Reflection 1

    When reading “I’ll Never Go Back” I was able to see how important incorporating technology into your classroom truly is, especially when dealing with project-based learning and the role of multimedia. It talked a lot about how students and teachers must work together and be willing to try new strategies to meet goals and improve their out practices so that everyone will succeed.

    There are many benefits to PBL, the main one being that projects allow for student choice, setting the stage for active learning and teamwork. Using new tools and activities open many windows for broadening student’s thinking, which results in a much more exciting and productive classroom. I noticed a few really important ideas leading to why PBL is so beneficial.

    -Students will work collaboratively to solve problems

    -Students engage in real-world activities and practice strategies

    -Technology is integrated as a tool for discovery

    Students who participate in PBL will not only be more productive in the classroom, but will use the new skills that they’ve learned to become a more confident learner in general. Using this new way of expressing themselves, students will feel that all the work and effort put into their project will have been worth it. They will be able to present and teach material to their classmates in a much more hands-on, efficient and fun way.

    Teachers who invest in PBL will open their minds to not only incorporating new technologies into their classrooms but also something totally different than the traditional idea of learning which they are used to. When teachers facilitate well-designed projects that use digital tools they are not only making it a learning opportunity for their students but also themselves.

    Students who are new to a PBL classroom environment can likely find it unsettling at first, due to the new aspect of it, which might be uncomfortable.  The students are responsible for their own learning and aren’t used to a way of learning where there isn’t a pre-established right answer.

    New Technology High has PBL being used throughout their school as a whole. The book states at textbooks are scarce and that the entire culture of the school supports this approach. In the New Tech model, technology is everywhere although it is not the main focus. Teachers make sure computers are accessible to their students at all times if that is the route they want to take.

Social bookmarking allows you to manage good ideas and pages you find on the web. Associating “tags” or keywords to the content you are dealing with makes things easy and understandable.  Not only does it make certain things much easier to find but connects you to others who are interested in/searching the same topics throughout the internet.