I really liked this video and saw the value of collaborative work thru multimedia projects.  The project in the video was absolutely amazing.  Giving the students the chance to work with real scientists is such an opportunity to feel that their work is important and interesting.  It also creates a chance for one or more of these students to be influenced to go into the sciences as a profession because of it.  The peer socialization of the group work is a key aspect of the project.  The students are learning socialization skills which unfortunately are not being met with the more isolationist parenting of today when children are not allowed to be outside by themselves socializing with their peers and learning the valuable socialization skills (problem solving, conflict resolution).  This makes group work at school all the more needed and valuable as it may be the only part of the day the kids are having face to face conversations with peers outside of a phone or tablet screen.  I'm not yet convinced about allowing student's to grade themselves, but I have no experience, so I hold out judgement on that idea as the teacher in the video did a lot of things that I wholeheartedly agree with and as skilled of a teacher as Mr. Dieckmann knows a lot more than I.

I may be repeating myself and if so I'm sorry. The Video demonstrates how best to use project based learning combining it with technology and experts in the field. The teacher acted more like a facilitator of the learning process than the "teacher" of the learning. The students were the teachers and specifically the drivers of the learning that was happening. Student came up with their own grading system or rubric but, at the end of the video the teacher was looking for specific learning process of the students. The teacher summed it pretty good when he talked about the students having to synthesize the information that they took in to come up with answers to Dr. Williams and formulate their responses to the conversations they were having with her. When the students demonstrated this ability then you know actual learning was happening. The fact that the students didn't have an actual wasp and substituted a bee was another example of process not product and in the real world you rarely have perfect situation and you have to be able to modify adapt or come up with a solution to get the job done.

The benefits that I noticed with the project based learning done at Clear View Charter Elementary were amazing. I noticed that the children were interested in bugs and did all the research with the guidance of the teacher and using technology. I noticed that this project-based learning was all inclusive to all children no matter if they were bilingual, typical or a typical,  and gifted.  I saw that the children were motivated, engaged, and answered questions by exploring. They are able to enhancing their vocabulary and social skills and collaborated with each other.  I can see all the benefits it provides to the children.  The only challenge I can see is how do you access the child’s learning to make sure he/she is meeting the common core standards?.

Project-Based Learning at Clear View Charter Elementary

It was interesting to watch the YouTube video about the 4th and 5th grade classes at Clear View Charter Elementary who worked over a video connection with scientists from local universities to study insects. This was a very hands-on technique and allowed students to go in depth and learn for themselves the parts of an insect. By doing this, the teacher, Jim Dieckmann, allowed his students to have a hands-on experience to find out what the scientific process is all about. By working hands-on, the students took an active role in their learning which will help them better retain the information. This project was also very collaborative, allowing students to work with each other, their teacher, as well as the scientists. By creating the multimedia report, the students were able to express their ideas and demonstrate what they’ve learned in a fun and interactive way. Mr. Dieckmann also used a very interesting technique of evaluating student achievement: he asked them to help him create their own standards for assessing the quality of their projects. By doing so, students not only self-evaluate, but they also get feedback from their peers and teachers. In doing so, they internalize the desire to improve their work to reach the standards they have placed for themselves. 

After viewing the video clips on Ms. Yollis site, i can understand how she gets her student to be motivated to learn in the classroom. She is teaching the student to be safe online, how to use proper grammar and spelling, learning and researching information about other cultures as well as providing step-by-step instruction visually and auditory. Her students get fast response when inquiring about another culture that is across the country.  Her students seem very happy to be creating their own blogs and motivated to continue blogging. I believe the way she is running her class she has including methods that all children can learn even if they are ELD, Children with IE P's, and Gifted. I can see my self using this in my classroom because i see the benefits it provides the students.

I thought that Mrs. Yollis' video "How to Write a Quality Comment" was a nice little video using the students in the classroom explaining the qualities of a good comment, which are as follows: 

1. Compliment the writer in a positive and specific way.  
2. Add new information to the conversation if the information has not already been discussed in the blog or its comments.
3. Make a connection -  Blog about your own experiences to make a connection to the writer.
4. End the comment with relevant questions which will help get the conversation going and spark more conversations.
5. Proofread your comment to make sure you have proper grammar.  Do not use more than one exclamation point.

The qualities of a good comment as told by theses students are all sensible.

After watching Mrs. Yollis' "Blogging in the Classroom", it made perfect sense to incorporate blogging into students' education.  Blogging is a relatively new communication platform which has become an intricate part of a student's life today.  Mrs. Yollis is very impressive in that she sees this change in communication in today's students and incorporates this technology in teaching her students, while allowing the children to also become fluent in the new technology. 

Ms. Yollis blogged her students which I though was great. I think the most important part of watching the videos was that Ms. Yollis goes on to explain in other Bloggs that she stresses to the parents before her class and at back to school night the importance of online safety and how she incorporates blogging into the classroom as another aspect of learning replacing traditional paper and pencil writing assignments. The children are learning so much more than just blogging and using the internet. the blogging is being graded traditionally and by their peers. The other part she explains is that it's not just a one week assignment that they may or may not fully understand. It's integrated into her class with student participating in all aspects of the blogging. Ms. Yollis showed the students on the rug holding up one or two fingers to score the response or comments by other students and explaining why that comment deserves the score they gave.

Ms. Yollis & the Importance of Blogging

Ms. Yollis stressed the importance of finding new and meaningful ways to engage and motivate her young students. Being in the profession for over 25 years, it was very important to her to stay up to date and continuously find new and innovating ways to reach her students. As a teacher, though your teaching style may remain the same, your students change with every year that passes (especially as new technology is being innovated), and it’s important to know how to reach your target audience and integrate curriculum in creative ways. Her classroom blog not only helped develop quality literacy skills in her students, but it also included parents which strengthened the home-school connection. With technology being a vital part of today’s world, she made a very good point that it takes longer than a one-week unit lesson to teach students how to be active, contributing members of an online community while practicing Internet safety and building a positive digital footprint. Her classroom blog allows her to continuously teach these skills while providing a safe, fun, and engaging platform for students to use.

Hey team, I hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

    Before this class, I knew little about blogging, had never done it, and hadn’t heard about blogging being incorporated as an educational tool. After seeing Ms. Yollis classroom blog, I recognize the multitude of benefits and enjoyment it brings to the classroom. One thing that stood out to me was how Ms. Yollis consistently blogged about the learning being done in the classroom through pictures of activities the students did, classroom visitors, short passages, and links. This can help students review class content and makes it possible for parents to become involved in their child’s education. I also loved how each student have their own personalized blog. The students are expected to compose well written blog posts to share with the class and other users worldwide, so not only are they practicing ELA skills, but are connecting to a larger audience in meaningful ways. I truly admire the way Ms. Yollis used blogging and would love to incorporate blogging in my future classroom. 

One thing I wonder is how or if it’s possible for blogging to be incorporated in the younger grades, such as Kinder or 1^st?

The David Thornburg video is great and as a whole working with children I'm concerned more with what children aren't getting. We live in a world that is in constant motion it doesn't stop to wait for you to catch up. If David Thornburgs argument is true then traditional learning is great for some people. Then the question shouldn't be what are teachers wasting their time doing? We should be saying. "I'm not taking away it's in addition to." this allows are project base teams or curriculum to benefit from the both traditional and group activities for optimal performance form the entire team. I believe peer pressure works both ways from positive to negative.

Drive

After watching the "Drive" video it brought me back to jr, high school when all my teachers told me that I should be looking to see what my five year plan was and how would I would accomplish it. I would look at them with a puzzled expression on my face thinking they were crazy. One teacher finally said to me. What do you plan on doing with the rest of your life?" You need to go to college and major in something. She then asked. "What do you like to do?" this was a similar to the 24 hr. do what you want. The "Mastery" and "Challenge" motivation in humans is the opportunity people need to do what they like to do. I believe the concept has been around for a long period of time just under different names. The basic concept is do what you like to do and you will be more "fulfilled" and "successful."

After watching the "Drive" video I can state that I see benefits to the "Mastery" and "Challenge" motivation in humans which would allow for no profit output.  However I do believe that this model has been around for way too little time to be able to make any clear judgements about it.  I did find the results of the 24 work period to be amazing and feel that this is a good objective to go for.  I do believe that this model does need to continue to be researched as it is such a new model.

Hello team, I hope you all had a great weekend :)

I thought both videos provided powerful insight about how students learn best in the classroom. Using inquiry driven project based learning, exemplified in the Thornburg video, created an environment where students practiced the 3 factors that lead to higher performance (shown in the Drive video). These students were working autonomously, gaining mastery, and had a strong purpose for learning. One important aspect of this was that teachers were asking real questions, not simply giving students information to memorize. This gave students the opportunity to become active participants in their own learning and really immerse themselves in the lessons. Project based learning with a meaningful purpose is something I definitely want to incorporate in my classroom!

Regarding the Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us you tube video, i totally agree with that motivation is having a purpose and money is secondary. When employees are given the opportunity to try different methods to accomplish a work goal it is easier to accomplish.  The employees start to think on how they can do this with collaboration of their colleagues. This is the same with students in a classroom. If the teachers allow students to try different techniques using a variety of technology the outcome will be more meaningful for the students and not only will students obtain the goal but achieve social skills that will enable them to be confident.

I agree with the video of David Thornburg because when students are given the opportunity to think out of the box they are more likely to achieve their goal. Allowing the students to do project base exploration they are using many skills, like collaboration, engagement, exploration, trying out new methods, cause and effect, etc.

     After watching the David Thornburg video on the future of the classroom I have to say that I do agree that the use of technology in the classroom is imperative to a well rounded education for students today.  I recognized his desire to make sure that teachers are using the Redefinition section of the SAMR ladder model when it comes to the aspects of technology that are only available through the actual use of the specific technology, i.e. google maps, that did not exist before. 
      I also agree with Mr. Thornburg about using technology to give a baseline of knowledge about a subject which will allow the teacher to delve into deeper and more thought provoking aspects of learning.  The example of Christopher Columbus in the video was a great example.  This would allow teachers to go much father in teaching students "how" to think instead of "what".  What was the voyage like?  Would you like to go on that voyage, and why?  What would you think was the ,most dangerous part of a sailors life in the 15 century?  That Christopher Columbus sailed is a fact.  What Christopher Columbus and his sailors did to get there is knowledge.