Learning Adventure
Why do you dream?
http://whydoyoudream.weebly.com
Our Learning Adventure Project focuses on the science and explanation of why people dream. We decided to try to answer this question because the biological component of dreaming can be a little confusing, especially for grade school students, but we were able to find a basic video that provided a great explanation. Along with the biological aspect, we also provided explanations on what certain dreams can mean because they all have some sort of subconscious interpretation. We included the question "do animals dream?" because many kids at that age are interested in animals and they might not have thought about if their pets or other animals dream. This Learning Adventure Project requires critical thinking by letting children interpret their dreams and what they could mean to them. Not every dream has a concrete answer, so this will promote them to think outside of the box. It involves problem solving as well because maybe their dreams are not on the "interpreting dreams website" so they will have the opportunity to think of alternative interpretations based on what they learn and try to dissect and interpret their dreams.
Why do you dream?
http://whydoyoudream.weebly.com
Our Learning Adventure Project focuses on the science and explanation of why people dream. We decided to try to answer this question because the biological component of dreaming can be a little confusing, especially for grade school students, but we were able to find a basic video that provided a great explanation. Along with the biological aspect, we also provided explanations on what certain dreams can mean because they all have some sort of subconscious interpretation. We included the question "do animals dream?" because many kids at that age are interested in animals and they might not have thought about if their pets or other animals dream. This Learning Adventure Project requires critical thinking by letting children interpret their dreams and what they could mean to them. Not every dream has a concrete answer, so this will promote them to think outside of the box. It involves problem solving as well because maybe their dreams are not on the "interpreting dreams website" so they will have the opportunity to think of alternative interpretations based on what they learn and try to dissect and interpret their dreams.
Wonder
How do you make chili? Click HERE
When I was exploring the contents of Wonderopolis, I was intrigued over how many questions, or in this case wonders, were featured and answered on the website. The thing that caught my eye the most was the appearance of the website. It was bright and colorful with easy to read tabs and content. I think the beauty of technology comes with the way it is presented and displayed to the consumer. If something is not aesthetically appealing, it is usually overlooked, but Wonderopolis quickly captivated my interest.
The focus of this project was to be creative and come up with a wonder that was not featured in Wonderopolis. This allowed me to think outside of the box and try to come up with something new instead of copying someone else’s idea. Not only did I come up with my very own “wonder”, I also was asked to do a bit of research in order to better answer my question. The elements that were asked of me for this project required me to think or something different while also supporting what I found. I explored various outlets and ways to support my question by surfing the Internet and being able to freely explore. I was not limited in what I wanted my wonder to be and I believe that is the most important element to teaching.
Even though there should be some kind of limit to what children can do with technology in the classroom, I think that a child’s original and creative mind should be something cherished and saved instead of pushed to the side. In one of our readings, “Grow Creativity”, the author said that originality cannot be forced, only reinforced. This phrase has stuck with me because even though this is true, it is not implemented in schools that often. We were brought up in a world where there are only correct answers to certain questions and everything else is wrong. With Wonderopolis, there are many questions with many answers and I believe this is where the root of originality can be found.
The most important aspect about technology and its success is how many ways it can be used. When we think of technology, we think of computers and websites, but these are not the only tools out there. Technology allows people to discover different educational areas, while also enjoying it. I believe that in order for someone to truly learn a skill or material, they need to actually have an interest and the motivation to do so. By using technology and making it fun, perhaps the learning part of education will be the least dreaded.
Technology can be a very confusing topic, especially to those who are new to it. I believe that by creating a website, like Wonderopolis that is engaging and easy to navigate, can help people become familiar with technology. This relates to what we have studied throughout the semester so far because it is a website that engages yet enhances and extends learning. In the article “Engage, Enhance, and Extend Learning”, the author touches on the ways technology can bring forth a type of learning that not only happens in the classroom, but also beyond it. Wonderopolis is this type of educational tool because it teaches, but there are options on the website that make it more interactive than your standard information-based website. For example there is a place where you can submit your own wonder and an interactive bulletin board called Camp Wonderopolis. Websites like these are what make technology useful in an educational setting and every day life.
How do you make chili? Click HERE
When I was exploring the contents of Wonderopolis, I was intrigued over how many questions, or in this case wonders, were featured and answered on the website. The thing that caught my eye the most was the appearance of the website. It was bright and colorful with easy to read tabs and content. I think the beauty of technology comes with the way it is presented and displayed to the consumer. If something is not aesthetically appealing, it is usually overlooked, but Wonderopolis quickly captivated my interest.
The focus of this project was to be creative and come up with a wonder that was not featured in Wonderopolis. This allowed me to think outside of the box and try to come up with something new instead of copying someone else’s idea. Not only did I come up with my very own “wonder”, I also was asked to do a bit of research in order to better answer my question. The elements that were asked of me for this project required me to think or something different while also supporting what I found. I explored various outlets and ways to support my question by surfing the Internet and being able to freely explore. I was not limited in what I wanted my wonder to be and I believe that is the most important element to teaching.
Even though there should be some kind of limit to what children can do with technology in the classroom, I think that a child’s original and creative mind should be something cherished and saved instead of pushed to the side. In one of our readings, “Grow Creativity”, the author said that originality cannot be forced, only reinforced. This phrase has stuck with me because even though this is true, it is not implemented in schools that often. We were brought up in a world where there are only correct answers to certain questions and everything else is wrong. With Wonderopolis, there are many questions with many answers and I believe this is where the root of originality can be found.
The most important aspect about technology and its success is how many ways it can be used. When we think of technology, we think of computers and websites, but these are not the only tools out there. Technology allows people to discover different educational areas, while also enjoying it. I believe that in order for someone to truly learn a skill or material, they need to actually have an interest and the motivation to do so. By using technology and making it fun, perhaps the learning part of education will be the least dreaded.
Technology can be a very confusing topic, especially to those who are new to it. I believe that by creating a website, like Wonderopolis that is engaging and easy to navigate, can help people become familiar with technology. This relates to what we have studied throughout the semester so far because it is a website that engages yet enhances and extends learning. In the article “Engage, Enhance, and Extend Learning”, the author touches on the ways technology can bring forth a type of learning that not only happens in the classroom, but also beyond it. Wonderopolis is this type of educational tool because it teaches, but there are options on the website that make it more interactive than your standard information-based website. For example there is a place where you can submit your own wonder and an interactive bulletin board called Camp Wonderopolis. Websites like these are what make technology useful in an educational setting and every day life.