Reading Reflection #11

1.) One of the results of using the Project-Based Learning approach is that you and your students will feel as if you’ve traveled on a magnificent voyage together. Like all good journeys, your project will leave your students with enjoyable memories and artifacts that they can treasure for as long as they want. Another result of using the Project-Based Learning approach is that you, as a teacher, will be left with plenty of ideas for shaping your next learning adventure for the students. Sure there are some potential issues with this approach, but nothing too major that should shy you away from it. Overall, the Project-Based Learning approach is an approach that I believe should be used in more classrooms. The reason why I believe this is because it’s highly beneficial for both the students and the teacher. I can honestly say that I’ll use it someday when I become a teacher.

2.) When “bringing your project home,” it’s important to understand that great projects don’t lead students to a dead end. Instead, great projects will lead students to open new doors and create connections that you can build into future project designs. One way to “bring the project home” is to have a time where, as a class, everyone can openly reflect on what they’ve learned throughout the project. By discussing things as a class, some things might be said that will help other students learn something they didn’t originally learn from the project. Another way to bring a project home is to have a party. An idea would be to watch an age-appropriate movie that relates to the project topic in some way. Have the students bring in treats and pop popcorn, just make it a blast for everyone! This is a great way to “bring the project home.”

3.) The concepts in this chapter definitely related directly to our group project. The first thing that relates is the outcomes of PBL. Obviously, our entire project is based on PBL, so it’s clear how this relates. As I mentioned earlier, I’m excited to have learned about this approach and I look forward to incorporating it into my class in the future. The other thing that relates to our project is the whole idea of “bringing the project home.” I firmly believe that the conclusion of a project is extremely important. The reason I say this is because the student’s opinion on the project will most likely be based on what happened last. With that being said, why not throw a big party to celebrate all the students’ hard work? They deserve it!

References

• Boss, Suzie, and Jane Krauss. Reinventing Project-based Learning: Your Field Guide to Real-world Projects in the Digital Age. Eugene, Or.: International Society for Technology in Education, 2007. Print.