OhThePossibilities

=**Welcome to the Oh The Possibilities Wiki**=


 * Category:** **Kicking it Up a Notch**
 * Presentation Title:** **“Oh the Possibilities” (17:51) __2 CATNIP HOURS__**
 * Webpage:** http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=333
 * Presentation Description:** A project-based learning (PBL) classroom is an ideal environment for preparing 21st century students for their future. This type of classroom provides students the opportunity to engage in learning, using their creativity to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of curriculum. Learn how to create and manage a PBL classroom, while still maintaining your sanity.
 * Presenter****: Lisa Parisi,** Herricks School District, Long Island, NY, USA

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 * Essential Questions and Summary.** (Please follow this format.)

**Name: Bari Candy Session Title: Oh the Possibilities: PBL Essential Question 1: What is project based learning?**


 * Response:** Project based learning is a way for students to collaborate and work together when learning a new tool. It is a good way to apply differentiated instruction. PBL is student driven and simply applied to new experiences for learning. PBL is meant to focus on a small project, allowing the student to acquire the skill before moving forward to the next task.

Response:** Create a “toolkit”; a chart of new tools that are acquired by student’s throughout the year. As students master specific Internet skills, they are listed as the “experts” and can assist the teacher with aiding and modeling for students who have not yet acquired the tool. If the students are working in groups, provide separate tasks that involve all the students in the project. Assign specific jobs or roles for the final presentation so that each student in the group has a responsibility to bring to the table for a complete and successful project.
 * Name: Bari Candy**
 * Session Title: Oh the Possibilities: PBL**
 * Essential Question 2: How can a project based learning class be managed?


 * Name: Bari Candy**
 * Session Title: Oh the Possibilities: PBL**
 * Essential Question 3: How does one set up an assessment for PBL?**
 * Response:** Provide expectations that are blanket across all the projects. Be consistent with guidelines and rubrics. Kids relate better and I believe can succeed when the objectives, outcomes, and assessments are familiar, not the same obviously, for various activities. PBL classrooms can be curriculum driven, as in what tool am I wanting them to acquire? For example, if we are studying the Renaissance, identify the important details, like the dates, names of artists and location of this period in Art. Clear-cut outcomes and expectations can lead to successful assessment.

2. Your name: Danielle Robb Session Title: Oh the Possibilities Essential Question 1: **What is project based learning?** Response: Project based learning is the learning I find myself drawn toward. Project based learning is just what is sounds like...learning where students create projects! Students work in small groups to demonstrate their learning in a way of their choice. Projects range from essays to 3D models. Project based learning works best when the teacher is prepared with a rubric telling the students what he/she expects. The teacher in this video said that she always has one rubric for the whole class- no matter what they decide to do. On this rubric she outlines the content the kids need to demonstrate their knowledge in, a group participation grade, and a presentation grade. I think that is the best and most manageable way to do it! Essential Question 2: **How can a project based learning class be managed?** Response: One of the ways that the teacher mangaed her project based learning classroom that I had not thought was having a toolkit which is a list of all the projects that the class has either done or learned about. Under each of these projects are students who are considered "experts". When students decide to do a project and they have a question the students can go to the experts on that project rather then bombarding the teacher. I think that is an excellent idea! The other way that this teacher managed her classroom was by creating one rubric for all the students to use. Essential Question 3: **How can I utilize this in my teaching?** Response: I love this type of thing! I always enjoyed projects in school because I was terrible at writing essays. I was never given the freedom to choose from ANY project though. I think that I would give the students ideas for projects that they could do but always leave a blank spot for them to come to me with an idea that is not on the list. This would make the possibilities endless but I would be able to veto an idea that wasn't appropriate. I think if I were teaching 3rd-8th grade I would have the students complete a project at the end of each unit or chapter. I would have them choose something new each time so that they expand their ways of presenting. I really loved this video and I definately think that I can apply what I learned to my teaching.
 * Bari Candy**
 * Summary: How can I utilize this in my teaching?**
 * Response:** I like the toolkit idea. I think it can be applied to so many different aspects of my classroom. For instance, if we are creating voice threads, each student gains expertise and finds the means of communication they are successful with. The different “tools” used in voice thread can be broken into separate tasks that groups are assigned on an individual expectation. For example, there is the artist, the scripter, the voice-over, the “uploader” and the editor. Each student in the group will bring their individual “tool” that they have mastered to create a successful voice thread.

Summary: This was by far my favorite video clip to watch. Giving kids the freedom to choose a project to do not only is fun for them, but it also allows the child to show you what they know in a way that works for THEM. In school I always excelled in projects but did terribly (well B's) in writing essays. I could talk all day about a subject but if you ask me to turn my thoughts into a written statement I fall apart. I think that in order for me to actually have a project based learning class I would need to learn to relax and not have to control everything, but I am definately willing to try to benefit the students that will be in my future classes. If the kids are having fun, they'll learn more and be happier doing it!

3. Your name: Rob Lazarus Session Title: **“Oh the Possibilities”** Essential Question 1: (type the question) **What is project based learning?** Response: Project based learning is an activity based classroom environment in which the students work in collabarative teams. They have choices in what type of activity they will present to show that they have accomplished the objective, which is based on real life problem solving. Giving the students choices gives the students ownership in their learning to demonstrate their knowledge. The classroom is full of engaged learners in which the classroom is run smoothly. An example of this type of classroom environment is having students become the teachers in their technology learning and sharing. Some students will choose to create a podcast, other students will choose to create a video. Once a student learns the technology tool, they can go around and help others in the classroom. As the teacher, you become less of the expert and more of the facilitator.

Essential Question 2: (type the question)**How can a project based learning class be managed?** Response: Planning is essential. This should be done well in advance of presenting the objectives to the students. Teach how to use individual tools early in the year. Hang a chart with the new tools learned and hang another chart that shows the names of the students that catch on quickly. Those students become experts of the tools. According to the video, once the tool is explained, don't keep asking the question, "Who understands "? Use the, "Ask three before me rule", so students rely on each other to answer the questions. You should have four to five students who could be the "experts ", after a brief intro to the tool. Keep expectations the same for all projects. The basic objectives and goals should be curriculum based, not on the tools. Use a rubric on each project, but don't reinvent the rubric for each individual project.

Essential Question 3: (type the question)**How does one set up an assessment for PBL?** A rubric detailing what the expectations are for the overall project is essential. Part one of the rubric should include details regarding the curriculum. Part two should be about the project itself; such grading based on roles within the teams and presentations. Is the presentations neat? Is written work edited and typed?

Summary: PBL classrooms should be fun and activity driven with students having choices in how they demonstrate their knowledge. It is a great way for the appreciation of cooperative grouping and differentiated instruction. Students take ownership in their own learning and become teachers themselves when explaining to other students the tools they are experts in. Students who learn how to develop podcats or create a video share their understanding with other studernts who may be unfamiliar with the technology. Students work to their strengths. It is a great way to learn.

4. Your name:Alec Fick Session Title: **“Oh the Possibilities”** Essential Question 1: **What is project based learning?** Response: Project based learning is a technique of teaching where the students are engaged in creating a project whereby in the process of doing the project, they learn about the subject matter that it is based on. It is best to start out small with the use of only a single tool to help them build the project. Then, as they become more fluent in this type of learning, more tools can be added to help them create more elaborate styles of projects. Essential Question 2: **How can a project based learning class be managed?** Response: The best way to manage a project based learning class is to step back as teacher and let the students learn from one another. Find those few pupils who are adept at working with a certain tool and have those that need assistance seek them out. This way, the teacher is only having to instruct the class on the use of a new tool once. Then the "experts" in the class can help those that still need more instruction. Essential Question 3: **How does one set up an assessment for PBL?** Response: It is import to start with a rubric about what you want the students to learn at the end of the project. This rubric is driven by the curriculum and makes certain that you address those key issues that you feel are important for the students to take away from the lesson by working on the project. A second rubric should be developed in regards to the project itself, and another rubric for the learning of the tools used during the project. Summary: Project based learning sounds like a new concept, but actually all teachers do it at some point during the school year. This presentation shows that project based learning is something that can be used throughout the year. It is a fun way to teach, and the students enjoy the process much more as well. By delegating students to the role of assistant teachers, the teacher himself is not burdened as much when utilizing this method. 5. Your name ** : Ashley Guggisberg ** Session Title ** : ** Oh the Possibilities ** ** Essential Question 1 **: ** What is project based learning? ** Response ** : One way a project based learning class can be managed is by allowing students to become the “experts” in using a certain tool or type of project. This is meant to take the teaching emphasis off of the teacher so the teacher does not have to repeat the same information and directions over and over. Instead, the entire class should all do the same project the first time. Then a chart is kept in the classroom listing all the different types of projects students can do and next to each are the “expert” students that really understand how to do that particular project. Response: ** A rubric is the first way to set up an assessment for project based learning. This rubric should reflect the essential content that you want the students to have learned. The rubric should also reflect the type of student interaction and team work that went on during the project. Finally, the presentation is a part of the rubric as well. It is suggested to use the same rubric for all presentation types and group work types. The other parts have to do with curriculum and can change with each project to cover standards. ** Summary: ** I could see myself using a modified version of this idea in my classroom. Because I teach very young children, I would have to use multiple projects since I teach multiple content areas. However, I also thought that I could see using this same idea with a theme. Themes are common and fun to use in the primary grades. And I could try incorporating a project within a theme. Themes can cover many content areas. For example, if I was working through a spider theme for a week in my classroom I could allow children to choose a project to demonstrate what they have learned about spiders. This could also tie into integrating interest-based centers in the learning environment.
 * Response: ** Project based learning is a classroom type where students are given real-world problems that they could actually encounter and then they are engaged in numerous ways to demonstrate how they figure it out, or their learning. This type of learning environment is said to be very beneficial for students because it lends itself to differentiating between students. So for example, the struggling writer is not going to have to write a report to show what they learned trying to figure out their problem. With this the students are choosing how the show you what they have learned. They choose a style that fits their learning style.
 * Essential Question 2 **: ** How can a project based learning class be managed? ** **
 * Essential Question 3 **: ** How does one set up an assessment for PBL? ** **

6. Your name: Erin Campbell Session Title: **“Oh the Possibilities” ** Essential Question 1: (type the question) **What is project based learning? ** Response: Project based learning is a project based classroom where students are taught different projects throughout the year. These projects can be applied to different subjects depending on what the educator is teaching the class. A PBL classroom has students working more independently once they have an understanding of the different projects. The students learn different tools to complete their projects and as they become better at each of the tools they will eventually be able to choose the tool that they want to use to complete the assigned projects. Essential Question 2: (type the question)**How can a project based learning class be managed? ** Response: PBL can be managed by planning well. If a teacher plans well the management shouldn't be difficult. A rubric needs to be developed and the students need to be made aware of the requirements before they begin their work. If the rubric is well written students will have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and they will be able to move forward with a focus. Teaching new tools one at a time is another way to help management. As students learn new tools you can write them up and also assign experts from the class. Students will know that they can ask these students for guidance when needed, which allows the teacher to be available to guide other students as needed. Essential Question 3: (type the question)**How does one set up an assessment for PBL? ** Planning your projects first, developing a rubric and then teaching on tool at a time until the students have many different tools to choose from. Setting up this foundation at the beginning of the year allows students to focus more on the subjects when completing the projects than the tools, because they already know them. Summary: PBL classrooms are classrooms where students are always engaged in something new. In the beginning of the year they are engaged in learning many new tools and towards the middle and end of the year they know these tools well and are engaged in many different topics. PBL classrooms are a great way to have students learn content and technology while still having fun.

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