Blog Post #11

For this particular blog post we were assigned the question, "what can we learn about teaching and learning from these teachers?" The first video assigned was Back to the Future, a video by Mr. Brian Crosby. In this video Mr. Crosby starts his lecture off by explaining the negative effects of having a narrow curriculum. Mr. Crosby believes that a narrow curriculum prevents kids from building a world schema. This lack of "world schema" makes it hard for kids to imagine what could be, if they don't know what it is even about. Mr. Crosby also proposes the question "if you don't have imagination or creativity, then where do you build passion from?" Mr. Crosby goes on to encourage actively engaging students into each lesson. He teaches his viewers that you can take one idea, and build a variety of lessons off of that idea. For example, science experiments can be turned into history lessons, and can also be used to work on language arts/reading skills. Mr. Crosby also included that his students blog, and that student blogging encourages collaboration and student learning. He also includes that motivational and meaning content captures the student's attention and makes them feel a sense of empowerment. Mr. Crosby sums up his lecture by stating, "we can't keep racing kids through school, we have to provide an opportunity for them to build world schema."


In Mr. Paul Andersen's Blending Learning Cycle video, he explains his blended classroom. He starts out by defining the blending classroom as a blend of online, mobile, and classroom experiences. He also introduces the 5 e's, which are engage, explore, explain, expand and evaluate. Mr. Andersen then explains his "blending learning cycle" by introducing an acronym. Below is Mr. Andersen's "Quivers" acronym.

Six Components of the Blended Learning Cycle:
QUIVERS
Start off with a good Question
Investigation/Inquiry
Video
Elaboration
Review
Summary Quiz






In Making Thinking Visible, Mark Church focuses on documenting student thinking. He thinks that teachers should work on connecting, exploring, and moving certain ideas forward so observers have the opportunity to assess thinking. He explains that teachers need to work to make student thinking visible by either documenting or recording their thoughts. He explains how it is not only important for the students to see these ideas, but to carry these ideas forward.







In Sam Pane 4th Grade, Sam Pane explains to his class how to use the internet safely. He focuses on the strategy of letting his students discuss within their groups, and then answering the question out loud. He explains how to build their own digital super hero. He takes time to explain how to build a super hero and then he gives his students the opportunity to build themselves. He then turns this into a language arts/reading lesson and allows his students to build comics with their own digital super hero. Mr. Pane encourages teachers to strive to always make the lesson more personal and meaningful. Mr. Pane then had each student to go around to the other student's computers and take a look at their peers digital super hero. Below are ELA take aways as seen in this video.

ELA Take Aways:

1. Write narratives to develop imagined experiences or events
2. Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to text
3. Ask and answer questions

In Mr. Dean Shareski's Project Based Learning, Mr. Shareski begins his video by stating "research  clearly shows that using integrated studies by using projects increases student engagement and provides opportunity for deeper understanding not easily done in segregated classes. He focuses on the use of technology to enhance student learning, and to use it as a tool to bring the content to life. Mr. Shareski also explains that integrated studies makes the students feel proud of their own work.

In the video Roosevelt Elementary's PBL Program, Ms. Trish Taylor explains project based learning as in depth learning that integrates thematic instruction and something that is based on a "real-world" problem. She also includes that Project Based learning is research based. She explains that PBL teaches students on how to think for themselves. PBL lesson really shows that the student really understands a certain concept. PBL is a great learning environment for students. It also encourages public speaking at a very early age. Mrs. Taylor explains that PBL is all about student choice, and that it gives the students a sense of empowerment. She also explains that when using PBL that students learn real-world skills and/or 21st century skills. PBL teaches students how to work independently, and it also encourages students to work corporately together by working in groups. PBL also encourages community involvement. PBL focuses on differentiation in the classroom and incorporates multiple intelligences and learning styles. 

Overall, these videos teach us all about Project based learning and student engagement. It introduces to us the different concepts of Project Based learning, and the different styles of teaching that use this method of project based learning. All of these videos cover the importance of student engagement, student choice, and revision. All things change with time, and that includes education.