Reflection

This class has certainly challenged me to think about my teaching in a completely different light. When I began this course, I honestly would not have been able to accurately characterize my own personal theory of learning. I was familiar with many of the instructional strategies that we explored throughout this course, but I was not well versed in the learning theories that support the instructional theories that I am much more familiar with. As I've explored many of the different learning theories, from behaviorism to experiential learning, and from constructionism to project based learning and connectivism, I have been able to develop a greater understanding of what my own personal theory of learning is. My original personal theory of learning was focused mainly around students constructing artifacts to demonstrate their learning; essentially project based learning (Orey, 2001). Through becoming more familiar with the different theories of learning, I can much more accurately pinpoint and describe my own personal theory of learning. I still believe in the importance of students creating artifacts and projects to demonstrate learning, but I also find that I believe very strongly in the social constructivist theory and connectivism. I believe that students develop their learning and understanding through a lens that is constructed of their own experiences and beliefs. That learning and understanding is further developed and deepened when brought together with the experiences and beliefs of classroom peers, and put into the context and culture of the classroom and its students (Orey, 2001). I have also come to recognize that it is imperative for there to be connections made by the learner, if learning is to actually take place. Students need to create networks within their brains of recalling and connecting information and materials, through personal experiences, and connections with others who have had experiences with the needed information (Orey, 2001).

With those modifications and clarifications in mind for my own personal theory of learning, I think it will be imperative that I not only provide project based learning experiences for my students to develop understanding, but I must also be intentional on creating cooperative groups for students construct meaning together in a social manner that deepens and adds to student learning. I also need to be more intentional about connecting the material to student lives or material previously learned. Those cooperative groupings and connections will be crucial to making the changes in my classroom to reflect my personal theory of learning.

The technology integration into my classroom has been going quite well over the last year. I do, however, want to adjust the use of technology so that I can more fully utilize the technology for the short times that it is available to me. The greatest thing that I can do is to plan the projects and units more in advance, so that I can prepare the students for using new technology, such as Comic Life or Garage Band, by introducing the technology itself, and allowing students to experiment with the programs – prior to attempting to complete a project. This addition of intentional technology instruction will help students be able to troubleshoot and problem-solve technology issues during the project, allowing them to remain focused on the content and learning of the project information.

I currently use concept mapping tools and word processors to help students organize information, take notes, and summarize their learning. I also use the interactive white board to help students make visual and textual connections to material. I have used podcasting and slide show creation in my classroom with my students. I would, however, like to couple all of those technologies with the use of virtual field trips to help my students interact with the learning material and work within a group to help construct their own meaning and understanding of the material itself. This goal will require me to create and plan for my classroom in a long term manner. The best way that I can implement this instructional practice change will be to choose perhaps one topic per term and think about how the implementation of technology could greatly impact that unit or topic. By choosing one topic per term, I will be able to thoroughly plan a unit or lesson. Once the unit or lesson is planned, I can save those plans for the next year. Planning for lessons in this manner will allow me to build a portfolio of sorts to continue integrating technology into differing areas of the curriculum. As I continue to learn of and use new technologies, that learning can be injected into the lessons I design. I think this technology will not only emotionally engage students, but it will encourage and foster discussion among students within the learning group, creating new connections and deeper learning for all of the students in the group (Orey, 2001).

I am currently using a classroom blog with my students, but I would very much like to use it much more consistently and comprehensively. Currently, students present completed work on blog pages, and then, whenever possible, the rest of the class can view that work, asking questions or making comments about the work. I would really like to have students continue to present work in this fashion, but I would like to create a more consistent opportunity for students to respond and reflect upon the work that others have done. To do this, I need to be able to offer students time and ability to not only complete the projects to post on the blog, but time and ability to view and reflect upon the blog work of their peers. In order to do this, I will need to have three to five computers perpetually available to my students, so that they can post or respond to work on our blog site. As I am entering a new school district in the fall, I am not aware of what technology will be available to me within my classroom. If I have the computer technology available to me, I will simply set up a student rotation for both blog work creation as well as reflection. There will have to be set times during the class day that students can utilize the computers for these purposes. If the computer technology is not available to me, I will simply have to work with district personnel to acquire the technology, if possible, or seek outside grant monies to do so. I think that using a classroom blog in this way would help to further deepen the connections that students make with learning material. I also think that by widening the audience for their work, students will experience differing viewpoints on the same material, helping them to create new meanings and understandings (Orey, 2001).

This class has provided me with a clarity and understanding of what I believe fosters the best learning. It has also shown me what I need to do instructionally, in order to best support the learning that my students do in the classroom, while at the same time integrating technology in the most useful ways possible.

Reference:

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19213110@N00/3548570278

What About the Neediest Ones?

Please click on the post title to enjoy the Voice Thread I created about why some schools have more technology resources than others!

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

Social learning theories suggest that optimum learning takes place when social interaction among students occurs (Orey, 2001). Cooperative learning strategies are an excellent way to integrate social learning into the classroom. Cooperative learning provides students with an opportunity to share their understanding with a group. It also gives students an opportunity to learn from the perspectives, experiences, and understandings of the other students in the group. Cooperative learning promotes "positive interdependence" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007) among students, accountability among students, communication skills, decision making skills, conflict management skills, and content synthesis and reflection, through social communication and activity completion (Pitler, et.al, 2007).

When using cooperative groups, teachers need to be sure that the groups are flexible in nature and that cooperative learning opportunities are used when the activity or learning can be positively impacted by students working closely together (Pitler, et.al, 2007). It is important that groups are formed with intentionality and purpose, whether it is based on ability, interest, or skill sets (Pitler, et.al, 2007).

Technology tools offer a unique opportunity and ability for students to work cooperatively in a problem-based or project based learning situation. Word processors and concept maps help cooperative groups plan the project, take notes on information learned, and summarize the relevant information quickly. Collaborative tools, such as Voice Thread, ePals, blogs, and wikis allow students to work collaboratively on a project when they are away from school. These tools provide a place for students and groups to present their understandings, questions, and connections to the learning material, and receive feedback and suggestions from their peers, thus altering and deepening the understanding that the student or group has. They also allow for collaboration to occur between students across the country and across the world.

What makes these tools so have such a high impact is their relevance to social learning strategies. These tools allow students to share their gained information, and gain and understand new information together as a group. When students work together cooperatively, optimum learning takes place through the discussion and acceptance or rejection of material from the group as whole (Orey, 2001). The group, being made up of students from a particular community bases its overall understanding and integration of the material on past experiences and social meaning and understanding of the concepts presented (Orey, 2001). The group ultimately works together to form a unified position of understanding about the material, thus creating a common learning threat for all students in that group.

For cooperative learning to work, students have to actively participate in the group and bring their own understandings, experiences, and thoughts to the group to share them. It is an excellent strategy that can be easily infused with technology, while simultaneously deepening and broadening the meaning and understanding of content for 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.