Constructivism in Practice

Constructivist/constructionist learning theories center themselves around the ideas that students are constructing their own learning and understanding through the creation of some type of artifact that can be viewed by others and discussed or reflected upon (Orey, 2001).

Project-based learning tools like Internet search engines, concept maps, word processors, spreadsheets, blogs, wikis, podcasting programs, and graphics programs make implementing the project-based learning strategy simple and efficient. In the first stage of project-based learning, these tools allow students to locate and organize information, and collaborate with peers through the organization and production process. Through the second phase, these tools also allow students to cooperatively create a multitude of projects and present them to their class or peers. The third and final phase of project based learning can utilize these technologies to help students reflect upon and follow up on the projects, editing them and revising the project, based on peer and self-reflection (Orey, 2001).

Project-based learning is a methodology that I am certainly much more familiar with, having used it often in my classroom. However, while contemplating Problem-based learning and thinking about it in conjunction with generating and testing hypotheses, I can see a much broader use for spreadsheets in practical applications. Problem-based learning requires students to think about and solve real life problems. This strategy could be highly effective since “learning is most meaningful and is enhanced when students face a situation in which the concept is immediately applied (Orey, 2001).” While I whole-heartedly agree with this statement, I initially had great difficulty combining this strategy with generating and testing hypotheses. I simply could not see a suitable use for my third grade students. Then, as I began thinking of how spreadsheets allow students to build tables and use formulas to manipulate and change data, I began to see how using this tool could build upon many of our classroom math lessons involving patterns. It could also be used to chart and manipulate possible data in a scientific hypothesis (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007). Most importantly with this particular strategy, using a real world application or problem would have the greatest impact on my students. For example, students could use spreadsheets to chart the number of bricks needed to complete a patio that has a certain number of bricks in each square foot.

Both of these strategies encourage and require students to build some sort of artifact and construct their own understanding of the content they are learning. Because these strategies are interactive with technology and other students, they help students to create multiple connections to the material they are learning, which makes it much more lasting and meaningful to 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/36764355@N00/324152992

Technology Tools and Cognitive Learning Theory

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

Behaviorism in Practice

Using technology to reinforce student efforts and to aid students in homework and practice is a terrific practice that impacts student learning in a significant way.

Reinforcing effort in the classroom, both academically and behaviorally is a very important instructional strategy. it allows students to gauge their own level of success, and it reinforces the positivity or negativity of their choices and level of effort. Because students don't always "realize the importance of believing in effort" (Pitler, Hubbel, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007), it is important to be very specific about the importance of effort, and what high levels of effort look like. It is also important to involve students in the tracking of that effort (Pitler, et al., 2007). A great way to do this is the use of classroom and project rubrics. These rubrics can be created using spreadsheet programs. Having students use a same basic template to record their progress in meeting these expectations is a great use of technology to help students monitor and reinforce their own behaviors. This exemplifies the behaviorist theory that students will want to continue a behavior that gives them a positive result (Orey, 2001). If students are turning their work in on time, but receiving overall negative results, that student will soon be able to see that the effort in completing the assignment is not what is needed to get the result they want. As a result of seeing and understanding this through the use of the spreadsheet, the student will alter his or her behaviors while completing the assignment. There are also other great technology infused ways of helping students realize what their level of effort as compared to the assignment expectations. Collecting data, through the use of survey and data collection programs also helps students synthesize the specific areas where more effort is needed. Because the student gets specific feedback from these particular types of rubrics and data collections, it gives them positive reinforcement for their areas of strength, and some negative reinforcement for the areas where their effort is less than sufficient (Orey, 2001). This reinforcement is timely, if not immediate, and allows the student to make behavioral changes in their academic process (Orey, 2001).

Homework and practice are also areas in which behaviorism is often put into practice in education. Homework should have a purpose that is clearly articulated to students, and it should vary for students as they advance from elementary school through high school (Pitler, et al., 2007). Perhaps the most important aspect of homework and practice, as it pertains to Behaviorism, is the timeliness and level of feedback from teachers. If homework is given, then feedback should be given to the student quickly (Pitler, et al., 2007). Word processing software helps students in this area, even if they are working at home. The word processor has the ability to give a writer immediate feedback about spelling and word usage. it also has the ability to help students search for the meanings of words they do not know or fully understand, through the use of the dictionary feature. Online skills practice activities also give students immediate feedback as they practice skills like keyboarding and letter/sound matching. This immediate feedback serves as a reinforcement to students as they practice a specific skill, thus changing the behavior and developing learning and understanding (Orey, 2001). Other interactive technologies, like blogs and wikis, also gives students that timely feedback, which reinforces their behavior and efforts.

So, while Behaviorism alone is often seen in the educational community as less than desirable practice, it is certainly present in many parts of a student's learning. Even through the use of technology, behaviorism becomes a part of the learning process through the timely feedback and data tracking that it allows students to access.

References:

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.