies Initiative (or EAST) has been a great advocate for using technology to solve real-world problems and improve communities. Started in 1996, EAST has now grown to reach over 260 schools and communities and has branched to include all ages and grades. The EAST model is made up of four ideas that have remained original since its inception:
1. Student driven learning
2. Authentic project-based learning
3. Technology as a tool
4. Collaboration
This initiative has grown an expanded since its founding, and has not only helped students and communities, but taught teachers a new way of leading their classrooms and aiding education,
The first idea in the EAST model, student driven learning, requires that students be responsible for their own learning. There are so many benefits to allowing students to take the reins: increased interest, increased responsibility, heightened level of accomplishment, calls to action, etc. The list of benefits far outweighs the list of drawbacks; once you become comfortable with teaching and know that students can handle the responsibility, the anxiety of a student-lead classroom will ebb.
Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project. This chapter on branching out relates to our project because it gives us two points of view: one as a teacher, and one as a student. As a teacher, it's easy to see how these elements can come together in project-based learning, but some of the major concepts listed can seem daunting (student-driven learning, communicating with experts, etc.). On the other hand, through the eyes of a student, it's easy to see how we might be responsible for our own learning and progress, find channels to branch out and apply our project to the community, and so on. When these two points of view are melded together, a picture of how PBL could work in our future classrooms seems a little more realistic.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Read and Reflect #8
It is very important to expand the learning experience beyond the classroom. Digital tools and technology help tremendously to branch out of the classroom. Connecting with experts can also be very helpful for students. Teachers can play a part with setting up a student with an expert that is willing to give their insight in to the topic. Blogs are also a great way for students to communicate with people outside of the classroom.
The Environmental and Spatial Technologies Initiative model includes a network of schools that have been demonstrating the benefits of using technology for a real purpose - to solve problems and make improvements in their communities. The EAST model is built on four essential ideas which include:
The Environmental and Spatial Technologies Initiative model includes a network of schools that have been demonstrating the benefits of using technology for a real purpose - to solve problems and make improvements in their communities. The EAST model is built on four essential ideas which include:
- Students driven learning: Students need to be responsible for their own learning.
- Authentic project-based learning: Students should be engaged in solving real problems in their communities.
- Technology as tools: Students need access to the relevant technologies that professionals use to solve real problems.
- Collaboration: When students collaborate in teams to pursue authentic projects, they accomplish more than any one person can do in isolation.
Once teachers feel more comfortable with the PBL approach to learning, they can realize that students can lead their own projects - starting with generating a project idea they care about. Students are interested in a lot of things and working on a project that has a topic of interest can really expand their thinking as they have the desire to learn more.
In our project of building a living museum, students are communicating with other students from Kalamazoo's sister city all the way in Japan. They will also be communicating with experts that work in museums to get some ideas. Students will also be in charge of how they want to set up the museum and mostly leading each other in that aspect.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Reading Response Chapter 7
1. There are three levels of classroom discussion:
- Teacher to Teacher: Since you are most likely collaborating with other teachers during the course of your project, whether or not they are within your local learning community, chances are you will be communicating with them at least once during the project. If you are working with a teacher in your local learning community, or even within the same school, it is probably possible to find time to bring the two classes together or find one on one time to converse. If you are working with a teacher from another country, it is a good idea to stay in touch electronically, via e-mail or even video chats.
- Student to Student: This obviously goes without saying, since this will be a class wide project. Students will need to collaborate with each other and discuss their own findings and even ask each other questions and get feedback.
- Teacher to Student: In a traditional classroom, the teacher tends to dominate the teacher-student interactions, with a few students asking questions here and there. With project-based learning, however, the teacher acts more as a springboard for their individual research and the teachers have more time to speak to their students one-on-one.
2. The questions that need to be asked students when "checking in" with them, need to be high-order, critical thinking questions that do not have an easy to find answer. If the question is easy to answer, the student will most likely just Google the question the next time they have access to a computer and leave it at that. There would've been no curiosity involved, no research done aside from the initial Google search, and no in depth analysis of the question. Some good questions to ask are: What do you mean by that? What did you try next? Why do you think that happened? Tell me more.... These questions require you to listen in depth to what the student has to say, which is a skill that we want to instill in students as well. There are also several questions in different categories that should be asked while checking in with students. These categories are: Procedural, Teamwork, Understanding, and Self-Assessment. Some Procedural questions include:
- Are we staying on task?
- Do we have the right materials available?
- When's the best time to schedule a field trip, expert visitor, or other activity?
- How are the team members getting along?
- Is one student carrying too much of the load for the whole team?
- Are the students able to manage conflict themselves, or do they need my help?
Understanding questions include:
- Have you thought about...?
- Have you considered this research?
Self-Assessment questions are questions that encourage the student to think about the project critically. The textbook didn't provide any examples of these questions.
3. Technology can be our greatest strength and our greatest weakness. Even now as I'm typing this post, a mere 10 minutes before I have to submit it, I find myself dashing back to Facebook and Skype to check if people messaged me, or I'm grabbing my phone to text my boyfriend. However, when technology is optimized, it can make a multitude of things easier for students, and you may be surprised when you find students gaining benefits that you did not imagine at the start of the project. Case and point: I had no idea with what I could do for my lesson plan that was due in our class ("My topic is history! What type of data could I possibly collect?!"), but after some quick research online, I managed to find an idea that I had not even come up with before, and I used it for my lesson plan.
4. Teamwork, a 21st century skill that is taught through PBL, can make or break a project. Sure, students might get along at first, but that doesn't mean that conflicts won't arise later in the project. It's always important to watch for any subtle changes between team members attitudes towards one another and see if the team dynamic has shifted too far towards one person. It is common for a lot of students to just push all of the work onto the "smart" kid, in the hopes that they will receive a better grade.
5. This topic talks a great deal about optimizing technology. Since we have a rather unique topic, it is sometimes hard to come up with ideas for what we could do with our project. But using proper online research techniques and optimizing our use of technology, we should be able to come up with a great final project, with very few bumps along the road.
Chapter 7 - A Guiding Hand
The levels of classroom discussions include teacher to teacher, student to student, and teacher to student. The first, teacher to teacher, includes the collaborative effort between teachers to create a project, and all of the dialog that might go along with it. Student to student discussions should primarily involve what they are learning and pertain to the project and unfolding information at hand. This involves their thinking, their opinions, and general conversation. Finally, teacher to student discussions include conversations about the project, learning, opinions, etc. This interaction can also involve lecture-based formats, modelling, one-on-one, and whole group discussion.
In order to "check-in" on students during the project, certain questions should be asked The theme of these questions could regard questions about procedure, teamwork, understanding, and self-assessment. All of these categories are a means to formatively assess student progress and learning withing the context and process of the project.
When you optimize the use of technology for students, a project becomes more rich in yield of information and learning. When you set goals for students, try to maintain organization, try to connect the project and students to the broader world around them, etc., technology should be considered and implemented in such a way that students use tools as just that - tools. The primary goal of integrating technology into project-based learning is the furthering of information and learning, not just for the sake of using technology.
Integrating 21st-century skills is an important focus of project-based learning. Things like time management, troubleshooting, self-assessment skills, and teamwork are all important aspects of this desired skill set. When applying this field of thought, it's vital to encourage students that they're up to the task - for some students, verbalizing these skills plainly may make them seem like attributes destined for people beyond their age and skill level. It's worthwhile to remember that these skills can be taught and instigated exactly as they are defined, without the daunting verbage.
This chapter give insight for our own project in multiple ways. It is a great reminder that we can formatively assess ourselves as we proceed through our project, and in turn this will help us remember to "check in" with our own students and classrooms. It is also a great reminder that technology should not be a crutch and be used 'just because it's there.' Implementing 21st-century skills into our own project (troubleshooting, teamwork, etc.) is good to be reminded of as we work through our project together and collaborate ideas.
In order to "check-in" on students during the project, certain questions should be asked The theme of these questions could regard questions about procedure, teamwork, understanding, and self-assessment. All of these categories are a means to formatively assess student progress and learning withing the context and process of the project.
When you optimize the use of technology for students, a project becomes more rich in yield of information and learning. When you set goals for students, try to maintain organization, try to connect the project and students to the broader world around them, etc., technology should be considered and implemented in such a way that students use tools as just that - tools. The primary goal of integrating technology into project-based learning is the furthering of information and learning, not just for the sake of using technology.
Integrating 21st-century skills is an important focus of project-based learning. Things like time management, troubleshooting, self-assessment skills, and teamwork are all important aspects of this desired skill set. When applying this field of thought, it's vital to encourage students that they're up to the task - for some students, verbalizing these skills plainly may make them seem like attributes destined for people beyond their age and skill level. It's worthwhile to remember that these skills can be taught and instigated exactly as they are defined, without the daunting verbage.
This chapter give insight for our own project in multiple ways. It is a great reminder that we can formatively assess ourselves as we proceed through our project, and in turn this will help us remember to "check in" with our own students and classrooms. It is also a great reminder that technology should not be a crutch and be used 'just because it's there.' Implementing 21st-century skills into our own project (troubleshooting, teamwork, etc.) is good to be reminded of as we work through our project together and collaborate ideas.
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