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/

My Experiences in "Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work and Society"

As this course is coming to an end, I am realizing how much I have learned.  Through this course, I have been required to jump head first into new pieces of technology that I have not experienced before.  For example, I have played around with blogs in my classroom before, but I now have my own blog.  I learned a little bit about podcasting at a conference, but never created one until now.  I even used a wiki in a way that I have not done before and learned how to do things on it that I did not know before.  I truly have gained quite a bit of technology experience over these last seven weeks.  Through these experiences, I have tried new things in my classroom.  I have been experimenting with blogging a little bit more, and my students are excited about using it.  All of my students have worked together to record how their group solved a math problem and uploaded it to their group blog.  I am excited to how this course has pushed me so that I can push my students.

Not only have I learned about technology resources, but I have also learned about the 21st century student.  Education should be changing more drastically to meet the needs and future of our students.  Students need to be more comfortable with technology and how to use it.  Students need to become problem solvers and critical thinkers.  Realizing all of these things has helped me to think about how I teach my students and how I can change it.  I have already started to think about what I can do differently.  For example, in the next science unit I teach, I am going to have my students create a simple machines wiki where each group of students has to research a simple machine and add to their page of the wiki.  I feel this is a better way of teaching about simple machines instead of the class reading a book and answering questions about what they read.  They also may take it more seriously since it will be on the internet and other people will read it.

I would like to continue to research new technology tools and resources so that I can offer more experiences for my students.  I would like to follow a few blogs I have found to keep up on these things.  I have two long term goals for myself.  I would like to continue to teach social studies and science in different ways.  I want to start to incorporate a more student-centered way of learning in all subjects, but I want to start in social studies and science.  I feel these two subject areas will be the easiest place to start changing.  I want it to be less about textbooks and science kits, and more about what our students can get out of it.  I would be interesting if after each lab experiment we complete, the students could get on a blog and write about what they learned from that experiment.  After they have completed a unit, they can use their blog to help them to create a final project to represent what they have learned throughout the unit.  In social studies, I want my students to be provided with more resources and be able to combine what they have learned from a multitude of resources, instead of just the textbook.  I want them to be able to create projects to teach their classmates about what they have learned.  Some of our social studies units are easier to do this with than others.  I know that if these are my two goals to accomplish over the next few years, I can do it one unit at a time.

My First Podcast

I have finally finished my first podcast.  I wanted to play around with different effects with Audacity so that I could see what it can do.  I have to say it is a fabulous tool to use and I love the amount of editing that it allows you to do.  I can't wait to have my students playing on it and trying to make their own podcasts.

http://podcastmachine.com/podcasts/12178/episodes/59861

21st Century Skills

As the world changes, we all need to change with it.  The technology advances are having a bigger effect on everyday life than I think most people thought.  It is changing the workforce and the education system.  Students need to learn more than just reading, writing and math.  Students need to learn skills that are going to help them be successful in their future.  They need to learn how to collaborate and problem solve.  The students of today, the future of our society, have to prepare for a world that may be completely different from the world we live in today.  This is where The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (http://www.p21.org/) comes into the picture.  They are working towards collaboration between businesses, education and the government to help move students towards being ready for their life in the 21st century workforce.

This image can help you to see the framework for 21st century learning created by The Partnership for 21st Century Skills.  The core subjects such as reading, writing, mathematics, science, government, etc. is just the foundation of the rainbow.  On top of that foundation are the life and career skills, learning and innovation skills, and technology skills.  It is like we need to continue to build the foundation for our students, but we need to take it a step farther to extend their knowledge.  The skills and learning that needs to take place in the school system has become more than what it has ever been.

I like the visual they have created.  It can show in a split second how much the education system is changing.  Then you can read about it farther to learn its implications.  As I continue to learn about the skills that my students will be required to possess to be successful in their "college, career and life", I hope to learn more about what I can do to help them become successful.

Reference:
Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2011). Partnership for 21st Century Skills. In A Framework for 21st Century Learning. Retrieved November 22, 2011, from http://www.p21.org/index.php.

Wikis in the Classroom

My classroom website that I use as a resource page is a wiki.  I like how easy it is to add resources, although at times I do have difficulty editing my page when the site does crazy things with my formatting.  Overall, I am very pleased with the resource as a whole.  When using the wiki to create a group project, at least while using wikispaces, it is important to note that more than one person cannot edit one page at a time.  If this happens, someone's work will be lost.  I found this to be highly frustrating while completing our group wiki.  We are adults, so we can deal with it and move on.  However, this is an important piece of information to pass along to your students.  They will not be as understanding if their work is lost.  When you have your students work together to create a wiki, make sure you plan it so they do not lose their hard work!