Reading Reflection #3
In project-based
learning there must of course be a large goal for students and their
teacher to work towards if the project is to span several subjects,
last long enough, and be an enriching learning experience for all.
This is called the “big idea” and can be anything from publishing
a school newspaper to energy in the solar system. I think that when
picking out the “big idea” for your classroom's project, one must
consider something that connects to the real world as well as to the
normal curriculum and subjects students are expected to learn.
Students must use
21st century skills in working on this project, which
requires deeper thinking and more hands-on work than traditional work
in the classroom. In this aspect of project-based learning students
must analyze, evaluate, and create; perhaps these activities might
manifest themselves by students analyzing sources, evaluating books,
and creating newspaper articles.
Going hand in hand
with 21st century skills are the essential learning
functions, some of which we have already talked about before in
chapters one and two. For example, just as we teachers must be open
to sharing and collaborating on ideas, students must also realize the
necessity of working with one another in the classroom and online.
Projects also require research, which is where the components of
students analyzing and evaluating prior works relating to their
topics comes in. I think the most important part of project-based
learning is the planning and organization that teachers must put into
the projects behind the scene to make sure everything goes smoothly
and students are actually learning amid all the discussion and work
that must take place.
My group is
focusing on creating a dessert cookbook with our students that is
both healthy and unique as well as containing multicultural ideas
from our partner school. I think that we have a pretty “big idea”
for our students to work towards because they have to analyze and
evaluate both American and European cultures in order to create
healthy recipes for our cookbook. I am excited to keep working
towards reaching a successful completion to our project.
I think your project for creating a cook book is a great idea! I also really like how you are incorporating European cultural from your virtual pen pals into it. It sounds like it can be a really learning, fun, and interesting project for your students.
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ReplyDeleteI think the way that you are going about creating your cookbook is outstanding! It will benefit your students tremendously adding european culture into the cookbook. Your students will have to hone their 21st century skills to complete the project successfully.
ReplyDeleteI also think the cookbook idea is awesome!! It seems like a very unique idea and one that students will actaully walk away and truley learn something! Way to look at the "big picture"
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