Constructivism in Practice

Create an artifact.  Those seem to be the key words for this week's topic.  What kind of artifacts do we want our students to create?  I think most educators want their students to create new connections in their mind between old and new information.  But, we also want them to have something tangible to take with them to show their hard work and effort in using this newly acquired knowledge.

A constructivist wants to see their students actively involved in their own learning process.  One area that was touched on this week was generating and testing hypotheses.  Technology has allowed students to spend more time interpreting data than gathering data (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).  A web site like NOVA Building Big allows students to learn about a topic, such as structural building and apply it to a fictional situation.  Based on constructivist theory, this new knowledge will either lead to assimilation or accommodation.  By being able to test a building's structure for purpose and integrity, the learner can quickly and easily test their hypothesis using the technology on the web site.   Dr. Orey reminds us that technology can be used to keep the student fully engaged, and that is a key to the constructivist theory (Laureate Education, 2009).  From this internal artifact of knowledge, the student can create in drawing or a model an example of a structure they discovered either proved or disproved their hypothesis.

Personally, I love the constructivist theory of learning.  Having students use their knowledge to personally create something is awe inspiring!  Because they are totally engaged in the learning process, from research, collaboration, time management, presenting and evaluating, the student is learning to assimilate or accommodate the new information.

Looking back, way back, to my years as an elementary age student, I will have to say that much of what I remember or took from that time were "projects" that I either created by myself or worked on as a group member.  One such activity revolved around the pilgrims coming to America.  Now we didn't have computers in the mid 70's, but our teacher ordered a simulation for the class.  We were put into groups and based on the roll of a die or a card drawn, we earned money to buy supplies, build a ship and sail to the new world.  The dice and cards were the masters of our fate while on the ships and once we landed.  This activity was a highlight of my 6th grade year, and I remember being so taken with this activity that when I taught 6th grade history about 8 years ago I set out to find something similar to do with my class.  Just 2 days ago, I saw a student I taught that year and the first thing he said to me was, "Mrs. Stone, do you know what I remember most about your class in 6th grade?  It was that thing we did setting up a colony".  Now, I will admit, there wasn't much technology involved, but it made a huge impact on him as it did on me so many years ago.

I'm also excited about finding the web site Project Base Learning http://pbl-online.org/.  I've always wanted to create some kind of project, but didn't know where to start.  This site looks like a great place to start.

Technology gives us new means to help our students create artifacts whether they are internal or external.  It also gives teachers the ability to create artifacts ourselves that we will share with our students.

References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore: Author.


Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

My Concept Map

Cognitivism in Practice

Wow!  Another new learning theory this week.  This week, Dr. Orey from the University of Georgia explained the basics of the Cognitive Learning Theory.  It was a good reminder of a topic that I haven't covered in about 25 years.  These are the concepts of the Cognitive Learning Theory that I took away from the videos.

• Short Term Memory - people can process 7 +/-2 pieces of information at one time
• Long Term Memory - stored in a network of information (1 piece is connected to another)
• Declarative - facts & information
• Procedural - how to do things
• Episodic - events in your life
• Dual Coding Hypothesis - information is stored as images & text
• Elaboration - helps a person remember how to get to the information

I've highlight the key areas to remember.  These areas are areas that can easily be addresses with many of the technology strategies that we have available to us as teachers.

This week, we were also introduced to several instructional strategies that use technology that can enhance the key areas of cognitivism.  These strategies included:

• using cues, questions, and advance organizers
• summarizing and note taking
• concept mapping
• virtual field trips

Cues - these help students remember or give hints to help them find the information they have remembered.  Cues can incorporate images and elaboration which will aid in memory.  Cues can be used in power points, notes or drawings.  Elaboration can also be part of the cues.  Cues if used as an image will also aid in the dual coding process.  The student will remember the text and image together.

Questions - these help students focus on the purpose of the lesson.  An essential question is useful as a student searches for the facts and information to answer the questions.

Advance Organizers/Concept Mapping - these help students focus their learning.  Advance organizers will use an essential question as it's core and set out to find an answer as a map is created to show the path or pattern of knowledge.  Again, cues, images and elaboration can be included in an organizer.  Many excellent sites like bubbl.us or spinscape allow the teacher and/or student to create an advance organizer easily.

Summarizing & Note Taking - these skills again, will help a student focus their learning and will help them find a purpose to their knowledge.  Wikis are a great place for group summary of information.  Until the chapter on this topic, I had no idea of the Track Changes feature in Microsoft Word.  This is a great tool to help a student see if they have summarized an article correctly.  Advance organizers, webs and pictographs will give images to the information that is gathered.

Virtual Field Trips - these allow a teacher to provide an episodic experience.  To me, this is the gold medal of a cognitive learning method that uses technology to the fullest.  You have created a memorable experience in which the students can connect their new information.  It provides images and words that will aid in memory.  A concept mapping tool used before, during, and after the field trip will give the student purpose and help them make connections.  Students remember elaborate experiences and this fills the bill.

There are so many opportunities to provide multi-sensory opportunities to increase short and long term memory.  In the age of digital natives, educators need to make the most of the many technological strategies that are available to them to help their students acquire, connect, store, and retrieve the information that they are given.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore: Author.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Week 2 - Behaviorism in Practice

Behaviorism....I haven't thought about this term since college....and that was 20 years ago!  Our course this week had us focus on the relevance of behaviorist learning theory in the classroom and how technology can relate to this theory.  We were given some great sites (some of which I will be using in my computer lab) to explore.  Take a look for yourself.

Behaviorism-based Learning Resources:

• Classroom.JC-Schools.net
• Prentice Hall Social Studies Skills Tutor
• Keyboarding Practice
• WebMATH
• English Grammar 101
• DC Physics: Help for Physics Students
• Internet4Classrooms Tutorials

Two other areas we were also needed to consider were the ideas presented in chapters 8 (Reinforcing Effort) & 10 (Homework & Practice) of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski (2007).  Technology can be used to make spreadsheets that the students can fill in with their grades from homework, quizzes or tests.  I really loved the idea of using a comparison bar graph, that the student fill out, to show the amount of time (effort) spent on homework and the homework grades and the amount of time (effort) studying and the quiz grades.  I think this is a wonderful idea to show the correlation between effort and achievement.  When it comes to homework and practice, there are so many wonderful sites, like the ones listed above, that can be used in conjunction with classroom instruction.  One site in particular that I like was the English Grammar 101.  The student gets immediate feedback on the choices they make.  It lets the student know not only if their answer is right or not, but gives them the correct answer.  Now, don't get me wrong!  I don't think these sites can take the place of the one on one interaction between a teacher and a student.  However, I think these sites are great places to practice new skills, remediate poor skills or help ESL students.  I don't believe behaviorist learning theories should be the only method used in the classroom, but in conjunction with others.

Behaviorism - it still has it's place in the classroom and technology will take this learning theory into the 21st century.  

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


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


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

Welcome Classmates!

This is the first post for my new blog.  I'm looking forward to making new connections with technology!  This is my 5th class with Walden.