I believe that students are active participants in their learning and my personal learning theory remains one that is learner-centered. I pull from many of the learning frameworks so that I can create a learning environment that meets the needs of all my students. My objective is to create lessons that have something for every learning style. Project –based lessons best meet these needs as I can easily incorporate aspects that meet the various learning styles. This course has not altered my personal learning theory; however, it has opened my eyes as to how technology can readily meet the various needs of my students.
I am looking forward to incorporating VoiceThread and Google Earth to create curriculum based projects that promote creativity and critical thinking. With VoiceThread my students can create stories using pictures to create documentaries, narratives, and riddles. Google Earth can be used to create projects that connect to personal journeys, history, literature, and more. These are just two of many technology tools that I will incorporate in my classroom to enhance student learning.
My two long term goals include writing a curriculum that includes a technology learning tool for every lesson I teach. I need to find ways to facilitate student learning with the technology tools that give students opportunities to take an active and authentic role in their learning. To accomplish this I will continue to seek and learn how to use current and new technology tools through professional development and membership in CUE.
My second long term goal is to provide every student in my classroom with a notebook to use for their learning. I hope to accomplish this through grant writing and corporate gifts. I have had success raising funds for other technology tools and hope to continue to seek funding for technology tools annually.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Social Learning in the Classroom
Today in the 21st century, social learning in the classroom has an even greater importance. So many students live in an isolated environment where they have little interaction with peers outside of the classroom. They may live in unsafe neighborhoods which force them to stay inside or close to home, many spend an exorbitant amount of time playing video games and watching television. Therefore it is important that educators provide students with opportunities to interact with other students that enhance their learning (Pitler,et all, 2007).
Cooperative learning is one instructional strategy which implements social learning. This instructional strategy focuses on student interaction in ways that enhance their learning. Cooperative learning groups can be formal, informal, and base. The base groups provide student support throughout a semester or school year. Base groups help students with homework support, tasks, and planning and participating in activities. Technology can provide support for base groups through the use of an application such as Google Calendar. This application can help with organization and collaboration within their group.
Formal groups in cooperative learning teach students how to work together toward a common goal. The students learn how to work interdependently, helping each other to learn and achieve their goal. In the formal group, students develop communication skills, leadership skills, and the process of conflict resolution. Incorporating multimedia projects, using WebQuests, or building a Web site are some ways technology provides support to formal cooperative learning groups.
Students need to have the opportunity to learn in a social setting. As educators, we must continue to seek ways to include this in our classroom planning. Technology provides us with the tools and support to make social learning integration a powerful tool for student learning. As Thomas Friedman notes in The World is Flat (2005), we are living in a time when learning and innovation are increasingly global. To be prepared for the fast-paced, virtual workplace that they will inherit, today’s students need to be able to learn and produce cooperatively (Pitler, et al, 2007).
Cooperative learning is one instructional strategy which implements social learning. This instructional strategy focuses on student interaction in ways that enhance their learning. Cooperative learning groups can be formal, informal, and base. The base groups provide student support throughout a semester or school year. Base groups help students with homework support, tasks, and planning and participating in activities. Technology can provide support for base groups through the use of an application such as Google Calendar. This application can help with organization and collaboration within their group.
Formal groups in cooperative learning teach students how to work together toward a common goal. The students learn how to work interdependently, helping each other to learn and achieve their goal. In the formal group, students develop communication skills, leadership skills, and the process of conflict resolution. Incorporating multimedia projects, using WebQuests, or building a Web site are some ways technology provides support to formal cooperative learning groups.
Students need to have the opportunity to learn in a social setting. As educators, we must continue to seek ways to include this in our classroom planning. Technology provides us with the tools and support to make social learning integration a powerful tool for student learning. As Thomas Friedman notes in The World is Flat (2005), we are living in a time when learning and innovation are increasingly global. To be prepared for the fast-paced, virtual workplace that they will inherit, today’s students need to be able to learn and produce cooperatively (Pitler, et al, 2007).
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Constructivist and Constructionist Learning Theories
I’ve always implemented many aspects of constructionism in my classroom; however, I am not as familiar with the constructivism theory of learning. In Martin Dougiamas’ article, A Journey into Constructivism, he has a great quote which for me clearly defines this learning theory:
“In constructivism I see a hidden value ascribed to the notions of diversity and adaptability, which in turn promote the root value: survival of our species. Learners who can adapt quickly by learning in a complex world are more likely to adapt to changing conditions and survive as an individual.”
With this quote in mind, I pondered ways the constructivism learning theory can be incorporated through the use of technology in my classroom. Each year I have an invention unit for my students, therefore, I found some excellent websites which teach the students how to invent and the invention process. Inventing incorporates both the constructionism and constructivism theories of learning as the students need to make changes and adaptations as they invent (constructivism) and create their own invention prototype (constructionism). Additionally, strategy games which require the students to access their knowledge about a subject and apply and adapt as needed for game success, helps them to retain and master content through participation.
Constructionism in comparison focuses on students experiencing their learning through constructing things. They apply their knowledge by creating a product to display their learning. Technology offers multiple ways for the students to be engaged in creating a learning artifact. Some examples include the use of PowerPoint to share what they have learned about a certain topic, using a website designed for students to explore real problems and their challenges through the use of project-based learning which allows the students to plan, collect and analyze data applying learned concepts to their project work. Project-based learning can also provide the students learn collaboratively with peers as well as seek advice from other students and adults around the globe.
The rapid growth of technology requires educators to continue to seek and incorporate relevant uses of technology which meets the needs of students and provides them with authentic learning and skill mastery. Technology, when used appropriately can keep students engaged in their learning and prepare them with the skills needed for the 21st century. As educators it is important that we too are students of learning when it comes to educational technology. Through our learning, we can then help our students to achieve and aspire to even greater heights in their learning.
*http://dougiamas.com/writing/constructivism.html
“In constructivism I see a hidden value ascribed to the notions of diversity and adaptability, which in turn promote the root value: survival of our species. Learners who can adapt quickly by learning in a complex world are more likely to adapt to changing conditions and survive as an individual.”
With this quote in mind, I pondered ways the constructivism learning theory can be incorporated through the use of technology in my classroom. Each year I have an invention unit for my students, therefore, I found some excellent websites which teach the students how to invent and the invention process. Inventing incorporates both the constructionism and constructivism theories of learning as the students need to make changes and adaptations as they invent (constructivism) and create their own invention prototype (constructionism). Additionally, strategy games which require the students to access their knowledge about a subject and apply and adapt as needed for game success, helps them to retain and master content through participation.
Constructionism in comparison focuses on students experiencing their learning through constructing things. They apply their knowledge by creating a product to display their learning. Technology offers multiple ways for the students to be engaged in creating a learning artifact. Some examples include the use of PowerPoint to share what they have learned about a certain topic, using a website designed for students to explore real problems and their challenges through the use of project-based learning which allows the students to plan, collect and analyze data applying learned concepts to their project work. Project-based learning can also provide the students learn collaboratively with peers as well as seek advice from other students and adults around the globe.
The rapid growth of technology requires educators to continue to seek and incorporate relevant uses of technology which meets the needs of students and provides them with authentic learning and skill mastery. Technology, when used appropriately can keep students engaged in their learning and prepare them with the skills needed for the 21st century. As educators it is important that we too are students of learning when it comes to educational technology. Through our learning, we can then help our students to achieve and aspire to even greater heights in their learning.
*http://dougiamas.com/writing/constructivism.html
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Cognitive Learning & Technology
The cognitive learning theory stresses more than just the mastering of skills and the reinforcement and practice of these skills. James Hartley (1998) states that the “Learning results from inferences, expectations and making connections. Instead of acquiring habits, learners acquire plans and strategies, and prior knowledge is important (Hartley, 1998). The cognitive learning theory has several key principles (Hartley, 1998):
• Instruction should be well-organized. Well-organized materials easier to learn and to remember.
• Instruction should be clearly structured. Subject matters are said to have inherent structures - logical relationships between key ideas and concepts - which link the parts together.
• The perceptual features of the task are important. Learners attend selectively to different aspects of the environment. Thus, the way a problem is displayed is important if learners are to understand it.
• Prior knowledge is important. Things must fit with what is already known if it is to be learnt.
• Differences between individuals are important as they will affect learning. Differences in 'cognitive style' or methods of approach influence learning.
• Cognitive feedback gives information to learners about their success or failure concerning the task at hand. Reinforcement can come through giving information - a 'knowledge of results' - rather than simply a reward.
The use of advanced organizers, structures that help students to classify and make sense of their new learning content, help students focus on their learning. Technology provides a variety of tools and applications for creating a variety of organizers for teacher and student use. Organizers provide structures and visually display relationships between key ideas and link the parts together.
Students also make connections to their learning through synthesizing what they have learned through summarizing and note taking. Microsoft word and Inspiration are two applications that can help enhance and improve students’ note- taking skills.
Wikis and blogs provide students with a method to collaboratively participate in note-taking and summarizing. This form of collaboration can provide the students with more in-depth conversation that can extend beyond the allotted time in the classroom (Pitler, et al, 2007).
The students of the 21st century need these online learning tools for learning as it prepares them for future success in the workplace. Online collaboration, visual tools for presentation, synthesizing and writing information in a concise form will be valuable skills for each student to refine and perfect for their future.
• Instruction should be well-organized. Well-organized materials easier to learn and to remember.
• Instruction should be clearly structured. Subject matters are said to have inherent structures - logical relationships between key ideas and concepts - which link the parts together.
• The perceptual features of the task are important. Learners attend selectively to different aspects of the environment. Thus, the way a problem is displayed is important if learners are to understand it.
• Prior knowledge is important. Things must fit with what is already known if it is to be learnt.
• Differences between individuals are important as they will affect learning. Differences in 'cognitive style' or methods of approach influence learning.
• Cognitive feedback gives information to learners about their success or failure concerning the task at hand. Reinforcement can come through giving information - a 'knowledge of results' - rather than simply a reward.
The use of advanced organizers, structures that help students to classify and make sense of their new learning content, help students focus on their learning. Technology provides a variety of tools and applications for creating a variety of organizers for teacher and student use. Organizers provide structures and visually display relationships between key ideas and link the parts together.
Students also make connections to their learning through synthesizing what they have learned through summarizing and note taking. Microsoft word and Inspiration are two applications that can help enhance and improve students’ note- taking skills.
Wikis and blogs provide students with a method to collaboratively participate in note-taking and summarizing. This form of collaboration can provide the students with more in-depth conversation that can extend beyond the allotted time in the classroom (Pitler, et al, 2007).
The students of the 21st century need these online learning tools for learning as it prepares them for future success in the workplace. Online collaboration, visual tools for presentation, synthesizing and writing information in a concise form will be valuable skills for each student to refine and perfect for their future.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Behaviorism in Practice
How can technology be used to support instructional strategies based on behaviorist learning principles? To answer this question, first one needs to review the key principles of the behaviorist learning theory. According to James Hardy (1998) the four key principles include activity, repetition, reinforcement, and clear learning objectives. Activity is important as learning is better when students are active learners (Hardy, 1998). Frequent practice and practice in varied contexts is necessary for learning to take place. Therefore, repetition needs to be implemented for skills to be acquired. Student reinforcement is the prime motivation. Positive motivators that focus on student success are most desirable. Those who implement behaviorism in teaching will frame activities with clear behavioral objectives (Hardy, 1998).
Spreadsheet software is one way to reinforce student effort by helping them chart their relationship between effort and achievement (Pitler,et al, 2007) and thus provide students with positive motivation. Creating graphs and charts that track student effort is one example of spreadsheet use in the classroom. There is a multitude of web resources that can provide students with the practice of concepts and skills being taught in the classroom. It is important to not only find ones that meet the learning criteria but also find Web sites that provide a variety of activities so each student is able to work on skills that best meet his or her needs, and differentiation can be implemented successfully.
Technology is like that pocket knife I used when I was a Girl Scout. My pocket knife had multiple uses and could be used in numerous ways. If one only uses technology for the practice of skills and repetitive learning, the powerful tool of technology becomes limited in use similar to just using the pocket knife for cutting only. The behaviorist theory certainly has its place in today’s classroom use of technology as when students need remediation or practice of skills for fluency, however, like the pocket knife, there are so many other powerful tools and it is important to utilize everyone of them to promote successful student learning.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Spreadsheet software is one way to reinforce student effort by helping them chart their relationship between effort and achievement (Pitler,et al, 2007) and thus provide students with positive motivation. Creating graphs and charts that track student effort is one example of spreadsheet use in the classroom. There is a multitude of web resources that can provide students with the practice of concepts and skills being taught in the classroom. It is important to not only find ones that meet the learning criteria but also find Web sites that provide a variety of activities so each student is able to work on skills that best meet his or her needs, and differentiation can be implemented successfully.
Technology is like that pocket knife I used when I was a Girl Scout. My pocket knife had multiple uses and could be used in numerous ways. If one only uses technology for the practice of skills and repetitive learning, the powerful tool of technology becomes limited in use similar to just using the pocket knife for cutting only. The behaviorist theory certainly has its place in today’s classroom use of technology as when students need remediation or practice of skills for fluency, however, like the pocket knife, there are so many other powerful tools and it is important to utilize everyone of them to promote successful student learning.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
First Post
This is my first entry on my new blog page. Currently I am rather overwhelmed with so many things to do and so little time available at the moment. I know this is something many of you can relate to... I will return later to post more coherent thoughts. :)
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