Module 6:
How can I help my students become self-directed learners?
I think it is important to set rules and regulations before letting students begin their own self-directed activities. Starting out with small projects and extending the requirements and expectations later on seems to work well with my age level of students. I can give them choices and let them pick what might trigger an interest for them. As their teacher, I can guide them through any help that they might need to get a good start from the beginning.

How can I support the diverse needs of learners?
It has helped to let students who are more knowledgeable in the area of technology develop and demonstrate for other students how to produce a meaningful project. They help each other and provide extended ideas within groups at times also. Students needing assistance are given more time outside of the classroom during recess or may come in early in the mornings for support. Most of the work is done in a set time allotted them, once other work is completed. Students who aren't as proficient as others are given more extended time if needed.

Module 5:
How do I assess student learning?
I make use of checklists, rubrics and timelines. Students need formative evaluations to check to see that students are learning what is required of them. Summative evaluations are also used at the completion of a project.

How do I involve students in the assessment process?
Students can make their own assessment, such as rubrics with the teacher's guidance in some instances. This helps them become more aware of required standards and the curriculum so they can see the direction they need to go and how they will be evaluated on projects they are engaged in.

Modue 4:
How can the creation of a student sample help me clarify unit expectations and improve my instructional design?

Students at 4th grade level need to see what a good project looks like and will help the student improve their own projects. I think it's important to discuss the creation or sample with students so they can internalize what they may want or expect from the individual projects thye are working on, whether it be groups or on their own
.
How can I ensure students will acieve the learning objectives when creating their student projects?

As a teacher I will provide a guideline on what information students need to include in their projects and provide a checklist to keep track of information they locate and include on the project. It's important to ensure students are doing what is expected in a timely manner by monitoring groups or individuals throughout the time allotted.

Module 3:
How can I use the internet to support my teaching and students' learning?

I use several different web sites for writing activities and also skill building activities. I have students research topics of interest or required learning information. I have them do research to find missing clues in subject areas such as science and social studies and give them web pages to locate information.
I use extension activities for them to research and present to the class with a lot of my gifted students and others seem to take off from those presentations once their interest is sparked.

How can I ensure responsible and appropriate use of the internet?

Teaching good internet usage can be discussed with students and explain to them how to find a good website. Give them a list of the most common web sites that are kid friendly and safe for them to use. Teach them how to site any web pages or pictures that they may use in projects, etc.

Module 2:
How can curriculum-framing questions help support my students' learning?

Using the higher order thinking questions opens up a new avenue for learners and allows them to be more creative in finding good answers and using their own ideas to present answers within the projects given them. It also gives them an opportunity to do more extensive research.

How can I plan ongoing student centered assessment?

As students become more involved with expectations on projects, they can add to or take away on student centered assessment. Students can also use standards and expectations within their grade level to help guide them on student centered assessments. With students doing their own assessment, I believe it leads to better internalization of expectations and lets them evaluate their own learning.

Module 1:
How can projects help my students meet standards and develop 21st century learning?

I believe students enjoy more hands-on learning and learn through doing projects with others and they develop new and better ideas from others by helping each other. It expands their learning if you will. It also helps those not as proficient in technology become better prepared as 21st century learners.

How can I use projects to enhance student learning?

Give students choices or let them produce their own project using the computer. Give them the option of coming up with a topic of interest and then they will take more ownership in the project. Let students work together and have them make decisions within groups to enhance cooperative learning and skills in that area.

Module 8:

How can I prepare for and facilitate an effective showcase?

In order to prepare an effective showcase it requires lots of hours of planning with a group of people and continued in depth searching for material related to your showcase in order to be effective. Our group had a variety of student examples, lesson plans, and links to utilize within our showcase. It took a lot of presentation previews to make sure all the different links for our presentation worked and was in place before we presented it to a large group.

How can I provide constructive feedback?

After careful observation it is essential to give constructive feedback carefully and be willing to accept feedback to make the showcase more effective. You must also consider grade level and the necessary changes that may need to be made for a different grade level.

Module 7:

How can I facilitate a student-centered classroom?

I believe that it's important to really know your students and what their needs are within the core classes. I like to give students options and use motivational strategies in order that all students at some time within the class time get a chance to be involved in extention activities.

I facilitate these by using check lists or meeting with different groups several times during a designated time.

How can I use technology to support my instructional practice?

I can use technology to support instruction by having students do extension activities and through doing so they learn necessary computer skills to become an advanced and motivated self-learner. The technology in my classroom is also a great motivational tool which helps students progress to a higher order thinking individual in the classroom. Technology also

helps them think for themselves and use good practices for themselves in order to learn new information and enhance their own education.

11/3/09

How can technology be used most effectively to support and assess student learning?
Students need to research and determine what web pages are beneficial to them which is such an
important partr of the reasearch process.

How can the creation of a student sample help me clarify my unit expectations and improve my instructional design?
This serves as a guide to follow to show students what your expectations are for the completed product, but doesn't need to serve as the only completed project.

How can I ensure students will achieve the learning objectives when creating their student projects?
Students will demonstrate that they have internalized the information from what their outcomes look like at the end of the unit and can put themselves into the role.
Connie

The module has helped me think about how I would use internet and how important it is to

cover several areas before they begin a research means of communicating. I would set some background knowledge for them to site works in bibliographies and discuss bias in computer articles, etc.

This module has helped me think about using standards, CFQ's or formative assessment in the following way.
This class has provided some great information and web pages for assessment of projects and a variety of examples to use to help guide the students in finding and locating information. I feel that the examples from other teachers are very helpful to guide the group in planning a unit. I liked this for rubrics, etc.
Connie

Dysart E3 Essentials 2009

•How can projects help my students meet standards and develop 21st century skills?
Through project based learning students will take over their own learning and develop a desire to learn above and beyond expectations.


•How can I use projects to enhance student learning? Students will use higher order thinking skills and develop their own extensions in the standards given to them. They will have more motivation and extend their own learning.



This module has made me think about my role as an instructional designer in the following ways...