Little Known Ways to Integrate Technology in Project Based Learning
Posted by David Wetzel
Using Web 2.0 Technology in Project based Learning
Project Based Learning can be defined as an instructional approach built upon authentic learning activities that engage student interest and motivation. These activities are designed to answer a question or solve a problem and generally reflect the types of learning and work people do in the everyday world outside the classroom.
Integration of technology is an integral part of project based learning, because technology is an integral part of life outside the classroom as revealed in this part of the definition – “types of learning and work people do in the everyday world outside the classroom.”
Strategies for Integrating Technology in Project based Learning
The following is an aggregate of free Web 2.0 resources for use in project based learning.
Book Trailer Videos
Students can create a book trailer for trade books such as the “Math Curse” by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith or the “Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle to intrigue others about reading the book. Students use video or digital images to represent a portion of the story and then turn it into a movie using:
- Photo Story 3 - converting photos into slideshow
- Windows Movie Maker - creating digital movies
- iMovie - creating movies
- Animoto - creating videos
- Netvibes - blogs, videos, and photos
- Kerpoof - illustrate writing and videos
- Fluxtime - animated videos
- Fanfiction - creating videos
- Screentoaster - creating videos
Interactive Posters/Presentations
Students create an interactive poster about a specific event in science or math history, scientist, mathematicians, and math or science concepts. Their interactive poster includes photos, videos, documents, and other information. Students create this interactive poster using:
- Glogster - interactive posters using video, music, and documents
- Flickr - image sharing
- Google Docs - spreadsheets, wordprocessing, surveys, and presentations
- Open Office - spreadsheets, wordprocessing, and presentations
- Zoho - spreadsheets, wordprocesssing, and presentations
- Animoto - videos
- VoiceThread - images, documents, and videos
- Netvibes - blogs, videos, and photos
- ccMixter - music
- Wordle - vocabulary cloud
- Kerpoof - illustrate writing and videos
- Fluxtime - animated videos
Podcasts – Audio/Video
Students use digital images to create a vocabulary review for topics in science or math. Then they can be turned into audio or video Podcasts. Students create this podcasts using:
- Audacity - audio recorder and editor
- iTunes - music, videos, and podcasting
- Garageband - audio editing and recording
- Podsafe Audio - music
- Netvibes - blogs, videos, and photos
- ccMixter - music for video
- Kerpooof - videos
- Fluxtime - animated videos
- Screentoaster - videos
Slideshows
Students use digital images to create a vocabulary review for topics in science or math. Then they can be turned into audio or video Podcasts. Students create this podcasts using:
- Slideshare - powerpoint presentations and documents
- Slidesix - powerpoint presentations, audio, and video
- Slideboom - powerpoint presentations
- Slideroll - photos
- VoiceThread - images, documents, and videos
- Wordle - vocabulary cloud
- ccMixter - music
Collaborative Sharing
These projects can be shared within the class and others outside the classroom using:
- Class Wiki – All
- Skype – Book Trailers and Presentations
- Twitter - All
- Class Blog – All
- VoiceThread – Interactive Posters/Presentations
- Stupeflix Studio – Videos
- Flixtime – Videos
- SchoolTube – Videos and Podcasts
- Jing – All
- Ning – All
- iPhone – Podcasts
- iPod Touch – Podcasts
- Diigo – All
- Stumble Upon – All
- Delicious - All
- YouTube - Videos
- Vimeo - Videos
Using Web 2.0 tools in support of student learning in math and science accomplishes two things.
- First – these tools take advantage of prior knowledge and experiences with digital tools for these digital citizens.
- Second – these tools allow students to complete project based learning using real world applications.
