Group items tagged

Building positive group work ethics in project-based learning Teach_Tec 4 Nov 2011 8:59 AM 0 Can you think of a job or profession that is done alone? No co-workers to consult, no team responsible for contributing different pieces of a project, no meetings (well, maybe that might be okay ; ) It's hard to come up with many. Artist? Author? (at least during the initial writing process). We could probably come up with a few more, but the list is relatively short. Working in teams, collaborating with others in our work and life is fundamental. Not only do we gain social benefits, but the ability to combine the strengths of a team most often leads to a better end result. Though we've all heard that initial reaction from students as a group project is introduced: 'Can we pick our own groups?' or even worse, 'Do I have to be with him/her?' The skills of working effectively in groups need to be coached, practiced and encouraged. So when you see reflective comments such as these (from real students) it is encouraging: "A good team looks like a team that is on task, getting along and sharing." (5th grade) "A good team looks like a friendly team with members working together. I have learned practical skills that will help me get a job." (5th grade) "A good team looks and sounds like they are working together, improvising, compromising, discussing ideas calmly and working out disagreements." (6th grade) "In the real world you may have to work with people you do not like and you need to know how to still be productive." (6th grade) So how did these students get here? Pauline Roberts, a 5th and 6th grade teacher at the Birmingham Covington School in Bloomfield Hills, MI has made developing these skills a priority. The unique program she and her colleagues have collaborated on at this 3rd - 8th grade public school is called ENGAGE. The focus is to embed 21st century skills across multiple grades and all parts of the curriculum with a specific

"At RCampus, you can do all your school-related work from building personal and group websites to managing your courses, eportfolios, academic communities, and much more. "

While reading Professional Learning Communities at Work™, I considerably marked up the margins with check marks and the letter U; the check marks meant "this is so important" and the Us symbolized that the ideas, as I saw them, were important because they were actually universal truths. Concepts like curiosity, practice, cooperation, support, reflection, and growth that first appeared in the introduction said to me that this book provided elements that are ageless and timeless. I knew that what was being explored could be meaningful for anyone, in any circumstance, and in any environment.

This is an article on biulding PLC

Instructure Canvas a Free LMS for TeachersInstructure Canvas is a free learning management system that teachers can use to record grades, post assignments, and interact with their students. Students can use Instructure Canvas to communicate with each other and collaborate on assignments. What caught my attention about Instructure Canvas is that it integrates Facebooks, Google Docs, and email systems outside of Instructure. Another neat feature of Instructure Canvas is that students can subscribe to RSS, email, and cell phone alerts to stay abreast of any new content their teachers post.    Richard Byrne

"The ThinkQuest International Competition challenges students to solve a real-world problem by applying their critical thinking, communication, and technology skills. Participants may enroll in the following competition events: ThinkQuest Projects, Digital Media, and Application Development."

The videos on this page are about empowering students and the community. How do we get here

We are thrilled that the Riverside School is undertaking this bold new initiative to unite the children of India in giving back to their country. We can't wait to see what the children imagine and do in their communities!" Jim Ratcliffe and Olga Trusova Stanford University Sandy Speicher, IDEO

"The Math Trail expeditions are activities in which students explore their communities, find real-life illustrations of math concepts they are studying, create problems based on their discoveries, and describe solutions for the problems. "

Everyone needs to read this. As we build a community of life long learning for the 21st century with our students it becomes increasingly important that we ensure that they are getting the training that they need to be successful. Its not enough for students to be able to use a computer they need to understand what they are doing and why.