- Connectivism - integrates technology, social network and information.
- Connectivism
- knowledge is networked
- knowledge is in the patterns and connections
- the act of learning is the act of forming the networks
- Zone Approximal Development & The More Knowledgeable Other
- the "zone" is the frame of things a particular child can learn
- information below the frame is knowledge they already have
- information above the frame is knowledge they are not able to understand
- therefore a child needs a more knowledgeable other to learn the information
- Situated Cognition
- inert knowledge - knowledge that can't be applied
- most learn new concepts in a real life context
- this in turns leads to social learning
The main ideas from this week were we need to make connections with the new information we take in and the more connections a student can make to real world situations, the more likely the information will be remembered. One way these connections can be made are through the many sources of technology.
The topic in our book was on cooperative learning. Quoting Thomas Friedman, "our world is flat" and we are living in a time in which our world is very global (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). The following are ways that technology can be used as cooperative learning tools.
- Multimedia - creating videos as a project - graded on a rubric as a group and as an individual
- Web Resources - collaboration through the web with other students, experts or anyone in the world
- Keypals - similar to penpals
- WebQuests - inquiry based online activites
- Web Site Creation - templates available to use
- Collaborative Organizing - shared calendars, shared bookmarking, course management
- Web-Enabled Multiplayer Simulated Games - virtual real life situations
- Communication Software - skype
The world is literally at our fingertips as we process, connect and share the information we collect using technology and the social groups around us!
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.
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.
Posts
Denise,
ReplyDeleteI like how you stated that the world is at our fingertips. I know that is sort of a cliche statement, but with technology, it really is true. We can help expose our students to more than was ever possible before, and if we want to teach our students how to function in a social world, we need to take advantage of tools like Voice Thread.
Of the cooperative tools you have listed in your post, which (if any) have you used in your classroom? Are there any that you know for sure you'd like to try?
Erin,
ReplyDeleteOne area that I keep coming back to is online penpals. I looked into this last summer, but my principal wasn't sure about the safety of it. I would love to not only get the kids writing to each other, but working on a project together. The 5th grade does a huge project on different habitats. I would love to be able create a project where our students would ask questions of the other students about where they live and visa versa. Then they could collaborate on a project that would show what they learned about each other's environments.
Denise,
ReplyDeleteI think that you really hit the nail on the head, students need to make social connections with the world they live in. If they don't, they will not know how to work with one another as adults. This is a crucial part of their learning experience.
Denise,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Erin. I love the statement about having the world at our fingertips. This is both exciting and a little frightening. I remember, as a young student, sitting in our local district library for hours researching a specific topic. I'm not sure how I would fit that into my son's hectic lives. Oh, how things have changed! If my sons need to research a topic, they jump on our home computer or grab the laptop to take it with. As resourceful as technology has become, I miss those simple days with no cell phones, texting, the many tv channels,... Children today are so involved in school activities, hobbies and so forth, but I guess technology has played a role in this.
What happens to the children who don't have home computers available? Can we provide enough time during school to allow these students to complete what is necessary? Our currriculm continues to grow and more time is needed to meet grade level expectations.