Reflection upon EDUC 6711

                This course has caused me

                This course has however, given me many technology resources to use in the classroom that allow for students to have memorable hands-on experiences. I have learned of many technology tools that align with my learning theory and also with effective instructional strategies. I have also learned the importance of ensuring that technology used in the classroom is used as learning tools, thus making sure that the classroom remains student-centered (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).  Keeping the students at the center of the lesson will help keep them actively engaged and focused on the content.

                One adjustment that I plan to make to my instruction due to this course is my use of the interactive whiteboard in the classroom. In the past I have used an interactive whiteboard very frequently in my classroom to help with instruction. This type of use is keeping myself at the center of the lesson and is a lecture style of instruction. This type of use does not coincide with my personal learning theory and does not allow the students to be actively engaged (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Future use of the interactive whiteboard in the classroom will be by the students. Allowing the students to use the technology will make the students the center of the lesson and keep them actively engaged (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).

                Two technology tools that I would like to use in my classroom are VoiceThread and Microsoft Excel. I would like to use VoiceThread in my classroom to help my students with their homework and problem solving skills. Programs such as VoiceThread allow me to post problems on the internet for students to work collaboratively on outside of the classroom, thus promoting cooperative learning. It also allows me to give quick feedback to questions students may be having about their assignments. Microsoft Excel will allow my students to create formulas and calculate quickly. I like this more than the use of a simple calculator because students must demonstrate a knowledge of a formula and how it works in order to use Excel. Excel will also allow students to quickly and easily create graphs. The ability to create and interpret graphs are major math skills that my students need to possess. Graphs may also serve as nonlinguistic representations for the students to use to help in their learning.

                The greatest thing this course has done for myself is that it has allowed me to match instructional strategies with appropriate technology tools. I have in the past used homework as a main instructional strategy for my math class. This course has helped me adapt my method of using homework. I now have a better understanding that students need early feedback during homework completion, feedback should come in different forms, and students should chart their speed and accuracy for completion of work (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Technology tools such as Excel and VoiceThread help to accomplish these things.

                Two long – term goal changes I would like to make to my instructional practice regarding technology integration are first to integrate technology on a more frequent basis and second is to make sure the technology tools I use in my classroom are student-centered and used as learning tools. To achieve the first goal I am going to make sure I integrate at least one technology tool for every lesson. In order to achieve my second goal I will need to choose technology tools that keep my students actively engaged (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). These two goals will have to go hand in hand. By integrating more technology I will need to pay close attention that I am not just using technology to use it. I will need to be careful in my choices of technology tools and ensure that the tools chosen are aiding the students learning and allowing them to construct their own knowledge.

                This course has allowed me to find some of the technology pitfalls that I was beginning to fall into and the changes I needed to avoid them. I am now able to make the valuable connections between how my students learn, what instructional strategies will help them, and the technology tools that will make implementing these strategies more effective.

References:

H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction

                that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program thirteen. Technology: Instructional tool vs. learning tool [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical foundations (Laureate Education, Inc.,

                custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

to reevaluate my theory on how students learn and my integration of technology in my classroom. My personal learning theory at the beginning of this course was that students learn best by building knowledge through memorable hands-on experiences. It was my belief that each individual student brings their own cognitive ability to a learning experience and then constructs their own knowledge based on that learning experience. My theory was closest to a cognitive-constructivist view such as that of Robert Gagne’s (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). Presently, at the conclusion of this course, I would not make any modifications to my personal learning theory. I still believe strongly that students learn best when they build their own knowledge through memorable hands-on experiences.

Social Learning

Social learning is the process of students being actively engaged during learning while conversing with others (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010). Technology can greatly assist in this process. Multimedia can be used by groups of students working collaboratively to create videos, slideshows, or other projects (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Software such as PowerPoint or Windows Moviemaker can assist the students in the creation of these projects.

There are numerous web resources that allow students to continually converse and work together both in and outside of the classroom. Resources such as blogs, wikis, and google docs give students opportunities to work together while using the same online materials and being able to communicate with each other, all while not having to be in the same location (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). The web also gives students a chance to communicate with people other than just their teacher of fellow students. Students can use resources such as skype to video chat with professionals or experts for a given area (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).

The above forms of technology along with many others , correlate directly with the social learning theory by allowing the students to be actively engaged while conversing with others. Students are using the technology and other people to help in the constructing of their knowledge (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010).

Resources:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program eight. Social learning theories [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

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

The following is the URL for a voicethread I created:

http://voicethread.com/share/2092067/

 

Constructivism in Practice

This week’s instructional strategy, Generating and Testing Hypotheses, requires students to create their own ideas and to be actively engaged. These are the foundations of the constructivist/constructionist learning theories (Orey, 2001). The text, “Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works”, lists six different tasks to aid students with generating and testing hypotheses: systems analysis, problem solving, historical investigation, invention, experimental inquiry, and decision making. Below are examples of how some of these tasks correlate with the principles of constructivist/constructionist learning theories.

System analysis calls for students to make a prediction after carefully examining a system. The prediction should be for change in the system when one or more things are distorted within or removed from the system (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). This type of task correlates with the constructivist approach of problem-based learning. Students need to actively look for and resolve problems that may arise in the system they are examining. Likewise, the second task of problem solving also has a direct correlation with problem-based learning.  What we as teachers need to make sure of when creating either of these two task for our students is to ensure that they have real-world implications or realistic dilemmas (Orey, 2001).

The third task, historical investigation, requires students to formulate their own hypotheses on historical events (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). This goes along with the constructionist approach as students can create a project to represent their hypotheses. Students could create a video, slide show, animated reenactment, or a performance.

Invention is another task that correlates closely with problem-based learning. Invention has students look for a need and then create a solution for that particular need (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). This idea can also extend into project-based learning if the students are to create an authentic artifact as part of the solution to the discovered need (Orey, 2001).

It is easy to see how all of these tasks call for the students to create their own ideas or projects rather than the teacher forming the ideas or concepts for them.  These tasks allow the teacher to simply be a facilitator and the students to be active in the learning process.

References:

H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that

      works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. 

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from  

      http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page    

                   

Cognitive Learning Theory

Dr. Orey describes the cognitive learning theory as following an information processing model. The model consists of three parts. The first is the sensory in which the information is input into our brains. The information is then transferred to the second phase of the model, which is short-term memory. Through rehearsal the information is then stored in the final phase of the model, long-term memory (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010). To be able to recall information over a period of time the information needs to be stored in long-term memory. Long term memories are stored in networks of information. These networks are made up of numerous connections between different information. It is the connections themselves that allow us to recall information (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010). The main mechanism for learning and storing information in long-term memory is elaboration (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010). In elaboration we try to make as many connections as possible to the new information.

There are three types of memories, declarative, procedural, and episodic. The declarative memories are facts and information while procedural memories are more about how to do something or what is often referred to as rote memory. Episodic memories deal with events that have happened and these are some of the most powerful memories (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010).

Dual coding is another learning process that fall under the cognitive learning theory. In Paivio’s dual coding hypothesis information is stored as both images and text. Dr. Orey claims that students process images much better than text, thus making images a very powerful tool for teachers to use (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010). By using both text and images students can create more connections for the information. With this in mind this week’s instructional strategies correlate strongly with the cognitive learning theory.  The first instructional strategy, cues, questions, and advance organizers allow students more opportunity to retrieve, use, and organize information (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).  By using these tools at the beginning of a lesson students are able to activate prior knowledge and thus have something to connect the new information to (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). These connections can form a network and have a better chance of being  stored into long-term memory. This strategy also gives the students guidance in how to organize the information and connect it. Incorporating technology with this strategy can help the students as well. Advance graphic organizers that include images as well as text follows the dual coding process. This helps the students process the information better by allowing for more connections to be made.

This week’s second instructional strategy, summarizing and note taking, also has ties to the cognitive learning theory. This strategy is used to help students become better at separating the important information they need to know from the information they do not necessarily need to know and then being able to put it into their own words (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). The act of processing information and deciphering what is important is very much a cognitive process. There are some techniques that can be used to help our students with this process. One such technique is using combination notes. Combination notes use outlining, webbing, and pictographs along with text (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Combination notes is another example of dual coding. Students may use software such as PowerPoint to create combination notes. In this process students can add images, sound, and video that they feel is meaningful to them to help them connect the information being taught (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). To help students with the summarizing process, teachers can use different types of summary slides or concept maps. These will help students to organize the information and draw attention to the critical or important parts of the information being taught (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). These also will visually connect the information for the students. These connections follow the network model of the cognitive learning theory.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program five. Cognitive learning theory [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

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

Behaviorism

The behaviorist learning theory is based upon operant conditioning. This is accomplished by reinforcement. Students receive positive reinforcement when desirable learning takes place and some form of negative reinforcement or punishment when the desirable learning is not accomplished (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010). This theory suggests that students will passively learn from stimuli in the environment and the immediate reinforcement that follows (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008).

In Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, the authors discuss the importance of effort in the classroom and how to try and increase student effort. They give the example of using Excel software to create a spreadsheet for students to track the amount of study time for a test and the correlating grade. This is an example of a behaviorist approach. The teacher is using the software to help point out the positive reinforcement of a better grade as a reward for increased effort. This is a great idea for increasing student effort and for motivation. These are some positives for the behaviorist learning theory, unfortunately I do not believe this learning theory lends itself to many positives for higher level learning though.

Instructional technology that follows the guidelines of the behaviorist learning theory is mostly drill and practice software, tutorials, or simulations (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010). They provide positive reinforcement when correct answers are given by allowing the students to move forward through the software and when the correct answer is not given students receive a form of negative reinforcement such as having to redo a problem or not advancing. These types of software are beneficial for introduction, remedial work, and diagnostic purposes. However, I do not believe they will help students gain a deep understanding of a concept or develop higher level thinking.

In Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, they have some more productive approaches to homework and practicing. They suggest having students create their own interactive game using multimedia such as PowerPoint. Having students collaborate using web resources such as wikis to create a group project, or using spreadsheet software to create formulas and manipulate them are some more examples of using instructional technologies that allow the students to be creative, active, and develop a deeper understanding.

I believe there are times in the classroom that we as teachers can take a behaviorist approach, such as the increasing effort activity mentioned above. I do not believe constantly using such an approach will help our students learn at the level they need to in order to develop meaningful concepts.

The link below is for a website that allows for more than just drill and practice. The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives, is a great site that allows students to develop a deeper understanding of math concepts.
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program four. Behaviorist learning theory [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical foundations (Laureate Education, Inc.,

        custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

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

EDUC-67101 Course Reflection

    

     This course has helped me develop my web 2.0 skills such as creating, using, and subscribing to blogs. I have also learned how to create a classroom wiki for my students to use. I am now able to upload audio files to create a podcast for my students to listen to. This course has also taught me how to use technology in a meaningful way rather than just using technology for the sake of using it.

     I have learned that the teaching process is an ever changing one and we as teachers need to be adaptable. We need to be able to use the technology that our students are using in the real-world in conjunction with the content the students need to learn. I have also learned that our students are different types of learners. Our students have become digital learners at home and before they come to school. We as teachers need to continue to allow them to learn in this manner by integrating technology in the classroom. This will also prepare them for the real-world and the skills they need to be successful in it.

     This course has not changed my perspective on teacher-centered classrooms versus learner-centered classrooms. It has reinforced my perspective though that students learn best when they are active and able to construct their own knowledge. This allows the learning to become personal and meaningful for the students. Student-centered classrooms teach students how to be problem solvers and think on their own rather than how the teacher wants them to. This will also help the students to be life-long learners while constructing knowledge and problem solving outside of the classroom as well.

     I think the best way for me to continue to expand my knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology for increased achievement by my students is through professional development and course work. I need to continue to learn and serve as an example of a life-long learner for my students. I can also continue to grow by implementing what I have already learned into my classroom. I can learn what technology works best for my students in different situations. Implementation of technology in my classroom can also lead to the same in other classrooms in my school and subsequently increase the students’ achievement.

Podcasting

The following is a link to a podcast I created. The podcast are the results of a technology survery given to my sixth grade class. There are also episodes of 3 different students reading their responses to the survey questions.

http://podcastmachine.com/podcasts/9056/episodes/43358