Constructionist / Constructivist Learning Theories (week 4 app)

I always get frustrated when I see these examples that are published. I realize that they are like the wonderful sumptuous sandwich on advertisements that never look like what you buy and I acknowledge why they are used as examples for others to see. However, I would like to see something that is relevant to most teaching situations. I teach at a very middle of the road district with adequate community support (funding). While we are not the best and most up to date district, we definitely are not at the bottom. These classrooms all are equipped with top of the line technology and it seems that all of them have unlimited resources where funding is not a problem. I want to see someone teach one of those magical lessons without a computer but still be considered integrating technology. Sorry, venting again. Focus...

The example on page 213 of the book was one that I found relevant because I am a social studies teacher and gravitate to those topics. The teacher, Mr. McDivitt conducted an experiment where he used a website with an instructive game on it as a teaching tool and in another class, with the same topic, used more traditional methods. According to his experiment, BIG SURPRISE...the class that were given the computers and adequate resources not only recorded better test scores, but they seemed to enjoy learning more. Who wouldn't? Would you rather do this class online from the seat in your home in perhaps your pajamas or at a college campus in a lecture with an overhead and a monotoned professor?

The relevancy is that in his class where he played the online game, he was requiring them to be an active learner and build something. Each student took on the role of a country leader and made certain decisions that were required to achieve their country's goals. The idea behind this class being more productive as opposed to the traditional classroom was that as they were building and creating something, the students were making assimilations and accomodations in order to reach equilibration. Dr. Orey mentions that these three along with schema are the building blocks for Constructionism.

Week 3 Blog Assn

There was a lot of good information in this week's DVD with Dr. Orey leading the way for both sections. The second one about the virtual field trip entitled "Spotlight on Technology" was a lot more of just watching the lesson unfold in its entirety as opposed to "Cognitive Learning Theories" where Dr. Orey sat and spoke more. I enjoyed the point that Dr. Orey made regarding forgetting information after it has been stored in the long-term memory. He said that you don't forget the information itself, but rather, the connection; how to get to that information in the long-term memory. That made sense to me and he made another good point when he mentioned that it should be the goal of educators to get students to store as much information into that long-term memory as possible.

What bothers me the most is that both classrooms used in the DVD as examples were fully equipped with top of the line equipment / technology and one even had teacher aides. This is in now way accurate to the school that I teach at. If we are lucky, we can sign out a projector on a limited basis. One lady had walls lined with computers, a laptop, a top of the line smart board and even a sexy cart to set the laptop on. I was jealous that all of her desks matched and didn't have permanent carvings in them. One year, if all of my students were present for fifth bell, three students had to sit on the ground. Can you imagine? Pathetic.

What was I supposed to be discussing? Damn. Sorry. Hard for me to avoid the inaccuracy of their published DVD examples of a classroom to that of my own. I enjoyed Paivio's dual coding theory and agree that people tend to remember images much better than text. I am constantly saying "I may remember them when I see them" or something to that regards. Dr. Orey mentions that this theory also correlates smell and other senses with both the image and some type of label (code). One of the best things that I can paraphrase from Dr. Orey this week is when he stated that images were some of the most powerful tools a teacher can use in their classroom (Laureate Education, 2008).


Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program five. Cognitive Learning Theory [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program six. Spotlight on Technology [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Behaviorism in Practice (week 2 assn)

Within the two chapters that we had to read, I was very much uninspired. Most of the examples used were all elementary based and in districts that had more than ample resources. One of the schools I read about had 5th grade students with personal laptops. I teach seniors in a very rural, underfinanced district that still has Windows 98 and 2000 operating systems in the one computer lab (20 computers) shared by 1300 students and nearly 80 teachers. I had to get that out, sorry.

In regards to our assignment this week, all of the examples that I read about in Ch. 8 & Ch. 10 definitely correlate with many of the behaviorist theories covered thus far. For example, the rubric created by Ms. Powell, a 5th grade teacher, exemplifies operant conditioning. By having them complete an effort rubric via spreadsheet reinforces what behaviors Ms. Powell would like her students to do again. One of the central themes is that activity is important and that learning is best accomplished when the learner is active rather than passive. The fact that Ms. Powell does this over the course of a four-week unit portrays another key element to behaviorism regarding frequency, or practicing. Regular practice, especially in different contexts, is required for skills to be acquired and for learning to take place.

I would be interested to know the time that was put into creating this four-week unit that I used for an example above. I am also curious to know of what resources these particular 5th graders have readily available for them. I am extremely envious of schools that have certain technological priorities in place. I am very frustrated with my district and the administrators that run them because they don't equip their (my) students with the same quality of equipment that is in their offices, but expect them to create the same quality material with limited resources. Am I rambling? Sorry. Thanks for reading my post and I hope your end of the year is pleasant!!!

Week 8 Reflection

This is a final blog posting for EDUC 6710: Understanding the impact of technology on Education, work and society. Below are some questions and in italics are my responses. I enjoyed this course and all that was learned from it. I hope to incorporate many new ideas and activities to help enrich my classroom environment and make it more conducive to student success.

• In what ways has this course helped you to develop your own technology skills as a professional teacher?
  

It has allowed me to realize the truth behind the fact that integrating powerpoints on an overhead and simply regurgitating the same methods as done traditionally only compounds the problem and is not "integrating technology." This course has allowed me to realize the power of Web 2.0 or the Read, Write Web. I feel comfortable informing my fellow colleagues on certain lessons that were learned or how to incorporate activities using podcasts, blogs, etc...

• In what ways have you deepened your knowledge of the teaching and learning process?
  

It has confirmed some theories of mine and has also opened my mind to others. I have always been against "teaching to a test" or many of the basic theories that are now outdated. I have always been a proponent to more interactive methods but our district lacks the resources to accommodate many of those needs. Although that is partly an excuse, it also has some legitimacy. I was not aware of such terms as digital native and what not. I have also been more prone to accept the fact that kids don't retain much with many of the methods that were used in schools during my grandparents era. Times have changed but our schools are stuck in neutral. This has motivated me to do better and not just be another wave that crashes in to the shore.

• In what ways have you changed your perspective from being teacher-centered to learner-centered?
  

I definitely challenge my students more. We are going to do a blog activity and incorporate it into our next unit. Although we are currently doing things that this class renders "outdated" and less effective, I intend on doing more interactive lessons that students will benefit more from and will require them to be more proactive in the learning process. I am not a huge fan of me telling them stuff and them merely listening and expect to retain the information on some random assessment. I like the idea that assignments they complete now (generally speaking) are typically geared for a small audience and are often thrown away or discarded shortly after. What I have learned from this course is that integrating technology into not only my class, but in other realms, will force students to use the internet for purposeful learning and require them to be a more integral part in their own education and have a more "hands-on" approach. It is also more interesting. I believe that inherently, kids want to learn and do the right thing. The system, as it is designed today, is not allowing them to keep up with the technological curve that is so constantly evolving.

• In what ways can you continue to expand your knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology with the aim of increasing student achievement?
  

I can continue to read such great books as that of Will Richardson or the many articles that were cited in our course. I can simply refuse to be complacent. I have compiled a decent amount of respectful blogs and/or wikis that I am certain will only get better with more dedication and time. By simply reading through other people's ideas and activities will allow me to grow as an educator. Trying new things with my students and taking risks will allow me to increase student achievement. Most teachers, including myself, have succumbed themselves to sticking with what they are most comfortable with and are tentative about trusting their students being on the internet or doing activities that are more technologically based.

• Set two long-tem goals (within two years) for transforming your classroom environment by which you may have to overcome institutional or systemic obstacles in order to achieve them. How do you plan to accomplish these goals?

1. Never be complacent and have everything geared around what is best for ALL students. With the help of this course, I have found that as a new teacher, I have been guilty of spending less time on lesson planning than is what's needed. I haven't properly prepared myself and that in turn will have an adverse effect on my students. This is the complete opposite of what should be taking place. I should be spending whatever is necessary to better prepare my students for a world filled with interaction, technology and thinking outside of the box. Basically, I need to spend more time lesson planning and keeping everything kid - centered. I can do this by being more diligent with my allocation of time. I have allowed outside factors to affect my time needed for lesson planning. I should have a block of time weekly, or even daily that is never messed with as with that of a normal routine like eating or sleeping. This will always be a goal of mine.

2. Making instruction more student / learner driven. While this is a radically different approach than most of my colleagues in our district, I intend on doing what's right. If that means I have to sacrifice more time lesson planning, so be it. If that means I have to completely trash my previous plans and start from scratch, so be it. I want my students to not only enjoy what they are doing, but to make it relevant to what they'll be doing 5, 10 or 20 years from now. I am not simply referring to skills related to the workplace, but social skills and life skills that go beyond a textbook. Helping my students understand the impact and necessity of working with other people to accomplish a goal or simply conversing in a respectful, yet insightful discussion. I intend on accomplishing this goal by spending more time lesson planning and by taking more risks. Part of the reason why I have been so bland with my curriculum was because i was unwilling to take risks and try new things. Teaching with technology that I am not exactly comfortable with is an intimidating thing and one that requires a decent amount of time. I intend on putting in that time necessary for me to become proficient.

Refer to your checklist from Week 1. Have any of your answers changed after completing this course?

Not many of my answers have changed after completing this course. I am thankful for all of the lessons that I have learned and greatful for the many people that helped in this class including my professor and classmates.

My Podcast

http://ourmedia.org/node/484583


Here is a link to my podcast. I had three students record their responses to twelve questions that I asked them regarding the outline stated in our requirements. I noticed from listening to other classmates podcasts that I may have asked too many questions. However, my rationale is that the three I listened to were of younger students and I have seniors. I expect more from them and they were able to finish with their answers in a minute or so each. I spent a large amount of time simply downloading material and figuring out the best way to convert certain material to certain format and figuring out how to post it online. While it may seem that I am complaining, I am thankful that I spent so much time on it because I feel that I learned more by doing. This is the principle idea that I want my students to understand and with the help of this course and my wonderful classmates, I am getting better !!!!!

Hint = if you are unable to access the podcast b/c it says you need a plug in or what not, you should be able to click the "Links - archive.org - original" hyperlink and it definitely should work. I have tried this from three different computers and it has worked both ways.

Week 4 Application

Below are the links to the blogs that I posted responses to regarding the assignment to evaluate the 21st century thinking website.


http://aliciarenee25.edublogs.org/2009/01/28/21st-century-skills/#comment-10


http://slkparsons.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/partnership-for-21st-century-skills/#comment-12


http://teckyscienceteaching.wordpress.com/2009/01/28/21st-century-learning/#comment-8

21st Century Skills (.org)

My initial reaction to the website was that it was user friendly. After I surfed a little, I wasn't quite sure what it was that I was searching for. Also, my home state of Ohio was not one of the ten listed in the drop down for "State Initiatives." I really enjoyed that there were updated articles readily accessible.

I was most surprised to see that Cisco systems was a primary sponsor. I know that Cisco is a huge contributor to most innovative technologies and to see that they were involved in such a great concept was intriguing. Thinking now, I am not certain how much of a surprise that would be to have such a large technology based firm back a techology based mission. I suppose my biggest surprise was when I read that there was no cost for a state to become a P21 state partner and that all they had to do was submit an application.

I do not disagree with anything on the site and feel that all intentions are pure and true to the concept of improving the status of education and providing an enriched learning experience for our students modeled by modern strategies.

I suppose that the implications for my students and for myself are to be more involved. If the district does not provide adequate funding, ask someone that may have the power to grant you some. Be proactive. The more important lesson to be learned is that we, teachers and students, need to be on the same team in the learning process and be able to learn from one another. I get the feeling that 21st century learning will become a vital tool for our students in their lives outside of the required years they are to be in the school system. What then? Aren't we supposed to prepare them for their future? Whom better to help provide an outline for that then their future employers?

www.21stcenturyskills.org