Reading Reflection 6 Ishara Brent

Discuss how technology tools can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths

Technology tools can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths through blogs that offer students space where they can reflect over time about what they are learning. ProfilerPro also helps students evaluate their own strengths because it allows students to identify their learning characteristics and members of a group. Survey monkey also can encourage students to be reflective and evaluate their own strengths because teachers can use the results to help students see how their self-assessment compares to the larger group.

Describe several ways in which you can get students' minds ready for a project

You can get students minds ready for a project with a Know-Wonder-Learn activity. Teachers can start their project idea is fun when presenting it to the students. This helps get their attention and giving the idea time to settle in their imaginations. Students can also get their minds ready for a project by by exploring the topic and discussing it with friends and family. Excitement is another way to get students minds ready for a project. If they have something to look up to, they will be more ready to do research and prepare for the project. Visitors also helps students get their mind ready for a project because visitors can really kickoff the project.

Discuss the elements of teaching fundamentals first

Students needs knowledge and skills in order to work with a degree of independence in their investigation. Students should know facts, history, and have done research before starting a project. Elements such as getting to the inquiry stage, so that students can be driven and investigate like real scientists do. Another element is using cutting edge technology, by introducing students to online collaboration, video production, and other skills before the project. Teaching fundamentals first, helps prepare students for the real work. The two fundamentals are Set the Stage for Independent Inquiry and Share the Assessment Rubric. The rubric shows students what performance looks like through a qualitative description of each rating.

Describe the important steps in preparing students for using technology in project.

Technology is not the project, but rather how the projects gets done correctly.The first step is set up a Technology Playground. This sets up technology opportunities for students to learn by and among themselves by providing the environment. Second step is Tap Student Expertise, this includes setting up computer stations, each with one tool students will use in the project, such as, an online database at one station, presentation software on another,and a shared wiki on another.  The third step is Introduce Project-Management Tools, this includes a log or a checklist where students track tasks they have completed.The last step is Demonstrate this includes demonstrating the use of technology.

Discuss ways to promote inquiry and deep learning

A couple ways to promote inquiry and deep learning is questions and answers and combining all subjects. To promote deep learning students should understand certain topic such as economics, health, money, and relationships. Another way to promote inquiry is asking questions, such as which one, how, what if, should, and why.

Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project

These concepts relate to our topic, Staying Healthy, because we test our knowledge and use inquiry all the time. We continue to learn from each other and others. We also get our minds right for each project by getting excited and eager to learn more.