My students finished their first project last week. Upon reading their personal reflections, it seems that they quite enjoyed the project. The most common reasons why students reported enjoying the project were:
1. working with a small group - easier to develop ideas when you can talk them out with others
2. getting to choose the topic of their project
3. learning something new about the world
4. using various texts and videos to make meaning from a topic - reading and viewing information then making it into a presentation helped reinforce understanding of the concepts
To make improvements to their project work, students reported the need to stay more focused during their group work time. This is an important observation as this is one of the most challening aspects of working in a group. Even adults are challenged to focus on the task at hand when working with a group, but training people at a young age to be effective team players will reap rewards in the future.
The mini-project took a little longer than I expected, but the students seemed to enjoy it and it helped them to meet and make connections with others in the class. From this project, I've also gained valuable assessment information about their reading comprehension, group work, and written and oral communication skills. This information will be helpful for planning future activities.
I'm currently planning my next mini-project, which will include students demonstrating problem-solving skills to determine where a new community centre (or something like that) should be built in Winnipeg using resources on the Statistics Canada website.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The journey begins...
The high school at which I work is in the process of adopting a 21st century approach to teaching and learning. As a staff, we see the value of preparing students for a rapidly changing society and realize the essential skills needed for youth to navigate a successful future, but we have been challenged to define a 21st century teaching and learning environment. Many elements of 21st century learning seem to be characteristics of effecitve teaching and learning, regardless of the century in which one is working. The controversial aspect of our 21st century learning project arises from the expectation of technology integration into our classrooms. Many questions surround the appropriate use of technology in our learning environment, such as:
1. What technology is best suited to achieving our goal of creating a 21st century teaching and learning environment?
2. How do we adequately prepare staff for a change in the way we deliver course content, assess student learning, and ask students to demonstrate their learning.
3. What are the expectations of teachers in a 21st century teaching environment?
4. What are the social, political, and economic implications of implementing such an initiative in a large and diverse high school?
5. Have there been documented side effects from constant exposure to technology at a young age?
6. How will we best monitor student technology useage?
As a member of the committee responsible for facilitating the implementation of I am trying to explore the meaning of 21st century teaching and learning and integrate its elements into my classess to asses its effect on student learning. This blog will serve as a means for me to document my experiences and reflect upon my challenges and successes. Please comment on my posts. I would appreciate your feedback on my efforts, especially if you have been through a similar experience.
1. What technology is best suited to achieving our goal of creating a 21st century teaching and learning environment?
2. How do we adequately prepare staff for a change in the way we deliver course content, assess student learning, and ask students to demonstrate their learning.
3. What are the expectations of teachers in a 21st century teaching environment?
4. What are the social, political, and economic implications of implementing such an initiative in a large and diverse high school?
5. Have there been documented side effects from constant exposure to technology at a young age?
6. How will we best monitor student technology useage?
As a member of the committee responsible for facilitating the implementation of I am trying to explore the meaning of 21st century teaching and learning and integrate its elements into my classess to asses its effect on student learning. This blog will serve as a means for me to document my experiences and reflect upon my challenges and successes. Please comment on my posts. I would appreciate your feedback on my efforts, especially if you have been through a similar experience.
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