ISTE 2015

1. WHAT vs HOW. The session Aligning Personalization with PBL with Andrew Miller described how to personalize project-based learning and discussed some of the common roadblocks teachers face when implementing PBL, as well. One challenge he identified was the demand to cover all content. When he introduced the expectation that teachers cover every last piece of the curriculum, he asked a simple question: How is that going for you?  He made me realize that attempting to “hit” everything was unrealistic, and isn’t being able to prioritize a skill that we want our students to master? Rather than flying through and skimming the surface, Miller encouraged us to provide a plethora of resources for our students and allow them to decide what they would like to learn about. Their projects (which IS the learning, not the quick assessment at the end) allow students to dive deeper into the subjects that interest them and also inform their classmates about other areas in that general unit during presentations.

2.    1:1 - Who is first, student or device? This idea was brought up in the session Rigorous, Relevant and Technology-Enhanced PBL to Master the Common Core with Dayna Laur and David Ross. The first bit of advice was a reminder about what we teach: We teach students. Technology is not the answer, it is the enhancer. In their classroom visits, Laur and Ross found that many teachers were excited about their new devices and everything they could do, but they were starstruck. They forgot about what the technology is supposed to support: the kids.

3.   Play with what you have. As previously discussed in Takeaway #2, you need to make the technology fit your needs. This is where the session How Can We Create Truly Reflective Learners? Google Forms, That’s How! with Claudia Felske comes into play. In this session, Felske gave us live examples of how she used student-owned Google Forms for individuals to track progress and create goals throughout the year. An example of the form she gives students can be found here, along with an example student response form. Reflection is such an integral part of learning, and using Google Forms is a great way to keep paperless data that is collected and analyzed by our students.