Week 8-Effective Bridging of Technology and Instruction-Reflection

“By learning you will teach, by teaching you will learn.”
-Latin Proverb

“The human mechanism of incorporating new knowledge behaviors and skills into an individual personal repertoire broadly defines learning,” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 208). Reflecting on my personal theory of learning, I am still a firm believer that students learn by doing. When they are actively involved and engaged in hands on activities, true learning takes place. This course has enhanced my effectiveness as a teacher by implementing instructional strategies and technology tools to increase my student’s learning.

Reflecting on immediate adjustments, regarding technology integration, two instructional tools I would use with my students will be note taking, cues, and questions. This course has taught me that when you provide cues and questions, your students have a clearer sense of what they are going to learn, (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Teaching my students how to take notes would definitely aid in their comprehension of the information presented. Dr. Orey mentioned the Dual Coding Hypothesis in our media learning that students’ information that they learn is stored as images, (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Implementing tools such as teacher based notes, combination notes, Inspiration, and PowerPoint are just a few tools that will give them the ability to see what I am expecting them to learn when lessons are being taught. This course also taught me “when students work with computer technology, instead of being controlled by it, they enhance the capabilities of the computer and the computer enhances their thinking and learning,” (Orey, 2001).

Overall, this course has given me many tools and strategies to make my classroom more effective and enhance my student’s learning. My ultimate goal is to continue to inspire my students. William Arthur Ward stated that “teaching is more than imparting knowledge; it is inspiring change. Learning is more that absorbing facts, it is acquiring understanding.” It is that understanding that creates the life long learner in my students. From this course, two goals I would implement throughout the remaining of my teaching career will be to render positive feedback and recognition to my students more. Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski stated that feedback is the most powerful single innovation that enhances achievement, (2007). In addition, recognizing students positively influence their attitudes and beliefs. This course has indeed opened my eyes to ways of integrating technology in the classroom. It has given me the ability to implement a more learner-centered classroom, which will in return give both my students and me a chance to learn.

Thank you!

Resources

Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education,
Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

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.

Week 5-Voice Thread

Hi Everyone,

This is my first time completing a voice thread. I hope I did it right. This voice thread is in regards to a current situation we have in our school district. Due to the budget, we are having "Content Recovery" instead of having actual summer school this year. The district isn't paying for those students who are on free or reduced lunch. Also, students are only allowed to take two courses during content recovery. Finally, the cost of this program is based on the grade the student made in the class for the academic school year.

Looking forward to hearing or reading your thoughts! Thanks!

Enjoy your weekend & the Summer Vacation!!! :)

Here's the link to my voicethread:

http://voicethread.com/#b528728

Cooperative Learning & Social Learning Theories

“Just like anything else that involves human experience or interaction, the act of learning does not happen in a vacuum. It is at the intersection of prior knowledge, experience, perception, reality, comprehension, and flexibility that learning occurs,” (Orey, 2001).

The 21st Century learner indeed learns differently from those students of the past. Today in the techno-savvy world that we live in, many strategies have been implemented in order to prepare our students for the fast-paced world that is driven by technology. The instructional practices presented in our resources are indeed helpful for any teacher to aid in integrating learning. One particular, is base groups. Pitler stated that base groups help build trust, camaraderie, and teamwork. This group is formed to provide support throughout the semester or the school year, (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & McDonald, 2007). This is an essential foundation for a great year of cooperative learning. Once trust is developed, students will have the ability to put their minds at work in safe learning environment.

Social learning includes students that are actively engaging in constructing artifacts and conversing with others, (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). When students work together, they are able to learn from each other, push each other, as well as motivate each other. The many strategies presented such as, “Keypals, Webquests, and Web Site Creation are just a few that involve cooperative learning. Being able to connect with your peers on a social level and cooperative level, not only gives you the ability to interact with each other, it gives you the ability to work together and attain group goals that cannot be obtained by working alone or competitively, (Orey, 2001).

As teachers we must know that the primary purpose of cooperative learning is the actively involve students in the learning process; a level of student empowerment which is not possible in a lecture format, (Orey, 2001).

Have a great week!

Resources:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program seven Social learning theories.
Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

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.

EDUC 6711-Constructivism in Practice

Our learning resources shared that when students generate and test hypotheses, they are engaging in complex mental processes, applying content knowledge like facts and vocabulary, and enhancing their overall understanding of the content, (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). In developing a hypothesis, teachers help students through: systems analysis, problem solving, historical investigation, invention, experimental inquiry, and decision-making, (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).

Reflecting on the correlation of the constructivist/constructionist learning theories, Dr. Orey stated that with constructionism, students need to have first hand experience. They learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others; whereas, the constructivist actively constructs his/her own meaning, (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). I agree with our text authors when they said that technology plays a vital role in generating and testing hypotheses. Technology allows students to spend more time interpreting the data rather than gathering the data, (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Showing the students how to use MS Excel, Access, PowerPoint, etc., gives them the ability to analyze data in many different ways. For example, my students create a household budget and then create several charts and graphs to show their data. In that, they are using the mechanisms of learning that Dr. Orey mentioned in the DVD learning. By implementing instructional strategies, students learn how to assimilate and accommodate information to fit what they currently know. I am a firm believer that students do learn by example. In generating a hypothesis, it gives students the ability to open their minds, think thoroughly about a topic and come up with a solution. As we continue to teach our students how to become lifelong learners, we are doing just as the teacher stated in our DVD: we are preparing our students to solve problems, think critically, as well as prepare them for the jobs of the future.


Resources

-Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program six. Constructionist and
Constructivist Learning Theories. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

-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.

Cognitive Learning Theories

Cognitive theorists explain learning in terms of how one thinks. They say learning and problem solving represent mental processes that are undetectable by mere observation, (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). Dr. Orey presented that learning revolve around information processing. The Information Processing Model consists of sensory input of information, short-term memory, and rehearsal, (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). The instructional strategies presented this week correlates with the principles of the cognitive learning theory by aiding in their learning. These strategies focus on enhancing students’ ability to retrieve, use, and organize information about a topic, (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). The ultimate goal for any student is to be able to obtain information, process it, and store it in their long-term memory, (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009).

When we provide cues and questions, our students have a clearer sense of what they are going to learn, (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Teaching them how to take notes would definitely aid in their comprehension of the information presented. From, limited short term memory, dual coding, elaboration, and network model of memory; these components key factor is making connections, (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Tools such as teacher based notes, combination notes, Inspiration, and PowerPoint are tools that correlate with the cognitive learning theory which aids our students in processing information.

Overall, we learned that “when students work with computer technology, instead of being controlled by it, they enhance the capabilities of the computer and the computer enhances their thinking and learning. The effective use of cognitive tools should enable learners to undertake this process and assist them in experiencing cognitive processes that would be impossible with such tools.” (Orey, 2001).

Resources

-Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program five. Cognitive Learning Theories. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

-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.

EDUC 6711-Week 2: Behaviorism Blog

Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski stated that, “effort is the most important factor in achievement. The instructional strategy of reinforcing effort enhances students’ understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement by addressing their attitudes and beliefs about learning,” (2007). Reflecting on the strategies in our resources, implementing technology gives teachers and students the ability to see visually how a student is behaving and how they are performing in class. The use of rubrics, spreadsheets, charts, and graphs, are a great way for students to track their success and see the areas in which they need to improve,

“Homework and practices give students a chance to review and apply what they have learned. Homework provides opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of the content and to gain proficiency with their skills, (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). In instructional technology, having tutorials gives individuals programmed instruction to aid them in completing assignments. Many programmed instructions are fun and engaged computer programs designed to keep the student interested.

Correlating strategies, theories, and learning are key essentials any teacher must take in planning effective instruction. Applying the principles of the behaviorist learning theory, overall students learn as a response to the environment. For students, if completing homework, reinforcing effort, and completing practices were something that they enjoy doing, they would change their behavior in order to receive the desired reward.

References

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

- Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

EDUC 6711 Class-Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology

Welcome Everyone!