Blog Post #9: What Can We Learn About Teaching and Learning From These Teachers?

The following six videos include the experiences of six teachers using technology and project based learning (PBL) in the classroom.  They are an insight into successful classrooms using technology and PBL; a peek at what our classrooms could be like if we learn from their examples and embrace technology and PBL.  I am highlighting three things that I learned from each teacher after watching the videos. 

Brian Crosby

1. A narrow curriculum creates a disconnect with students, but PBL and 21st century technology engages students in active learning.
2. Students can use blogs for assessment instead of a traditional multiple choice test.
3. Through blogs, students are able to participate in projects around the world.

Paul Andersen

1. The question is an important piece of blended learning and should get their attention.
2. Teachers can learn a lot through their own reflection.
3.  Video podcasts can be used for students to watch lectures independently.

Mark Church

Amazon Video (Look for the video link on the bottom left)

1. By using a headline, students can reflect upon, and summarize a video they watched.
2. By giving students open ended questions, the students can come up with amazing perspectives.
3. Students can work together to think and summarize a topic, instead of a teacher standing at the front of the class, summarizing it for them.

Sam Pane

Super Digital Citizen

1. It is important to teach students internet safety and ethics, and it can be done in a fun way.
2. Increase student interest by making the project relevant and something that the students are passionate about.
3. Get students to reflect and share within groups before presenting ideas to the entire class.

Dean Shareski

1. High school level classes can be combined for PBL, if administration is on board.
2. Use PBL as the tool for students to discover content, not an 'add-on' project.
3. Using PBL students learn more than just the prescribed curriculum.

Roosevelt Elementary's PBL program

1. Even in kindergarten students can learn the skills of public speaking and being a good audience.
2. Students learn the social skills of working in teams through PBL.
3.  PBL does not focus on one subject at a time, but cross curricular integration of learning.

Each time I watch a video about PBL and technology being integrated successfully into schools, I reflect about how I could use those successes in my own classroom when I return to teaching in a couple of years.  I liked how the videos included in this blog assignment had experiences from K-12 classrooms.  The videos had a range of examples from Paul Anderson's details about a specific project, to Roosevelt Elementary's overview of PBL.  I would love to hear what you learned from the videos too, so feel free to leave a comment.