According to Dr Orey, the constructionist theory of learning states that people learn best when they create an external artifact or something they can share with others (Laureate, 2008). There are several modes of technology that support this learning theory.
The technology that is the most practical for my kindergarten students is Power Point. We have made many class power points, where they students help write and insert pictures, but we make just one Power Point together as a class. We have made Power Points for each letter of the alphabet, with our site words, we have re written our favorite stories, and we have made Power Points to tell about other specific academic content. While my students are not creating their own Power Point, they still have a major part in creating one as a class. As students get older they can be even more independent in the creation of a Power Point project to share with the class.
Using software to generate and test a hypothesis “enables students to see the bigger picture and recognize patterns” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, pg. 210). Microsoft Excel enables the teacher to set the formula so all students have to do is input their data. This allows them to focus on the product instead of the process. I can see how this would really be of benefit for upper grades. I struggle with the idea of having my 5 year old students input data into a spreadsheet. I cannot even think of what lesson that would fit with.
There are several web resources that allow students “to use background knowledge, make decisions, and see the outcome of their hypothesis, often in virtual situations that would be impossible or financially unfeasible in real life” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, pg. 212-213). Again, I feel that this is a tool probably better suited to upper grades, but I am curious to explore some of these resources to see if any of them can be used in my class.
In all of these instances students are creating projects that can be shared with others. This fits in with what Dr. Orey states is the constructivist learning theory and in turn will help students to learn better.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories. [Motion Picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
For about six years my school district has been really into the use of thinking maps. Thinking maps are a type of graphic organizer. I have been to several trainings on the use of thinking maps and have implemented them into my classroom because it is district required. This week I had a bit of an “aha!” moment. I now have a good reason to use thinking maps in my classroom- aside from doing it because it is required.
Thinking maps along with other concept mapping tools replicate the network model of cognitive learning. They are a way to organize and link ideas. One of the primary modes for storing information into long term memory is through elaboration. When we help our students make many connections to information they will have more connections with which to retrieve the information (Laureate, 2008). Because my students cannot read, when I do thinking maps I use graphics instead of words most of the time. According to Pavio’s duel code people store image more than text (Laureate, 2008).
I can say from experience that using thinking maps has greatly increased my student’s acquisition of information. The easiest way for me to use them is when retelling a story. A flow map is relatively easy to make and helps the students see the flow of a story and aides in their ability to retell it. I also use thinking maps to classify and group objects, and to make comparisons. Once my class has done a thinking map I leave it up on the wall. I am always pleased to see them going back to a thinking map months later, during choice time and retelling stories or discussing the information presented on the organizer. It shows me that this tool is effective at helping students to learn and retrieve information.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008). Cognitive Learning Theories [Motion Picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Thinking maps along with other concept mapping tools replicate the network model of cognitive learning. They are a way to organize and link ideas. One of the primary modes for storing information into long term memory is through elaboration. When we help our students make many connections to information they will have more connections with which to retrieve the information (Laureate, 2008). Because my students cannot read, when I do thinking maps I use graphics instead of words most of the time. According to Pavio’s duel code people store image more than text (Laureate, 2008).
I can say from experience that using thinking maps has greatly increased my student’s acquisition of information. The easiest way for me to use them is when retelling a story. A flow map is relatively easy to make and helps the students see the flow of a story and aides in their ability to retell it. I also use thinking maps to classify and group objects, and to make comparisons. Once my class has done a thinking map I leave it up on the wall. I am always pleased to see them going back to a thinking map months later, during choice time and retelling stories or discussing the information presented on the organizer. It shows me that this tool is effective at helping students to learn and retrieve information.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008). Cognitive Learning Theories [Motion Picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
This week I read about some instructional strategies. One of the strategies that I read about is reinforcing student’s effort. The concept is that if you show your students that their academic achievements are based on how much effort and work they put into school, they will start to put forth more effort. This strategy can be easily supported with technology such as Microsoft Excel. Using this strategy to have students chart and graph their own effort and achievement can certainly be eye opening for some students.
This strategy fits in with the behaviorist theory of teaching. It is a type of positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is presenting a stimulus that improves the likelihood for a response (Orey, 2001). The stimulus in this strategy is getting better grades. When students can physically see that their effort increases their achievement they are more likely to continue trying hard. “Students work for things that bring them positive feelings, and for approval from people they admire. They change behaviors to satisfy the desires they have learned to value” (Orey, 2001).
This strategy is also a type of behavior modification. Behavior modification can be achieved by finding and using a suitable reinforcer- in this case an intrinsic one, and then reinforcing certain behaviors until students start to become successful with that behavior (Orey, 2001).
A second strategy I explored this week is homework and practice. “As an extension of the classroom, homework provides opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of the content and to gain proficiency with their skills” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p.187). Homework reinforces the materials covered in class.
A great way to tie practice with technology is through the use of websites that employ programmed instruction. “Online educational games have an inherent appeal and generate immediate feedback that allows a student, parent, and teacher to monitor progress toward mastery” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p.195). My favorite programmed instruction site is starfall.com. I use it all the time in my class. It uses reinforcement to teach letters and letter sounds, and to teach beginning reading. My students love to read and do the games on that website, and I believe it is through the practice we do whole class on starfall that my students have reached their current level of mastery so quickly.
Reference:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page
This strategy fits in with the behaviorist theory of teaching. It is a type of positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is presenting a stimulus that improves the likelihood for a response (Orey, 2001). The stimulus in this strategy is getting better grades. When students can physically see that their effort increases their achievement they are more likely to continue trying hard. “Students work for things that bring them positive feelings, and for approval from people they admire. They change behaviors to satisfy the desires they have learned to value” (Orey, 2001).
This strategy is also a type of behavior modification. Behavior modification can be achieved by finding and using a suitable reinforcer- in this case an intrinsic one, and then reinforcing certain behaviors until students start to become successful with that behavior (Orey, 2001).
A second strategy I explored this week is homework and practice. “As an extension of the classroom, homework provides opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of the content and to gain proficiency with their skills” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p.187). Homework reinforces the materials covered in class.
A great way to tie practice with technology is through the use of websites that employ programmed instruction. “Online educational games have an inherent appeal and generate immediate feedback that allows a student, parent, and teacher to monitor progress toward mastery” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p.195). My favorite programmed instruction site is starfall.com. I use it all the time in my class. It uses reinforcement to teach letters and letter sounds, and to teach beginning reading. My students love to read and do the games on that website, and I believe it is through the practice we do whole class on starfall that my students have reached their current level of mastery so quickly.
Reference:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Reflection
As I am wrapping up my first technology class for my Master’s degree I look back on the last eight weeks with a bit of surprise. I have always been relatively technologically savvy. When I was applying for my master’s program and saw the course work I did not think it looked very hard. In fact I remember telling a friend “one class is about how to do a blog. How hard can that be?” Oh how foolish a statement. This class proved to be a challenge for me, pushing me into a realm of technology I had never explored before. I feel pretty comfortable now using some of the web 2.0 technologies- namely blogging and wikis. I mean, here I am posting on my own blog! And making a wiki page was a lot of fun and very satisfying. In fact I have gone to my group wiki page several times and even used some of the links we posted. In these ways I feel satisfied that I have really developed a whole new set of skills that I otherwise would never have even thought about.
Everything that I have learned has put my brain on a sort of information overload. I am one of those people that need to sit on information, and mull it over before it really all sinks in. I believe the best way for me to expand my knowledge of integrating technology to increase my students achievement is to use and practice all of these new technologies myself. I believe the more I use them and become comfortable with them the more ideas I will get about how to utilize them in the classroom. If I let my knowledge and new found skills go cold I will no doubt lose them and never be able to fully implement their use in the classroom. While taking this course I did find my Achilles heel of technology – the podcast. I had a lot of fun recording the podcast, and my students had a lot of fun being in it. In fact, for a couple of them, just recording got them to speak in complete sentences and practice good English. My problem was in the uploading and production. As it turns out my sound bites were saved in the wrong format, and to be candid led to a total meltdown on my part. In a small way I am glad for it because I will have a level of empathy with my students if they struggle with technology in the classroom. I know I am going to need to try a podcast again soon and get over the hurdle I encountered or I am never going to use it in my classroom, and that would be a shame.
A second way to expand my knowledge of technology is to continue to familiarize myself with the skills of 21st century learning. I have a grasp on those skills needed but I feel as though I need to continue to reference these skills- possibly through the 21st century skills website, and find ways to purposefully include skills such as: critical thinking, problems solving, communication, teamwork/collaboration, creativity, self direction, and social responsibility into my teaching. Making a conscious effort to teach my students these skills will help to equip them for life.
One goal I have for transforming my classroom is to incorporate the lessons and projects I created in my class. One of those projects is a classroom blog page. In one of my first blogs I talked about how I can make a classroom blog and my goal now is to start it. I also came up with two classroom wiki projects. One of the projects is to have a question wiki where my students can post the many questions they have about how things work, and animals, and well, about everything. My goal is to have parents, fellow teachers, and fellow students answer the questions posed by my students. My second wiki project is one to develop an essential skill in my students and will involve them working together to create pages on the letters of the alphabet and add words and pictures that begin with each letter. Accomplishing this goal will require me to dive in and get started. I will have to set aside time to create the blog and wiki pages and then carve out time every day to incorporate these projects.
A more important goal and perhaps a goal that will take some time to fully incorporate is to begin to shift my way of teaching from directing what they learn into facilitating what they learn. I want my mindset to be “how can students use technology to create their own learning?” and then work to create activities that accommodate this type of student centered learning (Laureate, 2008). Since my goal as a teacher is to create effective members of society and the workforce, I also feel it important to teach media literacy along with information literacy by bringing the media into the classroom. Instead of the teacher being the only source of knowledge, I need to teach students how to find and interpret the information that is so easily located on the internet. I need to model for students how to discern what kind of information is accurate as well as teach them how to contribute accurate information to the web (Laureate, 2008). This goal might prove to be more difficult because of the expectation of my district to be a teacher that directs learning. I do believe that if I continue to use technology, remind myself of the skills my students will need, and begin to incorporate some of the web 2.0 technologies that I have learned over these last eight weeks, in time I will be able to make this shift into student created learning.
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). The changing role of the classroom teacher: Part 1: Understanding the impact of technology on education, work, and society [DVD]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). The changing role of the classroom teacher: Part 2: Understanding the impact of technology on education, work, and society [DVD]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Everything that I have learned has put my brain on a sort of information overload. I am one of those people that need to sit on information, and mull it over before it really all sinks in. I believe the best way for me to expand my knowledge of integrating technology to increase my students achievement is to use and practice all of these new technologies myself. I believe the more I use them and become comfortable with them the more ideas I will get about how to utilize them in the classroom. If I let my knowledge and new found skills go cold I will no doubt lose them and never be able to fully implement their use in the classroom. While taking this course I did find my Achilles heel of technology – the podcast. I had a lot of fun recording the podcast, and my students had a lot of fun being in it. In fact, for a couple of them, just recording got them to speak in complete sentences and practice good English. My problem was in the uploading and production. As it turns out my sound bites were saved in the wrong format, and to be candid led to a total meltdown on my part. In a small way I am glad for it because I will have a level of empathy with my students if they struggle with technology in the classroom. I know I am going to need to try a podcast again soon and get over the hurdle I encountered or I am never going to use it in my classroom, and that would be a shame.
A second way to expand my knowledge of technology is to continue to familiarize myself with the skills of 21st century learning. I have a grasp on those skills needed but I feel as though I need to continue to reference these skills- possibly through the 21st century skills website, and find ways to purposefully include skills such as: critical thinking, problems solving, communication, teamwork/collaboration, creativity, self direction, and social responsibility into my teaching. Making a conscious effort to teach my students these skills will help to equip them for life.
One goal I have for transforming my classroom is to incorporate the lessons and projects I created in my class. One of those projects is a classroom blog page. In one of my first blogs I talked about how I can make a classroom blog and my goal now is to start it. I also came up with two classroom wiki projects. One of the projects is to have a question wiki where my students can post the many questions they have about how things work, and animals, and well, about everything. My goal is to have parents, fellow teachers, and fellow students answer the questions posed by my students. My second wiki project is one to develop an essential skill in my students and will involve them working together to create pages on the letters of the alphabet and add words and pictures that begin with each letter. Accomplishing this goal will require me to dive in and get started. I will have to set aside time to create the blog and wiki pages and then carve out time every day to incorporate these projects.
A more important goal and perhaps a goal that will take some time to fully incorporate is to begin to shift my way of teaching from directing what they learn into facilitating what they learn. I want my mindset to be “how can students use technology to create their own learning?” and then work to create activities that accommodate this type of student centered learning (Laureate, 2008). Since my goal as a teacher is to create effective members of society and the workforce, I also feel it important to teach media literacy along with information literacy by bringing the media into the classroom. Instead of the teacher being the only source of knowledge, I need to teach students how to find and interpret the information that is so easily located on the internet. I need to model for students how to discern what kind of information is accurate as well as teach them how to contribute accurate information to the web (Laureate, 2008). This goal might prove to be more difficult because of the expectation of my district to be a teacher that directs learning. I do believe that if I continue to use technology, remind myself of the skills my students will need, and begin to incorporate some of the web 2.0 technologies that I have learned over these last eight weeks, in time I will be able to make this shift into student created learning.
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). The changing role of the classroom teacher: Part 1: Understanding the impact of technology on education, work, and society [DVD]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). The changing role of the classroom teacher: Part 2: Understanding the impact of technology on education, work, and society [DVD]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
21st Century Skills
As an educator I feel it my responsibility to prepare my students to be successful in life. That is one of the main reasons I became a teacher- I want to impact the future by preparing today's children for it. As a life long learner myself, I have been learning a lot lately about the skills that our children are going to need in order to be successful in such a technological society. Unfortunately, there seems to be a huge gap between the advancements of technology in society and in the classroom.
To help close this gap and prepare our students for the 21st century, there is an organization called the Partnership for 21st century skills. The program currently runs in 14 states. This week I spent some time investigating their website and found it to be informative. The partnership helps to fund the development of such skills as creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration to name a few. They have a framework of all the 21st century skills they stress posted on their website.
I was very surprised at the amount of corporate sponsors backing this project. The volume and nature of the sponsors show that businesses are aware of the need for our students to become capable in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (Laureate,2008). We are currently not producing enough capable people in the work force in these areas, leading to the outsourcing of these jobs to countries with a ready work force.
If partnerships like this one work its way into my state, our daily classroom lives will change pretty dramatically. The focus of teaching will not just be reading, writing and math, but also a strong focus on technology, life and career skills. We'll start to see more project based work, emphasizing the use of collaborating and a much more wide spread use of technologies such as web 2.o. Teaching will become more group focused and inquiry based. I wonder which will come first: Changes in what and how we teach leading to changes in our standards and state tests or changes in our standards and state tests leading us to change what and how we teach. If my past experience has taught me anything, it is that nothing moves slower than getting classroom policy to change.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Skills for the 21st century. [Motion picture]. Baltimore: Author.
To help close this gap and prepare our students for the 21st century, there is an organization called the Partnership for 21st century skills. The program currently runs in 14 states. This week I spent some time investigating their website and found it to be informative. The partnership helps to fund the development of such skills as creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration to name a few. They have a framework of all the 21st century skills they stress posted on their website.
I was very surprised at the amount of corporate sponsors backing this project. The volume and nature of the sponsors show that businesses are aware of the need for our students to become capable in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (Laureate,2008). We are currently not producing enough capable people in the work force in these areas, leading to the outsourcing of these jobs to countries with a ready work force.
If partnerships like this one work its way into my state, our daily classroom lives will change pretty dramatically. The focus of teaching will not just be reading, writing and math, but also a strong focus on technology, life and career skills. We'll start to see more project based work, emphasizing the use of collaborating and a much more wide spread use of technologies such as web 2.o. Teaching will become more group focused and inquiry based. I wonder which will come first: Changes in what and how we teach leading to changes in our standards and state tests or changes in our standards and state tests leading us to change what and how we teach. If my past experience has taught me anything, it is that nothing moves slower than getting classroom policy to change.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Skills for the 21st century. [Motion picture]. Baltimore: Author.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
How can I use blogging in my classroom?
I have been thinking about how I might use a blog in my classroom. Blogs are a powerful tool in the instructional setting in so many ways: reading, writing, collaborating with people across the globe, and archiving and sharing student work (Richardson, 2009). Since I am a kindergarten teacher I feel somewhat limited in the ways I will be able to use a blog in my class. Since they are just learning how to write phonetically, I don't feel it practical to have a blog where students write themselves. Because of this I am struggling with ways to use a blog within a lesson. I see my use of a blog as more of a communicative tool.
I would like to start a classroom blog as a way to post student work, and communicate with parents. It would keep parents updated on homework, and upcoming school activities. As a class we could even write a summary of our day together and post it so that parents know what we did that day. I will be sure to include links to websites that have good educational games on them so that students can get extra support in a fun way.
Another use for my classroom blog is to find a classroom we can be blog pals with. A technological twist on the traditional pen pal. It could be educational for my students to learn about what life is like for children outside of the the small community they live in.
Currently, if we have extra time in our day we will research a topic on the internet that my students want to know more about- for example animals, and bugs. When I get better at blogging, I can have my students post questions to the general public about things they want to know about and see what kinds of responses we get. Students might even chose to research the topic at home and post a response with their family.
My question to anyone who might be reading this is simple: what are some different grade level appropriate ways I can use a blog in my classroom of kindergarteners? While I have no problem imagining the uses of this technology for older students I am stumped for ideas of to use blogs in my own situation. I would be appreciative of any ideas.
Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wiks, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
I would like to start a classroom blog as a way to post student work, and communicate with parents. It would keep parents updated on homework, and upcoming school activities. As a class we could even write a summary of our day together and post it so that parents know what we did that day. I will be sure to include links to websites that have good educational games on them so that students can get extra support in a fun way.
Another use for my classroom blog is to find a classroom we can be blog pals with. A technological twist on the traditional pen pal. It could be educational for my students to learn about what life is like for children outside of the the small community they live in.
Currently, if we have extra time in our day we will research a topic on the internet that my students want to know more about- for example animals, and bugs. When I get better at blogging, I can have my students post questions to the general public about things they want to know about and see what kinds of responses we get. Students might even chose to research the topic at home and post a response with their family.
My question to anyone who might be reading this is simple: what are some different grade level appropriate ways I can use a blog in my classroom of kindergarteners? While I have no problem imagining the uses of this technology for older students I am stumped for ideas of to use blogs in my own situation. I would be appreciative of any ideas.
Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wiks, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
my first blog
Hello to all of you who are looking at my blog page. I do not know exactly what I should write in my first blog post, so I will keep it short. To my Walden classmates I look forward to chatting with you on this new medium for the next seven weeks!
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