My personal theory of learning can be defined simply as the need for having a “student driven” classroom. A student driven classroom focuses on student’s inputs, interests and ideas. Whenever possible, I try and step back and let students lead class. One important nugget I have taken from this class is to find ways to bring students to some of these new instructional technologies.
One adjustment I will make next year is to use less Power Point assignments and more Voice Thread projects. The Voice Thread capabilities are more beneficial to the audience and of course allow feedback and discussion to make it all powerful. My students will enjoy using a fresh technology and many get bored with Power Point because they have used it so long. Voice thread is a great way for pictures and videos to speak volumes without the typical Power Point structure.
Another technology I plan on using next year is the virtual field trip. If done correctly, a virtual field trip can provide many of the identical cognitive gains that an actual real-life field trip can provide. Field trips taken online can take a student to locations too far away to travel to or too expensive to visit. The Internet is fast becoming a valid curricular device.
For the long term, I plan to continue being a student learning about new technologies to bring into the classroom. This course has given me some great ideas that will benefit my students in many ways. Through networking with other educators all over the world, it will be possible to keep up with cutting edge instructional practices. Also, I would like to collaborate with more teachers at my school in cross curricular endeavors. Teachers without regular access to computer labs are often looking for ways to enhance their instruction. Connectivity makes anything possible bringing technology to our eager students wanting to learn in new and exciting ways.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Cooperative Learning
Cooperative learning is a long standing strategy for teachers and focuses on group interaction to enhance learning. Being able to function productively in groups is a 21st century skill that is needed by all students today. Technology plays a major role in facilitating group collaboration. Just think how challenging it would be having a group activity without connectivity. Web enabled collaborative learning enables students to communicate all over the globe and provides structure for group tasks. We all know how useful blogs and wikis are in giving students a platform to communicate and work together. Connectivism is all about forming networks and navigating networks of knowledge which technology enables.
I really enjoyed the Voice Thread activity we created this week. It reminded me of a Power Point presentation but I thought the capabilities were more beneficial to the audience and of course allowing feedback and discussion makes it all powerful. Too many times I have students with wordy text on Power Points that takes away from the message. I constantly preach to my students less is more with text and verbally talk about your message with the use of graphics. Voice thread is a great way for pictures and videos to speak volumes without the typical Power Point structure. Next year, you can bet my students will be using Voice Thread and I’m looking forward to the feedback and discussion that will be generated that otherwise would not happen. Cooperative learning is here to stay and technology will continue to open new doors for collaboration.
I really enjoyed the Voice Thread activity we created this week. It reminded me of a Power Point presentation but I thought the capabilities were more beneficial to the audience and of course allowing feedback and discussion makes it all powerful. Too many times I have students with wordy text on Power Points that takes away from the message. I constantly preach to my students less is more with text and verbally talk about your message with the use of graphics. Voice thread is a great way for pictures and videos to speak volumes without the typical Power Point structure. Next year, you can bet my students will be using Voice Thread and I’m looking forward to the feedback and discussion that will be generated that otherwise would not happen. Cooperative learning is here to stay and technology will continue to open new doors for collaboration.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Constructivist/Constructionist Strategies in Today’s Classroom
This week Constructionism takes center stage and we will look at different strategies that support this theory in the classroom. Teachers that understand how students “build” ideas into knowledge can provide active and engaging learning activities for their students. One instructional strategy studied was that of “generating and testing hypotheses” and yes, it applies to all content areas, not just science. As a business teacher I have used problem solving and decision making as a way for my students to generate and test hypotheses. Last month, one of my classes “constructed” a project on buying a computer which consisted of a research paper and Power Point presentation. In our video resources, Dr. Orey loves to talk about Power Point being all about building and creating artifacts.
Project-based learning tools show the benefits and possibilities of the constructionist approach to learning. Here is a link to a great website where students determine their course.
http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/story.php?itemID=598
This site from Apple is a great example of how students can design their own projects with guidance from teachers. Collaboration and cultural awareness is fostered through the connectivity of classrooms around the country and world. What a great way for students to take ownership of their education and build something they can share with others.
Project-based learning tools show the benefits and possibilities of the constructionist approach to learning. Here is a link to a great website where students determine their course.
http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/story.php?itemID=598
This site from Apple is a great example of how students can design their own projects with guidance from teachers. Collaboration and cultural awareness is fostered through the connectivity of classrooms around the country and world. What a great way for students to take ownership of their education and build something they can share with others.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Technology and Cognitivism
Cognitivism focuses on the inner mental activities and explores processes such as thinking, memory, knowing, and problem-solving. Technology can be an integral part of cognitive activity if used properly in and educational setting. Let’s take a look a look at 2 technologies that are gaining popularity and their link to cognitive theory.
Virtual Field Trips
A virtual field trip, if done correctly can provide many of the identical cognitive gains that an actual real-life field trip can provide. Field trips taken online can take a student to locations too far away to travel to or too expensive to visit. The key is to conduct the virtual field trip much like the real-life field trip and students should then be able acquire the same cognitive gains as if they actually went there. When this is possible, an entirely new world of experiences will be opened to all students regardless of the school field trip budget, as they can all experience firsthand the potential of the Internet as a valid curricular device.
Concept Mapping
Concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing knowledge. They include concepts, usually enclosed in circles or boxes of some type, and relationships between concepts indicated by a connecting line linking two concepts. While at first glance concept maps may appear to be just another graphic representation of information, understanding the foundations for this tool and its proper use will lead the user to see that this is powerful tool. Concept maps identify the way we think, the way we see relationships between knowledge. The teacher who constructs concept maps for classes is interested in students understanding relationships between facts, not just "knowing" the facts.
http://www.utc.edu/Administration/WalkerTeachingResourceCenter/FacultyDevelopment/ConceptMapping/
http://cmap.ihmc.us/publications/researchpapers/theorycmaps/theoryunderlyingconceptmaps.htm
Virtual Field Trips
A virtual field trip, if done correctly can provide many of the identical cognitive gains that an actual real-life field trip can provide. Field trips taken online can take a student to locations too far away to travel to or too expensive to visit. The key is to conduct the virtual field trip much like the real-life field trip and students should then be able acquire the same cognitive gains as if they actually went there. When this is possible, an entirely new world of experiences will be opened to all students regardless of the school field trip budget, as they can all experience firsthand the potential of the Internet as a valid curricular device.
Concept Mapping
Concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing knowledge. They include concepts, usually enclosed in circles or boxes of some type, and relationships between concepts indicated by a connecting line linking two concepts. While at first glance concept maps may appear to be just another graphic representation of information, understanding the foundations for this tool and its proper use will lead the user to see that this is powerful tool. Concept maps identify the way we think, the way we see relationships between knowledge. The teacher who constructs concept maps for classes is interested in students understanding relationships between facts, not just "knowing" the facts.
http://www.utc.edu/Administration/WalkerTeachingResourceCenter/FacultyDevelopment/ConceptMapping/
http://cmap.ihmc.us/publications/researchpapers/theorycmaps/theoryunderlyingconceptmaps.htm
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
A Behaviorists Approach to Homework, Practice and Reinforcing Effort through Technology
Behaviorism is still being used in today’s classroom with behavior management and students’ use of technology. Think about it, B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning can be seen every day in a classroom when teachers reinforce both positive and negative behavior. The use of technology as a primary mechanism for learning is also part of the behaviorist theory of learning.
So, how are homework, practice and reinforcing effort represented through a behaviorists approach to education and what does this have to do with technology?
Homework and Practice
Homework provides multiple exposures to information that gives students chances to broaden their knowledge of content. Having students practice a skill or concept enhances their ability to reach the expected level of proficiency on any given subject. Technology is providing a wealth of resources for learning outside of the classroom. Most families today have a computer at home connected to the internet where information about anything is at the click of a button. Technological advances in communication are also allowing teachers and students to collaborate at a higher level with text messages, instant messages and email. It is easy to see how technology is fueling the fundamental behaviorist principal of “drill and practice”. One of my classes has an online course companion where students can play vocabulary games, work puzzles, read articles and watch videos to supplement their learning inside and outside of class.
Reinforcing Effort
The relationship between effort and achieving is a concept I constantly drill into my students. Often I am telling class that this is an effort grade in the hopes of getting them to do their best. Recognizing effort and excellence through technology is giving visibility to achievement for everyone to see. If you access my schools website, the first thing you see is the student of the month. Our Broadcast Video class showcases the morning announcements along with any significant contribution going on at school. These are great incentives for students to be successful and make contributions.
Conclusions
Behaviorist James Hartley identifies repetition as necessary for learning to take place and the use of technology is giving students chances to frequently practice now more so than ever. He also subscribes to learners being active and not passive and the internet gives all students a chance to take their own initiative into learning. I provide online tutorials on my teacher web page that students can access for all of my classes. Finally, Hartley talks about reinforcement being the cardinal motivator. Using technology to showcase exceptional students is a wonderful incentive for students to get out there and be somebody.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
The Behaviourist Orientation to Learning located at http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm
So, how are homework, practice and reinforcing effort represented through a behaviorists approach to education and what does this have to do with technology?
Homework and Practice
Homework provides multiple exposures to information that gives students chances to broaden their knowledge of content. Having students practice a skill or concept enhances their ability to reach the expected level of proficiency on any given subject. Technology is providing a wealth of resources for learning outside of the classroom. Most families today have a computer at home connected to the internet where information about anything is at the click of a button. Technological advances in communication are also allowing teachers and students to collaborate at a higher level with text messages, instant messages and email. It is easy to see how technology is fueling the fundamental behaviorist principal of “drill and practice”. One of my classes has an online course companion where students can play vocabulary games, work puzzles, read articles and watch videos to supplement their learning inside and outside of class.
Reinforcing Effort
The relationship between effort and achieving is a concept I constantly drill into my students. Often I am telling class that this is an effort grade in the hopes of getting them to do their best. Recognizing effort and excellence through technology is giving visibility to achievement for everyone to see. If you access my schools website, the first thing you see is the student of the month. Our Broadcast Video class showcases the morning announcements along with any significant contribution going on at school. These are great incentives for students to be successful and make contributions.
Conclusions
Behaviorist James Hartley identifies repetition as necessary for learning to take place and the use of technology is giving students chances to frequently practice now more so than ever. He also subscribes to learners being active and not passive and the internet gives all students a chance to take their own initiative into learning. I provide online tutorials on my teacher web page that students can access for all of my classes. Finally, Hartley talks about reinforcement being the cardinal motivator. Using technology to showcase exceptional students is a wonderful incentive for students to get out there and be somebody.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
The Behaviourist Orientation to Learning located at http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm
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