Reading Reflection #1

Lydia Harpe January 18, 2013 EDT 3470-4:00 Lab Reading Reflection #1: Introduction and Chapter 1 I hadn't heard much about project-based learning before starting this course, but from the video clips I've seen in our two lectures so far I think that this teaching style is beneficial for students by preparing them for real life situations. As a future teacher hoping to implement a curriculum much like the ones described in this book, I must remember that project-based learning takes considerable effort and time. In order to get the results that will help my students the most, both myself and my students must be up to the challenge of using technology and other modern resources to aid us in this learning process. Business and corporations in our world today are looking for future employees who can work together on projects and assignments in a cooperative environment. By introducing project-based learning to elementary students, we can give them an advantage in jump-starting their future careers, even when they are as young as six or seven years old. These sorts of projects, which span all subjects and connect students with people across the world, are filled with numerous benefits for young (and old!) and students. The school discussed in this chapter, New Technology High, is a haven for educators who see the advantages of project-based learning and are actively working to help their students learn in such a way. These teachers and principals realize the importance of technology as a “tool for discovery, collaboration, and communication” (12) and continually work together to connect their students in a worldwide learning network. Though realistically, implementing project-based learning sounds like a lot of work, I agree with the educators quoted in this text that the long-term benefits far outweigh the time and patience needed in the short term. I hope that someday I work in a school that is as open to this approach as New Technology High is.