My GAME plan went fairly well, though I didn’t have a chance to complete everything that I wanted to with it, as I ran out of time. Though I feel that I made some good progress on my GAME plan. I had never made a GAME plan before and I found it to be very interesting to work on one, and I can see how it can make someone a better educator by implementing one.
One of the first things that feel that I have gained from my GAME plan was confidence. If a teacher and student do not have confidence, then the knowledge that they learned will be wasted (Laureated Education Inc., 2009). Like I have stated, I am fairly confident with technology, but I have lacked in other areas, such as trying something new in the classroom, even if the other teachers are not doing it. I have learned that by modeling confidence, others around me are exhibiting confidence as well. It is exciting to see those who lacked confidence, start to gain it and take off with their learning.
The first standard that I chose for my GAME plan was 4.A, advocate, model, and teach safe, legal and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources. I feel pretty good that I was able to accomplish this goal. I did a lot of research on the topic and found ways that I could get the information across to the students. I also put together a sheet for the students to use while they are working to refer back to on proper citation. I think that for my final step in the goal, I put the list that I gave to the students on the wiki that I have been using. That way they will always be able to refer back to that information, even if they loose their paper.
The second standard that I chose for my GAME plan was 1.C Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes. This was the goal that I had the most fun with, but the one that I was not able to complete all of the way. I was able to design some lesson plans for this goal, but I wasn’t able to implement them in time, as I ran out of time. These lessons will be used at a later time and I feel confident that the students will enjoy using a wiki to collaborate on. I did a lot of research for the what tools to use for online collaboration and the two that I liked the best was a wiki, along with Google docs. I still like the idea of a classroom blog, but I think that will be for more informational purposes and to have the parents involved. I really like the wiki, as it is easy to use, and I can have pages for the students to go collaborate on. I also like Google docs for that same purpose, though the only holdup about Google docs, is having the students have their own accounts to be able to use it.
I think that my GAME plan went pretty well. I do know that I would make changes if I had to do it again. I would make sure that I would have time to be able to complete the tasks that I wanted to complete for my game plan, along with doing one goal at a time. There were times, when it was a little overwhelming to be working on two goals at the same time. I prefer working on one goal at a time, then moving on once I have completed that goal.
During this whole course and GAME plan, I have learned that technology is very important to use in the classroom. I have always believed that the students should be more exposed to technology as it can open up a whole new learning world to them. Technology has a way of engaging the students and keeping them engaged with the learning. It is my goal to keep the students engaged, and where they will want to learn on their own in their spare time.
The one thing that I found really interesting in this course, was where I learned about digital storytelling. I have heard of it, but never looked into it. I really wish that I would have, as it is a fun way to be creative in the classroom, while showcasing what the students have learned. I’m looking forward to using digital storytelling in the classroom and to see what the students will come up with.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed taking this class, as I was able to learn a few new ways on how to integrate technology into the classroom. I was also able to learn about how to make a GAME plan and how to go about accomplishing the plan.
References:
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2014). ISTE Standards for teachers resources. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards-for-teacher
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Integrating technology across the content areas: Enriching content area learning experiences with technology, part 1.
[Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Monday, November 17, 2014
Monitoring Your GAME Plan
There are so many resources that are now available through the use of technology. I have been searching the internet for ways to help me reach the goals of my GAME plan.
The first goal that I decided to work on is standard 4.A, advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property and the appropriate documentation of sources (ISTE, 2014). I discovered a lot of resources on how to keep students safe on the internet. This site was filled with information on how to keep the students safe. The website can be found at:http://www.edudemic.com/guides/the-teachers-guide-to-keeping-students-safe-online/
I have also found a video that I can show to the students about the safe, legal and ethical use of digital technology. I think that this video would be good for them to view, as it is important for them to learn about the ethical use of technology. A lot of students that I have worked with like a variety ways that information is being presented to them. I really think that this video will be a good learning resource for the students. It can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps5LdzZxi_0
I feel that I have been able to find information that I need to be able to accomplish this goal. I still plan on doing more research on my goal along with talking to others who have taught this subject to the students. It is important to me that I am able to communicate to the students how important it is to be safe on the Internet, while citing the sources. So far I do not feel that I need to modify my action plan, as I feel that it going on well. I am concerned about how I am going to find the time to teach students about the subject. There is so much that the students have to learn in a day, that at times it is hard to find time to include other things to teach within a school day. I’m also concerned on how I should introduce the subject to the students, as I want to be able to to do it in a way that it will be interesting to the student. When there have been assemblies or speakers in the past about the subject, the students have just tuned them out, as they are bored with just a standard lecture. My next step for this goal is to find ways to present the information to the students, in a way that is engaging to them and they will be able to understand what is being presented to them.
The second standard that I chose was 1.C, promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning and creative processes (ISTE, 2014). This is the goal that I feel is going much easier and smoother. The reason that I think that is because I was already familiar with some of the collaborative tools from other classes and from just playing around with them. I found that I really like the idea of a wiki in the classroom. I have used wiki’s before to work with others for classes that I have taken. I found them easy to use and I personally think that students will find them easy to use.
I found a website for teachers who are interesting in using a wiki in the classroom. It has some information that I believe they will find useful, as I did. I learned some more things about wiki’s that I believe makes them a good choice to use as a collaboration tool. The link is:
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/07/teachers-guide-on-use-of-wikis-in.html.
I have set up a couple of wiki’s that I had to do in other classes. The links to those wiki’s are:
http://technologyintheroom.wikispaces.com
http://technologyinsociety.wikispaces.com
I have also set up a quick wiki, that could be used in a literature circle. The link is:
http://lit-circle.wikispaces.com/
I really feel that I am really close to completing this goal and do not feel the need to modify it. I’m actually excited to use wiki’s in the classroom, and I can’t wait to get started using them. A couple of things that I think could be a problem is convincing the principal that it is a good thing to let the students use a wiki. There are bans on a lot of the collaboration software, as the schools and district feel that it could lead to problems and could be potentially unsafe. I will need to come up with a plan to present to the principal to show up how useful a wiki can be in the classroom. I will begin researching more ways that wiki is useful in the classroom and begin working on something to that I will be able to present. Another problem that could arise, is when will time be found for the students to work on the wiki in class and outside of the classroom. Like I stated before it is hard to find time for new things when you have to present so much information in a day to the students. It is also a problem that some of the students do now have their own computer and have to share with their older siblings, who usually get preference since they have papers to write. I need to be able to find way to ensure that the students will get time in the classroom to work on their wiki’s.
In conclusion, I feel that my GAME plan is coming along nicely and smoothly. I thought that I would have complications with finding the information that I need, but so far it has been a breeze. I’m looking forward to completing my GAME plan and then begin another one.
References:
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2014). ISTE Standards for Teacher Resources. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards-for-teachers
Monday, November 10, 2014
Carrying Out Your GAME Plan
In order to enrich my experience in life as an educator, I decided last time that I was going to focus on two standards that the International Society for Technology in Education set forth for teachers. The first goal that I decided to work on is standard 4.A, advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property and the appropriate documentation of sources (ISTE, 2014).
I have determined that I will need some additional resources to be able to complete this goal I have found a great website called https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/, that helps with the proper citation formats. This site has information on how to cite with APA and MLA, which is important as both are used in classrooms. MLA, I have noticed is mostly used in upper elementary, middle school and high schools, while APA is mostly done in the colleges and universities. This website will be great to refer students back to when they have a questions on how to properly cite the sources that they have found.
Another resource that I plan on using is Prezi. I found a presentation on the site that is about the safe, legal and ethical use of digital information and technology. The link to site is https://prezi.com/tl5zk8mhybyr/the-safe-legal-and-ethical-use-of-digital-information-and-technology/. Looking at this presentation, I know that I will be able to use it in the classroom, to present the information to the students. It will be a different way to present the information to the students, that should also help them to be able to be more engaged in what they are learning.
The first step that I have taken to accomplish this goal, is to review the acceptable use policy for the Internet. By reviewing the policy, I am making sure that what I will be teaching coincides with what the district says is safe and not safe to do on the internet. Each student is required to sign a copy of the policy and to keep a copy of it. The students and I have reviewed the policy together to discuss what they understand about it or don’t understand about it. By reviewing the policy together, I will be able to begin the Prezi presentation to the students, which will help further their knowledge about internet safety.
The second standard that I chose was 1.C, promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning and creative processes (ISTE, 2014). This is the goal that I am most excited about working on, as I am a firm believer in creativity and I have been discovering how much fun it can be to use collaborative tools in the classroom.
The first resource that I have decided that I will be needing to accomplish this goal is to use a wiki. A wiki is a piece of software that will allow the users to create, edit, and link webpages quickly (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). There are tons of sites out there that host wiki’s and I think that it would be beneficial to set up a classroom wiki. The wiki would be used for the students to work together on projects with each other. I think that the wiki will be a great resource to add to the classroom, and I’m looking forward to using it.
The second resource that I would like to use is a Voice thread I made one in the past for a class that I was taking, I had a lot of fun working on it. It can be another great collaborative tool for the students to use. They can make a presentation, then do a recording about that presentation. It will be a fun way for the students to work together and present a project to the class, plus it will also let the students to be creative as well.
I have taken the first step to accomplish this goal by having the students take an interest survey. The survey will let me know what the students interests are, which will help me incorporate those interests in the classroom. By having the students’ interests in the classroom, I am hoping to have them more engaged and willing to work together on projects. It is important to me that the students are able to work collaboratively on a project, while they are using their talents to make the project creative. I really feel that this survey will help me understand the students better, and help me help them to be more creative with their work.
In conclusion, I feel that that GAME plan is coming along nicely. I still have a long ways to go before I can say that I have accomplished the goal that I have set forth. I am okay with it taking time to accomplish the goals, as I want to ensure that I have all the tools necessary to help me along with this journey. This is going to be an interesting journey and at times I anticipate that it can be overwhelming.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use. Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2014). ISTE Standards for Teacher Resources. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards-for-teachers
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Developing a Game Plan
Being confident in what you are teaching is very important. If you do not have confidence, then knowledge will be wasted (Laureate Education Inc., 2010a). There are many students and educators that lack confidence in the classroom, and therefore they are not willing to try new things, like using technology in the classroom. I am fairly confident using technology in the classroom, especially since I use it all of the time in my personal life. I know that there is always room for improvement, and I know that there are areas, where I lack confidence.
This week I will be developing a GAME plan to help me strengthen two indicators that are within the National Society for Technology in Eduction. where the national standards are for teachers. GAME is a series of steps, that educators and students can use to become more self directed with their learning, while using technology in the classroom. The steps to GAME are setting goals, taking actions, monitoring your goal and evaluating how you accomplished that goal (Laureate Eduction Inc., 2010b).
As an educator, I know how important it is to facilitate an authentic technology rich learning environment, that will help the students to become self directed learners, who are able to be creative in the classroom, along with learning critical thinking skills. I will be able to provide the students with that kind of learning experience, by applying behaviors and modeling those behaviors that the International Society for Technology in Education Standards for Teachers have set forth. I have chosen tow of those standards, that I believe will help me be able to strengthen my confidence in the classroom while using technology.
The first standard that I will address is 4.A, advocate, model, and teach safe, legal and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.
Goal: It is my goal to ensure that the students are safe on the internet, while learning how to properly site the information that they are using. I want to learn more about to teach the students to be safe on the internet, and to be able to teach them how to properly site information.
Action: In order to achieve this goal, I need to research ways to teach students how to be safe on the Internet. A good place to start is Edutopia, as I have found an article that has some great information in it on how to teach the students to be safe. The next action step that I will need to take is to decide if I want to teach the students MLA or APA style of citation.
Monitor: As I gain more knowledge about how to teach the students to be safe on the internet, I anticipate that I will be able to reach the students and give them the skills that they need to navigate the internet safely. Once I have gained that confidence, I will be able to help the students learn how important it is to cite the source of their information. I will be able to monitor my progress by how the students are reacting to the lessons on safety and citation. The students reaction will help me determine if I need to change my plan.
Evaluate: I plan on evaluating my progress by modeling and applying what I have learned within the classroom. I hope to have a better understanding on how to teach the students to be safe on the Internet and how to cite their sources correctly. I will also evaluate my progress on whether or not the students met their goals. If the goals were not met, then I will be able to determine what I need to do differently to ensure that they meet the goals.
The second standard that I will address is 1.C Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
Goal: It is my goal to ensure that the students are able to use collaborative tools within technology. I want to learn more about the different kinds of collaborative tools that are available, so I will be able to help the students figure out what tool would work best for them on their projects.
Action: In order to achieve this goal, I will be doing research on wikis, blogs, and Google docs to determine what collaborative tool would work best in the classroom, for the students to use.
Monitor: As I do the research on the different kinds of collaborative tools, I will begin to gain more confidence on what tool would be the best fit for the classroom. I anticipate that during my research, I will have more questions and wonderings about what I have found. I have done some research and I am leaning more towards using a Wiki in the classroom as a collaborative tool.
Evaluate: I will be able to evaluate my progress by applying wikis in the classroom for the students to use, when they are collaborating on a project together. I will gauge my understanding on wikis by teaching the students about them. As the students and I get more confident using a wiki, I can set up an opportunity for the students to work with others from another school on a project.
In conclusion, I feel that it is very important for teachers to come up with a GAME plan on what they want to the students to learn. The students can even come up with their own GAME plan to help them succeed with their own learning.
References:
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2014). ISTE Standards for teachers resources. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards-for-teachers
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010a). Integrating technology across the content areas: Enriching content area learning experiences with technology, part 1.
[Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010b/'). Integrating technology across the content areas: Promoting self-directed learning with technology.
[Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
This week I will be developing a GAME plan to help me strengthen two indicators that are within the National Society for Technology in Eduction. where the national standards are for teachers. GAME is a series of steps, that educators and students can use to become more self directed with their learning, while using technology in the classroom. The steps to GAME are setting goals, taking actions, monitoring your goal and evaluating how you accomplished that goal (Laureate Eduction Inc., 2010b).
As an educator, I know how important it is to facilitate an authentic technology rich learning environment, that will help the students to become self directed learners, who are able to be creative in the classroom, along with learning critical thinking skills. I will be able to provide the students with that kind of learning experience, by applying behaviors and modeling those behaviors that the International Society for Technology in Education Standards for Teachers have set forth. I have chosen tow of those standards, that I believe will help me be able to strengthen my confidence in the classroom while using technology.
The first standard that I will address is 4.A, advocate, model, and teach safe, legal and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.
Goal: It is my goal to ensure that the students are safe on the internet, while learning how to properly site the information that they are using. I want to learn more about to teach the students to be safe on the internet, and to be able to teach them how to properly site information.
Action: In order to achieve this goal, I need to research ways to teach students how to be safe on the Internet. A good place to start is Edutopia, as I have found an article that has some great information in it on how to teach the students to be safe. The next action step that I will need to take is to decide if I want to teach the students MLA or APA style of citation.
Monitor: As I gain more knowledge about how to teach the students to be safe on the internet, I anticipate that I will be able to reach the students and give them the skills that they need to navigate the internet safely. Once I have gained that confidence, I will be able to help the students learn how important it is to cite the source of their information. I will be able to monitor my progress by how the students are reacting to the lessons on safety and citation. The students reaction will help me determine if I need to change my plan.
Evaluate: I plan on evaluating my progress by modeling and applying what I have learned within the classroom. I hope to have a better understanding on how to teach the students to be safe on the Internet and how to cite their sources correctly. I will also evaluate my progress on whether or not the students met their goals. If the goals were not met, then I will be able to determine what I need to do differently to ensure that they meet the goals.
The second standard that I will address is 1.C Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
Goal: It is my goal to ensure that the students are able to use collaborative tools within technology. I want to learn more about the different kinds of collaborative tools that are available, so I will be able to help the students figure out what tool would work best for them on their projects.
Action: In order to achieve this goal, I will be doing research on wikis, blogs, and Google docs to determine what collaborative tool would work best in the classroom, for the students to use.
Monitor: As I do the research on the different kinds of collaborative tools, I will begin to gain more confidence on what tool would be the best fit for the classroom. I anticipate that during my research, I will have more questions and wonderings about what I have found. I have done some research and I am leaning more towards using a Wiki in the classroom as a collaborative tool.
Evaluate: I will be able to evaluate my progress by applying wikis in the classroom for the students to use, when they are collaborating on a project together. I will gauge my understanding on wikis by teaching the students about them. As the students and I get more confident using a wiki, I can set up an opportunity for the students to work with others from another school on a project.
In conclusion, I feel that it is very important for teachers to come up with a GAME plan on what they want to the students to learn. The students can even come up with their own GAME plan to help them succeed with their own learning.
References:
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2014). ISTE Standards for teachers resources. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards-for-teachers
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010a). Integrating technology across the content areas: Enriching content area learning experiences with technology, part 1.
[Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010b/'). Integrating technology across the content areas: Promoting self-directed learning with technology.
[Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Monday, April 14, 2014
Reflection Time
Reflecting upon ones work and journey can be very rewarding, as you learn new things about yourself and you are able to figure out what works or doesn't work in your life or classroom. Seven weeks ago I had to figure out what my personal theory of learning was, which was very interesting to do, as I have never thought about having a personal theory on learning. I obviously had ideas on how students learned best or what was the best way that I learned. There are different kinds of theories out there on how students learn. A learning theory has the ability to examine what goes on in the students mind when they are learning content (Laureate Education Inc., 2011a).
My own personal theory on how students learn was based on the social learning theory and behaviorism. I still believe in those two learning theories, though I have now incorporated more into my ideas on how students learn best. I now feel that is important to have the cognitive learning theory in the classroom as well. The cognitive learning theory is based on how mostly on how information is processed when a student is learning (Laureate Education Inc., 2011b). It is important to know how student process the information that is being presented to them, as it will help me be able to find ways to ensure that they are understanding the material that is being presented to them.
I also believe that it is important to have constructionism in the classroom. Constructionism is where the students learn best when they are able to build some kind of artifact that they are able to share with those around them (Laureate Education Inc., 2011c). Through this theory the students are more engaged with their learning as they are building something and using their creativity to build with.
With more technology surrounding us, I know that I would like to use it more in the classroom, as it has the chance to be very beneficial to the students. By using technology in the classroom, I will be helping the students achieve the 21st century skills that are needed for them to be able to succeed in all aspects of their life. One adjustment that I would like to make is to have the students use technology more. I will need to adjust lessons so I will be able to include technology in the classroom. By using technology more in the classroom, I will be helping the students to be more focused for a longer period of time, they will be excited to learn and the technology can help students learn at their own pace (Huneycutt, 2013).
Two technological tools that I would like to use with the students are virtual field trips and voicethread. Virtual field trips give the students an opportunity to compare information with other sources, opportunities to witness history, and opportunities to engage the students in critical thinking (Laureate Education Inc., 2011d). Virtual field trips have the opportunity to help enhance the students learning by taking them to places that they couldn't go to otherwise. It will make it more interesting to learn about history, as the students will actually be there in their field trip. It will also help the students become more engaged in their learning as they will be excited to see the places that are featured in the field trip, than learn about them in a text book.
Voice thread is another tool that can help enhance a students learning. Voice thread has the ability to be able to promote a greater digital literacy and more enthusiasm for multimedia creation among the students (EDU Cause, 2009). When the students are enthused about something, they pay more attention to what they are learning and what they are doing, therefore they will be able to retain the information being presented to them. The students themselves can make voice threads and then present them to the class. Voice threads can give the students a chance to record a story to share with the class or with others around the globe. I feel that voice thread will be engaging to the students as they will be actively making something that can be shared with the class. I can even use voice thread to make a presentation for the class to see, like I did on water a couple of weeks ago for this class.
It is very important for educators to make goals for the classroom. The first goal that I would like to have in the classroom, is to have updated computers for every student to use in the classroom. The computers that are in most of the rooms are from the early 2000's and have a lot of problems like freezing all the time or breaking. I think it would benefit the students to have more up to date computers in the classroom, so they will be able to have more ways to integrate technology into their presentation and their own learning. One way that I could achieve this is to help write a grant that would help purchase the computers. Another way is that I could talk to the PTO about having a fund raiser to help purchase the newer computers.
Another goal that I would like to achieve is to have in my instructional practice is to have a classroom blog for the students. I feel this would be extremely beneficial to the students and to the parents. I could list the assignments, what is going on in the class, recordings from class so students can access it if they are sick or need more help understanding the material. I also think that the blog would be a great place for the students to come together to talk about assignments or ask questions about the assignments. The blog would also be great for the parents, as they would always know what we are doing in the classroom, what assignments are due and talk to other parents. The blog would be easy to create and implement, though it would be hard to convince the district on the benefits of having a blog. The district has banned blogs from the classrooms, just like other social media. I would need to put together a presentation and present it to the school board, along with the superintendent. The presentation would explain why blogs are good in the classroom, along with how they can get parents and children more involved in their education.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed this class and have felt that I have learned a lot. I learned about some new technology that I was not aware of. Which can be surprising at times, as I like to think I know a lot about technology as I use it everyday in my own personal way. I enjoyed learning about the different learning theories and how each one can help the students become more engaged with their learning.
References:
EDU Cause. (2009). Seven Things You Should Know About Voicethread. Retrieved from:
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7050.pdf
Huneycutt, T. (2013). Technology in the Classroom: The Benefits of Blended Learning. Retrieved from: http://nms.org/Blog/TabId/58/PostId/188/technology-in-the-classroom-the-benefits-of-blended-learning.aspx
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program three: Instructional theory vs. learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program five: Cognitive learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011c). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011d). Program six: Spotlight on technology: Virtual field trips [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
My own personal theory on how students learn was based on the social learning theory and behaviorism. I still believe in those two learning theories, though I have now incorporated more into my ideas on how students learn best. I now feel that is important to have the cognitive learning theory in the classroom as well. The cognitive learning theory is based on how mostly on how information is processed when a student is learning (Laureate Education Inc., 2011b). It is important to know how student process the information that is being presented to them, as it will help me be able to find ways to ensure that they are understanding the material that is being presented to them.
I also believe that it is important to have constructionism in the classroom. Constructionism is where the students learn best when they are able to build some kind of artifact that they are able to share with those around them (Laureate Education Inc., 2011c). Through this theory the students are more engaged with their learning as they are building something and using their creativity to build with.
With more technology surrounding us, I know that I would like to use it more in the classroom, as it has the chance to be very beneficial to the students. By using technology in the classroom, I will be helping the students achieve the 21st century skills that are needed for them to be able to succeed in all aspects of their life. One adjustment that I would like to make is to have the students use technology more. I will need to adjust lessons so I will be able to include technology in the classroom. By using technology more in the classroom, I will be helping the students to be more focused for a longer period of time, they will be excited to learn and the technology can help students learn at their own pace (Huneycutt, 2013).
Two technological tools that I would like to use with the students are virtual field trips and voicethread. Virtual field trips give the students an opportunity to compare information with other sources, opportunities to witness history, and opportunities to engage the students in critical thinking (Laureate Education Inc., 2011d). Virtual field trips have the opportunity to help enhance the students learning by taking them to places that they couldn't go to otherwise. It will make it more interesting to learn about history, as the students will actually be there in their field trip. It will also help the students become more engaged in their learning as they will be excited to see the places that are featured in the field trip, than learn about them in a text book.
Voice thread is another tool that can help enhance a students learning. Voice thread has the ability to be able to promote a greater digital literacy and more enthusiasm for multimedia creation among the students (EDU Cause, 2009). When the students are enthused about something, they pay more attention to what they are learning and what they are doing, therefore they will be able to retain the information being presented to them. The students themselves can make voice threads and then present them to the class. Voice threads can give the students a chance to record a story to share with the class or with others around the globe. I feel that voice thread will be engaging to the students as they will be actively making something that can be shared with the class. I can even use voice thread to make a presentation for the class to see, like I did on water a couple of weeks ago for this class.
It is very important for educators to make goals for the classroom. The first goal that I would like to have in the classroom, is to have updated computers for every student to use in the classroom. The computers that are in most of the rooms are from the early 2000's and have a lot of problems like freezing all the time or breaking. I think it would benefit the students to have more up to date computers in the classroom, so they will be able to have more ways to integrate technology into their presentation and their own learning. One way that I could achieve this is to help write a grant that would help purchase the computers. Another way is that I could talk to the PTO about having a fund raiser to help purchase the newer computers.
Another goal that I would like to achieve is to have in my instructional practice is to have a classroom blog for the students. I feel this would be extremely beneficial to the students and to the parents. I could list the assignments, what is going on in the class, recordings from class so students can access it if they are sick or need more help understanding the material. I also think that the blog would be a great place for the students to come together to talk about assignments or ask questions about the assignments. The blog would also be great for the parents, as they would always know what we are doing in the classroom, what assignments are due and talk to other parents. The blog would be easy to create and implement, though it would be hard to convince the district on the benefits of having a blog. The district has banned blogs from the classrooms, just like other social media. I would need to put together a presentation and present it to the school board, along with the superintendent. The presentation would explain why blogs are good in the classroom, along with how they can get parents and children more involved in their education.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed this class and have felt that I have learned a lot. I learned about some new technology that I was not aware of. Which can be surprising at times, as I like to think I know a lot about technology as I use it everyday in my own personal way. I enjoyed learning about the different learning theories and how each one can help the students become more engaged with their learning.
References:
EDU Cause. (2009). Seven Things You Should Know About Voicethread. Retrieved from:
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7050.pdf
Huneycutt, T. (2013). Technology in the Classroom: The Benefits of Blended Learning. Retrieved from: http://nms.org/Blog/TabId/58/PostId/188/technology-in-the-classroom-the-benefits-of-blended-learning.aspx
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program three: Instructional theory vs. learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program five: Cognitive learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011c). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011d). Program six: Spotlight on technology: Virtual field trips [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Monday, March 31, 2014
Voice Thread
This is my short voice thread on water.
Here is the link to my voice thread, or you can view it below.
http://voicethread.com/share/5602199/
Social Learning in Practice
Social learning is a theory that has the ability to promote the students to work together in order to complete their projects. The students can be in small groups of two, or they can be in bigger groups of five to work together. As the students are working together, there is a chance of them becoming more engaged in their learning, which will then help them create a more meaningful learning experience on the the project. When students are working together, they are able to teach others, which will then help learning develop a more deeper understanding of the content (Laureate Education Inc., 2011). As the students develop a deeper understanding of the content, they will then begin to show signs of mastering that skill, which will help the students gain self confidence.
The social learning theory stresses the need for the students to be able to collaborate with each other along with the teacher using cooperative grouping. One of the most widely used ways of implementing the social learning theory in the classroom is through cooperative learning. Cooperative learning is where the students will work together to achieve a group goal that cannot be obtained by working alone, and it will help to actively involve the students in the learning process (Orey, 2001). When the students are working together in the group they will be able to complete a task or project, and then present it to their class. Cooperative learning has the ability to provide opportunities for the students to discover things about themselves, the work and others around them. This kind of learning will also help the students to be able to develop a social support system, which is important to a students growth (Orey, 2001).
Cooperative learning has a lot of benefits, especially when it is implemented properly. It has the ability to improve a students attitude about school, decrease social segregation, increase a students motivation, and it provides an environment for the students to reflect upon their new knowledge, along with helping the students to develop a common understanding about the topics that have been discussed (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012).
Two cooperative learning strategies that I like to use in the classroom is pair share and jigsaw. I have used pair share the most in the classroom, as I have found it to be successful to have the students work with a partner and discuss things. Pair share also helps the students to practice their speaking, listening and feedback skills. Jigsaw is fun to implement in the classroom. It is where each student in the group researches part of the problem or content, then they will come back together and teach their part to the rest of the class (Orey, 2001). I have had a lot of success with the jigsaw, and most of the students seem to be excited to teach others in their group what they have learned.
Technology can easily be incorporated into the social learning theory. Teachers can use the web to help them as it has become more than just an electronic reference book, it is now a thriving medium for collaboration in education, business and in our own personal lives (Piter et al., 2011). A teacher can use blogs, wikis, simulation games, and communication software to collaborate. They can also use shared calendars to share with the class when projects, assignments, tests, and presentation are due. A popular shared calendar is Google Calendar, and it is very easy and simple to use. In fact Google docs can be used as collaboration software for the students to work on their work and edit it from anywhere.
These tools help support the social learning theory because they allow the students to be able to communicate with each other and others around the world, while they are learning.
In conclusion, the social learning theory can be beneficial to the students and the classroom. There are a lot projects that the students can work on together to finish, and they will be able to enhance their learning by working together. There is a lot of collaboration tools that are available to the students to use, as technology has come a long way in the past few years. The technology provides the students with tools that they will need to be able to research, collaborate, record, publish and even reflect upon in a social kind of setting.
Here are some links about the social learning theory and collaboration:
http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-learning.html
http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/social-learning-theory
http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/cooperative/index.html
http://www.pgcps.pg.k12.md.us/~elc/learning1.html
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program eight: Social learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Main_Page
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E. & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Constructivism in Practice
Constructivism in Practice
Constructivism and constructionism are learning theories, that are used in education today. Constructivism states that a student will actively construct their own meanings of information, where constructionism is where the students will be able to lean next when they can build some kind of tangible artifact or something they are able to share with those around them (Laureate Education Inc., 2011). Constructionism can be very beneficial to the students, as they are more engaged with the learning process as they are creating a product that they have designed. Some students learn best by creating and constructing concepts they have learned into some kind of object or product they they are able to relate to their lives.
There are several strategies that support the constructionism and constructivism learning theories. The first strategy is having the students to generate and test hypotheses. This is usually done in science, but can be done across the curriculum. When the students area able to generate and test their hypotheses, they are actually engaging in a complex mental process, applying the content knowledge like facts and vocabulary, along with enhancing their understanding of the content that was presented to them (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). There are four processes that a teacher is able to use to enable the students to generate and test their hypotheses, they are systems analysis, problem solving, experimental inquiry and investigation. A teacher first needs to give the students a model for the processes and use familiar content to teach the students the steps (Pitler et al., 2012). This strategy supports the constructionist theory, as the students are engaged and involved in creating a final product. When the students are able to generate a hypothesis about something, they are using problem solving skills, and learning how to make predictions. When they are ready to test that hypotheses, the students will be able to create some kind of project that will help them form their conclusions.
Technology can be easily incorporated into this strategy. A teacher can easily use an Excel spreadsheet and have the students test different kinds of hypothesis. A teacher can also use simulations and games that will allow the students to apply their background knowledge to make predictions, receive feedback and see the outcome of their hypothesis (Pitler et al., 2012).
The second strategy is learning by design. Learning by design emphasizes the value of learning through creating, programming or participating in some other kind of designing and will create a rich context for the students to learn in (Orey, 2001). Learning by design also values the final product just like the constructionism, though it promotes students to be part of the design process as they create the products. Technology can be used in the learning by design model. A teacher could have the students design a project by using the computer. There are several programs that the students could use that could help them with designing a project. One program that is used a lot is Coral Draw, which is a drawing program.
The third strategy is project based learning. This is a comprehensive instructional approach to engage the learners in complex activities (Orey, 2001). The projects that the students should be working on are complex and should be based on an essential question or questions, and have some kind of meaning in a students life. When an educator is using project based learning they will be helping their students have more motivation, which will lead to them becoming more engaged in their learning. Constructionism is reflected by project based learning by creating a student centered learning environment and it has an emphasis on artifact creations as part of the learning outcomes based on authentic real life experiences (Orey, 2001).
Technology can be easily incorporated into project based learning. A teacher can have the students do a project on the computer using Microsoft Publisher. One project that I think would be fun to do with students is a brochure about the state that they live in. They could use Microsoft Publisher to create the brochure and add pictures, along with information on the state.
The fourth strategy is problem based learning. This is used as an effort to challenge the students to address real world problems and to resolve them (Orey, 2001). The problems can have multiple answers and the students will need to work collaboratively to address the possible outcomes. By using problem based learning, an educator is working towards having the students learning to be driven by the context of the problem and not be bound by an all ready established curriculum (Orey, 2001).
Another strategy is to use web quests. A web quest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the using the Internet (Webquests, 2008). They usually include an introduction about an essential question or problem. Once the introduction is over with the students will then have the opportunity to explore their task, research information and eventually be able to come to a conclusion. Webquests can be short or they can be used as unites, they will sometimes involve group work, are usually built around the resources that are preselected by the teacher and the students will be able to spend their time using information instead of looking for it (Thirteen Ed, 2004).
In conclusion, I feel that any of these strategies that were discussed meet the constructionism principles. They have the students construct a final product, they are learner centered and the tasks are relevant to their lives. Using technology in constructionism, will allow the students to be able to research, record and present their projects. Technology will also give the students a chance to present their products to their peers around the world if they choose to, which could help them have a more meaning learning experience.
Here are some links with more information on constructionism:
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Main_Page
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E. & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Thirteen Ed. (2004). Webquests. Retrieved from: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/webquests/
Webquests. (2008). What is a Webquest? Retrieved from: http://webquest.org/
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Cognitivism in Practice
Cognitivism in Practice
Cognitivism is still used in today’s classrooms. The cognitivism learning theory revolves mostly around the what is known as information processing (Laureate Education Inc., 2011a). Information processing are steps that explain how a person is can learn. As the information that is being presented to the students, it will be transferred to what is known as our short term memory. If that information is practiced enough, it will move onto our long term memory, and then can be later retrieved if needed. There are three kinds of long term memory: declarative (facts and information), procedural (how we do things), and episodic (events in our lives).
There are several strategies that can be used to enhance our learning through cognitive processes. The first strategy is known as cues, questions and advance organizers, which support the cognitive process by allowing the students to tap into prior knowledge. Cues are hints to the student about the content, questions allow the students to access previously learning information, and advance organizers are usually introduced before a lesson to help draw the attention to important points that are presented during the lesson (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). When a teachers is preparing their lesson, they need to make sure that they avoid the unusual or tricky cues and questions, as this can lead the students in the wrong direction, which can lead to mass confusion during the lesson. Teachers should think carefully about the cues and questions that they want to be present in the lesson, and ensure that material that is presented to the students will help them understand the information.
An advance organizer that is widely used is a concept map. A concept map is a graphical tool that is used for organizing and representing knowledge, they will include concepts, along with the relationships between those concepts (Novak & Canas, 2008). Concept maps are a great way for the students to organize their thoughts, and to outline the information that the students understand.
Technology can easily be used in this strategy. A teacher can use online concept mapping software, or use a word processor to make their own for the students to fill out. A teacher can also use social bookmarking to help them gather the resources that they want to present to the class. If a teacher is able to have Ipads or another kind of tablet for their students, they are able to make download an app to make their own concept maps.
The second strategy is summarizing and note taking. Summarizing and note taking mostly focuses on enhancing a students’ ability to synthesis the information that is being presented to them and distill it into some kind of new form (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). When a student is taking notes, they are creating episodic memories, along with a visual aid that can help them retrieve that information later. Note taking can be hard for some students to do, therefore a teacher can make pre made notes for the students to follow along with, or they can provide a template that will help the students create notes.
Technology can be easily used for this strategy. A teacher can make a power point presentation of their notes for the student to view. They can also make a template for the notes on a word processor. A teacher can also use Evernote to keep track of their notes in, or if the students have access to a computer, they can type their notes into Evernote and retrieve them at a later time.
The last strategy is virtual field trips. Virtual field trips allow the students the opportunity to compare information with other sources, opportunities to witness history, and opportunities to engage the students in critical thinking (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011b). These field trips also allow the students to visit places that they wouldn’t be able to go and gives them a chance to witness new and interesting things. These field trips have the ability to create positive experiences for the students, which can help them retrieve what they learned when it is needed. Through virtual field trips, a student doesn’t have to depend on just a picture in a textbook, they will actually be able toe see the place or the event that they are learning about. Virtual field trips already have technology incorporated into them. A teacher uses a computer and the Internet to take the students on a field trip to learn about new and exciting things.
In conclusion, the cognitive learning theory will continue to have a place in our classrooms. This theory helps teachers learn how their process information, and how it is stored in the brain. It is up to us teachers, to come up with ways that will help our students become engaged in their learning, so they will be able to find that information meaningful and store it in their long term memory.
Here are some links for more information on the cognitive learning theory:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html
http://explorable.com/cognitive-learning-theory
http://peoplelearn.homestead.com/BEduc/Chapter_5.pdf
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program five: Cognitive learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program six: Spotlight on technology: Virtual field trips [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Novak, J., & Canas, A. (2008). The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to Construct and Use Them. Retrieved from: http://cmap.ihmc.us/publications/researchpapers/theorycmaps/theoryunderlyingconceptmaps.htm
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E. & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Cognitivism is still used in today’s classrooms. The cognitivism learning theory revolves mostly around the what is known as information processing (Laureate Education Inc., 2011a). Information processing are steps that explain how a person is can learn. As the information that is being presented to the students, it will be transferred to what is known as our short term memory. If that information is practiced enough, it will move onto our long term memory, and then can be later retrieved if needed. There are three kinds of long term memory: declarative (facts and information), procedural (how we do things), and episodic (events in our lives).
There are several strategies that can be used to enhance our learning through cognitive processes. The first strategy is known as cues, questions and advance organizers, which support the cognitive process by allowing the students to tap into prior knowledge. Cues are hints to the student about the content, questions allow the students to access previously learning information, and advance organizers are usually introduced before a lesson to help draw the attention to important points that are presented during the lesson (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). When a teachers is preparing their lesson, they need to make sure that they avoid the unusual or tricky cues and questions, as this can lead the students in the wrong direction, which can lead to mass confusion during the lesson. Teachers should think carefully about the cues and questions that they want to be present in the lesson, and ensure that material that is presented to the students will help them understand the information.
An advance organizer that is widely used is a concept map. A concept map is a graphical tool that is used for organizing and representing knowledge, they will include concepts, along with the relationships between those concepts (Novak & Canas, 2008). Concept maps are a great way for the students to organize their thoughts, and to outline the information that the students understand.
Technology can easily be used in this strategy. A teacher can use online concept mapping software, or use a word processor to make their own for the students to fill out. A teacher can also use social bookmarking to help them gather the resources that they want to present to the class. If a teacher is able to have Ipads or another kind of tablet for their students, they are able to make download an app to make their own concept maps.
The second strategy is summarizing and note taking. Summarizing and note taking mostly focuses on enhancing a students’ ability to synthesis the information that is being presented to them and distill it into some kind of new form (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). When a student is taking notes, they are creating episodic memories, along with a visual aid that can help them retrieve that information later. Note taking can be hard for some students to do, therefore a teacher can make pre made notes for the students to follow along with, or they can provide a template that will help the students create notes.
Technology can be easily used for this strategy. A teacher can make a power point presentation of their notes for the student to view. They can also make a template for the notes on a word processor. A teacher can also use Evernote to keep track of their notes in, or if the students have access to a computer, they can type their notes into Evernote and retrieve them at a later time.
The last strategy is virtual field trips. Virtual field trips allow the students the opportunity to compare information with other sources, opportunities to witness history, and opportunities to engage the students in critical thinking (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011b). These field trips also allow the students to visit places that they wouldn’t be able to go and gives them a chance to witness new and interesting things. These field trips have the ability to create positive experiences for the students, which can help them retrieve what they learned when it is needed. Through virtual field trips, a student doesn’t have to depend on just a picture in a textbook, they will actually be able toe see the place or the event that they are learning about. Virtual field trips already have technology incorporated into them. A teacher uses a computer and the Internet to take the students on a field trip to learn about new and exciting things.
In conclusion, the cognitive learning theory will continue to have a place in our classrooms. This theory helps teachers learn how their process information, and how it is stored in the brain. It is up to us teachers, to come up with ways that will help our students become engaged in their learning, so they will be able to find that information meaningful and store it in their long term memory.
Here are some links for more information on the cognitive learning theory:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html
http://explorable.com/cognitive-learning-theory
http://peoplelearn.homestead.com/BEduc/Chapter_5.pdf
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program five: Cognitive learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program six: Spotlight on technology: Virtual field trips [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Novak, J., & Canas, A. (2008). The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to Construct and Use Them. Retrieved from: http://cmap.ihmc.us/publications/researchpapers/theorycmaps/theoryunderlyingconceptmaps.htm
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E. & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Behaviorism in the Classroom
Behaviorism is still very much a part of today’s classroom. It is what helps the teachers be able to manage their classrooms efficiently, and focus on preparing lessons that will engage their students. When an educator is teaching, I feel that it is important for them to reinforce the students effort and to provide recognition to the students that have been working hard.
When a teacher is making an effort to reinforce, it will enhance the students’ understanding of the relationship between achievement and effort by addressing their beliefs and attitudes about learning (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). When the teacher is making a point to reinforce what student is doing, they will be able to then help the students recognize that they can achieve good grades and be successful with their learning. As the students are learning to achieve things within their education, they begin to have a belief in themselves, that they can do really great things, which then help the students actual performance in school. In order for the students to be more successful, they will need to put forth a strong effort in their studies.
Technology has the ability to help the students and the teacher keep track of the students achievements and efforts. The teacher and students can use spreadsheets, graphs and charts to keep track of how they are doing. A teacher can also design a personalized certificate to hand out to the students. By handing out personalized certificates to celebrate the a students’ high quality work is a way to make that student feel appreciated, and can help motivate them to further their success (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012).
Another way that behaviorism is alive in the classroom is through assigning students homework and providing them with chances to practice what they have learned. Frequent practice in varied contexts is necessary in order for learning to take places and to have students learn the skills that are needed (Smith, 1999). It is important for a teacher to ensure that the homework that the are handing out is relevant to what the students are learning in the classroom, along with making sure the amount of homework is appropriate. The homework has the ability to help the students to deepen their understanding of the content and will also help them to extend their learning beyond the walls of the classroom (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012).
Technology can also be incorporated into the homework assignments. A teacher can assign the students to present a powerpoint to the class, or the students will have to work together on a wiki or blog. Another way that technology can be used in homework is by posting the assignments and lectures on a blog for the students to access. This will be able to help the students check what assignments they missed or what assignments are due, along with listening to the lecture again if they feel they need to.
In conclusion, I think that behaviorism will be around a long time in the classroom. It is up to us educators to decide how much of it we want in the classroom and how to use in the classroom. Using behaviorism in the classroom can help us manage our students better, and it can also help us determine what behaviors we want to reinforce in our students.
Here are some links to check out for behaviorism in the classroom:
http://www.slideshare.net/sarahjarem/behaviorism-in-the-classroom
http://voices.yahoo.com/behaviorism-uses-classroom-3939612.html?cat=4
http://viking.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/et-it/behavior.htm (This one has examples of classroom activities)
References:
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E. & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Smith, K. (1999). The behaviorist orientation to learning. In The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://infed.org/mobi/the-behaviourist-orientation-to-learning/
When a teacher is making an effort to reinforce, it will enhance the students’ understanding of the relationship between achievement and effort by addressing their beliefs and attitudes about learning (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). When the teacher is making a point to reinforce what student is doing, they will be able to then help the students recognize that they can achieve good grades and be successful with their learning. As the students are learning to achieve things within their education, they begin to have a belief in themselves, that they can do really great things, which then help the students actual performance in school. In order for the students to be more successful, they will need to put forth a strong effort in their studies.
Technology has the ability to help the students and the teacher keep track of the students achievements and efforts. The teacher and students can use spreadsheets, graphs and charts to keep track of how they are doing. A teacher can also design a personalized certificate to hand out to the students. By handing out personalized certificates to celebrate the a students’ high quality work is a way to make that student feel appreciated, and can help motivate them to further their success (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012).
Another way that behaviorism is alive in the classroom is through assigning students homework and providing them with chances to practice what they have learned. Frequent practice in varied contexts is necessary in order for learning to take places and to have students learn the skills that are needed (Smith, 1999). It is important for a teacher to ensure that the homework that the are handing out is relevant to what the students are learning in the classroom, along with making sure the amount of homework is appropriate. The homework has the ability to help the students to deepen their understanding of the content and will also help them to extend their learning beyond the walls of the classroom (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012).
Technology can also be incorporated into the homework assignments. A teacher can assign the students to present a powerpoint to the class, or the students will have to work together on a wiki or blog. Another way that technology can be used in homework is by posting the assignments and lectures on a blog for the students to access. This will be able to help the students check what assignments they missed or what assignments are due, along with listening to the lecture again if they feel they need to.
In conclusion, I think that behaviorism will be around a long time in the classroom. It is up to us educators to decide how much of it we want in the classroom and how to use in the classroom. Using behaviorism in the classroom can help us manage our students better, and it can also help us determine what behaviors we want to reinforce in our students.
Here are some links to check out for behaviorism in the classroom:
http://www.slideshare.net/sarahjarem/behaviorism-in-the-classroom
http://voices.yahoo.com/behaviorism-uses-classroom-3939612.html?cat=4
http://viking.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/et-it/behavior.htm (This one has examples of classroom activities)
References:
Pitler, H. Hubbell, E. & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Smith, K. (1999). The behaviorist orientation to learning. In The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://infed.org/mobi/the-behaviourist-orientation-to-learning/
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Reflection
I have always enjoyed learning about technology and using technology. I love using technology and feel that it has made my life easier in some aspects. I grew up using technology, and now days it surrounds us. Before children go to preschool, they are able to use a smartphone to navigate to play games, and use computers or play video games.
By taking this class, I have been able to learn how important it is to ensure that the students are able to learn with technology. The technology has the ability to help the students acquire the skills that they need in order to survive in a complex, high technological knowledge-based economy (Edutopia, 2008). When the students learn these skills, they will be able to succeed academically or career wise. I have learned that it is up to us educators to teach these students the 21st century skills, as they will not learn them on their own. One of the 21st century skills that I deem to be important is for the students to be able to collaborate with each other. If you are unable to work together in the job force, then the chances of you receiving a promotion are slim to non. In order to get students to work together, I plan on using a wiki, podcast or a blog. The students will use these resources to do their class projects, and I think that will really help the students learn how to work together. When I was growing up, the teachers didn't make us work together, so when I got to college and had to work with others, I despised it. Now I realize how important it is to work together on a project to finish it. I want the students to realize this as well, and not grow to despise working together.
This class has also shown me that podcasts can be a lot of fun to do and they can be beneficial to the students. By doing my own podcast for the class, I have realized that they can be extremely helpful to the students. A teacher can create a lecture podcast and post it on the class blog. The students will then be able to listen to the lecture again if they don't understand something, and the students who were absent will be able to listen to it and not fall behind in their studies.
Throughout my journey here at Walden, I have come to realize that I play an extremely important role to the students. Every class that I have taken, has shown me things to try in the classroom, along with some ways to solve some classroom management problems. This class has shown me, how important it is to ensure that we are not just lecturing the students, that we are talking to them and teaching them skills to succeed. This class has shown me that technology is important to have in the classroom, and how the students will be able to thrive by using it in the classroom.
When I was growing up, the teacher stood in front of the classroom and gave a lecture most of the time. I still see that used today in the other classrooms, which I feel isn't great, as the students are not as engaged in their learning. When the students are not engaged in their learning, they will not be able to learn the material, and then have the chances of failing, which in return can make many students give up. By having the students engaged with their own learning, they are taking charge and beginning to succeed. I have learned that it is important to encourage the students to participate in the class discussions, and giving them time to think about their answers before calling on another student. I have also learned that a lot of students do better by doing project based learning, such as creating a podcast about an event that happened in history.
By continuing on with my education, I feel that I will be able to expand my own knowledge, which will then help me transfer that knowledge to help the students. I plan on continuing to learn about the different kinds of technology that is available and decide which ones would really help the students become more engaged in their learning.
One goal that I would like to accomplish is to have new computers in the classroom for students to work on. The computers that are in the classrooms now are about ten years old and are constantly crashing and breaking down. The district is really poor, and therefore it would be hard to convince them to direct funding towards better computers. The new superintendent is younger and is all for technology, so I know that he would be a big help in talking to the school board to help get the funds. I feel that by having newer computers, the students will be able to work together to create podcasts, go on virtual field trips, work on a wiki, or contribute to the class blog.
Another goal that I would like to accomplish is to have Ipads or some kind of tablet for the students to use. Right now the textbooks are getting really outdated in the classroom, and once again the district has argued that there isn't enough money to replace the textbooks. Therefore it will be hard to once again convince the district to part with money in order to achieve this goal. I know that there are grants out there to get technology in the classroom, and I know that Apple is big on education. I might be able to contact Apple to see if they could help get Ipads to the students. By having an Ipad the students, will have access to updated textbooks to help with their studies.
Looking back at the checklist from week one, I have noticed that some of my answers have changed now that I have completed this course. I had checked the rarely box on modeling appropriate integration practices having a technology rich classroom. I feel that answer is now to often, as I am so excited to incorporate the different kinds of technology I learned about in a classroom. By having a technology rich classroom, I will be able to help more students become successful, and I know that I will be teaching them the 21st century skills that they need.
The other one that I checked rarely on was providing the students with multiple opportunities to use technology tools to help support their learning. I can now say that I can put my check in the often column, as I have learned how important it is for the students to use a variety of technology. I’m excited to have the students start using podcast, especially for history, as I feel that it will make it more interesting to the students and that they will have a lot of fun making one.
In conclusion, I feel that this was a great class to take. I had a lot of fun in it and have learned so much on how important it is as an educator to teach the students the 21st century skills that they need. I also enjoyed about the different kinds of technology and ways the technology can be used in the classroom to help enhance the students learning.
References:
Edutopia. (2008). Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?: The Reasons Are Many. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction
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