Reinventing Project-Based Learning Chapters 3-5

Howard Rheingold Interview (http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1033294): In the Howard Rheingold Interview, he mentions that we should “find people we can learn from and with.” Continuous growth is a vital part of not only the education field, but it’s also a vital part of life. To continue to offer the best educational experience to our students we should collaborate with other teachers in our area as well as other areas. This aspect further prepares our students for life after the secondary education system.

Imagining the Possibilities: My concern is that our students leave the secondary education system unprepared for the “real world”. Students need to understand the basics as it pertains to effectively and efficiently managing a bank account, being able to budget and pay bills, etc. Therefore, a project that I have contemplated and attempted to execute dealt with “real life” budgeting. This project entails critical thinking, decision making, problem solving, etc… Students are required to research various occupations to include the average salary for that occupation. Furthermore, students are required to list the bills they will have and the budgeted amount for those bills. Based on their research, they must identify ways to pay these bills using the wages for the occupation they researched. This research would be attained through performing research via the digital tools, the Internet, and the Web 2.0.

Strategies for Discovery: I integrate technology into any lesson that I teach whether it’s in the workplace, in the church setting, etc. I have encountered the pitfall that relates to technology layered over traditional practice. I overcame this pitfall through first identifying the desired learning outcomes. Through first identifying the learning outcomes, this ensures that the project is meaningful and not just a “dressed up version of a research report” (boss & Krauss, 2007, pg. 61). Furthermore, students are required to collaborate with other groups. These are steps that I am taking to overcome this pitfall; however, I will continue to find other ways to resolve this pitfall. Optimal ambiguity is important in terms of project based learning. I’ve found that in my classes, students respond to projects better when the projects are structured. However, students should have the flexibility to use their creativity to achieve the desired outcome. Students have also responded better when they were able to make adjustments while still arriving at the desired outcome. In my past experiences, students responded better when they have a certain level of autonomy or flexibility when completing projects.

Project Management Strategies for Teachers and Learners: In my past experiences, my students have had problems in the following areas: time management, communication, collaboration, effective use of resources, and troubleshooting. In the past, I have gathered this information through monitoring, observing, interacting, and analyzing. Students are normally given a timeline by which to complete their project. They are encouraged to monitor their own progress. In terms of project management with technology, I found the need of assessment tools and strategies to be the most desirable. There must be a way to gauge whether students are working productively and accomplishing project goals. Furthermore, there must be a way to assess the load balance within a team so no individuals end up doing too much or too little. There are many aspects that must be addressed through project-based learning, but the experience is a valuable asset to our students.

Boss, S. & Kraus, J. (2007). Reinventing Project-Based Learning. International Society for Technology in Education. pp. 43-91.