Instructional Strategies, Constructionism and Constructivism

     Constructivism and constructionism are two different learning theories that get confused.  Constructivism has to do with how students construct the knowledge that they gain.  Constructionism has to do with students constructing a project of some sort using the knowledge that they have (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  Although I believe there should be more emphasis put on the constructionism learning theory, I believe the constructivism learning theory is necessary to do that.  Students must be able to construct and make sense of the information that is presented to them before they can use that information to create something.
     We have focused on a number of learning theories so far in this course and I find it interesting how much of what I do is related to these learning theories that I never realized before.  However, I think that I incorporate more constructionism into my teaching than most other learning theories.  It is important for students to be able to apply their knowledge to create a final project.  It is also important for students to learn how to effectively use technology tools to be more successful in the future.  It is easy to combine these two important components into one project using technology and the constructionism theory.
     In Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, we read about the strategy "generating and testing hypotheses."  I believe this strategy goes along more with constructivism than constructionism.  The text refers to using spreadsheets, data collection tools and web resources.  All of these do not require students to create anything, but to interact with information.  The idea behind these activities is to confirm or reconstruct what the students think they know.  For example, they used a pH probe as an example of the data collection tools.  The students were investigating whether or not they get acid rain.  The students did not believe they were, so they completed an experiment to confirm or reshape their knowledge based on the information they found (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007).
     In conclusion, there are a number of learning theories that are included in the everyday classroom.  Constructivism and constructionism are two more that are used on a daily basis.  All of these theories work together to create a successful classroom and atmosphere for our students.

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

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

Instructional Strategies and the Cognitive Learning Theories

      Cognitive learning theories are about how the brain processes information to make it into the long term memory (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  There are numerous strategies teachers can use as well as cognitive tools students can use to make information more applicable to them.
     Teachers' use of cues, questions, and advance organizers is a successful strategy for information to become more meaningful to students.  Cues and questions allow students to be aware of what they will be learning about and try to think about what they already know about that topic.  The organizers are a way for students to find connections between new and old information (Pitler, Hubbel, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).  According to the cognitive learning theories, the more connections that are made between ideas the better chance that it will make it into the long term memory (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).
     The cues and questions part of this strategy they relate to a KWL chart in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works (Pitler et al, 2007).  That is what this strategy reminds me of, but I cannot say that I have ever been sold on a KWL chart.  I find more merit in the organizer part of this strategy because it is more active learning with the information you are teaching.  Students have to interact with the information more.  It is important for students to think about what they already know and brainstorm any questions, but that could just as easily be a part of an organizer that may mean more to them.  Some students may even have to change what they think they know about a topic once they start learning about it.  It could be an active part of their learning to have to cross out or erase something they thought was true in order to record the correct information.
     Summarizing and note taking is also a major strategy that is used in the classroom that supports the foundations behind cognitive learning theories.  These two strategies are based on the skill of finding the important information in a resource and paraphrasing that information (Pitler et al, 2007).  It takes an in depth understanding of information to know what supports the main idea of what they are learning about and then to be able to put that information into their own thoughts.  As you are reading and learning information, it can easily make its way into short term memory.  Once you are required to start sifting through this information, it now starts to move into long term memory because you have to have a true understanding to take it to the next level.
     I teach third grade.  Both summarizing and note taking are difficult skills for this age group.  When it comes to summarizing, they find it difficult to differentiate between what is important and what is not.  If they can figure out the difference, it is then hard to put events in their own words.  It is a skill that we work on throughout the school year to try to perfect.  Note taking is a skill they have never really been taught.  At such a young age, they do not know how to take notes.  We introduce note taking to our students through our social studies lessons.  As we read the textbook, we show them a variety of strategies they can use to take notes.  This year, we have already used concept maps and an outline type of format.  Later this month they will use a chart while completing research.
     Cognitive learning theories are based on "information processing" which is the basis of education (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  We need to present information to our students so they can process it, make connections and, hopefully, remember it for a long time.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). 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.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

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

Instructional Strategies and the Behaviorist Learning Theory

Most people involved in psychology and education have heard of the behaviorist theory.  Most people have heard of B.F. Skinner, Ivan Pavlov and maybe even John B. Watson.  Behaviorism is based on classical conditioning and operant conditioning.  Classical conditioning is the study where Pavlov figured out he could establish a conditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response.  Operate conditioning is the study of reinforcing desired behaviors and punishing undesired behaviors (Standridge, 2002).

Reinforcing effort is a strategy recognized in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works as a “[strategy that] will help students acquire and integrate learning”.  Some students do not realize that the harder they try, the better they will do on assignments.  The authors suggest that teachers explicitly teach that the more effort they apply to assignments, the more success they will have.  They have suggested that you use rubrics and/or surveys to help you to teach your students the importance of effort in their education (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).  This is a form of reinforcement.  Instead of just telling students that if they try hard they will do well, the teacher is showing them.  They have a rubric that the students use to assess how much effort they put into an assignment or into a week and record their grade for that week or assignment.  The purpose is for them to notice that the more effort they applied, the better their grade was (Pitler et al, 2007).  I would think that the higher grade would be reinforcement for the student, but I guess if they do not reflect on the amount of effort they put into the assignment, some will never make that connection themselves.  If you wanted to create a rubric based on the amount of effort applied in the classroom, there are websites available that offer you the opportunity to create a new rubric or search ones that are already made.  One of those websites is Rubistar (http://rubistar.4teachers.org/) which has a large amount of rubrics already created in a variety of subject areas. 

Homework and practice is a strategy recognized in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works as a “[strategy that] will help students practice, review and apply learning” (Pitler et al, 2007).  This is where students will get a type of skill and drill for appropriate concepts in the classroom.  This is where students are looking for a type of reinforcement throughout their skill and drill practice to know if they are doing the work correctly or if they need to make some sort of change.  This is where the behaviorist learning theory starts to apply.  As Dr. Orey has stated, operant conditioning has two main concepts.  Those concepts are to reinforce the desired behaviors and punish the undesired (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  Students can get skill and drill practice in a number of ways.  They can complete worksheets and receive feedback from teachers or play games online to receive immediate feedback that way.  Technology can provide a fun, interactive way of practicing concepts or skills that may not be that fun.  These “games” can provide students with immediate feedback to whether or not they are correct and sometimes even provide them to the correct answer and why.  Some websites even alter the next question according to the answers given.  For example, as your students get answers correct, the questions get harder.  Similarly, if your students are choosing incorrect answers, the questions become easier.  An example of this site is the IXL Learning site (http://www.ixl.com/math/grades).  This is a site where you need a subscription, but I believe your students can practice 20 problems for free each day.

There are numerous strategies that can be used in the classroom on a daily basis.  They may or may not apply to the behaviorist theory, but the behaviorist theory has a number of ideas that apply to the daily classroom.

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

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

Standridge, M.. (2002). Behaviorism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved January 10, 2012, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/