And just like that, I am one class away from completing this Technology Specialist endorsement program through the University of St. Francis. In the last 18 months, I have grown as an individual and educator, meeting the demands and challenges of this program with an open mind and a willing spirit. This course required a bit more work on my part in comparison to other USF courses, but the outcomes were beneficial and will definitely move me forward in my career.
There are two takeaways from this course that I'd like to reflect on. The first relates to the importance of essential questions in driving course objectives. Essential questions are necessary and integral components of a unit's daily lessons. The students need to observe and understand the relatedness of each essential question as a unit progress from beginning to end. The essential questions also help to formulate assessment criteria when a unit wraps up. Good essential questions can drive the learning and be linked to quality instructional materials.
The second takeaway relates to the first. Essential questions are the bones of a good project/problem-based learning (PBL) unit. With the aid of technology in the classroom, students have an opportunity to solve problems and generate educational materials that support their wonderings. PBL units also use the 4 Cs - creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking - to enhance a student's learning experience and develop the 21st-century skills needed to be a responsible digital consumer and citizen. This course has provided a wealth of research to support the use of PBL in education. As technology continues to advance, I'm certain PBL will be a common way of learning in classrooms, including mine.
How exciting that you only have one more class! I think a lot of us talked about PBL as a takeaway from this class. As you said, it incorporates the 4C's, develops 21st century skills, and is something that will soon become a staple in all classrooms. It will be interesting to see if the way our districts mandate it if it correlates with UBD or not!
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