[journal 3] ::scaffolding::

"From the learner perspective, how did the lesson scaffolding tools/structure support your achievement of the task?"

 I think the filter machine was a great tool to use for ANY topic.  I think that it is a great way to modify and narrow down topics that students use for research projects and presentations.  My group was able to go through each section of the tool and have a discussion about why we answered each question the way we did and helped us narrow down our topic.  It would be an amazing tool (that would need to be modified) to dissect huge research topics that are often selected by ambitious kids, in order to save them from a daunting task.  Instead of choosing to research all haunted houses in America, for example,  the tool may lead them to research one of the most haunted houses in Virginia. 

"How did technology help you modify the files to meet your needs as a learner?" 

  Our group was able to change the dimensions of the Action plan table so that we could make it suit our topic about School Uniforms.  We customized who was going to be allocated to which job within the group and then we were able to organize what topics needed to be covered and how to go about our research.  The power point was an amazing tool to use as well, and i liked learning about the hidden slides.  I think i have looked at that "hidden slide" icon a million times, and never realized what a useful tool it could be, especially to try to walk students through a lesson.  

[journal 2] ::widget::

"how do you envision discovery learning as a part of your teaching and curriculum?"

I think it is extremely beneficial to the students, when given proper instructions, to explore a topic to create a presentation or report.  When we researched the information about a country in the last class although we were confused on what a "widget" was or should be, we managed to acquire all the necessary and relevant information about the countries we researched.  With only about 2 hours to work on it we came up with extremely creative and persuasive ways to present the information.

I would like to teach third grade, which allows my class to have a little more freedom with what my students are capable of doing.  I could give them a prompt or a checklist of information and send them to the library to either work on the computers or search for books--both needing to have QUALITY information.  This is fun way for my students to learn how to do research while also learning how discern quality information from the "other" information.  My students could compile their new found facts and make a poster, create a report, draw a picture, or create a prop to inform us about the topic that they researched.  I could definitely see myself using a method similar to this in my classroom.