Reflection #8

1.Building connections and branching outside the classroom is vital to every student in your class. The reason being that this allows students to take their knowledge learned in the class and use it in the outside world. One way you can help draw connections and foster them branching out, is by having projects based upon real-world problems. As well as projects that have students explore their community, this allows them to connect what they are learning such as liner regression and apply it to the local car dealership.
2. The EAST Initiative model is much like project-based learning in that it is in part focused on learning through the use of technology. However this initiative looks more at practical and realistic problems for their projects. This allows them to be better prepared for college and the adult workplace.
3. Students should be allowed to lead their projects because it promotes leadership, realistic work environment, as well as promotes public speaking. By letting students lead their projects you allow them to get the experience of leading a educating presentation to their peers much like in the workplace. You also allow them to work on their public speaking, and possibly concurring their fear of it.
4. This chapter relates to our project in that we are building connections and branching out from what we have learned in this class to the outside world. We have learned how to blog and have created one and branched it out to the world around us and students in school. We also have to lead our projects, which allows us to work on our ability to present information in a formal education manner to our peers.