Chapter 8 Reflection: Building Connections & Branching Out

1. Description of some ways to build connections and branch out beyond the classroom.

• Digital tools can make it easy for students to share their work and exchange ideas with diverse audiences. This allows students to work with a real audience and make connections to others in the community. For example, they can even work with a class that may be across the hall from their classroom. 
• Explore more in depth to expand their learning. 
• Allow students to choose an interesting topic to ensure they will put more into their project rather than just what is expected. Let students create projects that allow them to become the experts. 
• Expand their learning circle, use connections with experts using blogs.

2. Description of the EAST initiative model.

• The Environmental and Spatial Technologies model was develop by Tim Stephenson. This model is used to demonstrate the benefit of using technology for a purpose and solve problems to make improvements in their communities. The model is essential for four reasons:
• Student driven learning - meaning students are responsible for their own learning.
• Authentic project-based learning - meaning that students should be engaged in solving real problems in their community.
• Technology as tools - meaning students need access to the relevant technologies that professionals use to solve real problems
• Collaboration - meaning students collaborate in teams to pursue authentic projects, they accomplish more than any one person can do in isolation. 

3. Discussion on some reason to let students "lead" their project.

• Allowing students to lead their project can be extremely beneficial in a students' learning. It allows students to do projects they're ultimately interested in. This also allows students with learning disabilities to display their project in a way that works for them. By allowing students to lead their project the teacher is giving students free range accommodations if needed to ensure they will be successful in their project. Students can take on their own learning while the teacher is there to support them. They learn to think as detectives, journalists, scientists, historians, ect. 

4. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project. 

• By allowing us to lead our own project in terms of creating our own lesson plans, activities, health fair. We also use our blog to build connections between our group and branch out when we create activities that would go beyond the classroom and into the community.