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.
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Hi Travis,
ReplyDeleteI had a similar experience with my own education. When it was tests that I had to clue what was going to be included on, I did alright, it was hit or miss. With projects in Education, I could revise and synthesize and really show what I know. I think that I have become a better student since I have become a teacher, and I try to think about that as I teach my students. I teach first grade, and I allow them to do projects toward the end of the year. It's always their favorite thing that we do.
Sara,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with you about being a better student now. What are some of the projects that you do with your 1st graders? I think it would be tough to have them do projects on the computer, but if you have prepared them throughout the year, I am sure it makes all the difference.
Travis
Travis~
ReplyDeleteI am right their with you about the academics! I sometimes wish I could redo my freshman and sophmore years of college becaues my junior and senior we so much more academically positive. I also see myself as a better student since I have been teaching (just like Sara!)
Just as you, I love utilizing technology in the classroom. What types of technologies do you use in your classroom that your students respond to? Do you change it up a lot?
~Michele
Travis,
ReplyDeleteI also loved completing projects in my classes in college as a marketing major. I learned a lot about how to work in groups and I got to know my classmates a lot better than by just sitting beside them in class. While I still have some of the projects from college in my portfolio I really like looking back at some of the projects my mom saved from elementary school.
Hopefully one day I will have kids of my own and I will be able to show them "what I did when I was your age." I hope you encourage the parents of your kids to save some of their projects, because while they have a lot of academic value they also can carry some fond memories.
Rob