Reading Reflection #6

One way technology can help students be reflective and evaluate their own strengths is how well they have done with forms of technology in the past.  Students may then realize they need to improve more in some areas than in others.  Teachers could also have students who are good with technology use certain forms of technology that will allow them to help their classmates.  It is possible that there could be stations where a student who is good at that form of technology would be located to help other students.
When getting students ready for a project it is important to introduce project-management tools.  An example of this would a project log or journal.  These examples allow students to track their progress toward their goals.  Many teachers use KWL charts to get students minds ready for a project.  The KWL charts ask the students what they know about the subject, what they want to know about the subject, and later they will reflected on what they learned during the project.
It is important for you as a teacher to know what prerequisite knowledge or skills should know before they start they project.  If the students do not know these skills it is important for the teacher to address that issue.  If the teacher does not do this, it is very likely that the students will become overwhelmed shortly into the project.
The first step in preparing students for using technology in projects is set up a technology playground.  While doing this it is important to allow students to explore.  This will encourage students to teach each other.  The next step is tap student experience.  Teachers may do this by setting up stations where technically able students teacher other students.  The third step is introduce project management skills.  This includes having the students create a project log or journal to allow students to track their progress toward their goals.  The last step is demonstrating.  The teacher should demonstrate the form of technology that the students will be using during the project.
When promoting inquiry and deep learning it is important to guide students when they are starting to put their plan into action.  A teacher could do that by after creating the topic of the project, also provide primary learning outcomes that all of the students should understand.
There are a couple of ways that the topics in this chapter relate to our project.  One example of the introduction of new technology to me during the project.  When introducing a new form of technology, our professor demonstrates how to use the form of technology.  Then after that there are usually a few students that help the other students when it is time for them to also use the technology.