Blog Post #6

What do you learn with these conversations with Anthony Capps?

There was a lot to gain from the videos between Dr. Strange and Anthony Capps. Within the videos Project Based Learning Part 1 and Project Based Learning Part 2 both gentlemen went over the premise of teaching rather than scanning over regurgitated knowledge. In order for students to perform well they must be given an excellent amount of information. Examples given are:

1. Authentic Audience
2. Students must be interested in the subject
3. Community Involvement
4. Content Driven

In a classroom it is not the job of the teacher to limit the amount of creative potential a child has, moreover, it is our job to give them chances to explore. Each lesson using project based learning is an opportunity for students to stretch their creative muscles and showcase what they've learned.

Some aids that Capps brought up that he found beneficial for his students to utilize. They are iCurio and Discovery Education. iCurio is a great tool due to the fact that it is a safe search engine for students to use. As well, students can use a "bookmarking" type function to save places they've visited and information they have acquired. This gives students a chance to organize information and learn how to search for items by criteria instead of just name or content purpose. Discovery Education leans more towards science and social studies and helps provide visual displays as well as important information that could pose as useful during project based learning.

Anthony's Strange Tips for Teachers Part 1 is a great video that gives the viewer qualities that make up a well-rounded teacher. They include:

1. Having an actual interest in learning
2. Knowing that hard work is both beneficial and fun
3. Flexibility and creativity
4. Start your lessons knowing the end goal
5. Always seek out 100% student engagement
6. Reflect and self-evaluate

Capps goes on to explain to the viewers the dangers of scaffolding in his video Don't Teach Tech- Use It and Additional Thoughts About Lessons. He states that using and teaching technology is a build up process. You will teach/learn one type and build on it from there. Capps uses the analogy of a "Russian Doll":

1. Year
2. Unit
3. Weekly Scale
4. Daily Lessons

It was great to view videos from a former EDM 310 student to see how useful all of these tools can really be in the "real world of teaching". It is inspiring to see these tasks in action and functioning well. I look forward to using these tools in my own classroom.