Learning Today Stephanie Fulcer, Kait Stockheimer, Tricia Mace

Problem Based Learning Project/problem based learning is the in depth investigation of subject matter sometimes involving outside experts coming in to the classroom to help support the teaching and learning. Students value what they are learning more they are actively engaged with what they are doing. Students demonstrate their knowledge through their actions in project based learning. This process is tested and proven to be more valuable for students' learning, communication skills, critical thinking skills, and ability to work in a group. With the added flexibility of groups of students working together to solve a problem in different ways, many more resources are valuable to them.

Problem Based Learning and WebQuests Problem Based Learning and WebQuests go perfectly together. In WebQuests, students work together to come to a certain conclusion or to develop a certain idea or product. In both, students are given a problem that they work together to solve. In WebQuests, students would spend their time looking up information online and then coming to a conclusion from what they find.

Essential Questions From Trivial Pursuit to Essential Questions and Standards-Based Learning Avoid asking students to memorize random facts and trivia Trivia is not applicable to every day life situations Encourage students to: o Explore issues and think critically o Probe deeper into topics such as identity, purpose, faith, leadership o Derive meaning from what they learn o Become mini detectives by using clues o Create their own theories.

Essential Questions The Great Question Press Teachers need to challenge students by asking different types of questions Examples: o Challenge or destroy o Predict o Persuade or convince Switch up question types Teach students to question and probe Necessary to prepare them to succeed on tests and in their futures

Student Voices The digital world is introducing many new things to us and our students. The Digital Disconnect: The widening gap between Internet-savvy students and their schools article reminds us about what the internet is used for. This includes: 1. virtual textbook and reference library 2. virtual tutor and study shortcut 3. virtual study group 4. virtual guidance counselor 5. virtual locker, backpack, and notebook. The primary reasons for this digital disconnect between how students use the Internet for school and how schools have them use the Internet are tied in ways that schools and teachers are oriented towards the Internet, their inability in many instances to integrate online tools into schooling, and the real and perceived barriers students face as they seek internet access. Internet-savvy students are coming to school with different expectations, different skills, and access to different resources and we as teachers need to recognize this and help them to use their technology skills to enhance their learning. We need to learn more about technology so that we are not a roadblock for their learning through technology.

Statistics are speaking up about many new technology trends Over 41% of students believe that online classes with have the greatest positive impact on their learning, a growth of over 20% from the 2006 date findings Over 26% of teachers chose online learning as their first choice for training 70% of students in grades 6-12 consider themselves "average" in their tech skills compared to their peers High school student interest in taking an online class rose 21% from 2007 to They report to us they want to take an online class to earn college credit (47%), to work at their own pace (43%) and to take a class not offered at their school (40%) Middle school student interest in taking an online class rose 46%. They tell us their primary reason for taking an online class is to get extra help in a subject (44%) in which they struggle, thus viewing online learning as a tool for their own self-directed remediation.

Some of the 15 technology findings Computer and internet use is growing --Children now spend more time using digital media than watching TV (ages 13-17) --Students have a preference for portable, multi-functional devices Technology is not an 'extra' --to students, technology is an essential when it comes to learning In-school use is not integrated --When students do use technology at school, it is more in computer labs than classrooms --Leaving the classroom to use computers means that students usage is less successfully integrated with their instruction Students want to use technology to learn, and in a variety of ways --Students are interested in learning from games (especially in math & science) --Students are interested in an intelligent tutor/helper for use in home & at school --Some ideas are live tutor on a WebSite, online tutor/counselor, online study buddy Students want to learn the basics, too --Students also want teachers to incorporate some basic skills into their teaching -- skills related to technology use and basic research skills --Many of today's students think that they can learn solely from the Internet, but they cannot!