Reflecting upon my personal theory of learning is like cleaning the lens of my educational focus. I have learned so many new things, and have had the opportunity to look at the different styles of teaching and learning. I still feel that my personal learning theory is constructivism and social constructivism. However, I believe more so now that there are multiple ways that students learn. As an educator, it is my responsibility to provide learning opportunities that all students can create a connection to.
One modification that I will be making is to create more student centered opportunities. My goal is to have students construct more of their learning and to not rely on the teacher for all the answers. As I continue implementing more technology tools in my classroom, I hope to further enhance my student’s 21st century skills. By using VoiceThreads, and blogging, students will have more opportunities to share their learning with others.
Allowing students to use more technology to create their own learning is one of my long-term goals. I am more aware of the technology tools in my classroom and how they are used, and I am finding new ways of using them so that students are using them. I am moving away from just demonstrating and presenting with technology to having students create and present with the technology. Another of my long-term goals is to continue to explore worthy instructional tools that are accessible to students. By finding web2.0 tools that are easily accessible and safe for my students, I hope to show them what else is available.
This class has allowed me to continue to grow and explore tools that I was unaware of, and some that I only had a basic knowledge of. I have explored the many learning theories, as well as practical ways they are applied in the classroom. I have also been able to apply some of the technology tools and a modified approach to learning within my own classroom.
