The Environmental and Spatial Technologies Initiative (EAST)
network of schools have been demonstrating the benefits of using technology to
solve problems and make improvements in their communities. Projects make use of
geospatial technologies and multimedia tools that are more commonly found in
professional laboratories or design studio. EAST students will be able to use
these sophisticated tools/applications in context while solving interesting community
problems. Matt Dozier, the program director for EAST explains that “Technology
is the hook we use to get kids into significant projects, and to get communities
into significantly wanting to support those projects.” The EAST model is built
on four essential ideas, all of which were originally part of the idea. Those
four ideas are based on student-driven learning, authentic project-based
learning, technology as tools, and collaboration. As teachers become more
confident with the project approach, they sometimes find that students are
quite capable of leading their own projects, starting with forming an idea that
they care about and are interested in. Once the project comes to an end, you
may think that it’s “lifespan” is over and you will be done with all of the information
and work completed. That is not always the case. A good amount of projects will
live on and continue to be a teaching tool in the future and create extended
benefits.
I thought it was interesting that you pointed out that the lifespan of the project is not always over when the project is finished. Students can still revert back to these projects to further their understanding, and old projects can continue to be a tool for the teacher to use again.
ReplyDeleteI like that you pointed out that students can be capable of leading their own projects based on ideas they care about and are actually interested in. Working on projects they have interest in and want to learn more about definitely helps students learn more and become more engaged and involved in the project.
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