Reflection: Bridging Learning Theory, Instuction, and Technology

I feel like a teacher at a parent teacher conference; addressing the good before addressing the bad. I did receive several good ideas concerning teaching and technology. I especially like the new ideas that were given to me while reading “Using Technology with Classroom Instructions”. I received a lot of information and was able to put it to good use, which was part of our goal that we posted to our blogs. This gives me a good intro to the bad. I didn’t mind posting to the blog, but I felt that the majority of the information was redundant as was having to respond twice to a discussion page and a blog. With all the work that was expected of us I found myself going back and checking to see what I forgot. I believe that as a teacher I have enough busy work to contend with at my school let alone having busy work created so that it justifies a grade.
Step 1: Reflecting on my Personal Theory of Learning in week one’s assignment I stated that my personal theory on how students learn in my part of the world is Hands-on and Visual. I believe this still holds true though as I stated before I am a constructionist and use this foundation in the majority of my teaching.
Step 2: I can’t say that I am making any immediate adjustments to my classroom, considering I started making the adjustments when I started this class. I am very pleased with the results and I feel the students are pleased with the changes. I am receiving e-mails and phone calls from parents on a daily basis wondering how they can help improve their kid’s grades and that they are pleased with what their child is learning.
The two technology tools I would like to bring into my classroom are digital photography and storybook. I believe these tools would help enhance the students’ power point presentation that I just implemented.
Step 3: I don’t know if I have two long term goals as far as instructional changes I would add. I already have a sizable amount of technology that I have added to my classroom. I guess my goals would be to stay up to date with my equipment and the students’ equipment and to make sure I continue on with my education so I can better educate my students.
Step 4: http://montyharrison.blogspot.com/
In conclusion I don’t believe this class was what I was expecting; I will complete this class though I have already enrolled in a computer tech class in another department at Walden. I believe this will be a better fit for me and the education of my students.

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

“To be prepared for the fast-paced, virtual workplace that will inherit, today’s students need to be able to learn and produce cooperatively”(Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski). I’m not so sure I believe this statement or theory is correct in its assumption. I teach business and have seen several promising entrepreneurs lose their entire investments because of what they produced was done cooperatively and then stolen. I have also seen social learning and have been involved in the practice where the entire group was totally wrong and more damage was done as the result of poor interpretation. I am not saying that these theories are totally wrong, but they have their place and should be used occasionally and with a lot of support.

I do however use some technological tools in my classroom that supports the social learning practice and the one I use most is through our schools intranet. This site is open to the students and their family enabling them to receive grades, assignments, post their assignments, and for communication purposes. I also like using wikis, but I am unable to use because of the restrictions placed on our school. Several Native Americans have been victimized using the internet, as has many others have through ignorance, which the community elders now forbid any outside influence resulting from a school activity that may cause a security issue. This seems unfair considering the majority of my students are posting their pictures and personal information on facebook or some other social network.

This is my voice thread address http://voicethread.com/share/2511558/

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

Constructivism in Practice

I have finely received my text book and was able to read this week’s assignment. Reflecting on the strategy on how the Generating and Testing Hypotheses relates to constructivist/constructionist learning theories. I personally don’t believe there is a relationship between the hypothesis and the theory. According to Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski “Technology can play a vital role in generating and testing hypotheses because new developments in probeware and interactive applets allow students to spend more time interpreting the data rather than gathering the data-a process that can be tedious and error prone” (p. 203). This hypothesis takes away from Dr. Orey’s dog and cat constructivist theory (Laureate Education, 2010) where learning is a step-by-step journey though it can be tedious and error prone. The hypothesis is bypassing the building and the construction of everyday education.

If the Generating and Testing Hypotheses does correlate with the instructional strategy and the constructivist/constructionist I did not see it in the multiple examples that were used excessively throughout the chapter.

Cognitive Learning Theories

Using cognitive learning strategies through the use of note taking, cues, questions, and advanced organizers is used daily in my classroom as I’m sure as it is used in several others. The uses of these strategies are used to deepen a student’s knowledge and understanding by connecting new ideas with the old. Through the use of questions and cues a teacher is able to lead a student discovering whether or not the material that was assigned was understood or not. Having the students type key terms and note taking is another strategy that I use as I am sure others do as well. At our school we have several students that are in AVID and start learning how to take notes in the sixth grade. These students use Cornell Notes which is a two column system. The left hand column is the cue column and the right is the Note taking column existing of recording the lecture and possible questions if needed. I t is also an area used for reflection. At the bottom of sheet is an area set aside for summarizing. This then placed in a notebook, but in my class I have the students save the information electronically. According to the article “FOCUS ON EFFECTIVENESS,” “Without explicit instruction in note taking, however, many students simply write down words or phrases word for word, without analysis (or good effect)”. (2010) By completing the notes students have a source of their learning that they can use a later date, I believe a student should be able to use his/her notes when taking a test or quiz after all why have a student take notes if they are unable to make use of them.

I use technology in all of my classes by creating the Cornell sheets for their notes and today I had the students create a concept map using lines and bubbles using Microsoft word. I have explained to the class that we will be taking a virtual trip very soon and that we were going to use concept mapping as an experiment in note taking versus the Cornell Notes. I find that technology reinforces the cognitive strategies that I use in my room.

Resource:
Focus on Effectiveness, Researched-Based Strategies, 2010, http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/summ.php and http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/cues.php

The Behaviorist Learning Theory

This is week two and I have yet to receive any resources from Walden. The assignment was to read Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works and the two strategies “Reinforcing Effort” and “Homework and Practice”. I contacted my son and found that he hasn’t received his material. We collaborated and were able to find some useful information on the internet that should help us to complete this assignment.

Based upon the research that I have read The Behaviorist Learning Theory and the two instructional strategies reinforcing effort and homework and practice go hand-in-hand. The Behaviorist Learning Theory is based upon desirable behaviors reinforced with rewards and undesirable behaviors with punishment. This is true with reinforcing effort, according to Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock,” Most students are not aware of the importance of believing that their level of effort is related to their achievement. When students are rewarded or praised for achieving specific goals, their level of achievement is higher” (2005). Homework and practice focused on the consequences of doing and not doing the assignments. Not doing an assignment usually results in a lower grade where completing an assignment was greeted with praise and a higher grade. A guide for teachers, Helping Your Students with Homework, stated students make greater gains when teachers set high expectations to them and when there is support and encouragement at home (2008).

Resources:
Marzano, Robert J., Pickering, Debra J., and Pollock, Jane E., Integrating Technology into the Classroom using Instructional Strategies, 2005 http://www.tltguide.ccsd.k12.co.us/instructional_tools/Strategies/Strategies.html#effort

Helping Your Students with Homework: A Guide for Teachers - February 1998 http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/HelpingStudents/1layout.html