As I was reading the assignment, one main aspect that I realized is important to start my journey in PBL is the ability to adapt to change. Change is inevitable in PBL and as a teacher I will need to be able to adapt to those changes and learn to be flexible with my teaching. I also need to keep in mind that with PBL I will not only be teaching, but I will be learning along with my students too. I will need to get comfortable with taking the role of the learner in the classroom.
The overall benefits of PBL are great. It is a new, profound way of learning that strays from the traditional learning styles. PBL is more engaging for both the students and the teacher, and both gain a deeper knowledge from this type of learning.
PBL has many benefits for students including preparing students for the real world, learning to work collaboratively, developing a deeper understanding of topics, and many more. I think having students engaged in real world activities is a great way for them to learn and for that learning to make a deep impact on their experience.
One issue that should be considered in the PBL approach is the fact that technology is not the focus, but simply a tool of PBL. Technology makes PBL more approachable and it helps students get a better understanding of topics by researching, blogging, and collaborating, but it is not the main focus.
One great example of how New Technology High represents the New Tech model is the fact that they keep their student capacity to no more than 100 students per grade. Having a small school makes for a better, hands-on learning environment and allows students to collaborate more easily. The bond between students and teachers is also good since there is a smaller student to teacher ratio and they are able to get to know each other on a deeper level.
I completely agree with what you mean when you said that as teachers we also have to be learners. And I think that is something that we have to keep in mind from the beginning. Too often, teachers get into the flow of things and they think that they are always right and they are not willing to change their ways. Which is a big part of PBL, being willing to change and trying something new.
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