Reflection

Throughout this course I have had the opportunity to learn and use new technologies that increase student engagement. In the beginning of this course, my teaching philosophy followed three steps. Step one, introduce the material or concepts. Step two, practice using the new concept, and the final step is to apply the concepts to real world. My philosophy is still the same, but I have gained new knowledge about how to introduce and teach new concepts using technology such as voicethreads and virtual field trips. Understanding various learning theories has also added to the instructional piece of my philosophy. The final step of application has now been enhanced by the power of creating artifacts (Laureate Education Inc., 2008).

One immediate change I will be making to my teaching style is to use technology to enhance student learning rather than my teaching. For example, using the SmartBoard in my classroom during center time to have students explore various web sites and manipulate shapes during my geometry unit. I have spent time this year teaching students how to use various software, now it is time for students to start using that software to explore for their own learning purposes. Students using the SmartBoard during center time will allow them to collaborate with peers on solving problems and gaining new knowledge about people, places, and things. Using software such as excel will allow students to monitor their progress towards goals they have set for themselves focusing on their academics(Pilter, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007).

Two long-term goal changes I would like to make for myself are using virtual field trips during units in all academic areas and having students monitor their level of effort by creating graphs. In terms of an outline for virtual field trips, for the remainder of this year I would like to have my students participate in at least two virtual field trips in the area of social studies. By the end of next school year, my goal is to have the students participate in a virtual field trip in the subjects of social studies, science, math, and reading. In reference to effort, this year I have started laying the groundwork by having discussions about effort and making effort a part of everyday conversations. By next year I would like to have the students creating rubrics that focus on effort and then begin graphing their effort and placing those graphs in the Data Quality Notebooks(Pilter, Hubbell, Kuhn& Malenoski, 2007).

References:

Laureate Education Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author

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

How Fast Children Change

Connectivism and Social Learning

Social learning is an important learning style to incorporate into the classroom on a regular basis. Today's world demands that people be able to learn and communicate in social settings more than just face to face conversations. The Internet offers many different types of learning tools for students to use that will someday allow them to be successful in the business world.

Social networking tools such as blogs, voice threads, wikis, and facebook allow people to communicate with other people from across the world. These networking tools also allow students to collaborate on projects with more than just their school peers (Laureate Education Inc, 2008). This becomes extremely important in the fact that when working on a project two minds are always better than one.

Dr. Orey discusses with us this week about the importance of creating an artifact with meaningful conversations (Laureate Education Inc., 2008). In my own classroom I see the importance of creating a group project and how much better the result of that project is if students work together. With todays technology, students are able to not only work with people within the classroom, but are also able to communicate with other students from across the world making their project that much more meaningful to the student.

As I am working on my voicethread this week, I see how nice it would be for students to create their own voice thread about topics we cover in social studies. Once my student created their own voice thread, they would be able to receive feedback from other people which would support and solidify their learning.

References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Constructivism in Practice

Listening to and reading Dr. Orey's information this week about constructionism takes me on a personal journey down memory lane. As a high school student, I was considered a middle of the road student in terms of academic performance. This followed me into my first two years of college when attending my pre-requisite classes. Read the text book, answer some questions at the end of the chapter, and listen to the teacher or professor lecture about specific material was the format I was most exposed to. Many of my peers did well with this type of instruction, but quite honestly I struggled with it. Once I began my education classes in college my world was completely flipped upside down when my professors started having us create projects to learn and then display newly gained knowledge. My grade point average quickly started to increase and education became important to me.

This is my 13th year as an elementary educator and my feelings towards projects and having students create artifacts is as strong now as ever. I have tried several different instructional approaches, lecturing, text book reading, and guest speakers all having some impact on student learning, but not to the extent that having students participate in projects does. From my personal perspective, having students participate in projects and then create some sort of artifact keeps students actively engaged in learning.

Last week Dr. Orey visited with teachers about the cognitive learning theory, which was based on students having images to connect learning to (Laureate Education Inc., 2008). This week Dr. Orey takes us on a journey discussing constructionism, which in my mind go hand-in-hand. Students who are able to gain knowledge through images are able to apply those images to a final project or artifact that truly shows the instructor they understand the material that was presented.

Having students participate in projects and then create an artifact is of up most importance to me as an educator. Students who are actively engaged in their learning take information from short term memory and place it in their long term memory bank which can then be accessed later on in life. If teachers want to prepare students for a successful tomorrow, they need to have students build artifacts using technology.

Instuctional Strategies that Support Cognitive Learning

This week the authors of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works discussed using cues, questioning, and advanced organizers to promote student learning. Cues and questioning are strategies that help students understand a little bit about what they are soon to learn, while advanced organizers can be used both prior to learning and during learning (Pilter, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malensoski, 2007). All three strategies can promote the cognitive learning theory by creating images and elaborating on prior knowledge (Laureate, 2009).

When beginning a new unit, the teacher may decide to use a K-W-L chart he or she has created by using Microsoft Word. The K-W-L chart creates an image that students are able to refer back to as the unit progresses. The K-W-L chart also allows students to elaborate by adding new information to the image as the unit progresses. Depending on the age level, this chart may be updated by each individual student on their own computer. Allowing for students to update the image individually builds a stronger base of prior knowledge.

Allowing classes to take virtual field trips prior to a unit being taught is another way to build background knowledge through images (Laureate, 2008). Virtual field trips allow students to see pictures of a specific place in more detail than a text book often provides. Virtual field trips also lend themselves to use cues and questioning prior to the start of a unit. This again gives students the opportunity to create images in their minds transferring the newly gained knowledge from short term to long term memory.

The cognitive learning theory is a great theory in my opinion. Students who are able to make connections to what is being taught have much more success remember ring the knowledge for longer periods of time. Using technology to create these images through graphs, charts, and virtual field trips are away to accomplish this.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc.(Producer). (2009). Behaviorist Learning Theory [Motion Picture]. Bridging learning, theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author

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

Reinforcing Effort

The authors of this weeks reading start off by expressing the generalization that not all students understand the importance of effort and that if effrot is put forth, the end result is generally positive (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. 2007). Seeing this with my own fifth grade students, it becomes important to begin teaching students the importance of of effort. Teaching students about the importance of effort will not only allow them to have more success academically, but as adults as well.

Using spreadsheets to track understanding about academics or effort is a strategy that I use in my classroom on a weekly basis. Students in my classroom have created DQN (Daily Quality Notebooks) on the computer using excel workbooks. I ask students to track their progress with AR reading and math facts that we practice with four times a day (referred to as 50 in a flash). Students track their progress by keeping track of AR points gained for their reading and the highest number correct for 50 in a flash. Once the data has been entered in their spreadsheets, I have them use bar graphs to graph their progress. These graphs are kept in their desks and sent home so parents can see where they are at with their AR goal and 50 in a flash.

Using DQN folders created on the computer supports the behaviorism model theory through reinforcement (Laureate, 2008). Students are able to see their growth through the graphs they create which positively reinforces the effort they have put forth to increase their scores. Tracking data using excel reinforces effort with parents when they are able to see what their child has created using the computer. I have had several parents comment on the fact that they are happy their student is able to use the excel program to the extent that they are.

References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, andtechnology. Baltimore: Author.

Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

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