Experiencing Group

Group projects are always challenging.  You have to deal with different personalities and how they work as a group dynamic. Then you have to deal with work ethic and style.  Group work is a unique challenge that can come up with some pretty great results.  Though we had a few stumbles along the way I am very pleased with the product.  Our group project was on why recess is important in 21st century classrooms, which I feel very strongly about.  With the research paper and subsequent Prezi presentation (included below) I feel we effectively delievered our points and made a compelling case.  I really did enjoy the topic of this project and the presentation but the paper definitely caused me some strife.  I learned a lot about how I work within a group though. I am definitely a leader and I have realized that this means people expect more of me. This project forced me to know my limits and allowed me to really feel comfortable holding other people accountable for the work they actually did.

As for the technology used (a big part of this project) I really enjoyed Prezi. At first it was overwhelming to use because it does so much more than PowerPoint which I am really used to.  Prezi is so dynamic and interesting and makes the presentation stand out even more.  I also really liked using Google drive.  The first day we discovered this tool I remember sitting there being a bit amazed and just goofing around.  I liked how we could work on the paper together at the same time and not have to be together.  I liked this technology so much I am using it for a group project in another class.

These technologies are obviously useful to me as a learner. As I said I am already using Google drive and I know I will use Prezi in other classes as an altenative to PowerPoint.  In a future classroom you could use Google drive to communicate with students and parents.  With students they could upload work and have feedback before they turn it in.  To communicate with parents you could upload a class newletter and then allow them to comment on it to ask questions or add information.  Both of these tools are very unique and useful to students and teachers.

Why Is Recess Critical To a 21st Century Classroom on Prezi