Blog Post 6

Anthony points out that kids will be really excited to use technology in the classroom. I think it has a big part to with how they learn to use these new tools. For example, I like that he rotates different areas of technology, instead of throwing a lot of different things at them at one time. They get a chance to really learn about the certain technology they are using and get comfortable with it before moving on to something new. Then once they come back to the first thing they used, they are able to use it without much direction. He puts it as they get to "review" the technologies they have used. He basically puts the project into tiers and the students get to learn about one section at a time.

The main tool that Anthony talked about was Discovery Education, which basically sets up a visual to go along with whatever it is you are teaching. I have been observing lately and I cannot tell you how much of a difference visuals make. I didn't notice it in elementary school (because I was young and unobservant) but I notice now when I walk into these classrooms that I sit in on, there are posters or pictures for everything. Even their work is done on the smart board and most teachers I've seen use games or pictures in their lessons to get the point to stick. Point is kids love to be able to see what they are learning, whether it is through a game or an illustration or a video. It's our jobs as teachers to come up with good visuals to help our kids learn as best they can.

Lastly, Anthony states that projects show what students learned at the end of a lesson rather than the process used. Sometimes we get caught up (especially in a subject like math) on how we got to our answer and we don't even care what the answer was. Projects are a fun way to help avoid that. His tips to a good project are having a real audience (he says this rewards the kids, but I also think it helps them with giving speeches in the future so they aren't so nerve racking), making the project relevant, make it somehow related to the real world, and give them content that they need to know. All these ways make projects more real to a student and I'm betting they take them more seriously and are probably more driven with them.

Sources used:
Discovery Ed
UseTech Don'tTeachIt
PBL Part 1


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