Reading Reflection of Chapter 1: Mapping the Journey and Seeing the Big Picture ELisa Zemlick

1.)  Mapping the Journey- Seeing the Big Picture

            Project Based learning is a strategy used in the classroom that is influenced by "contemporary technologies" which design projects based on real-world situations.  It is different than traditional teaching techniques  for several  reasons. First, it allocates total responsibility on the learners to actively engage and participate in the project -which is designed by the teacher- in order to come up with the best solution.  For instance, in a PBL setting the student's are prompted to use their experiences and knowledge to answer open-ended questions in order to generate new knowledge and complete a project. Students typically work in groups which pertains to our naturally social behavior where we want to understand other people's experiences in order to have more balanced understanding of the world. 
             Secondly,  the teacher's responsibility is not to be in sole control of relaying information to students  but rather facilitate discussions within groups that deal with a real world issue. An interesting aspect of PBL is its design to make kids more marketable because global employers look for people who are able to be innovative, work in groups and solve real world issues to generate a better solution. A crucial part to a traditional PBL classroom is to incorporate different modes of technology in order to capitalize on the potential knowledge students are able to gain. PBL definitely aligns with the general direction  of the United States and potentially the world, which is to acquire all the knowledge neccessary through different means of communication which  will further define a learning community. 


2.) Teachers are Learners, too. 

             The PBL approach can be intimidating to teachers, especially ones like myself who are technologically inept. Technology is greatly favored over text book- as in computers should be readily accessible to each student. The world is gravitating towards digital means of doing everything, especially research;therefore the PBL method is greatly geared towards research. The PBL approach is thought to have more rewarding  feelings than taking a test and getting an A  because it really requires one to "figure it out" and if done right can be totally satisfying.  However one obstacle for incorporating PBL in the classroom is that it works best when all the members of the school are on board so that it can constantly be reinforced. This is really important because the opposite method of teaching (traditional teacher-lead method) conflicts with PBL method and could frustrate students. 

3.) New Technology Model and A design for Change

            The New Tech Model began in California when people decided that the way of the world was shifting to learning how to think critically, collaborate with other's by using technology to find solutions to problems. Since we want our youth to be more marketable in our Consumer Culture, then we have to train our students to make an impact in the real world by understanding how the world works.  The model is founded by lots of research on how students learn best. It is a personal setting where students and teachers really know each other, which maximizes on learning rather than classroom management. Technology is not the center of learning but rather a tool to aid in figuring out information.  One great aspect of PBL is the collaborative, group effort that is made among teachers- who look to each other for ways to improve their project at hand- and students who bounce ideas and experiences and knowledge off each other to reach a great height in learning.  

4.) Getting Ready and Being Prepared

             I love the word ADAPT! Being able to adapt to situations is so crucial as a teacher. Adapting in the education world means to be flexible with various scenarios and be able to act in a way that fits in with the actions of the environment. A teacher's environment, expectations and daily events change so often that being able to adapt is crucial for the success of the teacher and consequently the students. Being unsure or unfamiliar with PBL is part of the process of figuring things out. It takes time to change a teaching habit that we have been expected to run enact within our classroom. 
           
             It's important when learning about new material to understand what we should be looking for and  how to prepare a PBL in the classroom. First, the teacher is in charge of planning and preparing for the project extensively in order to set the stage for success of the students. By pre-planing each detail it will limit the amount of confusion when students take over to do their part of PBL. Students will work on the project designed by the teacher together, collaboratively and the teacher will then become the facilitator- walking around, guiding the students. We need to be prepared as teachers and work together as teachers to develop ideas that are going to benefit our students greatly.