Prior to this course, my “Personal Theory of Learning” was to address the auditory, visual, language, and disability needs of my students. I typically used direct instruction / lecture style with an occasional group lesson, activity, or quiz. Last year, I received a SMART Board and LCD projector. Technology was used to do the same things in a different way. This course has taught me that I used technology as an instructional tool. However, technology needs to be used to do different things instead of just doing things differently (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008). My “Personal Theory of Learning” will still address the individual learning needs of my students but also prepare them with the skills necessary for the 21st century such as collaboration, team work, and technology.
This current school year, I plan to make adjustments in my instructional strategies. Lessons and activities need to be more interactive and collaborative. Notes need to include visual images and graphics that help the students make connections/links to the information. Concept maps/graphic organizers can help student’s link new information to prior knowledge. Technology can support me in making these changes. My Webspiration allows users to create concept maps which provide a visual picture of how content information links with prior knowledge as well as real-life application. SMART Board can be used to create interactive notes for instruction of new concepts. Communication software such as blogs, wikis, email, etc. allow for students to collaborate outside the classroom in order to complete a task. Multimedia software such as Power Point and Voice Thread provide a tool for students to create projects that demonstrate their learning. Technology needs to be used as a learning tool instead of solely as an instructional tool.
A teacher could easily feel overwhelmed with the numerous methods and tools available to them to support and enhance the learning of students. Instead of trying to make all the changes at once, I plan on taking small steps and make steady progress. My first goal is to make instruction more student-centered and gradually change my role to more of a facilitator. The strategy to achieve this goal is to create notes/instruction for at least one new lesson/topic of each unit each year. Since each unit contains about 4 topics, the majority of the lessons will be student-centered in about 3 – 4 years. Secondly, I plan to create and assign more collaborative projects as unit assessments. To achieve this goal, I will introduce two to three new assessments each year. In about 3 -4 years, all the unit assessments will be collaborative projects.
The saying “slow and steady wins the race” comes to mind. As a person who desires to be an effective educator, changes need to be implemented slowly and successfully. If one becomes overwhelmed, the lessons, activities, or projects will not be successful and the learning of students will be affected. My job is to facilitate, help, and support students in learning to be successful and productive in the 21st century.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). The Emergence of Educational Technology[Motion Picture]. In Walden University: Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society. Los Angeles: Author
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Social Learning in Practice
Social Learning Theories promotes “students actively engaged in constructing artifacts and conversing with others” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Cooperative Learning is an instructional strategy in which students are actively engaged, working together to accomplish a group goal. Students learn through social conversation, dialog and interaction with each other.
There are three phases in implementing Cooperative Learning (Palmer, Peters, & Streetman, 2003, p. 4). Pre-Implementation is the initial stage in which the teacher must decide on the objectives, groups, tasks, and rubrics. There are strategies such as Jigsaw, Pair-Share, and Numbered Heads that help in forming groups (Palmer, Peters, & Streetman, 2003, p.9-10). The second phase is implementation. Students are the center of this phase as they begin working together, learning towards the goal of completing a task. During the second phase, the teacher is a facilitator offering support, assistance, and praise while monitoring the groups. Lastly, post-implementation is where that teacher provides closure, students reflect, and the teacher evaluates the students learning.
Some of the benefits of cooperative learning are:
- social interaction
- support system (group members)
- safe learning environment (safety in numbers)
- teaches 21st century skills (team building, trust, time management, etc.)
- provides authentic assessment (peer reviews, observation, reflections)
However, I also see some challenges. One challenge is time. As a teacher, I struggle to find time to complete all that is required already. Time is needed to develop, create, and organize cooperative learning activities. A second challenge for me is the issue of management. In my little experience of trying cooperative/group work, it seems that one or maybe two people in a team do all that work. There needs to be a way to hold each team member responsible for learning and not just the group as a whole.
The benefits outweigh the challenges in my mind. I look forward to trying such strategies as Structure Problem-Solving, Send-a-Problem, and Drill Review Pairs (Palmer, Peters, & Streetman, 2003, p. 10). Cooperative Learning is a valid and useful instructional method. Social Learning Theory is a way that people construct meaning but not the only way.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Social Learning Theories[Motion Picture]. In Walden University: Bridging Learning, Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Los Angeles: Author.
Palmer, G., Peters, R., & Streetman, R. (2003). Cooperative Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. Retrieved July 27, 2010, from http://projects.coe.ugs.edu/epltt//
There are three phases in implementing Cooperative Learning (Palmer, Peters, & Streetman, 2003, p. 4). Pre-Implementation is the initial stage in which the teacher must decide on the objectives, groups, tasks, and rubrics. There are strategies such as Jigsaw, Pair-Share, and Numbered Heads that help in forming groups (Palmer, Peters, & Streetman, 2003, p.9-10). The second phase is implementation. Students are the center of this phase as they begin working together, learning towards the goal of completing a task. During the second phase, the teacher is a facilitator offering support, assistance, and praise while monitoring the groups. Lastly, post-implementation is where that teacher provides closure, students reflect, and the teacher evaluates the students learning.
Some of the benefits of cooperative learning are:
- social interaction
- support system (group members)
- safe learning environment (safety in numbers)
- teaches 21st century skills (team building, trust, time management, etc.)
- provides authentic assessment (peer reviews, observation, reflections)
However, I also see some challenges. One challenge is time. As a teacher, I struggle to find time to complete all that is required already. Time is needed to develop, create, and organize cooperative learning activities. A second challenge for me is the issue of management. In my little experience of trying cooperative/group work, it seems that one or maybe two people in a team do all that work. There needs to be a way to hold each team member responsible for learning and not just the group as a whole.
The benefits outweigh the challenges in my mind. I look forward to trying such strategies as Structure Problem-Solving, Send-a-Problem, and Drill Review Pairs (Palmer, Peters, & Streetman, 2003, p. 10). Cooperative Learning is a valid and useful instructional method. Social Learning Theory is a way that people construct meaning but not the only way.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Social Learning Theories[Motion Picture]. In Walden University: Bridging Learning, Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Los Angeles: Author.
Palmer, G., Peters, R., & Streetman, R. (2003). Cooperative Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. Retrieved July 27, 2010, from http://projects.coe.ugs.edu/epltt//
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Constuctivism in Practice
This week, the class resources discussed Constructivist and Constructionist Learning Theory.
The principles of Constructivist Learning Theory are:
- teacher as facilitator
- learning is student-centered
- cooperative and collaborative group projects
- tasks have real-world application and meaning
- students construct knowledge to answer an essential question or gain skills from experience
- discussion between students themselves and the teacher and students
- reflection using higher order thinking questions.
The principles of Constructionist Learning Theory are the same as Constructivist with the addition of students creating an external artifact.
Our text explored the instructional strategy of “Generating and Testing Hypotheses”. Students need to develop an essential question or statement (hypothesis) and then through research, discussion, discovery and experiments, test the hypothesis. As a result of the testing, students can then adjust / change the original hypothesis or realize that a new hypothesis needs to be created. This strategy does support Constructivism and Constructionism Learning Theories. The learning is student-centered and students create knowledge during the testing process. After testing is completed and a solution / answer is found to the hypothesis / question, students can then reflect on the process using higher order thinking questions such as why and how. This reflection can lead to the creation of an external artifact representing application of the student’s process and knowledge.
In the classroom, there are six tasks that help students implement this strategy. These tasks are (1) system analysis, (2) problem solving, (3) historical investigation, (4) invention, (5) experimental inquiry, and (6) decision making (Pitler, et al., 2007, p. 203). Technology provides many valuable resources, programs and applications that allow students to generate and tests hypotheses. Spreadsheets allow students to manipulate and test data as well as see visual / graphical representations of data. “…[D]ata collection tools enables students to see the bigger picture and recognize patterns” (Pitler, et al., 2007, p. 210). Web resources provide interactive applications and simulations.
“Generalizing and Testing Hypotheses” is a valuable instructional strategy that supports Constructivist and Constructionist Learning Theories. However, as a teacher responsible to make sure that students master state standards, it seems difficult to implement this strategy. As a teacher, I love the idea of having students working together to discover the answer to an essential question. Due to specific standards I am responsible for, it seems difficult to simply be a facilitator and not guide students through the process. One idea I had is at the end of the year, give students a topic and have them generate and test an essential question. During this year end project, students could use many of the standards / concepts that were taught throughout the course.
References
Glazer, E. (2001). Problem Based Instruction. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. Retrieved July 18, 2010, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Han, S., and Bhattacharya, K. (2001). Constructionism, Learning By Design, and Project Based Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. Retrieved July 18, 2010, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Denver, Colorado: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McRel).
The principles of Constructivist Learning Theory are:
- teacher as facilitator
- learning is student-centered
- cooperative and collaborative group projects
- tasks have real-world application and meaning
- students construct knowledge to answer an essential question or gain skills from experience
- discussion between students themselves and the teacher and students
- reflection using higher order thinking questions.
The principles of Constructionist Learning Theory are the same as Constructivist with the addition of students creating an external artifact.
Our text explored the instructional strategy of “Generating and Testing Hypotheses”. Students need to develop an essential question or statement (hypothesis) and then through research, discussion, discovery and experiments, test the hypothesis. As a result of the testing, students can then adjust / change the original hypothesis or realize that a new hypothesis needs to be created. This strategy does support Constructivism and Constructionism Learning Theories. The learning is student-centered and students create knowledge during the testing process. After testing is completed and a solution / answer is found to the hypothesis / question, students can then reflect on the process using higher order thinking questions such as why and how. This reflection can lead to the creation of an external artifact representing application of the student’s process and knowledge.
In the classroom, there are six tasks that help students implement this strategy. These tasks are (1) system analysis, (2) problem solving, (3) historical investigation, (4) invention, (5) experimental inquiry, and (6) decision making (Pitler, et al., 2007, p. 203). Technology provides many valuable resources, programs and applications that allow students to generate and tests hypotheses. Spreadsheets allow students to manipulate and test data as well as see visual / graphical representations of data. “…[D]ata collection tools enables students to see the bigger picture and recognize patterns” (Pitler, et al., 2007, p. 210). Web resources provide interactive applications and simulations.
“Generalizing and Testing Hypotheses” is a valuable instructional strategy that supports Constructivist and Constructionist Learning Theories. However, as a teacher responsible to make sure that students master state standards, it seems difficult to implement this strategy. As a teacher, I love the idea of having students working together to discover the answer to an essential question. Due to specific standards I am responsible for, it seems difficult to simply be a facilitator and not guide students through the process. One idea I had is at the end of the year, give students a topic and have them generate and test an essential question. During this year end project, students could use many of the standards / concepts that were taught throughout the course.
References
Glazer, E. (2001). Problem Based Instruction. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. Retrieved July 18, 2010, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Han, S., and Bhattacharya, K. (2001). Constructionism, Learning By Design, and Project Based Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. Retrieved July 18, 2010, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Denver, Colorado: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McRel).
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Cognitivism in Practice
The principle of Cognitive Learning Theory is to help students understand, apply and recall information being presented to them. This week’s resources provided examples of several instructional strategies that support the Cognitive Learning Theory. Technology is a valuable tool that provides many resources to help students understand, apply, and recall information.
Cues, Questions & Advance Organizers “assist teachers in quickly capturing student responses and organizing the responses into useful information” (Pitler, et al., 2007, p. 75). A graphic example of an Advance Organizer would be a concept map. Concept maps allow information to be organized. In the past, I have used concept maps as part of planning course curriculum. Concept maps also support students before instruction (prior experience), during instruction (notes, reference, and application), and after instruction (recall). Concept maps can represent the student knowledge of a concept. This week’s resources have shown me the value in using concept maps to help students. Concepts maps can not only include text, but also include images or links to internet resources. My Webspiration and CmapTools are a couple of technology resources available that help in making concept maps.
Summarizing and Note Taking “focuses on enhancing students’ ability to synthesize information and distill it into a concise new form” (Piler, et al., 2007, p. 119). Notes are one of the main instructional strategies that I use in my classroom. There are many ways and forms available on which to take notes. My school has implemented a school wide policy of using Cornell notes across all curricular areas. Sometimes students have to write all the notes, sometimes students are given an outline version to fill in, and sometimes students are given teacher completed notes. The concepts that I am teaching determine which style of notes seems to work best for students. This week’s resources have shown me that my notes need to include more images.
Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) allow students to access people, places, and things that may otherwise be difficult for some students to access. VFTs remind me of the Magic School Bus stories and videos. Students are provided a look at the concepts they are learning about in their classroom. VFTs are a supplement to the core content.
The instructional strategies described will help the students learn. Students learn through experience by making connections to prior knowledge of experiences. Students also need to be active in the learning process. The more active the learner is, the more connections are made, and the more permanent the knowledge. Cognitive Learning Theory allows students to input information into their short-term memory, experience exposure to the information in multiple methods, transfer the information to their long-term memory, and create links for easy recall of the information
References
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Denver, Colorado: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McRel).
Cues, Questions & Advance Organizers “assist teachers in quickly capturing student responses and organizing the responses into useful information” (Pitler, et al., 2007, p. 75). A graphic example of an Advance Organizer would be a concept map. Concept maps allow information to be organized. In the past, I have used concept maps as part of planning course curriculum. Concept maps also support students before instruction (prior experience), during instruction (notes, reference, and application), and after instruction (recall). Concept maps can represent the student knowledge of a concept. This week’s resources have shown me the value in using concept maps to help students. Concepts maps can not only include text, but also include images or links to internet resources. My Webspiration and CmapTools are a couple of technology resources available that help in making concept maps.
Summarizing and Note Taking “focuses on enhancing students’ ability to synthesize information and distill it into a concise new form” (Piler, et al., 2007, p. 119). Notes are one of the main instructional strategies that I use in my classroom. There are many ways and forms available on which to take notes. My school has implemented a school wide policy of using Cornell notes across all curricular areas. Sometimes students have to write all the notes, sometimes students are given an outline version to fill in, and sometimes students are given teacher completed notes. The concepts that I am teaching determine which style of notes seems to work best for students. This week’s resources have shown me that my notes need to include more images.
Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) allow students to access people, places, and things that may otherwise be difficult for some students to access. VFTs remind me of the Magic School Bus stories and videos. Students are provided a look at the concepts they are learning about in their classroom. VFTs are a supplement to the core content.
The instructional strategies described will help the students learn. Students learn through experience by making connections to prior knowledge of experiences. Students also need to be active in the learning process. The more active the learner is, the more connections are made, and the more permanent the knowledge. Cognitive Learning Theory allows students to input information into their short-term memory, experience exposure to the information in multiple methods, transfer the information to their long-term memory, and create links for easy recall of the information
References
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Denver, Colorado: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McRel).
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Behaviorism in Practice
This week, I have been reading resources for my current masters class (Bridging Learning, Theory, Instruction, and Technology) about Behaviorism Learning Theory and instructional strategies that support the Behaviorism. Behaviorism Learning Theory is based on the fact that students learn through stimuli they receive to their actions, answers, statements, work, etc. Stimuli can be verbal or non-verbal responses that are either positive or negative. Positive responses are when something is added and negative responses are when something is removed (Standridge, 2002).
One instructional strategy discussed in chapter 9 of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works was “Homework and Practice” (Pitler, et al., 2007). “Homework and Practice” gives students opportunities “to deepen their understanding of the content and to gain proficiency with their skills” through multiple exposures (Pitler, et al., 2007, p. 187). Before homework can be assigned, there needs to be an established homework policy that outlines the expectations and any rewards and consequences for either meeting or not meeting those expectations. Once homework is completed, it needs to be given an immediate response so that students can correct mistakes before the process and concepts are concretely stored in their brain. Rewards and consequences as well as responses are key components of Behaviorist learning theory. Technology provides resources for additional instruction through tutorial programs and additional practice through drill programs. Technology also supports Behaviorist learning theory by offering immediate positive or negative responses that allow the students to continue with their learning and practice. For students to become proficient in a concept, they need to practice the same concept multiple times using different strategies.
Another instructional strategy discussed in chapter 8 of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works was “Reinforcing Effort” (Pitler, et al., 2007). “Reinforcing Effort” develops a “students’ understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement” by having students look at their beliefs about learning (Pitler, et al., 2007, p. 155). Technology offers many ways to help students see the relationship between effort and understanding. One example is to use Microsoft Excel to create a spreadsheet that would allow students to gather weekly data regarding their effort and homework scores compared to their quiz results. The students would be given a rubric for grading themselves on their effort. After entering the data into the spreadsheet, students would be able to view the information visually as a graph. This method of tracking effort and achievement (homework and quiz scores) allows students to receive non-verbal responses by being able to see the correlation between effort and achievement. Non-verbal responses are an example of stimuli that is a key component of Behaviorist learning theory. This strategy is new to me and I hope to implement it in the fall. It seems this strategy will support my statements in the classroom that learning takes effort and does not occur by just sitting in the desk in a class.
In my classroom, I plan to use the key components of Behaviorist learning theory to support learning. Students will be encouraged to keep completing homework, to keep putting forth effort, and to keep learning by receiving stimuli in the form of positive and negative, verbal and non-verbal responses. My hope is that the external responses and stimuli will lead to the development of internal stimuli for the student regarding success not only in my class but in all their classes and in life beyond school.
References
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Denver, Colorado: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McRel).
Standridge, M. (2002). Behaviorism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. Retrieved July 5, 2010, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
One instructional strategy discussed in chapter 9 of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works was “Homework and Practice” (Pitler, et al., 2007). “Homework and Practice” gives students opportunities “to deepen their understanding of the content and to gain proficiency with their skills” through multiple exposures (Pitler, et al., 2007, p. 187). Before homework can be assigned, there needs to be an established homework policy that outlines the expectations and any rewards and consequences for either meeting or not meeting those expectations. Once homework is completed, it needs to be given an immediate response so that students can correct mistakes before the process and concepts are concretely stored in their brain. Rewards and consequences as well as responses are key components of Behaviorist learning theory. Technology provides resources for additional instruction through tutorial programs and additional practice through drill programs. Technology also supports Behaviorist learning theory by offering immediate positive or negative responses that allow the students to continue with their learning and practice. For students to become proficient in a concept, they need to practice the same concept multiple times using different strategies.
Another instructional strategy discussed in chapter 8 of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works was “Reinforcing Effort” (Pitler, et al., 2007). “Reinforcing Effort” develops a “students’ understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement” by having students look at their beliefs about learning (Pitler, et al., 2007, p. 155). Technology offers many ways to help students see the relationship between effort and understanding. One example is to use Microsoft Excel to create a spreadsheet that would allow students to gather weekly data regarding their effort and homework scores compared to their quiz results. The students would be given a rubric for grading themselves on their effort. After entering the data into the spreadsheet, students would be able to view the information visually as a graph. This method of tracking effort and achievement (homework and quiz scores) allows students to receive non-verbal responses by being able to see the correlation between effort and achievement. Non-verbal responses are an example of stimuli that is a key component of Behaviorist learning theory. This strategy is new to me and I hope to implement it in the fall. It seems this strategy will support my statements in the classroom that learning takes effort and does not occur by just sitting in the desk in a class.
In my classroom, I plan to use the key components of Behaviorist learning theory to support learning. Students will be encouraged to keep completing homework, to keep putting forth effort, and to keep learning by receiving stimuli in the form of positive and negative, verbal and non-verbal responses. My hope is that the external responses and stimuli will lead to the development of internal stimuli for the student regarding success not only in my class but in all their classes and in life beyond school.
References
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Denver, Colorado: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McRel).
Standridge, M. (2002). Behaviorism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. Retrieved July 5, 2010, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
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