Reflection #6

1. Discussion on how technology tools can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths. 
Technology tools can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths by learning how to use new and different tools. Many tools are used for organization while others are used for group work. Some tolls are used for asking questions and learning how to do something. These tools can also be very effective by showing immediate feedback while evaluating their success.

2. Describe several ways in which you can get students' mind's ready for a project. 
Background knowledge is very important to capture when getting ready for a project. In order to get what you want out of your students, you need to get them interested in the topic. The use of an "introduction" or activity is very helpful for bringing out that background knowledge. It will get all your students involvement and create interest in the project. If the project is the students' idea, of course they will be interested. If the project is the teachers idea, the teacher must be passionate about the topic in order to get the students attention and passion. Using day by day introduction helps students get ready for the "big project".

3. Discuss the elements of teaching the fundamentals first.
Making sure students have the skills and knowledge before getting in to a project is very important. Students should be able to navigate the project on their own, in order to do so, they need to know the basics before the big idea. It will be easier for you and your students if they know the basics before a huge project.

4. Describe the important steps in preparing students for using technology in projects.
Technology is how a project gets done.

• What tools are best for this project?
• Set up technology playground: encourage students to find technology tools on their own that they think would work best for a specific project. 
• Tap Student Expertise: use technology that most students have a lot of knowledge about but introduce new ones to broaden their learning. 
• Demonstrate: make sure you know how to use the tools before you teach the students. Nothing is more embarrassing than getting in front of the class and being corrected for something simple. Make expectations clear.

5. Discuss ways to promote inquiry and deep learning.

Guide students as they choose questions, plan investigations, and begin to put their plan into action. Students will decide what they want the outcome of the project to be. Help students thought outside the box, think outside of their original question. This will hopefully get them excited to learn because it is coming from their own thoughts and questions.

• "what if?"
• "Should..."
• "why?"

6. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

This chapter has a lot to do with our project because we are using a lot of different kinds of tools to make the project come together. Concept maps, blogs, podcasts, lesson plans... We planned our project on inquiry by having the students come up with the idea of the fundraiser for Hurricane Sandy.