Reading Reflecting #2

Learning communities give teachers an opportunity to work with other teachers (groups) on developing project design. Teachers reflect on each other’s work and brainstorm ideas for improvement. They decrease teacher isolation, and is a more powerful way of learning with shared teacher responsibility.

There are many benefits to learning communities. Teacher’s projects improve, change happens when something isn’t following the curriculum, and teachers take steps towards common goals. Also they learn new patterns of thinking, they learn how to capitalize on the wisdom of the group and learn how to learn and work together.

Sometimes learning communities can affect teachers in the classroom. When working with other’s choices and classroom practices will be different. Making sure to give and receive critical feedback and respect other teachers is critical.

Learning Communities can affect students because students will have the same assignments. Some students may take advantage of this negatively by working on homework together, only one student doing the work and the others copping not learning the information. Also it can affect students because teachers are putting a lot of their time into their learning community and not working with their students enough.

Making sure teachers have a shared vision in learning communities is vital. Teachers must work together and agree on their project decisions. To get a project that follows the curriculum and has all teachers learning techniques included is important. Also making sure that each teacher agrees on the final project is important

Concepts in this chapter relate to my topic because in my group, building, we are working in a learning community. The three members in my group work together to achieve a lesson plan that fits the criteria, helps the students learn and each members point of view is incorporated into the project.

Reading Reflection #2

      

 The focus of a Learning Community is creating a more effective learning environment for students and teachers by providing support and feedback between teachers.  In a Learning Community teachers meet together to collaborate on what is going on in their classrooms. They share ideas, support each other, and learn from one another. Learning Communities focus on three big, student-centered ideas:  ensure that a student learns, create a culture of collaboration for school improvement, and focus on the results. Teachers focus on what they teach and what the students learn. If something doesn’t go right in the project they learn from that, move on from it and work to improve it

A Learning Community as several benefits. The benefits include decreased teacher isolation, increased commitment to the mission, shared responsibility, more powerful learning, and a higher likelihood of fundamental, systemic change.  Being a part of a Learning Community can make your professional life more productive and satisfying.

       
 Learning Communities affect teachers by bringing them together to make sure that the student’s learn. Having the opportunity for the feedback and support just improves there teaching abilities.  Learning Communities affect students by developing skills and dispositions necessary in the “real world.” This includes communication, problem solving, project management, motivation, and persistence. By being part of a Learning Community is motivates both students and teachers for success. Overall, being part of a Learning Community makes teachers and students more comfortable.

               
 All members of a Learning Community should share the same vision and components. These components are; have a clear sense of mission, share a vision of the conditions they must create to achieve the mission, work together in collaborative teams to determine the best practice to achieve the mission, organize into groups headed by teacher-leaders, focus on students learning, goal/results oriented, collaborate with each other, hold shared values and beliefs, commit themselves to continuous improvement, see themselves as life-long learners.  If the members all share these components then the Learning Community will be a success.

                
 I’m currently in a Learning Community in this class because I’m part of a team for a project that shares ideas and gives feedback. We all work together to make our project a success. When look over each other’s work and help each other on improving our project to make it the best that it can be.

Reading Reflection #1

As I start PBL I need to keep in mind to not get overwhelmed in the process. As I student, PBL wasn’t commonly used in my school. As I start my journey through PBL I will also be learning. I will need to do my best and if I make mistakes during the process fix them. I need to be well prepared on PBL approach and make sure I’m fully aware on how this learning will benefit the students.  I need to be ready for the change and challenges that I will encounter when I start the PBL approach. I just need to have a positive attitude and do the best that I can as I start PBL.

The overall benefit of PBL is that students and teachers are engaging in real-world projects. Instead of students sitting in class and listening to the teachers lecture, students are participating and learning in a new way.  PBL brings the real world into a classroom and making learning more enjoyable for students.  

Students will ultimately benefit from project- based learning. The benefits for students who participate in PBL are the projects form the centerpiece of the curriculum, students engage in real-world activities and practice strategies, students collaborate to solve problems that matter to them, technology is integrated as a tool. Lastly, teachers collaborate to design and implement projects that cross geographic boundaries. In the PBL approach the projects allow for students choice, sets the stage for active learning and teamwork. I think that it is a great way for the students to communicate with other students. It will prepare them for future teamwork projects and also for future presentation. Students will be comfortable when it comes to teamwork. Students will also become comfortable when it comes to presenting to a group of people. PBL will better prepare students for real life situations and get them better familiar with technology since it is a huge part of our daily lives.

There are some issues that need to be considered in the PBL approach. As the teachers we will need to consider our learning goals, the way we talk and engage with our students, our classroom management style, the physical arrangement of the classroom, how we think about assessment, what we collect, how we communicate with parents and colleagues. We need to be able to rethink our expectations for our students and be able to interact with our students differently.  We need to get use to change that occurs during the learning process. We will need to be able to help students become better at managing their own progress. As the teachers we will need to be able to reconfigure the hardware, desks, computers, and other furnishings for teamwork and collaboration. We will also need to reconsider on what the important information is for learning. Lastly, we will need to be able to explain why we are taking the 21^st-century approach.

I think New Technology High is a great idea because in the real world technology is a huge part of our lives. This school is preparing students for the future, by having the students learn to think critically, collaborate as part of a team, and use technology as a tool for solving problems. The New Tech model makes computer accessible to every student as tool. Here the teachers tell the students his or her plan and then get feedback from the students.  Overall, I think it’s a great idea and I’m sure the number of New Tech will continue to increase.

Reading Reflection #2 Chapter 2

• A Learning Community is very important in the professional level. It can make your professional life more productive and satisfying. They focus on three big, student-centered ideas. They are, ensuring that students learn, create a culture of collaboration for school improvement, and focus on results. This is focusing on what you teach to what your students learn.
• There are benefits to these Learning Communities. The benefits include decreasing teacher isolation, increased commitment to the mission, shared responsibility, more powerful learning, and a higher likelihood of fundamental and systemic change.
• Learning Communities can affect teachers in certain ways. It can bring teachers together into a team to collaborate and make the most of their situation and purposes. It can make the teachers work together in a team in order to make sure they are on the same page of where the students' learning comes first. It also affects the students. It can help them with project-based learning skills and helps students feel better that they are actually part of a community for learning. Everyone in that community is focused on getting the same things done. In rest, giving each other motivation to get things done and become productive and successful.
• All members of the community  should share the same components. These components are, having a clear sense of mission, a shared vision of the conditions they must create to achieve the mission, work together in collaborative teams, organizing into groups headed by teacher-leaders, focus on student learning, are goal- and result-oriented, collaborate with each other, hold shared values and beliefs, commit themselves to continuous improvement, and seeing themselves as life-long learners.
• The discussion of Learning Communities relates to the project I am doing because I am also working in a Learning Community. I am involved in a team and we share ideas and make sure we are all on the same page of things in order to succeed in the project. As a group, we are always focused and committing ourselves to improvement of our project.

Part B: Google Maps

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Locations of fitness centers in Kalamzoo, MI

Reading Reflection #1

When taking EDT 3470 I need to keep in mind many aspect of the journey through project-based learning(PBL). I need to become aware of learning by engaging in real-world projects, instead of following the teacher’s guide, which most students are used too. Students in project-based learning create their own questions to make meaning of their education. With project based learning students learn by problem solving and engaging in different thinking skills through group work. Making sure, as a student, you invest your time and effort when learning PBL is important to become educated in the new 21st century. There is less work and more learning through PBL and it is vital the students and teachers take advantage of this type of learning.

The overall benefit of project-based learning is engaging in real world projects and doing work that helps teachers and students develop new ways of learning, working together and incorporating new ideas. Through PBL students feel communication and understanding of other people, they can do something to change the world.

Students benefit in many ways, by learning good communication skills, good inquiry skills, learn to be flexible with their working hours, manage deadlines, fuller understanding of how the world works and learning communication to change the world.  Also helps with real world problem solving and becoming aware of the developing technology.

When learning technology based learning teachers need consider the issue of carrying on the new traditions for students in the future to create a positive learning experience. Also it is important for students to learn time management and the hard work it takes to be a part of group work.

The New Technology High School helps show the benefits of New Technology Model. Every teacher is teaching students the new approach to learning through PBL. Teachers are doing much more than creating a memorable learning experience through well-prepared projects using technology. Instead of students just getting a letter grade for their work, teachers are able to give feedback online and help be successful. Through PBL teachers are also learning, achieving goals and helping with daily lives.

Assignment I: Concept Map

Reading Reflection #1

What I need to keep in mind as I start my journey through PBL, is that today's students are up for the challenge, projects are worth the effort, students live and learn in the real world, and new contexts encourage the project approach.

The overall benefits of this approach are that they from the centerpiece of the curriculum, students engage in real-world activities and practice the strategies of authentic disciplines, students work collaboratively to solve problems, technology is used as a tool that takes learner to new places, and teachers collaborate to design and implement projects that cross time zones.

The benefits for students that use PBL are that they develop good communication skills, develop good inquiry skills, learn to be flexible with their working hours, develop a fuller understanding of how the world works, and they achieve the feeling that though communication with and understanding of people, individuals can do something about changing the world.

Some issues that need to be considered when using this approach are my learning goals, the way I talk and engage withe students, my classroom management style, my physical arrangement of my class, how I think about assessment, what I collect, and how I communicate with parents and colleagues.

Hallmarks of the New Tech Model are its size of design, which is small, less time with student management and more time for learning, real-world learning are the center pieces of instruction, technology is everywhere, and this can help them using web-based tools, teachers are given time to work together including shared planning, tools enable teachers to provide students with feedback, and that many good ideas are being shared.