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I find the idea of project based learning facinating and fun. I enjoy it. The catch is that I'm learning as a teacher my students will be polar opisites of me sometimes. I understand that special needs children as well as some cultural backgrounds do not respond well to a lack of direct instruction. Will these constructivist theories hurt or hinder them? I have also had a lot of experience in group projects and rarely find them fair. The simple truth is that some students just don't care about the subject while others do. And do you let students pick their own groups? Or do you assign them? What are the criteria when you assign?

I think the idea of constructivist project based learning is amazing, I just want to make sure that when I employ it, it works for all my students.

I totally agree with the article. The television is not evil, but it is a passive activity. People who watch tv are frequently subjected to what is on the screen. The only way to combat that is to watch selectively, but very few people in my experience do that. How many times has someone told you that they are watching something because"there's nothing else on." That the television can be turned off is a startling concept to many, including me.

Combine this with the thought of children having unlimited access to television. They are the consumers that have had no chance to develop self discipline. If they are not checked, they will not ever learn to turn the tv off. In the special ed field, one of the most important life skills is the use of leasure time. This is a "make or break" once a person becomes an adult, so we'd better be teaching it to them now.

Top Ten Tips

1. look for information on the author of the piece. What is their position. Can you contact them?
2. Look for a thourough reference page. If it's well referenced with authentic sources, it must be well researched
3. Authenticate the sources cited
4. See where, when, or if this article is referenced in other scholarly works.
5. See how current the publication/updating is
6. Check to see if the online journal you are using is moderated (or peer reviewed)
7. Use Q&A for quick answers to questions
8. Use telementoring for more long term exploration
9. Don't let the internet replace paper materials. Let it enhance them.
10. ALWAYS HYPERLINK!!!!