Year 2020

I had forgotten all about having a blog site.  It is now 2020 and I have been teaching for 7 years. This past year has been a roller coaster due to COVID-19.  I will be teaching Math and Science this year.  I am a little apprehensive, because I have never taught Math before.....

I am also on a journey to getting and staying healthy.  I have lost about 20lbs. and still have 20 to go.  I feel great.  My lab work was phenomenal.  I hope when school starts and life get busy again with the kids, work and sports, I can keep it going....

Today I had a very good workout. Getting into shape is very hard when you have let yourself go.  I have had 3 children within five years.  I used to be 140-145 and wore a size 11/12.  I am  now  175 and desperately need to drop the pounds.  My goal is 130.  I tend to lose weight  best by low carb dieting.  This is  not an easy thing to do in the summer with all the cookouts.  I am in need of some cook out ideas.

What is Online Project Based Learning

Project Based Learning is an instructional approach built upon authentic learning activities that engage student interest and motivation. These activities are designed to answer a question or solve a problem and generally reflect the types of learning and work people do in the everyday world outside the classroom.
Project Based Learning is synonymous with learning in depth. A well-designed project provokes students to encounter (and struggle with) the central concepts and principles of a discipline.
Project Based Learning teaches students 21 st century skills as well as content. These skills include communication and presentation skills, organization and time management skills, research and inquiry skills, self-assessment and reflection skills, and group participation and leadership skills.
Project Based Learning is generally done by groups of students working together toward a common goal. Performance is assessed on an individual basis, and takes into account the quality of the product produced, the depth of content understanding demonstrated, and the contributions made to the ongoing process of project realization.
Finally, Project Based Learning allows students to reflect upon their own ideas and opinions, exercise voice and choice, and make decisions that affect project outcomes and the learning process in general.
http://pbl-online.org/About/whatisPBL.htm


http://www.thinkquest.org/en/projects/index.html


Well- crafted project:

• Engage and build on student interests and passions
• Provide a meaningful and authentic context for learning
• Immerse students in complex, real-world problems/investigations without a pre-determined solution
• Allow students to take the lead, making critical choices and decisions
• Connect students with community resources and experts
• Require students to develop and demonstrate essential skills and knowledge
• Draw on multiple disciplines to solve problems and deepen understanding
• Build in opportunities for reflection and self-assessment
• Result in useful products that demonstrate what students have learned
• Culminate in exhibitions or presentations to an authentic audience

Project Examples And Resources

• Math Webquests offers a definition and the benefits of project-based learning in math. This site also offers link to a variety of projects for elementary, middle school, and high school appropriate "web quests."
• Mrs. O's House offers a wide array of projects to try with your students. Topics range from exploring bird species and home ownership to Biomes and clean air in your community. 
• Ohio Resource Center offers a variety of projects integrating technology. Topics include Art & Communication, Construction Technologies, Hospitality and Tourism, Transportation, and others. Students can work in groups or alone. 
• Oracle Think Quest provides an online environment that seamlessly integrates technology and projects that are easy and fun to use. Here you can choose or design a project, assign groups in your class, and monitor the progress of all the projects in one place. 
• PBL-Online.org has a library of pre-developed projects.  You must sign-up as a member, but it is a free service that grants you access to a wealth of information and activities.  

Source: http://www.guidetoonlineschools.com/online-teaching/project-based-learning#5#ixzz1533770nF

Why Integrate into the Classroom?

Projects provide a flexible framework for engaging students in exploring curricular topics and developing important 21st century skills, such as communication, teamwork, and technology skills. In addition, students are motivated by the fun and creative format and the opportunity to make new friends around the world. For teachers, a school portal enables quick and easy management of student accounts and review of project work.

Methods of Incorporating Online Project Based Learning

Online project based learning can be an exciting techniqe to use for countless projects such as posters, digital presentations, scavenger hunts, and web quest.  The following is a list of applications that can help with these task.

 

Glogster EDU is a poster-creation website that allows teachers to assign poster projects to students. Students can create links to websites, videos or audio clips. They can post pictures, experiment with graphics and write text on the Glogster poster. Teachers can then view these projects and leave feedback. According to the Glogster EDU website, teachers are using this "resourceful platform to make traditional learning more dynamic, more interactive and more in tune with learners today." Read more:Online Project Based Learning 


 

Animoto is a simple video-presentation site that allows students (or teachers) to create 30-second videos for free. Users upload approximately 12 pictures, add a small amount of text, choose background music and the Animoto site does the rest. In a few minutes, the site creates a slideshow video. Video can also become a part of the Animoto slideshows. These short videos are free and make a great project for any subject area
 Online Project Based Learning 

Web Quest- A web quest is a assignment which ask students to use the World Wide Web to learn about and/or synthesize their knowledge a specific topic. There are several different way to present a web quest. The assignment can be given on paper, certainly the simplest and most portable option. A web quest assignment can also be given on the web itself by sending students to a web page which serves as the “home base” for the student’s information search. You can also present a web quest using some other multi-media software such as Hyperstudio or PowerPoint.
Web Quest)

Internet scavenger hunts are a way for students to practice problem solving, improve their reading and comprehension skills, ang learn how to search the internet.   Scavenger Hunt

Online Project Based Learning

During the recent moths I have learned several different learning techniques such as project based learning.  I have been really impressed by some of the projects schools have implemented through the means of project based learning..  I now would like to take it a step forward by learning how to implement an online project base learning activity.  I would like to know what types of actives I could use in my own classroom.

What I Learned About Technology 2

As a student, I grew up in the dark ages.  Although my family was the first to have a personal computer in the home, we did not use it for much.  I mostly played computer games on it.  These games were not like the computer games now, think of frogger and pacman when they first came out.  I had not even heard of the Internet. Technology is so advanced and is only getting better.  We now have technology at our fingertip, through the means of Ipads, Iphones, laptops, and desktops.  It is our jobs a teachers to be as technological savvy as our students and more. By taking this course I learned that there are countless ways to incorporate technology into the classroom.  We as teachers do not have to use technology just for presentational means.   We can instead have our students use these tool to help teach their peers.  It  allows them conduct, and present meaningful information to better their education as well as be informed about technology at the same time. It allows them to work through their frustrations and solve problems.  I learned this lesson my self.  There have been times when I wanted to just give up.  I havee redone work because of mistakes when learning a new program or application, but the mistakes helped me to be a better thinker and problem solver.  Kid can truly learn from technology!

Refelection: KWL Charts

I know I will use this!  A KWL Chart is a great tool for teachers to use.  It allows a teacher to assess what their  students may or  may  not know before starting a lesson.    This allows the teacher to know where to begin.  It will allow the teacher to use their instruction time wisely and not instruct over things the students already know.  It also allows the students to have some  input and insight on what they are learning.  This will be a very helpful tool to use in class as a pre-assessment and post assessment.  It will allow students to see what they know, what they will be learning, and what they have learned.  I think using a KWL chart or some kind of pre-assessment before starting a new lesson  is a better method to use rather than just starting a lesson without knowing what the students know.  The redundancy can cause a student to lose interest from the beginning.