Reinventing Project- Based Learning E.C.

I am starting my journey as a brand new teacher. I don't have many lesson plans or classroom projects already under my belt. I have not even taught more than 3 or 4 lessons in a classroom. I certainly have not had the opportunity to incorporate project-based learning in the classroom, let alone with an emphasis on media; however, I have created a math lesson plan on money, incorporating an internet game into the procedure. I think project-based learning is very important in classrooms because students are going to be so much more interested in a subject when they see how it affects them in real life. Also, when they have something to show for all their work (more than just a test or essay), they are going to feel more accomplished. It is important to use media in project-based learning to keep up with current times. Projects aren't just paper-mache and photographs anymore; they are computer graphics, editing and research to get an even deeper understanding of the lesson. Technology will also help the students to work together, to collaborate, and to communicate their ideas with one another.
I also think it is really important for the teachers to collaborate through technology. It will definitely benefit the students and faculty if the teachers are sharing ideas and working with one another on lessons. The teachers will learn better ways to teach through technology, and the students will experience a variety of learning styles.
In high school, my Brit Lit teacher was very interested in incorporating media into our projects, and that made me enjoy them so much more! I was able to make charts, podcasts, and participate in forum discussions. I especially loved podcasts because I love editing film. I thought it was so neat how she was trying to incorporate what she knew about technology into our classroom to teach us. She reminds me of many of the teachers in this article. In my Children's Lit course in college, I was encouraged to create a blog, which I had never done before. I am glad my professor encouraged me to do this because I feel like this is something that I could incorporate into a classroom someday.
Overall I thought Reinventing Project-Based Learning really re-inforced ideas I already had about technology and projects. I think technology should not be ignored by teachers just because it may not be the way they learned how to do things. I think it is very important for teachers to keep up with technology and realize that teaching their students about technology through project-based learning is actually benefitting them because they are excited to learn about it and it gives them skills for the future.