6713 Final Course Reflection: Integrating Technology Across Content Areas

As I complete this class, Integrating Technology Across Content Areas, I am reflecting on what I have learned and the immediate applications that learning will have on my classroom.  Through the use of the GAME Plan template, I have focused my lessons around setting goals, taking action, monitoring my lesson and the students’ learning, and evaluating and extending my lesson (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010). I have sectioned my learning into two main categories:  using the GAME Plan and integrating technology across content areas.

The template of the GAME Plan allowed me to neatly focus my teaching and reminded me of the essentials of a good lesson that integrates technology into my classroom.  I chose to focus on two main areas of the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) Standards: engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources and design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity (ISTE, 2008).  What I would like to do to further my education and develop my teaching is to incorporate different standards and continue to try new strategies to relate to my learners.  As I completed my GAME Plan lessons, I realized that although using new technologies captured student interest, using ones that were more familiar to them eases frustration.  Guhlin(2007) cited several older technologies that still met our requirement for incorporating digital storytelling, but I will continue to look for new ones. While PowerPoint and Google Presentation were two platforms they were familiar with, VoiceThread was not, and students with less confidence in trying new modes were more comfortable with what they knew.  In the future, I will continue to monitor my lessons carefully as I balance pushing new technology with making sure the objective can be met and not overwhelm my students. One of my favorites from this class is the digital story telling.  In my opinion, it blends the ideas of social networking such as Vine and Instagram nicely without putting me as a teacher in a difficult position with social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook that my students do not have access to at school. I find the comic strip format an outstanding way to summarize using not only photos but words. 

Even though our text was divided among the various content areas when it came to giving specific suggestions for the implementation of the GAME Plan, with the use of Problem Based Learning (PBL), I realize more than ever the ease and importance of integrating more than one content area into as many lessons as possible.  I would even add a category into the GAME Plan template to document the various content areas that the lesson covers.  Showing students the connectivity and relevance of what one class does in relation to others and more global issues is important to me, and in the future I would like to do more of that.  It fits into the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IB MYP) format our school is adopting and is very timely and pertinent to the diverse student population at my school. 

Integrating Technology Across Content Areas has added one more piece to my teaching repertoire as I have studied the GAME Plan template and learned new ways to integrate technology into my classroom that connects students, content material, and global learning.  While my students and I have honed some of our skills with tools we have used before, we have also tried new technologies.  Some lessons were met with greater success than others, but monitoring what worked and what needs improvement will not be difficult and analyzing the results will allow me to set new goals.

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom

       use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Guhlin, M. (2007). Web-based tools for creating digital stories and more. TechEdge, 27(1), 26–

            28. 

International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved fromhttp://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers

The Hunger GAME: Time to Change Strategy?

To review my GAME plan, my goal is to incorporate one new activity and one new assessment for my students as they continue mastering the standards for The Hunger Games unit we are covering.  These goals will allow me to develop  my implementation of ISTE indicators that will customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources; and provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching (ISTE, 2008). My activity is to give students the task of finding a song that relates to one of the characters from the novel and creating a video, slideshow, or podcast that shows the lyrics and what they have to do with characterization.  My assessment is to challenge students to create a series of three six second video clips that highlight the novel’s significant plot events, use of symbolism, and characterization.

Life just got in the way.  Instead of being in the classroom where we could use laptops to finalize their group projects where they are creating an arena, I just lost a day due to testing that was added unexpectedly so we can collect data on my students’ reading levels.  Another factor that has them excited (read distracted) is the upcoming release this Friday of Catching Fire.  They are so anxious to see what happens next that they are making predictions instead of focusing on our content.  I am curious to see how the new movie sparks their interest and catches fire (pun intended) in the classroom when it comes to creating their vines. Add into that the upcoming Thanksgiving break, and six seconds of attention is about all I may get. 

The good news:  they are excited about their arenas and are impressed with using Google Docs.  Some of them are working on shared documents for the first time.  If I can model some Vines that I make this weekend, I think that I can reignite their interest in new technologies and get them to complete the projects if not before the break, then during their time off.

I will stick with my plan and use my resources.  My colleagues can help me make the Vine samples since we all dressed up as Hunger Games characters for Halloween (we had an amazing Effie, Madge, and Katniss – I was Greasy Sae).  Right now I am monitoring my progress and will make adjustments in the deadlines as needed to accommodate student motivation and practicality;  I will later evaluate my choice of technologies I have included (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010).  Their focus in on their current project and not the new challenges I have posed, so I am curious to see how this all plays out.  Back to the field!  Half time is over and it is time for the fourth quarter press!  Whatever the outcome, students are talking about the book, and that is a “win.”

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom

       use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards for

            teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved fromhttp://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers

Week 2 of the GAME Plan

       Last week I set my goal: create one project and one assessment that allow students to use a different technology than we have used in class to reflect diverse learning styles, allow for collaboration, and utilize students’ creativity as they plan their project and self-assess upon completion. Moving into action, I spoke with my English 10 team and we came up with some ideas for fun projects and assessments that will coincide with the standards we are covering for our Hunger Games unit. We kept in mind our essential questions, looked at the ways students could learn it, and came up with ideas as to how students could access the information differently (Howard, 2004).
       Right now, my students are working collaboratively to create the next arena where the Games could be held. They are focusing on setting, elements that would make the games strategic, symbolism used within the arena like logos, icons, and signals, the influence of another time period, and the characters that would be competing. In between reading the book, watching supporting video clips, and working as a team on this project, students are also completing some supplemental activities. One was to look at song lyrics and compare Katy Perry’s “Roar” and Alicia Keys “Girl on Fire” to our protagonist, Katniss Everdeen.
      The activity and challenge I have given my students is to find another song that relates to any character from the novel and create either a podcast, a video, or a slideshow that uses the music, the lyrics, and an explanation of the connections made between the song and a character. For the assessment activity, I have created a project using the idea of the social media platform Vine: students are to create a series of three Vine videos, or six second videos using their smart phones, that highlight a significant event of the novel, a symbol from the novel, and a character’s personality and relationship to others from the novel.
      Materials I will need are laptops and student smart phones or other video recording devices. The students may upload videos to our class wiki and may present their projects using our Smart Board. I still need to create the specific assignment sheets and rubrics for the activity and assessment, and making my own exemplar to model ideas will be very helpful for students (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010, p. 101). I will continue to collaborate with my team to complete that step. Incorporating universal design for learning (UDL), I will hopefully find ways of sharing information that students are not able to use in a more traditional classroom or assignment and provide flexibility in terms of options for materials, methods, and assessments (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010, p. 117).
        As I continue to monitor my progress, I will finalize the assignment sheet and the rubric this weekend. I have already reserved laptops for the week before Thanksgiving break, and will monitor student progress to decide if they will be needed after break as well. Anticipating student absences, I think this may be necessary. I am anxious to see what the students think about their new “test”!

 References 

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A     standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Howard, K. L. (2004). Universal design for learning: Meeting the needs of all students. Learning and 
     Leading with Technology, 31(5), 26–29.

An Interesting Perspective on Common Core and High Stakes Testing

The GAME Plan for The Hunger Games

     The International Society for Technology Education’s (ISTE) standards for teachers are clearly stated, timely, flexible, and reflective of solid 21st century teaching practices.  The National Education Standards for Teacher (NETS-T) include the following:

1.      Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

2.      Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

3.      Model Digital Age Work and Learning

4.      Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

5.      Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Of these standards (ISTE, 2008), I feel the areas I could develop further would be standards 1 and 2.

            Connecting to and engaging students is one of the most important jobs I do after knowing my content well.  A brilliant mind may contain extensive content information, but if that instructor cannot communicate it in a relevant way to students, it does not hold the same value.  There are two indicators that I would like to focus on in regard to standard 2: customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources; and provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching. To complement that standard, I would also like to focus on standard 1 and one of its indicators: promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.

            To develop my proficiency in these standards, I will create a GAME plan that allows me to set goals, take action, monitor my progress, and evaluate and extend my actions (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010).  My goal is to create one project and one assessment that allow students to use a different technology than we have used in class to reflect diverse learning styles, allow for collaboration, and utilize students’ creativity as they plan their project and self-assess upon completion.  I will take action by looking at my standards and essential questions for my Hunger Games unit and create an activity that encompasses my goal. I will ask my English 10 team for ideas and collaborate with them.  I will monitor my progress by completing the assignments creation by Thanksgiving break, providing a rubric for my students, and sharing the final assignments with my team.  I will evaluate my actions by observing the students’ participation in the activity and assessment and have them evaluate the activity and assessment as part of their final reflections and self-assessments.

            By following a GAME plan, I hope to make the lights go on for my Hunger Games participants;  I want them to be able to use their choice of technology at school, creatively express the content knowledge they have, learn the way they want to, and connect students to their world (Prensky, 2008, p. 45).  By strengthening my proficiencies in the ISTE standards, not only do I become a better teacher, buy my students become better 21st century learners.

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom

       use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards for

            teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved fromhttp://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers

Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.

Reflecting on Bridges I Have Built

​As my current course Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology comes to a close, I look back to what I have learned and how that has changed me as a teacher.  For our first assignment and my initial blog post for this class, I stated that I am an amalgam of many things in life, including my personal theories of how students learn.  If find this to still be true, by I know I have added even more to the mix.  While I still rely on behaviorism to establish classroom management policy, I realize that the standards of Partnership for 21st Century Skills(P21) of critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity and innovation (P21, 2013, para. 1) encourage me to include more constructivism in my classroom where students individually construct his/her own meaning, constructionism when students build an external artifact to share with others (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011d), and social constructivism where students build knowledge with other people (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011a).  What the students build their knowledge upon all depends on the theory of cognitivism when student build on prior knowledge, connecting ideas to other ideas (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011c).  As a strong believer in multiple intelligences, I was strongly influenced by my new learning of Paivio’s dual coding hypothesis and how we remember images better than text, and when additional senses can be added, an even stronger connection forms (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011c).  

​This course has prompted me to make several changes to my teaching.  The first is to increase the use of images and graphics.  I think that theoretically this is good practice as research shows that students can achieve a 27% increase in achievement with its use (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011b).  In a technology-rich world where students are exposed to forms of visual entertainment and communication, the use of graphics and images is engaging.  Those images will allow for dual coding and will help students to “reflect on and recall knowledge” (Pitler, Hubbell, and Kuhn, 2012, p. 86). The second change I will make is to do more with identifying similarities and differences, a strategy that could improve student achievement 45% (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011b).  Using graphics and graphic organizers to represent the similarities and differences is a way to tie the two strategies together.

​While in previous courses I have applied the use of wikis and a blog to my classroom and students found success in each of those, I am looking forward to using two new technologies in class next year:  Voice Thread and concept mapping.  My high school students and my own teenage children are enamored with Instagram, memes, and YouTube.  I like how Voice Thread allows for the graphics to become a part of communication, many of them which could be similar to Power Point slides and therefore not far from most teachers’ comfort zones, but also allows for texting, video, or audio clips to be an interactive part of a Voice Thread conversation.  I am anxious to see how my students respond to this.  The other tool, concept mapping, reminds me of the ideas of Backward Design.  I have always used a road trip as an analogy for my classroom, and this is a way to incorporate a map to each unit to show students where we are headed, what they know, and allow them to add their knowledge as they gain it to a map.  Both Voice Thread and concept mapping were new strategies to me.

​Even though I am surrounded by teenagers, I still have many students who are not comfortable with using technology as a learning tool.  As expert as they are in social networking, they do not have confidence when it comes to trying new technologies.  One long-term goal I have is to try to always have something new for students to try, to always push them to use critical thinking skills to try something new and figure out the unknown.  Another long-term goal I have is to have technology as learning tools, not just instructional tools, part of every unit if not every lesson.  We are limited in our access to technology at my school, so using the students’ smart phones would be the easiest way to achieve this goal. Voice Thread has an app for phones, as does Google Drive.  I will continue investigating other concept mapping options.  In order to achieve these goals, I will first be an active part on my school’s technology team, vying for resources and creating plans for teachers to implement so that more students are seeing greater technology use in the classroom.  I will also use my lesson plan template and create a new category for tech integration in order to have accountability for my usage.  My goals are to use Voice Thread and concept mapping tools within the first quarter of school.  During the second quarter, I will make sure all students are sharing documents on Google Apps.  By third quarter, I will have student blogs more prolific in my classroom in order to make my lessons more student-centered, and by fourth quarter, I would like to implement a flipped classroom to help with the standardized testing schedule that interferes with instruction.  

​This course has allowed me to better organize my classroom around how students learn and using technology that supports those learning strategies and theories.  I can now better incorporate technology as learning tools instead of just instructional tools, and I know that graphics and nonlinguistic representation is a solid way to complement the writing and reading that goes on in my English classroom that is full of diverse learners.  I am a better teacher because of the last eight weeks, and my students and I will benefit from my new knowledge.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program eight: Social learning theories [Video

webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from

http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecol

lege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program eleven: Instructional strategies, Part one

[Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from

http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecol

lege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011c). Program five: Cognitive learning theory [Video

webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from

http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecol

lege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011d). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist

​learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology.

Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=

5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984

650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

"The Partnership for 21st Century Skills." The Partnership for 21st Century Skills. P21, 2011.​Web. 27 Mar. 2013.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that​works (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Looking at Strategies and Effects of School Attendance

I was not able to embed a YouTube video in my VoiceThread, but I thought this was another good conversation point discussing one school's incentive program to improve student attendance but also the ramifications on school budgets if students do not attend school. 

Using VoiceThread

Is attendance a problem in your school?  Please join my VoiceThread to add to the conversation on how to tackle this problem.

Learners as Social Creatures

            Humans are social creatures.  We observe, we listen, we ask, we respond, and we share.  We use our experiences as our foundation for learning, and those experiences are the result of human interaction.  We are also creatures of habit, so repeating the same behaviors or tasks make us more likely to create habits.  Making sure my students form good habits in relation to their social learning is important.  Including structured cooperative learning activities to use as that foundation will allow their creativity to flourish and their learning to deepen.  Social learning theories focus on constructing knowledge through conversation (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a) and connectivism addresses the fact that learning is the act of forming networks and navigating networks of knowledge (Laureate Education, 2010b).  Using collaboration tools can facilitate the formation of these networks.

            The newest instrument in my tool kit is VoiceThread, a technology that I am anxious to try in my classroom (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010c).  VoiceThread appeals to me because I can apply what students love today, Instagram, and take its graphical nature and have students construct meaning from a picture or video I post.  VoiceThread will allow me to have a digital conversation as students with whom I have shared my thread will be able to comment via phone, audio, or video.  It allows for wait time so students can put thought into responses, and it allows us to build off of each other’s ideas and opinions.

            WebQuests are another collaborative tool I look forward to increasing in usage in our classroom.  Such a task allows teachers to “channel student energies and also clarif[y] the teacher learning objectives” (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012, p. 146).  I can target their study, but they are free to form their own solutions through their discussions and debates.  By incorporating classroom wikis, blogs, or Skype into this process, students can continue to communicate and exchange ideas outside of classroom walls. 

            Many other tools allow for communication and collaboration.  Tools such as Google Apps allow students to put together presentations.  Keypals, or internet pen pals, allow students from across the world to communicate and share ideas (Pitler et al., 2012, p. 145).  Shared calendars, websites, and bookmarking are all ways for people to work together (Pitler et al., 2012, pp. 147-151).

            Depending on the specifics of the project, any of these projects are examples of social constructionism.  Vygotsky mentions a More Knowledgable Other (MKO), or a teacher or peer tutor, scaffolding initially and then allowing students to work through a Zone of Proximal Development  (Orey, 2001, para 29).  Cooperative learning groups that have a variety of skill levels will allow for this.  Piaget focuses on detached observation, something many of my students demonstrate; finding equilibrium is something they strive for as well, something they would do during a WebQuest problem-base project (Orey, 2001, para 29).  The work of Richard Prawat focuses on social activities such as using VoiceThread, engaging people and therefore turning learning into a social process, and Papert’s work focuses on the building of an artifact such as a Google presentation (Orey, 2001, para. 29).

            No matter how we interact, when we are communicating we are most likely learning something and building our knowledge base.  When that communication is focused with a clear purpose, cooperative learning takes place and social learning theories abound in classrooms full of engaged, active learners.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program eight: Social learning theories [Video

            webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from

            http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.e

            college.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program nine: Connectivism as a learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011c). Program ten: Spotlight on technology: VoiceThread [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&

CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&

coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Social Constructivism. Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching,

and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title

=Main_Page

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that

            works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD

Building Knowledge: Constructionism in the Classroom

         To contradict the philosophy of Kevin Costner’s movie Fields of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come,” research today shows that students who get to do the building are more likely to come; they will come to class ready to be engaged, take control of their learning, and gain a deeper understanding of concepts that they are a part of discovering on their own.  Project-based and problem-based learning are two ways teachers can use a constructionist learning theory in class, and the benefits to students are evident: increased motivation, increased problem-solving ability, improved media research skills, increased collaboration, and increased resource management skills (Orey, 2001a, para. 53).  Students who are able to generate and test hypotheses can embed technology to create meaningful, authentic products.

     By engaging students in a variety of structured tasks that allow them to generate and test hypotheses and have them explain their hypotheses, predictions, and conclusions, we are engaging them in complex mental processes and enhancing their learning of the content (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012, p. 204). The basis of this learning is the creation of which the students are a part:  they create their questions, they create their hypotheses, and they create the research that will allow them to gather data and make conclusions.  They are not just sitting listening to a lecture and focusing on the lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy; they have an opportunity to see applications and perform analysis before they know more basic concepts of a situation (Orey, 2001b, para. 20).  They are building their own learning.  They are actively constructing their own meaning that is unique to each of them (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).

     Integrating technology can reinforce this instructional strategy that allows teachers to assist students in generating their hypotheses that incorporate systems analysis, problem solving, experimental inquiry, and investigation (Pitler et al., 2012, p. 205).  Technology allows students to focus on interpreting the data rather than simply gathering and calculating it.  Graphic organizers allow students to scaffold their understanding so they are not completely alone in acquiring new information.  Kidspiration and Inspiration are two suggested websites that allow for brainstorming and organizing of information (Pitler et al, 2012, p. 205).  Once students proceed to the data collection and analysis portion of their project-based or problem-based learning, spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel can assist them as they manipulate data (Pitler et al., 2012, p. 209).  Instructional interactives such as Realityworks and Webquests are simulations and games that allow students to use their own background knowledge and build on that as they make predictions, receive immediate feedback, and see the outcomes of their hypotheses when a project is not feasible in real life (Pitler et al., 2012, p. 215, and Orey, 2001b, para 57). 

Regardless of how students brainstorm, collect data, and make conclusions, the key to applying a constructivist or constructionism theory of learning is to let them build.  Building and testing hypotheses allows students to take real world, authentic situations and create their own meaning from them.  If we let them construct their own thinking, then we as educators are allowing students to build their critical thinking skills, their problem solving skills, their ability to research, and their ability to work with others and collaborate.  That is a product worth our investment.  Let them build.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist

        learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology.

        Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&

CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&

coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001a). Constructionism, Learning by Design, and Project-Based Learning.

 Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved

from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001b). Problem Based Instruction.  Emerging perspectives on learning,

 teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?

title=Main_Page

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that

            works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD

A Mental Road Trip: Correlations to Cognitive Learning Theory

            Before starting on any trip when growing up, my family would always check the maps.  Usually this process included a map, an atlas, and a AAA Triptik as well.  My mom would have a small spiral notebook where she recorded restaurants, gas stations, and hotels along the way and would make comments on what we passed by and experienced.  My mom is the ultimate cognitivist.  Today, my family is far more apt to plan at the last minute, grab the GPS, and enter a destination, using a smart phone to make reservations along the way and to read or play games on instead of looking out the window.  Is the experience the same?  I think that depends on from whose eyes you see things.  Creating those maps, planning out strategies, and reflecting on what we did are all strategies of cognitive learning theory that helps students in the classroom process information. 

            Cues, questions, and advance organizers at the beginning of lessons help to establish those maps, activating prior knowledge and creating a home for new knowledge.  Cues give hints as to what is coming, questions allow teachers to discover what students already know, and advanced organizers serve to draw attention to important ideas to come and highlight main concepts to which students may already be able to relate (Pittler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012, p. 91).  When a teacher clarifies what a class’s focus is, asks inferential questions that allow students to elaborate their thinking and knowledge, and uses graphic organizers that appeal to more than just linguistics, deeper learning can occur (Pittler et al., 2012, p. 92).  Establishing a route or a plan ahead of time allows the students to enjoy the ride and make better connections to what they know and what they are learning as they process information.  Using graphic organizers, especially those with pictures in addition to just maps, allows for dual coding to take place in the brain, a hypothesis that Paivio introduced suggesting that people remember content better if it comes associated with an image; these connections allow us to store more information in our long-term memory (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a).  Resources such as PowerPoint, Prezi, or Google Docs allow teachers to do this with technology, and concept mapping tools allow boxes or nodes to better connect ideas and create networks.

            The use of this idea of mapping continues with summarizing and note taking as students synthesize information.  Just like with maps and directions, some people like to see them, hear them, write them out, or drive the route themselves.  Providing students with a variety of ways to summarize and take notes will help them better and more deeply process the information they are receiving.  Combination notes allow for several techniques at once: outlining, webbing, pictographs, and words (Pittler et al., 2012, p. 151).  These combined facets allow for dual coding which appeals to multiple senses and allows learners to process more (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a).  Completing teacher-made outlines allows students to organize declarative information.  Brainstorming what they know about a concept at the beginning of a lesson helps them establish a platform on which to add, and summarizing allows them to think critically and evaluate what they are learning, reflecting on how it connects to what they know.   Adding a virtual field trip, an experience that creates an episode which is part of the cognitive learning theory process, can further engage students and deepen their learning.  Here, too, students can engage in critical thinking and evaluate, store, and connect ideas they see and experience (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010b).  Mapping and summarizing are good ways to check for student comprehension, as well. Students demonstrate their knowledge in a clear, direct manner and teachers can just as clearly clarify any misconceptions or “wrong turns.” 

            Taking a mental road trip means establishing a plan or map and guiding students to a destination.  They will be a part of experiences along the way, and they are engaged with their learning through visuals such as pictures and graphic organizers, auditory information from questions, presentations, or videos, and through written words that allow them attach new information to pre-existing knowledge in a way that will process new, short-term memory into older long-term memory that will last as a solid foundation of education. 

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program five: Cognitive learning theory [Video

        webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from

        http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecol

        lege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program six: Spotlight on technology: Virtual field

        trips [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from

        http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecol

        lege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that

            works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD

Drill and Kill or Positive Reinforcement: Behaviorism in Modern Education

          When an educator mentions behaviorism as a theory of learning today, he may be met with the same “Blech!” that he is met with when assigning homework to a class of unmotivated high school students.  The reality is that both have their place in the modern classroom.  Reinforcing effort, providing recognition, and providing practice to increase learning are tied to the ideas of the behaviorist learning theory and can have a positive effect on modern classrooms.

            Behaviorism is “primarily concerned with observable and measurable behaviors” (Orey, 2001).  Observable behavior may be student behavior in the classroom and fall under the realm of classroom management, but it may also be student participation in classwork or homework.  While a score may represent a student’s learning, whether or not he did the work may represent more of a behavior.  Teachers can use behaviorist theory by modeling, shaping and cueing as well as by modifying a desirable or undesirable behavior in class. 

            Reinforcing effort and providing recognition are practices that teacher should use regularly to build lifelong learners.  Success is the result of many factors, but research shows that self-efficacy plays a strong role in motivation for learning and achievement (Pittler, Hubbell, & Huhn, 2012, p. 57).  Helping students build that intrinsic motivation is what teachers can do to build a solid foundation for future success.  Teaching students about the relationship between effort and achievement, providing guidance as to how to show strong effort, and having students track their effort better engages students in their own learning processes (Pittler, Hubbell, & Huhn, 2012, p. 58). Using charts (or better yet electronic spreadsheets that older students create), rubrics for self-evaluation, and websites such as SurveyMonkey are all ways that teachers can make classrooms more student-centered as they monitor the correlation between their effort and success.  Making sure to reinforce the behavior or task that is achieved is significant; praising the person or his ability may have a negative effect on intrinsic motivation (Pittler, Hubbell, & Huhn, 2012, p. 62).  As teachers reinforce positive behavior (reinforce effort) and provide meaningful recognition, a pleasant environment emerges.  Behaviorist B. F. Skinner stated, “Things we call pleasant have an energizing and strengthening effect on our behavior” (Orey, 2001). 

            Is homework and extra practice energizing for most students?  As teachers, it is our job to try to make it so.  Assigning meaningful assignments that have a clear purpose and are short, focused, and distributed over time as well as providing feedback on the practice sessions are all good practices when it comes to the practice teachers assign (Pittler, Hubbell, & Huhn, 2012, p. 169). Setting students up for success helps to build their intrinsic motivation to do well and exhibit hard work and effort.  A modern way of adding interest and using technology is to try a “flipped” classroom where a teacher uses multimedia to present the teacher-centered lecture component of the lesson at home and then serves as a “learning coach” at school (Pittler, Hubbell, & Huhn, 2012, p. 172). Online tutorials at home or at school are other ways that students can receive that essential immediate feedback during their practice. Online drills such as this reinforce the behaviorist theory by demonstrating programmed instruction that B. F. Skinner advocated (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).

            “Blech!”  Hopefully this exclamation is not a part of the modern classroom when ideas such as behaviorism and homework are mentioned.  Reinforcing behaviors that will lead to learning and intrinsic motivation is what we need to be doing as educators.  Using technology in a way that allows us to reinforce and recognize that positive behavior as meaningful practice takes place is a way to update a theory that many consider to be outdated and dead.

            Below are two links I thought were of interest; the first, to a blog about making homework meaningful and the second, an interactive website students can use in class or at home to practice grammar concepts from the classroom.      

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/making-homework-meaningful-dominick-recckio

http://chompchomp.com/

           

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program four: Behaviorist learning theory [Video

            webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from

            http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.e  

          college.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that

          works (2^nd ed.). 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