I really enjoyed watching the Edutopia video for this week's module. The students in the video were given the opportunity to participate in project based learning while using a variety of technologies in order to complete the project. The project allowed students to work with digital tools such as the computer and digital camera, and also allowed them to be creative when designing their own kinetic sculptures. Kids are creative by nature and an activity like this allows them to let that creativity shine. I really liked how the school followed up the project with a special event that let each student showcase their hard work to their parents, teachers, and fellow members of the community. It was also encouraging to see the teachers in the video working together to ensure that the project objectives were being met in each of the content areas. In a middle school setting, a project like this would be impossible without active participation and collaboration by staff members.
Reading the tips on locating and utilizing online video was very informative. It allowed me think about different ways that I can use video in my classroom and even gave me a few tips on how to get around possible blocked sights such as YouTube. It also explained how to convert videos that can be downloaded and played back later. This information will be highly useful when it comes to finding appropriate videos for use in my classroom.
I think you make some very important points in your post. I am glad that the planning time involved was discussed. It definitely took more than one teacher to plan and implement such an effective and valuable learning experience.
ReplyDeleteI too think it was very important and vital that they wrapped up the project by having a celebration at the end.