Final Concept Map

Our final Concept Map consists of more information regarding the presentations, along with more visual aids. With these visuals, it is more appealing to students. We didn't add anything more because we felt everything we need is already addressed.

Reflection #11

1. Description of what occurs as a result of using the Project-based learning approach.

While using project-based learning, students are presented with the opportunity to use multiple strategies while learning. Students are able to work together and collaborate in a way that they weren't able to before while sharing ideas via blogs and many other technologies. PBL allows students to become more confident in learning when it comes from their own ideas. It also allows students to think outside the box. They are asked to use strategies they have learned outside of the classroom in every day life, including work in other classrooms. PBL is something that students will use for the rest of their lives.

1. Discussion on ways to “bring your project home”.

Realizing pros and cons of a project and feeding off of those experiences with your classrooms can only make your students' learning experience in the future even better. Allowing yourself to share your insights for future projects can only bring a positive learning experience for yourself. Collaborate with colleagues and share experiences. Appreciate yourself for all that you have done for your students. Always start small, it will always lead to larger and better experiences!

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

It is important for us to remember that we have gone a long way since the beginning of the semester. We have learned a lot of different approaches we can share with our students for learning. This chapter helped me realized how much PBL will work in classrooms and how it will also help keeping peace in a classroom. PBL is something that I would definitely use in my classroom. 

Reflection #11

Reflection #11:

1. Description of what occurs as a result of using the Project-based learning approach. As a result of using the Project-based learning approach, it allowed students to gain new strategies for learning, whether it be individual or in a group. It lets them explore within their project for research and share their ideas through websites, blogs, and many other programs. It also allowed students to become more confident in sharing their own ideas and opening up connections between people to gain new ideas. "Good projects don't lead to a dead end. Instead, they open new doors and create connections that you can build into future project designs" (Boss,Krauss, 159).
2. Discussion on ways to “bring your project home”.  Ways to "bring your project home" should be thought about to help make your project more successful for the next time. Invest some time to reflect on what you have learned and consider what worked best and what did not work so well. You must capitalize on your investment, critique your work, share your insights, become a resource for your colleagues, enter a contest, and enjoy the journey along the way!
3. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project. The concepts in this chapter can relate to our topic/project by reminding us how project-based learning works and because we are also at the final stages in our own projects and we have to remember where we started from and how far we have made it. 

Reflection #10

1.  Discussion on the importance of setting aside time for discussion.

You need to set time aside for discussion because students need to take ownership of what they created and express that to others. Setting aside time, gives students the opportunity to think about things they might not have done otherwise, like what they learned, what they liked learning about, what they didn't like, and what they want to learn in projects ahead. This is the time to ask your students what did the project mean to you or how was our project important to you? Don’t be discouraged if the answer isn’t life changing, its just the fact that you gave the students time to reflect on it.

 2. Discussion on the reasons students need to reflect and elaborate.

Taking time to reflect helps students feel good about their accomplishments. You want to plan your reflection questions so that your students leave the project loving it instead of hating it. You want to ask meaningful questions that matter most. This way you can prompt and prob your students to elaborate. Be sure to ask your students where they want to go in future projects, they're answer might be far more ambitious than you might think.

3. Discussion on how schools build tradition and identity.
In this section I wasn’t really sure what the title meant until I read it, but I can say for some of my schools I can relate to the sports teams and for another was the music and theatre programs. I didn’t realize this but its definitely a tradition and what the schools are known for. I can also bring an example from my life about a tradition I couldn’t wait to do once I was in that grade, was fifth grade camp. My elementary school was known for a great fifth grade camping trip every year.  I agree with what this chapter says about involving the community, and how they come to expect to be involve in your classroom and outside activities.

4. Discussion on the importance of celebrating a project.

There are so many different ways you can celebrate your students work and finished projects. For example, you can put on an event, create a blog or hold a party. You want to most importantly celebrate learning and building your schools identity as a ground zero for PBL. You can display your students work in the classroom, this way the students take pride in seeing it everyday and know they accomplished that. I liked what the chapter said about a year-in-review retrospective to celebrate learning. I think this a great idea, where students take a look back at what they spent a whole school year doing.


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

In our project we have a fundraiser at the end of our project and I think that after the students present, that it will definitely be a celebration. I had never thought about the importance of celebrating students in the ways given in the chapters. I think we will put more time into having the students reflect on their work. I think this is going to be a very helpful tool in the future.

Reflection #10

Reflection #10:

1.    Discussion on the importance of setting aside time for reflection.

Taking the time to stop and reflect after completing something or a project can really allow time for you and your students to realize what went well and what didn’t quite work as well. I like taking the time after I complete a project, test, or any activity to stop and reflect on how I think it all went. You want to look at the pros and cons of it, your communication skills, how well you worked with any partners, and how you can fix something that may have made you frustrated along the way.

2.    Discussions on the reason students need to reflect and elaborate.

Students need that time to reflect and collaborate because especially if they are working in groups they all need to discuss what they are going to do next and how it will be done. This may help our students grow as learners and become more excited and driven for what is ahead.

3.    Discussion on how schools build tradition and identity.

To start a tradition and identity, students need to connect within the community and reflect back on what they are learning through project-based learning. This is important because when a community starts to realize these changes and traditions being made in schools through students then this is when that builds up of traditions and identity increase. It would be a great accomplishment for all of those students who worked hard to become a tradition and identified for their achievements in that school.

4.    Discussion on the importance in celebrating a project.

When celebrating with others on a project it allows for students to feel accomplished and show off their work to others. This also allows others to gain ideas and not be afraid to ask more questions and become educated about their project. If we keep encouraging our students and praising them for work well done then they will keep pushing through and working hard to be successful and show others how they can be successful as well.

5.    Discussions on how this chapter relates to your topic/project.

Going through each step of creating our final website it allows us to reflect and look at what we did well and what needs more work so far. We can elaborate as a team on our accomplishments and in the end we will be able to share our website and what worked well within our project with others to gain that sense of pride.

Reading Reflection #10

1.    Discussion on the importance of setting aside time for reflection.

It is important to reflect on the process of a project and how well it went because it’s almost like trial and error experiment. As a student, it is important to realize what works best for you during a project regarding time management, what worked well/what didn’t work well, who you work well with, communication skills, and how did the technology fall in to play? The end of a project is a great place to start reflecting because it allows for a growth in learning dispositions. It is a good idea to help students reflect on what made them happy during a project and what made them frustrated and to learn how to avoid those frustrations in future projects.

2.    Discussions on the reason students need to reflect and elaborate.

Elaboration can help students figure out what the next step is after completing a project. This allows students to think about what they want to learn next; is it something new, or do I want to learn more about this topic? As a teacher, it is important to as students where they want to go with their ideas. This will lead your students into more of a student driven project whereas students will become more ambitious.

3.    Discussion on how schools build tradition and identity.

In order to build tradition and identity, think of ways that will reflect on student-based project learning. When older students set some sort of standard, young students look forward to what learning awaits them in their future years at the school. When a community starts to recognize these roles students are playing in a school, they begin to provide support that is much needed for many students or schools alone. It is important to show the community and school that your students are the one with majority power in leading these projects. This shows the community that your students are determined and successful in what they want to learn.

4.    Discussion on the importance in celebrating a project.

In order for students to feel accomplished and successful in their own way, it is important to show off their work, create a celebration for their accomplishments. Praise them for the work they have done and encourage them for future work. Display students work in a community and school setting so people can see how students’ work is being brought to the table. A celebration could be big or small, as long as it gives the opportunity for one more glance, acknowledgment of how hard work and commitment contributed to the success of the project, appreciation, opportunities to talk through their project to reflect on themselves to others, and an opportunity to present their work in a professional manner.

5.    Discussions on how this chapter relates to your topic/project.

Creating our website allows us to reflect and elaborate on our topic and see what we have accomplished and what we can do to better ourselves as team workers and our time management skills. I think celebrating in ones self-accomplishments are extremely important at a high school/college level. It allows students to take the next step in taking initiative in their own learning.