Before this class, I thought that as long as I was using technology in my classroom, students would be better off because I was using technology. I have come to learn that it really depends upon how you use that technology as a teacher that will determine how effective the technology will be. This course made me rethink many aspects of my teaching methods. For example, I never thought about how a person or student remember information or how the brain works. Today I think about certain aspects of how my teaching will affect the learning process of my students on a daily basis and it has changed the way I teach many different lesson thus far.
In my science classroom, I use a projector with a PowerPoint presentation often. I always have a summary of what the students are supposed to be learning about up on the screen. I have come to realize that this is not always the best way for students to learn since I am (or the students) just reading the words off the board. What I am doing now is that I only put pictures up on the board that show the students what I am talking about and this allows me, as the teacher, to elaborate more on the picture. This makes the PowerPoint presentation a learning tool rather than an instruction tool, which allows the students to better understand the information presented (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010) . Another tool that I use is a SmartSlate. In the past, I rarely let the students use this tool on a daily basis; however, I have learned that if the students use it more than I do, this instructional tool becomes a learning tool.
Two technology tools that I would like to use with my students in the future are blogs and VoiceThread. I would use blogs as a homework assignment, where I would post a question in the beginning of the week and the students would have to post their thoughts by Thursday and we would discuss as a class by Friday. By having the students post their thoughts on the blog, they can see what they think and what other students think and can create great discussions. VoiceThreads are a great tool that I would like to use in the near future. They will enable me, as a teacher, to make an application that is very similar to PowerPoint but I can insert my voice along with videos. VoiceThreads also let people comment on certain parts of the thread as well, which can be used as a very powerful tool. I would use VoiceThreads in two different ways: one way would be to introduce a project, and another would have the students make a VoiceThread on a topic that we are going over in class.
My long term goals over the next few years are very simple. The first one is to use PowerPoint presentations as a learning tool instead of a instructional tool. My second goal is to have more web 2.0 applications projects throughout the year in my classroom. The way I am going to make sure that I am going to fulfill the first goal is I am going to save all of my old PowerPoint presentations to a USB drive and put the USB drive at home, then delete them from my school computer. This will ensure that I will not use the old presentations in the up and coming years and will hopefully encourage me to make new presentations that have very little writing and are mostly pictures. For my second goal, I am planning on making one web 2.0 project per year for each class I teach. If I make one project a year within a few years, I will have many web 2.0 projects that I can use in my classes.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore, MD: Author
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Teachers across the nation are constantly assigning projects that have the students make an artifact or solve a problem which forces the students to interact with one another, and this an example of the social learning theory. Social learning theory states that students learn through interactions with others in social situations in which they have to make an artifact or solve a problem (Laureate 2010).
The best example of the social learning theory I have seen is watching my daughter learn about the world around her through social interactions. For example, when my daughter is thirsty and wants some milk, she will run to the refrigerator and tries to say the word milk. My daughter knows through interactions with me and my wife that the milk is kept in that location and knows if she says that word, there is very good chance that we will open the refrigerator and get her some milk. My daughter knows this because of the interactions she has had with me and my wife. She is also solving a problem if the fact that she is thirsty and/or hungry. Another great example of how my daughter has learned through interactions is when she gets her hands on my wife's iphone. She will pick up the phone, hit the button and unlock the phone. She will flip through the different pages of applications that are on my wife's phone. My daughter will also hold the phone up to her ear and say hi. My daughter learned how to use my wife's phone by watching my wife use it and mimics her actions when she uses the phone.
As a seventh grade Social Studies and Science teacher, I assign a lot of group projects. For the most part, these projects work out very well and I highly recommend teachers trying hands-on projects where students create and object or solve a problem while in groups. These projects do take a lot of time and can be hard to incorporate into the school year. Grouping students can also be difficult due to personalities of some students, but the outcome is usually awesome. The reason why these projects turn out so well is because the students take ownership of the project and want to do well.
I know that students can learn a lot from one another under the right conditions. I have witnessed this in my classroom with the many different projects that I assign throughout the year. I have also noticed how learning can take place with interactions by watching my wife and daughter interact on a daily basis. Overall, I feel that people in general can learn a lot from each other under the right social situations.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore, MD: Author
The best example of the social learning theory I have seen is watching my daughter learn about the world around her through social interactions. For example, when my daughter is thirsty and wants some milk, she will run to the refrigerator and tries to say the word milk. My daughter knows through interactions with me and my wife that the milk is kept in that location and knows if she says that word, there is very good chance that we will open the refrigerator and get her some milk. My daughter knows this because of the interactions she has had with me and my wife. She is also solving a problem if the fact that she is thirsty and/or hungry. Another great example of how my daughter has learned through interactions is when she gets her hands on my wife's iphone. She will pick up the phone, hit the button and unlock the phone. She will flip through the different pages of applications that are on my wife's phone. My daughter will also hold the phone up to her ear and say hi. My daughter learned how to use my wife's phone by watching my wife use it and mimics her actions when she uses the phone.
As a seventh grade Social Studies and Science teacher, I assign a lot of group projects. For the most part, these projects work out very well and I highly recommend teachers trying hands-on projects where students create and object or solve a problem while in groups. These projects do take a lot of time and can be hard to incorporate into the school year. Grouping students can also be difficult due to personalities of some students, but the outcome is usually awesome. The reason why these projects turn out so well is because the students take ownership of the project and want to do well.
I know that students can learn a lot from one another under the right conditions. I have witnessed this in my classroom with the many different projects that I assign throughout the year. I have also noticed how learning can take place with interactions by watching my wife and daughter interact on a daily basis. Overall, I feel that people in general can learn a lot from each other under the right social situations.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore, MD: Author
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Project based learning is very important in any classroom. This causes a student to think critically, usually creating something physically or electronically. Anytime a student can make something on their own, they are more interested in the subject matter and tend to learn more since they have ownership over what they have made. Having a student create an object that goes along with what they are studying is known as constructivism (Laureate 2010).
On example of how I use constructivism in my classroom is a project which I do in Social Studies at the beginning of each year. The project has the students research the four river civilizations. The students research each civilization and find one item or idea that they feel is still important today for each civilization. The students then make each item using clay or other materials and then write a short paragraph on each item. For the last part of the project, I have the students decorate a shoe box that represents all of the civilizations. Most of the students really like the project because it ties both technology and art into the project and allows them to be creative.
I feel that anytime a teacher can make a project that allows students to make something while using technology will have great impact in their classroom. Since the students are digital natives and they have a strong grasp on the technology, most will excel while having fun. If a student is having fun, they will not see the project as hard work. The students are also creating an object and this causes the students to take ownership over what they are doing; hence making it relevant to their life. If the project is relevant, the students will retain more information because it is important to them.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore, MD: Author
On example of how I use constructivism in my classroom is a project which I do in Social Studies at the beginning of each year. The project has the students research the four river civilizations. The students research each civilization and find one item or idea that they feel is still important today for each civilization. The students then make each item using clay or other materials and then write a short paragraph on each item. For the last part of the project, I have the students decorate a shoe box that represents all of the civilizations. Most of the students really like the project because it ties both technology and art into the project and allows them to be creative.
I feel that anytime a teacher can make a project that allows students to make something while using technology will have great impact in their classroom. Since the students are digital natives and they have a strong grasp on the technology, most will excel while having fun. If a student is having fun, they will not see the project as hard work. The students are also creating an object and this causes the students to take ownership over what they are doing; hence making it relevant to their life. If the project is relevant, the students will retain more information because it is important to them.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore, MD: Author
Friday, March 18, 2011
Week 3
The cognitive learning theory is a theory that tries to explain how people take information and their thought process in remembering this information. The theory also states how students take information from their short term memory to their long term memory. As educators, it is very important for us to know how information is taken from a source to a student's short term memory and then to their long term memory.
I believe when teachers use cues, questions, and advanced organizers it will help the students learn the information. The reason why is because this teaching method supports the cognitive learning theory when applied correctly. For example, if a teacher is asking questions that are relevant or open ended, this will cause the student to think and hopefully make new connections within his/her brain. The teacher can also use graphic organizers to help students make new connections, because the graphic organizers are visual which helps make new connections. This is also known as the dual coding hypothesis which states a person will more likely remember information if there are pictures that are associated with a word or phrase (Laureate 2007).
One very important skill that everyone needs to know how to do is to take proper notes and how to summarize. If this skill is done correctly, it will help the student remember the information that the teacher is trying to convey. For example, if a teacher is having students copy down definitions of vocabulary words, the students are more than likely not going to remember the definitions. The teacher could have the students put the definitions into their own words. By having the students do this, the students will think critically and make new connections in their brain which will help them remember the information.
The strategies listed above are great examples of how students can learn by making new connections in their brain. At times, teachers feel if they ask questions or have the students write down the information, the student should know the information. For example, I felt this way for part of my first year of teaching. I now know that it takes students to make new connections to ensure that they have learned the information presented.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
I believe when teachers use cues, questions, and advanced organizers it will help the students learn the information. The reason why is because this teaching method supports the cognitive learning theory when applied correctly. For example, if a teacher is asking questions that are relevant or open ended, this will cause the student to think and hopefully make new connections within his/her brain. The teacher can also use graphic organizers to help students make new connections, because the graphic organizers are visual which helps make new connections. This is also known as the dual coding hypothesis which states a person will more likely remember information if there are pictures that are associated with a word or phrase (Laureate 2007).
One very important skill that everyone needs to know how to do is to take proper notes and how to summarize. If this skill is done correctly, it will help the student remember the information that the teacher is trying to convey. For example, if a teacher is having students copy down definitions of vocabulary words, the students are more than likely not going to remember the definitions. The teacher could have the students put the definitions into their own words. By having the students do this, the students will think critically and make new connections in their brain which will help them remember the information.
The strategies listed above are great examples of how students can learn by making new connections in their brain. At times, teachers feel if they ask questions or have the students write down the information, the student should know the information. For example, I felt this way for part of my first year of teaching. I now know that it takes students to make new connections to ensure that they have learned the information presented.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Application 2
This week we have been looking at the behaviorism theory and how it relates to instructional strategies in the classroom with technology. This theory states that behaviors can be learned in the classroom with either positive or negative reinforcement and can be measured in the classroom (www.msu.edu). There are two different ways that our school uses technology in my school that relates to the behaviorism theory. They are an online homework site called kids college and a remote response system.
Homework online or using a computer can seem more fun to a student compared to the typical pencil and paper homework assignment. At the school where I teach, we use an online program that quizzes students on math and language arts. This program also lets us track when the students log in and how they do. The students are constantly being asked questions. This is a great example of the behaviorist theory since they are constantly being asked questions and new information is being learned and is constantly repeated.
Another example of using software while looking at the behaviorism theory is using classroom remotes. With the remotes there is a software program that lets the teacher put questions onto the board and the students can choose the correct answer. The questions can be answered in A,B,C and D format or answered by punching in numbers. This lets the students and the teachers get instant feedback on who answered the question correctly and who answered the question incorrectly. The software also allows the teacher to graph the answers that were answered instantly on the board and, if the student answered correctly and sees it on the board, this would act as a reward for the student and is positive reinforcement. If the student sees that he or she answered the question incorrectly, the student will see this on the board and will want to answer the question correctly like the other students.
Overall, technology can be used in many different ways to have the students learn new concepts. These concepts can be reinforced with positive or negative reinforcement. The technology used in our school helps reinforce these concepts.
References
https://www.msu.edu/~purcelll/behaviorism%20theory.htm
Homework online or using a computer can seem more fun to a student compared to the typical pencil and paper homework assignment. At the school where I teach, we use an online program that quizzes students on math and language arts. This program also lets us track when the students log in and how they do. The students are constantly being asked questions. This is a great example of the behaviorist theory since they are constantly being asked questions and new information is being learned and is constantly repeated.
Another example of using software while looking at the behaviorism theory is using classroom remotes. With the remotes there is a software program that lets the teacher put questions onto the board and the students can choose the correct answer. The questions can be answered in A,B,C and D format or answered by punching in numbers. This lets the students and the teachers get instant feedback on who answered the question correctly and who answered the question incorrectly. The software also allows the teacher to graph the answers that were answered instantly on the board and, if the student answered correctly and sees it on the board, this would act as a reward for the student and is positive reinforcement. If the student sees that he or she answered the question incorrectly, the student will see this on the board and will want to answer the question correctly like the other students.
Overall, technology can be used in many different ways to have the students learn new concepts. These concepts can be reinforced with positive or negative reinforcement. The technology used in our school helps reinforce these concepts.
References
https://www.msu.edu/~purcelll/behaviorism%20theory.htm
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