The Reflective Teacher

September 17, 2012
These are my reflections from the questions listed that we were to complete for The Reflective Teacher article.

1. How did it feel completing a group project, remotely?  What was challenging, what was fun, what was your overall experience? 

Completing a group project from a remote location was very different for the most part. It was challenging but fun all together. I really enjoyed the project being on Google Docs. I have used Google Docs before and it is a great way for people to work together, especially for a group project that does not meet face to face. The most challenging part I believe was communication. It was hard to communicate with each other about who was doing what, especially on the spreadsheet and presentation. It felt more of like go in, do your part, and when its due make sure its complete.

2. How do you feel about the finished project? 

Overall, I believe the project turned out great. I believe our group pulled together, even without as much communication as I thought it would take, and finished the project well. I enjoyed being able to go back in and see the progress of fellow students over the course of the week. I feel that the project came together nicely.

3. How can you use projects such as this in your specific teaching area?  What would it be like for your students, even ones in the same class? Can you see how you could also connect your students with students in other parts of the state, country, world?

In my specific teaching area which is elementary education, I believe this could be used for students. I can see it being integrated in different age groups in a variety of different ways. I could see teachers using it amongst each other to share ideas, especially in younger classrooms. I could also see students being able to use it in older classes, such as 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th graders. Students could work in groups and be able to work on their group work at different times. I think it would be a good lesson that integrates technology that is being used in the world around us today. I can easily see how a project like this one can connect students in other locations. It especially helped me to connect with my fellow classmates in my group. I was able to see how we all worked together, although communication was scarce, and pulled through in the end to create a finished project.