Blog Assignment #5

Conversations with Anthony Capps 

Project based learning really engages children in the overall aspect of a topic. In Anthony Capps video 1 and video 2, he discusses some projects he has done with his third grade class about PBL. Ideas about project based learning are constantly evolving. Capps explains that the goal of PBL is one that has an authentic audience, student interest, involves the community, and most importantly is driven by content standards given by the state.

One project Capps had his students do was write a letter to Joe Bonner. The students wrote what they thought about women being allowed to be in combat in war. By doing this, students had to find female figures that show female success in history to use the info to incorporate into their letters.
They found these figures by using iCurio.  Capps said his third grade class was really interested in this because many of the students had parents in combat. Only eight were sent to the the congress
man's office, and the students actually critiqued each other's letters. They picked the ones to sendoff. Capps said that this actually made the grading process easier as well because he was able to use
the students critiques to grade by.

Anthony Capps believes that iCurio is an online tool that allows students to safely search the web for
subjects that fit along with the state standards.  You do log in to use this, but then use it as a search
engine. This also has a place to organize the information they find online. You do not have to worry about seeing something online and forgetting where it was located. iCurio allows you to drop that
information in a folder and come back to it later to finish the project. This tool also has a feature that
will read the text off of a website to you. This is a great tool for students to learn and become familiar with for educational purposes.

From all of these videos with Anthony Capps, he discusses the importance of project based learning. I agree with him in the goal of the PBL. I also agree with him in that the best way to teach technology is to use it. By exposing the students to project based learning and different ways to use technology,
they are able to better understand and learn the concept. I am a much better learner when I actually get to do something myself. It helps me to learn the material when I can actually perform the hands on activity. Students are becoming more technologically advanced every day, and the more they use the technology, the more they will understand. Students will begin teaching teachers.