Reinventing Project-Based Learning: Your Field Guide to Real-World Projects in the Digital Age [Paperback]

Suzie Boss (Author), Jane Krauss (Author), Leslie Conery (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2008 | ISBN-10: 156484238X | ISBN-13: 978-1564842381

Reinventing Project-Based Learning offers educators an accessible guide for maximizing the benefits of project-based learning in today's technology-rich learning environment. This reader-friendly book speaks directly to educators, administrators, and professional development specialists who want to transform learning into a more active, student-driven experience, using technology tools for inquiry, collaboration, and connection to the world beyond the classroom. Examples from educators in many different countries showcase this new vision of instructional design.

The book itself follows the arc of a project, providing you with guided opportunities to direct and reflect on your own learning. Starting with an assessment of your readiness to embrace technology-rich, authentic projects, the book then provides strategies to engage with colleagues and build collaboration in project design. The authors then discuss project management, implementation, and troubleshooting. Final chapters focus on assessment, reflection, and sharing. With proven strategies, rich illustrations, classroom examples, and teacher interviews from around the world, Reinventing Project-Based Learning shows how to design authentic projects that make the most of available and emerging tools and technologies.

Topics include:

-technology literacy
-technology integration
-teacher training
-curriculum design
-projects

Also available:

RSS for Educators: Blogs, Newsfeeds, Podcasts, and Wikis in the Classroom - ISBN 1564842398
Tablet PCs in K-12 Education - ISBN 156484241X

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the trusted source for professional development, knowledge generation, advocacy and leadership for innovation. ISTE is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education. Home of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), the Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET), and ISTE's annual conference (formerly known as the National Educational Computing Conference, or NECC), ISTE represents more than 100,000 professionals worldwide. We support our members with information, networking opportunities, and guidance as they face the challenge of transforming education.

Some of the areas in which we publish are:
-Web. 2.0 in the classroom-RSS, podcasts, and more
-National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)
-Professional development for educators and administrators
-Integrating technology into the classroom and curriculum
-Safe practices for the Internet and technology
-Educational technology for parents

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Reinventing Project Based Learning features great examples of extended learning opportunities for students coupled with best practice uses of the Read/Write Web technologies that are changing the world. Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss put the emphasis on learning, not on technology, and their many vignettes show how teachers are beginning to take full advantage of the new global connections we have at our fingertips. This is a journey that every educator needs to embark upon, and this highly readable road map is the perfect companion for the trip.' - --Will Richardson, author of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms

About the Author

Suzie Boss is a founding board member of the Learning Innovation and Technology Consortium. As a writer/editor at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory she co-authored Learners, Language, and Technology, focusing on technology to support early literacy. As lead writer for the Intel Innovation Odyssey project she interviewed and showcased technology-literate teachers from around the world in a daily online feature. Boss has also published in Learning & Leading with Technology.

A former teacher in Oregon schools, Jane Krauss has long been an advocate for technology integration practices in elementary education. As director of Professional Development Services at the International Society for Technology in Education, Krauss traveled internationally delivering professional development workshops and presentations focused on technology integration. Krauss has also served as a consulting writer for the Learning Innovation and Technology Consortium and has published in Learning & Leading with Technology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: International Society for Technology in Education (January 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156484238X
• ISBN-13: 978-1564842381
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Lots of Current Learning Trends March 1, 2008

By Ken Bos

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Reinventing Project based learning by Susie Boss and Jane Krauss is a well organized compendium of journalism and communication on the leading edge of current technology trends. They have used the most current Web 2.0 trends of communication and collaboration on the web. The book is a great snapshot in time of the current web development state. It appears that the authors believe authentic learning happens when you examine your ideas from all sides and from other points of view. New tools like Blogs, flikr, skype, wikis, and del.icio.us that support reflection and collaboration, give learners the opportunity to shape and revise their work, and expose the work to the analytical feedback of other people. The main direction of the book seems to be to collaboratively create knowledge with others. The content is divided up as follows.

SECTION I Anticipation
* Chapter 1 Mapping the Journey--Seeing the Big Picture
* Assess your readiness to begin teaching with technology-rich, authentic projects.
* Technology Focus: Social Bookmarking
* Chapter 2 Creating a Professional Learning Community
* Engage with colleagues, near or far, to build collaboration into project design and enrich your teaching practices.
* Technology Focus: Online Communities

SECTION II Packing Up
* Chapter 3 Imagining the Possibilities
* Establish the conceptual framework for your project. Why do "big ideas" matter in project design?
* Technology Focus: Why Use a Wiki?
* Technology Focus: Essential Learning with of Digital Tools, the Internet, and Web 2.0
Chapter 4 Strategies for Discovery
* How do you begin designing a project? A guided design process helps, whether you build a project from scratch or adapt an existing project plan to meet your needs.
* Technology Focus: Track Assets Online
* Chapter 5 Project Management Strategies for Teachers and Learners
* Teachers and learners alike benefit from improving their project management skills.
* Technology Focus: Project Management with Technology

SECTION III Navigating the Learning Experience
* Chapter 6 Project Launch--Implementation Strategies
* Get your project off to the right start by generating curiosity and preparing students for the active learning ahead.
* Technology Focus: Screencasting
* Chapter 7 A Guiding Hand--Keeping a Project Moving
* Consider the critical roles of classroom discussions, technology use, and troubleshooting strategies in keeping the project moving forward.
* Technology Focus: Podcasting

SECTION IV Expanding Your Circle
* Chapter 8 Building Connections and Branching Out
* Successful projects may take off in directions you did not anticipate.
* Imagine the possibilities for extensions and connections.
* Technology Focus: Online Collaboration
* Chapter 9 Making Assessment Meaningful
* Near the end of the project, you put your formal assessment plan to use.
* With 21st-century projects, teachers are incorporating new approaches to make assessment more meaningful.
* Technology Focus: Online Grade Books
* Chapter 10 Celebrating and Reflecting
* Culminating activities remind learners of where they have been and what they have gained along the way.
* Technology Focus: Photo Sharing

SECTION V Unpacking
* Chapter 11 Bringing It Home
* Build time for reflection and sharing into the project life cycle to make the most of your investment in meaningful curriculum design.

Have I found the book useful? Probably not, as it is not as much about project-based learning as I had hoped. It is more about communication and collaboration and current learning trends than it is about project-based learning. It is however, a wonderful book and a must read for anyone trying to get up to speed in our web dependent world. Read this book now, as it will be out of style after a few years.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Project Based Learning for the Modern Classroom February 16, 2008

By Victoria A. Davis

Format:Paperback

Full Disclosure: The authors mentioned my classroom in this book.

I believe that this book gives an exceptional overview of project based learning in the modern classroom. From the up front planning, to the tools, to the nature of managing global collaborative projects that link classrooms like mine with classrooms around the world (we've partnered with classrooms in Bangladesh, China, Qatar, Austria, Australia, and others in the US.) I believe that there is a shortage of writing in this area and that this book is a visionary book whose time has come. It is an important book for technology administrators, teachers, and school boards to read so that they may facilitate change and decision making based on real world practice and not fear. Excellent book.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Ubiquitous Generalities June 14, 2011

By Daniel A. Sadicario

Format:Paperback

Like so many books for educators, this one offers many glittering generalities about the importance of project-based learning while offering little to nothing in the way of step-by-step guides. The authors identify several examples of project based learning but don't go into detail on a single one. This book is the equivalent of saying "wikispaces is great for collaborative learning" and then going on to talk about something else.