Reflection: Final Blog Posting

       
     WOW! Another 8 week course is coming to an end...and what a course it has been! I've learned so much as a student in this course. This area of how students learn and how we as educators can engage learners in meaningful situations is my passion. My other passion is technology. I could spend eight more weeks on the topics we have covered!


It's been really interesting to look back over our first application from the initial week of this class in the light of the knowledge we have gained. I will have to say, for the most part, I would still define my personal theory of learning in the same way. I still strongly believe that our brains are uniquely wired in such a way that we all learn differently (Laureate Education, 2009). I would have to add that I've become a firm believer in more cognitive tools and I also know the difference between constructionism and constructivism. At the beginning of this course, I agreed whole heartedly with Piaget and I still do. But I think my Constructionist beliefs, now, line up more with Papert. I believe project based learning is key! When I think back to my experiences as a student, I don't remember specifics about teachers or curriculum, but I remember projects and I remember what I learned from them! So, I would have to say that, I am more of a Papert Constructionist than Piaget (Orey, 2001).


As far as adjustments to my instructional practice regarding technology, the one topic that immediately comes to my mind is technology being used as an instructional tool vs. technology being used as a learning tool (Orey, 2001). As I said to begin with, I love technology. I love using technology to teach. I love exposing my students to new ways of presenting information. But I've discovered this is also a downfall. I have enjoyed the technology. I have used the technology. I've realized I need to share my love for learning and my love for technology by using technology as a Learning Tool and not just a Teaching Tool. It's not enough for me to use the technology tools to teach, I must teach the students how to use the tools themselves to learn. This was a key component for me in this course.


Two tools that I am looking forward to using are concept maps and collaborative learning. First, I want to teach students how to not only make concept maps, but how they can be used to organize their thoughts and new knowledge. I used www.bubbl.us for this class, but I want to learn how cmaps work, and use this tool a bit more. Creating an artifact using this method is a great way of helping the students visualize how what they are learning all is connected. Secondly, I want to introduce my students to the fact that they are part of a global system of learning. I want them to see that there is more out there besides themselves and the 100 mile radius that they are aware of. I want them to be strong group participants. I want them to know how to communicate with others, in their classroom, in their school, in their state and in their world. Our world is literally becoming "flat". I want them to not only know how to create a document, but how to share their information through blogs, voice threads, and wiki's.


Two long-term goals....so many ideas, so little time! If I had to pick two, this is what they would be: integrating concept maps in a research assignment and integrating Google documents to increase collaborative learning.


GOAL #1 - Integrating Concept Maps in a Research Assignment


I would love for students to do research, note taking, organizing and writing all on the computer. These skills will take time for the students to learn and for the teachers to be comfortable with as well. This is would be a goal for 6th grade in computer lab. I would work with the English teacher to educate her on the topic of concept maps, how they work and what they can do. One area that I know the 6th grade science teacher wants to add is an ocean animal research paper. This is a short 1-2 page assignment. The three of us would come up with a general outline of the main topics to cover. For example, physical features of the animal, its habitat, what it eats and how it lives. I would show them prior to this research, how to create a concept map and how to manipulate it. I would then provide website and online resources in which they will do their research. Instead of writing their notes on cards or paper, they would type the information they find into their concept map. Once the concept map is completed, they would create an outline with their information. From their outline, they could write their research paper. From this, they could create a project, like a power point or a voice thread about their animal.


GOAL #2 - Integrating Google Documents to Increase Collaborative Learning


This is one area that I honestly have not use, but need to learn more about it and then in turn teach other teachers about it. Our students need to be 21st Century learners. Most colleges have students turning in papers electronically to be graded. We need to educate our students how this is done, what it looks like to get a paper back with changes on it from another person and how to make those change to their paper. Again, I would use this in 6th grade first to see how it works. I would start again, by educating the teacher in this tool and provide any assistance I could give her in how to use this tool. I would also teach the 6th grade students how Google documents work with collaborative writing and/or correcting. Once the skills for Google documents have been achieved, we would put the skills to action. The students in 6th grade already type their paragraphs or writing assignment for this teacher. For one assignment, I would like for the students to write and save their paper in Google documents. They would then be required to peer edit another students work and make corrections or suggestions using Google documents. When the final paper is ready to be handed in, they would do so electronically to the teacher to grade and return to the student, again, electronically.


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


Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page