Module 5 Assessing Student Projects

This module has helped me think about student-centered assessments in the following ways; first it has given me some great ideas on how to assess higher level thinking skills and 21st Century Skills in a simple way that is easy for my students to understand and be a part of.   It has also helped me realize my own opinions on project based learning and how without it students will never or probably never learn the skills they will need to be successful in the 21st century society/workforce.  The other "big idea" I realized tonight was that I have sub-consciously developed a mistrust in my students ability to be a part of their own learning.  After giving myself a self assessment on my current practices I realize how little I do to make my students responsible for their learning.  I tend to take on all of the responsibility, which could potentially put my kids at a disadvantage down the road. I have to ask myself why I've done this... Is it because of the accountability that I'm held to by my principal, district, parents, pacing guides, benchmark and AIMS tests?  Is it out of fear that my students will fail?  Am I that much of a control freak? :) I guess it's probably a combination of all of the above.  I think I've learned from this module that I need to learn to not hold my students hands so much and trust in their strengths!

Module 4 Creating Samples of Learning

Technology can be used most effectively to support and assess student learning by ensuring that the tools being used in the project are not just used because they are fun, but are used because they actually enhance what the student learns from the task. The use of technology allows teachers to assess student learning in various contexts vs. the traditional paper and pencil assessments and observations that have been used for so long. 
Students come from such diverse backgrounds and have such diverse needs that a teacher is no longer able to fulfill all of the needs and demands from the front of a classroom.  Students need to be exposed to the outside world in order to grow up to be productive members of society.  Technology can give students the opportunities to learn, in real time, what is going on somewhere thousands of miles away with almost the click of a button.  They are also able to talk to people who are experts in their fields.  If teachers can find ways to give students the opportunities to use web-based communication and collaborative tools, they are preparing students to have multiple "tools" at their disposal to solve the problems they will face in their personal and professional lives.

Module 3 Making Connections

This module has helped me think about the impact of the Internet on my students' learning in the following ways: rather than seeing technology as just one more thing to try and fit in I have a deeper understanding of the different ways that the internet can be used to enhance their learning.  I found myself going oohh and ahhh all night because I never thought about the different search engines being used for finding specific information and I have to say that Google Squared is my new favorite tool! :)  I also found it enlightening to learn how different tools can be used for communication and collaboration.  I guess I never thought about it before, but tools like Wiki's, emails, blogs, etc.do have specific functions.  Another thing that this module made me think about is if I make my students talk to each other and share information in the classroom, why has it always seemed so difficult to broaden their horizons and take the discussions to other classrooms and use the internet to reach out and get more ideas.  Tonight really felt like an AHA night! :)

Module 2 Planning My Unit

This module has helped me think about using standards, CFQ'S, or formative assessments in the following ways: first, in thinking about standards I have realized this year that there doesn't seem to be enough time to fit everything in.  Through project based learning, however, we can combine standards and teach multiple things through one project.  It also seems like kids can gain a more conceptual understanding through projects, which would mean less time spent on reteaching standards that students didn't quite grasp.  When thinking about curriculum framing questions, I still feel a little challenged. :(  I'm hoping that will change as I move through the process of planning my unit. I do think that we naturally use these questions but maybe we don't realize it.  These, to me, go from the big ideas or the "life" questions we want answered down to the academic questions that help learn the answers to the big ideas. Lastly, I think that this module has helped me think about using formative assessments to monitor and adjust the direction that my students are taking their projects and their learning so that we can see the progress they are making towards the learning objectives I set up!