Week 15 - EdTech 542 - Final Reflection

Syllabus

Resources

Final Project - The Thinking Entrepreneur

Project Based Learning is a term that many of my colleagues use to describe the style of teaching they use in the classroom. Before taking EdTech 542, I was one of these teachers. In our CTS department, we made many project lessons using inquiry based techniques but not to the extent of a true Gold Standard PBL. The changing landscape of 21st Century education demands more from our classes and expects authentic, life-long learning from our students. PBL gives each and every child (and teacher for that matter) the chance to engage in meaningful learning. Both the outcomes and competencies needed to succeed later in life are a part of every project and the students and teachers involved in these projects have a greater chance to have fun with education.

What do I Know About Project Based Learning? What Do I Need To Improve Upon?

Although this was my first attempt to develop a true Gold Standard PBL, I believe I have a good understanding of the process and what is expected from both the teacher and the student. First and foremost, I know now how much work is involved with the creation of a good project. Second, It helped to have a template for the project that was split into the sections required. It allowed for the opportunity to learn and concentrate on each area of the project before moving on. Third, I have learned that this is another technique that can be used by teachers. Just as it is important to vary our traditional ways of teaching, it is also important to not only rely on this teaching technique. Overall, I feel confident in my abilities to design and use more of these projects in the future.

One area of a PBL project I am a little unsure about is the management of the class throughout the project. I have taught long enough to know that no matter how much preparation you put into a class, the unexpected happens. Students come with different skill sets and motivation. Until I actually implement this project, I am not sure how the students will react.

What Did I Expect to Learn in the Course? What Did I Actually Learn?

I was not completely sure what to expect when I enrolled in EdTech 542. Definitely I wanted to know the true definition of Project Based Learning and all that is involved. Second, I wanted to be able to create a PBL assignment and use it in my classroom. Third, I was hoping to receive resources for my future endeavours. I have to say that all of my expectations were realized. I learned so much from this course including the difference between true PBL and many of the lessons I have been using in the past. The resources were great and will be beneficial in my future teaching. Mostly I learned not to be afraid of trying something new. It makes for an exciting journey for the teacher and leads to more engagement from the students.

What Will I Do With What I Have Learned?

Currently, I am in the process of applying for admin positions in my school board. It is my hope I can use the concepts learned to support and mentor teachers. I would like to present at our PD conferences and workshops and be able to help teachers expand their arsenal of teaching techniques. From a teaching perspective, I will be using PBL in my classrooms starting next year. I can’t wait to try out my project and create more PBL opportunities in the future.

In closing, I would like to thank all of my colleagues who have helped me in this course. A special thank you to Dr. Yang for responding to my emails and helping me get through the difficult sections of this course. I wish you all good luck in the MET program.

Topic 9 - Weeks 13 and 14 - Peer Review and Assessment

21st Century education has brought with it many changes for both our students and our teachers. School reform (redesign) has asked our educators to use the newest of teaching pedagogy with the purpose of creating well-rounded students who will be ready for today’s changing world. Concepts such as personalization, authentic learning, collaboration, inquiry-based learning and reflection have been introduced to create more learning among our students than the so called “traditional” way of teaching.

With this changing culture in our schools, it is essential to change the way we assess students as well. Gone are the days of only using one method of assessment - the assessment OF learning (summative). Yes, this method of assessment is still vital to judge the student’s level of knowledge but it is not enough to just assess the student’s progress. Different assessment methods must be used in our classrooms to help students learn. Formative assessment (assessment FOR learning) may be used to show students how to improve their learning as the work is progressing. Feedback that allows students to improve and change their work before the finished product is handed in is essential. Assessment AS learning may also be used to give students the opportunity to use assessments to increase their own learning. Examples of this are peer assessments that allows “students to reflect on their own learning and identify areas of strength and need” (Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools 2010).

Although the changing assessment requirements are still new to my teaching repertoire, I have tried to incorporate all three assessment methods mentioned above to some extent in my classroom. The method I need the most work on is the assessment AS learning. I have tried to have students review their peers work but, as yet, the students have not done great job of this. Students feel it is a waste of time. Students also feel the sense of “not hurting another’s feelings” and, therefore, do not review the work objectively. Moving forward, I will continue to use this type of assessment, however, I will make changes to its delivery. One technique I will try is the Critical Friends Tuning Protocol. This peer review technique focuses on developing collegial relationships, encouraging reflective practice, and rethinking leadership. A second technique that may be worth trying over time is the CPR - Calibrated Peer Review.

Peer reviews can be used in many situations during the school year. PBL, group work and practice presentations are just a few of these situations but no matter the technique used to aid in the development of peer review assessment in the classroom, it is important to adhere to the following four points. The class must have and use a strong model that works for the teacher and the students, the teacher must create a culture of critique in the classroom so students feel safe and accepting of criticism, the class must have clearly defined expectations and the teacher must explain the benefits of these types of reviews.

Topic 8 - Weeks 11 and 12 - De-briefing the PBL Project

Once the final presentation is complete - including the culminating activity, the weekly reflection journal and the final reflection about the project, there are perceptions that the project is completely finished. These perceptions are incorrect.

Two more important things that come from the project include the enhancement of a better project next year and a discussion with other teachers and administrators about the success of PBL in general.  A final class discussion using the information collected from the shared Google document will help ensure that the students obtain the most possible out of the project. It must also be used to enhance the project for next year’s class. Who better to judge learning than the students who were involved in the project. This shared document was open during the semester in real-time so that students could write down their thoughts - good or bad - about things that happened that were important to the student. In the final discussion about the project, students will use this document to reminisce about successes and failures and bring them forward for discussion. All ideas will be documented and used to create an even better project next year. The second important aspect of the project is an informal presentation or discussion with the students, the classroom teacher, other teachers in the school and the administration. 21st Century education is about the outcomes and competencies students can gain from authentic projects like the Thinking Entrepreneur.  It is important for all stakeholders in a school to understand the importance of this type of education and how learning occurs even though it is different from our traditional methods.