Genius Hour Final Reflection Post #4

As I write my final reflection post for my Genius Hour project it is a bitter-sweet ending. I had so much fun completing this assignment however, there was a lot of stress that came with researching and putting everything together in the end. Personally, I found that I chose a harder subject/topic than most people in the class. Though this may be true I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about engineering that I expected. 

What I have learned by participating in Genius Hour is the difference in interest I had as a student when having the opportunity and chance to research a topic that I was interested in. Not only did I try to find relevant information, I went above and beyond researching to learn more about my topic then was expected. Also, during the 6 weeks of completing my project I learned a lot more than I knew, but I enjoyed this project! 

Spencer, J. (March 9, 2017). Youtube: What is Genius Hour? An Overview of Genius Hour and 20% Time in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n7EelMbzG0

For myself, I'm surprised about how much I have come to learn. As a learner I recognized how taking interest in a topic of importance makes me more motivated to research and go above and beyond what is required. Also, there are many strategies that came with taking part in a self-chosen topic to complete the genius hour project in just under 6 weeks. As a teacher, I have learned that if I were to implement this typeof project into the classroom there must be guidelines and ways to assess. When we were given the genius hour project it was quite broad. I wasn't sure how to go about organizing my research and information and where or how to present it. In this case, if I were to implement this type of instructional strategy I must have clear instruction, evaluation techniques and assessments. 

Genius Hour as an instructional strategy is fantastic and beneficial for students for multiple reasons. Firstly, genius hour projects promote independence in students. Students are able to research as much as they want for this type of project and learn to a certain extent, based on their commitment. Secondly, when students take part in independent learning through the genius hour project, they must develop strategies. With doing so, students become strategic learners and apply their new knowledge in order to select appropriate methods and use them to accomplish tasks or meet their goals effectively. 

My recommendation for the next teacher candidates is make sure to start with an organized plan of how you are going to get started and attack the project from there. People need to set aside time to construct the project, do the research, and then put everything together. If you think it can be done all in one day or week, you're wrong. You must prepare your 6 weeks accordingly, in order to fulfil the requirements. Most importantly, pick a genius hour topic that YOU ARE interested in. The more you like the topic, the more interested and engaged you will be. 

Finally, this Genius Hour was definitely one of the most interesting, interactive, and enjoyable assignments that I've ever taken part of! Especially because I was able to chose my own topic, which was definitely the highlight of the entire project. 

Take a look below at my Genius Hour Project topic: how is engineering going to change the future for students and educators?

Enjoy!