Constructivism in Practice...PB&J

Constructive chaos is one description of the way my classroom operates. We always seem to be on the verge of taking flight to a new topic or direction in a lesson, but everyone is engaged. My students are actively learning within our lessons and at times their questions or responses guide how we will digest the information being offered, and how that information is being presented. My lesson plans are a list of goals for the day; our outcomes and curriculum lead us in a direction with many roads to traverse before we reach our final destination of understanding.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PBJ.jpg

According to Dr. Orey, the constructivist theory of learning states that students create their own meaning and constructionist theory states that students learn best by physically creating something. These two theories seem to be interrelated. How can you make something without creating a new meaning or idea of it? When making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I am creating a new meaning and testing hypotheses of the varying recipes to improve my sandwich or to adjust it to fit what I am wanting. I encourage students to create hypotheses and have them “engaging in complex mental processes” (Pittler, p.202). Students are also applying this method of creating hypotheses to create their own understanding. Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works propose six tasks for testing and creating hypotheses. Students can predict and test their thoughts on how something would change, identify a solution with different parameters of a problem, changes to historical events, discover a need and create a solution, identify how or why something happened, and to make a decision with different variables (203). Hypotheses and the constructivist/constructionist learning theories are closely aligned. Students are given a problem and they have to create a hypothesis to solve the problem whether it is from physically creating something or just creating a new understanding of how the problem could be solved. 

Technology plays an important role in bridging all of the ideas from this week’s information. It is a way for students to gather information more quickly, to generate difficult calculations, and to share their learning with others. Applying the use of hypotheses and the constructivist/constructionist learning theories will help my students become more engaged in their learning. They will be more responsible for what they will get out of an assignment. I can be a guide to my students, but like leading a horse to water I cannot make the horse drink, nor can I make my students learn.

Resources:

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.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Motion picture. Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories. [Educational video]. Baltimore: Author.

Cognitivism in Practice

While listening to Dr. Orey speak about elaboration in our resources this week, I was reminded of a seminar that I attended with my siblings when we were much younger. In my dad’s business his connections to other people and remembering who they are is very important. My dad felt that it would be important for us to strengthen our memory. So, we attended a memory seminar, in which we had to remember as much as we could of a list of about 20-50 items. The speaker taught us how to associate each thing on the list with something else like a person we knew or a memory of the item, to help embed the list into our long-term memory. This was my first realization of the power of associations with our memories. I find myself still using association to remember things.

When giving information in multiple ways, and applying it with some background knowledge, students can be more successful with storing the information and not just memorizing it for a test. The dual coding theory Dr. Orey discussed also connects to Dr. Patricia Wolfe’s idea when she spoke about the Dalmatian, and if students did not have background knowledge or memories to connect new information to they would not have real understanding of what a Dalmatian is, what it looks like, or what it smells like.

Our district has been using thinking maps (www.thinkingmaps.com/ ) for concept mapping. It is eight thinking maps to connect student’s thought processes. It has been extremely helpful for students to have a common language of the thought process they are using and which map would best organize the information to support that thought process. Students are also able to utilize the eight maps that best correspond with their connection to a topic, and the essential question they are answering. Our school has been very successful using these maps to support their learning. Applying thinking maps to note taking as described in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works will be an easy transition for my students. I believe that I can better prepare my students for note taking and summarizing by using the visual organization of the thinking maps. “Technology can scaffold, or provide support, while students are learning the summarizing process. It can also provide collaborative summarizing experiences that facilitate reciprocal teaching…” (p.120).  There are many different types of technology applications to support summarizing and note taking. Think tank (http://thinktank.4teachers.org/) as presented in our text is a resource that I will begin using with my third grade students. When organizing information for our informational reports, this resource can help students focus their writing and learn how to look for critical information. Helping students make connections with the information they are researching is an important part of the cognitive learning theory.

Resources:

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Cognitive Learning Theories. (Motion Picture)

Picture from Capture Queen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/uaeincredible/811123579/

Behaviorism and Homework

While reading the chapters in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works that deal with homework, I started to feel defensive. I realized that I am deeply involved with the homework debate, and was taking it personally. I do not put a lot of emphasis on homework in my classroom, because of the issues it causes with families. Parents make a big deal if students do not finish their homework and expect consequences to come from the classroom. According to Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski “homework provides opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of the content and to gain proficiency with their skills.” (p.187). This is the truth in homework, however many teachers and families mistake it for a chance to drill and kill. Homework should be a continuation of the learning from the classroom. Students should be given the chance to explore their learning without fear of consequences. The example of students exploring their effort in their assignments compared to their rate of success was a very powerful message as described by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski. I plan to investigate how I can have my third grade students graph something similar to see their results, like the students that used it before, I believe that my students would understand the value of effort in completing their assignments with thought and accuracy. I will continue to assign homework as practice but being mindful of the main purpose of enrichment of our classroom activities.

Behaviorism learning theory is an important part of running a classroom everyday. From the classroom management, procedures, and homework students need the repetitive routine and reinforcement to work effectively with their classmates in a cohesive manner. “Technology facilitates homework and practice by providing a wealth of resources for learning outside of the classroom, making it easy for students…providing ‘drill and practice’ resources that help students refine their skills.” (Pittler, p.189) Many technology resources available utilize the behaviorist learning theory. Some of the resources listed provide instant feedback on how a student preformed. I was excited to see that I have used some of the resources for practicing students understanding of a topic, before assessing them later. Students enjoy practicing things they already have some knowledge about, especially when they know that they are expected to know the information again in the future. When students are allowed to use technology to complete their homework, there is more interest in doing well and attempting more. They are provided with the instant feedback that is necessary to be effective practice. Many of my students use www.spellingcity.com to use a multitude of ways to practice their spelling words, and are able to instantly determine which words they need to focus on studying. I may not always be able to include technology to complete a homework assignment, but I will provide many different ways to practice, or further research a topic on a class website students can access.

Resources:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Amazing......

This is kind of mindboggling....


Created by Online Education

Educational Technology.....Goals.....Future....

In looking back to the last few months in my master's program I have found many interesting things.  The latest course has really helped me to try new things, and to allow others to help show me new things also.  I may know alot of things about the latest technologies, but there is still lots to learn!  To increase student acievement with technology I am going to utilize the 21st century skills within the classroom.  By having projects that students have to collaborate on, and work together on, students will gain more experience and knowledge of the skills necessary for the future work environment.  Even if we are not using technology, I can still prepare my students for the skills and attitudes necessary for the future.  I am laying the ground work for future teachers to add in the other components that students will need.

One goal I am looking to accomplish in the next couple of years is to have mp3 players for students to listen to reading.  I believe that students need to hear good readers and follow along in their books.  I am writing a proposal in DonorsChoose.org to ask for the materials, as well as from families for the players, books, and supplies to continue having the mp3 players available.  Another goal that I would like to attain is to utilize more web 2.0 tools within the classroom.  By having a class website, wiki, and blogs that students contribute to, students can take more ownership and responsibility for their learning.

I have really enjoyed a class that I was able to try out the technology, but also to hear the pedagogy behind them!

Podcast....Technology and Students

Here is the Podcast I created.  I interviewed four fourth graders and how they use technology.  It was very interesting to hear their thoughts on how they use technology and what they want to use technology for.  Even students are wishing that everyone had a computer!

Powered by Podbean.com

Digital native or Digital immigrant?

This week we focused on the debate over digital natives and digital immigrants. Dr. David Thornburg and Hall Davidson discuss the differences and what characteristics each have. Digital natives would be people who grew up with technology all around them, they have been immersed in technology from the beginning. Digital immigrants would be older generations who are not as accustomed to technology and it is still very new to them. I also watched a video about millennial and neomillennial learning styles from Dr. Chris Dede. I was very interested in his thoughts about how these types of learners are developing.

Here is my discussion post with my opinion about the debate.......
Before watching the debate between Dr. David Thornburg and Hall Davidson, I felt that students were born with many different learning styles. Listening to Dr. Chris Dede speaking about the millennial and neomillennial learning styles had me thinking more about how our brain is originally wired and how learning styles develop.

In the debate over digital natives and digital immigrants, I agree with Thornburg in his point about how age should not determine whether someone is a digital native or a digital immigrant. I believe it depends on a person’s experiences with technology and where their interests lay. I am one of the younger teachers who had an Apple IIe in my classroom, and a few years later a computer in the home. I grew up with TV’s and games available with many restrictions. I am in the under 40 club of teachers. Many of my coworkers who are the same age, are not interested in technology. Technology is a challenge to them and they are not interested in using it unless they see ways that it can easily fit into their teaching style. It is always a debate with them about new technology available and how it can be used. Often times, they will let me show them things and how I’ve used it, and even the successes of my students, and yet they are still hesitant about bringing it into their classroom. They are curious about it, but not comfortable enough to utilize it. There are also staff members who are above the 40 mark who have absolutely no interest in technology, yet try it, and those who go above and beyond to input technology into their classroom. The technology coordinator for our building is over 40 years old and she is enthusiastic about technology and how it can benefit students. She is always the cheerleader for trying new things in the classroom.

When Dr. Thornburg began discussing how “education is still frozen in a precomputer world” and how methodology is still a paper-based mindset, I wanted to scream. This has been a frustration of mine in the last few years. To move out of this paper-based classroom is incredibly frustrating with limitations from administration and parents. There are so many things I would like to try to work on with my students, but I do not know how much I will be able to accomplish because of these limitations. I will continue to encourage and challenge all of my students and their various learning styles, whether it is digitally, paper based or (hopefully) both.