Technology augments and enhances classroom learning and instruction in many ways. This week, in our discussion and reading, connected to cognitive learning theories and cues, questions, advance organizers, note taking and summarizing, we saw many examples of ways that technology can be integrated into classroom instruction and learning. These examples also clearly show how well they fit into the cognitive learning theory.
Using technology to cue and question student learning is a great way to introduce new content in the classroom. Word processing and spreadsheet programs allow teachers and students to create a working list of prior knowledge and understanding, as well as create a set of questions to be answered within the unit. This technology based KWL chart, if used directly by the students through their own use of the program, or with an interactive whiteboard, allows students to interact with the previously developed schema and the questions to be answered during the unit (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). In just formulating the questions, students are utilizing a higher cognitive skill and essentially planning strategies to find the answers to particular questions (Orey, 2001). PowerPoint programs and programs like Inspiration and Kidspiration allow teachers to provide students with visual cues, and advance organizers about the topic at hand. Important questions to be answered through the learning, and important vocabulary are just a couple of ways to help provide students with advance organizers to begin a unit or lesson (Pitler, et.al, 2007). The visual ability of word processors, spread sheets, concept mapping tools, and multimedia tools allow student to begin organizing their thoughts and making connections with what they already know, before they begin learning the new content of the lesson. Word processors, spread sheets, and mapping tools give students an opportunity to begin creating some way of mentally organizing the material they are about to acquire, as well as helping to provide visual cues, like graphics and pictures, that help students make more complex brain connections. Multimedia programs, such as PowerPoint, podcasts, and video clips also help students prepare and begin organizing their thoughts on the upcoming topic (Pitler, et. al. 2007 and Orey, 2001).
In many of the same ways, these tools also play an important part of the instructional strategies of summarizing and note taking. Word processors and spreadsheets can be manipulated by students as they use the note taking strategy, as can concept mapping tools. The important thing to mention about these technology tools is that they allow students to organize the information as it makes the most sense to them. Students can utilize charts and outline features, text highlighting and text change features, clip art and concept webs to help them review and organize what information is important throughout their learning, helping them to develop deep cognitive thinking skills throughout the learning of new material (Orey, 2001, and Pitler, et. al, 2007). With summarizing, students can readily utilize podcasts, blogs, wikis, and videos from online sites. Blogs and wikis become especially effective in helping students organize their thinking for summarizing. They also allow for increased interactions between students. Students can present a summary through a blog or wiki, and classmates can comment or ask questions to isolate important information from the summarizer (Pitler, et. al, 2007). Additionally, these technologies work well when combined with reciprocal teaching, where students lead an online discussion and summary, through pointed questions to highlight important information, about the topic shared by the entire class (Pitler, et. al, 2007).
Virtual field trips allow students to experience their learning. This experience provides students with visual cues and connections, possible auditory cues and connections, and helps students develop cognitive thinking skills in matching the information they see in the virtual field trip with the previously learned information. When students experience a virtual field trip, they need to think about what information is important, plan what area to look at next, and experiment with the site to find it. They also observe the visual information and cues of the field trip, reflect on how that information matches up with their plan for finding or comparing information, and then review all of the information they have acquired, both visually and textually (Orey, 2001).With these visual and textual cues and experiences of the virtual field trip, students are further able to identify and organize important information, while simultaneously making deep connections to the material and the experience of the virtual field trip.
Technology can be a powerful tool to enhance and augment cognitive learning practices. The important part for teachers to be cognizant of is how any specific tool will be used, and if a different tool will better meet the needs of the lesson or the students. Beyond that, using these technology tools can only help to deepen the understanding and recall of information by our students.
Resources:
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/13053707@N00/102413554
Posts
Julie,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree that technology can be a very powerful tool to enhance learning and teacher's need to be aware of other tools that might work better. I love how advanced technology has become even in the 10 years I have been out of high school. I have to ask though - do you find it difficult to use all the stuff that's available because your district will not grant access? That is my biggest problem right now. So much is available through the internet, but my IT department rarely allows anyone access to most of it. There are obviously other tools to use besides the internet, and I understand that, but there is so much information and cool sites and no way to use them in my classroom.
Tiffany,
ReplyDeleteMy district does pretty well with the internet sites it makes available for use. I have not found many instances of sites, that I want to use for instruction, that are blocked by my district. The struggle I do encounter, however, is the intense struggle of obtaining the computers for classroom use. There are 13 classrooms that share the one mobile cart available to me. This cart only has 10 working laptops on it, so the computer to student ratio ends up being some ridiculous like 27 to one. The school computer lab is an actual classroom, so I can't take my students there to use the lab, and there is only one classroom computer. The computers are also used for building assessments, so for the last three weeks, the computers have been unavailable for anyone to use in the classroom. I end up using my one teacher computer to project the sites for the students. Thankfully, I am fortunate enough to have an LCD projector and SMART Board in my classroom, which enables some of the students to interact with great sites and programs, on a regular basis.
Julie,
ReplyDeleteYou wrote an excellent post giving many examples for this week’s discussion on technology tools and how they relate to the Cognitive Learning Theory. There is so much out there for use in the classroom for the students to make a real connection with the information. Today’s classroom is so much more inviting than when I was in elementary and high school (many years ago). With so many options available to provide elaboration why do teachers continue to teach in their old ways? Education, in general, needs to pick up their pace in changing with today’s world. You have to keep your student’s interested in what you are trying to teach them.
I agree with Tkoprowski’s feelings of frustration with the districts that limit the access to some of the tools. I can also identify with your frustration regarding computer availability. My school is not real excited about us moving the COWS out to the gym when other activities are going on. On the other hand, it is hard for me to take my 40 students per period to a lab made for 28. It is not the student computer ratio that is the problem; it is the size of the room! Like you, I have a LCD projector to use but I would like the students to work on their own or with a partner. As we have used more and more technology in the gym, I am hoping that next year they will be supportive of the COWS coming to my classroom.
Perfect choice for the picture!
Terri,
ReplyDeleteWhat if you used just a few computers as a rotating station for your students? You could also schedule small groups of students to go to the lab after checking in with you. This would double your ability to use the technology in the great ways we talked about this week, without making your technology person quite so nervous (It's amazing how possessive we become about the things that are precious to us, isn't it?). I really think that spreadsheets,word processing documents, and concept maps could be extremely useful to you students in recording data or charting information they have gained about processes and rules of activities.
Kudos to you for continuing to be innovative in PE! Hopefully your administration and technology person will begin to see the impact it is having and will continue to have on your students!
Julie,
ReplyDeleteI find myself currently interested in virtual field trips and the great benefits and connections they can provide to students. When I first heard the term I was thinking it had to do with instead of taking a field trip to a particular place of interest to look at some pictures of it. Fortunately I was quite wrong and didn’t realize that they are interactive sites that can be easily combined with teaching to enhance the learning moments. Seeing pictures, hearing sounds, reading stories, and playing games about a topic is a much better way to encourage meaningful learning then by just reading about it in a textbook. I was wondering which of these new technologies you use or plan to use in your classroom?