Weekly Reading #7

Quote:

“However, the students found the self-reflection process monotonous overtime, becoming bored with the process. Students were more receptive to the interviews recorded at the end of the project, and the interview data provided much more insight into why certain activities proved more engaging” (Addlington & Harvey, 2010).

I chose this quote because I remember having to do weekly reflections on assignments in school. I didn’t see the point. I felt that when I had an opinion on something, then I would give it; but to consistently find things to give an opinion about seemed pointless and an ill-use of time. Everything I needed to say would have been said before the end reflection after the project was over, so that even felt redundant. However, if one reflection was done at the end of the project, I would be able to summarize all of my opinions and findings into one. Thus, it would be less redundant and more useful. This is what I do in my classroom. I give a time for reflection at the end for my students instead of at every stage of the learning process.

Addlington, R., & Harvey, H. (2010, April 6-9). ACEC2010 - ENGAGING YOUNG LEARNERS: THE MULTI-FACETED AND CHANGEABLE NATURE OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN TECHNOLOGY-RICH LEARNING PROJECTS. ACEC2010: DIGITAL DIVERSITY CONFERENCE. Retrieved July 1, 2013, from http://acec2010.acce.edu.au/sites/acec2010.info/files/proposal/172/acec2010engagingyounglearners.pdf

Questions:

How might your citizen journalism project resemble a technology rich project?

My citizen journalism project resembles a technology rich project because it involves digital media literacy skills as well as a synthesis report in which students present their findings in a news story. This allows students to be creative as well as informative and accurate in their research. Students must sift through various information and determine reliability and validity. Then they must produce a multi-media report to present their findings. This is a technology rich project in which the technology helps guide and support learning and engagement.

What did you learn about successful implementation of technology rich projects?

I learned that successful implementation of technology rich projects requires careful scaffolding that will encourage engagement. Without this, the project may not do as well as if scaffolding had occurred. Students need feedback from peers and teachers, as well as integrated technology within the project. There are various factors that affect engagement of students in an assignment besides the use of technology. However, when done properly, the combination of all these will provide a technology rich project that will successfully engage and encourage learning from students.

Resource:

By Llewi034 at en.wikibooks [CC-BY-SA-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons

I chose this image because this is what the world is coming to. Students are "getting connected" at earlier ages. They are hooked on games and websites, like Webkins, and are instantly engaged. Students are technologically savvy at a younger age than most teachers now. This is why technology-rich projects are important to integrate within the classroom. Students like using technology and it changes up the class norm. I remember hearing or learning that students need a new activity every 15 minutes within a classroom to stay active learners. It's this fast-paced learning that needs technology integrated lessons.