Reflecting on my GAME Plan and Progress Throughout This Course

As I reflect back on my progress throughout this course, as well as the progress of the GAME plan I created almost two months ago, I am amazed by what I have learned and accomplished. Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer (2009) assert that creating a GAME plan is a means by which teachers or students can hold themselves accountable and measure their academic growth. Throughout this course, I have made gains professionally through the creation, implementation, and evaluation of my GAME plan. I have also learned how to use successfully many 21^st century tools that will aid in my teaching and students’ learning.

As a reminder, the two goals that I created for myself are: to seek out professional learning opportunities on a consistent basis to enrich my learning of various technologies, and to then incorporate one new technology into my curriculum once a quarter. Because we are in the midst of the holiday season, my desire to develop a wiki to discuss new technology ideas with colleagues in my district has been put on the back burner, as many of my coworkers’ schedules are tightly packed, in and out of school. I have, however, taken Sarpottle’s suggestion (2011) of meeting with one colleague in my school on a consistent basis to discuss technology in the classroom. My fellow third grade teaching partner and I have started meeting once every other week to discuss how we can implement technology into the curriculum over the following few weeks. Because of this, I have found myself making a more conscious effort to include technology throughout various parts of my curriculum. Prensky (2008) has argued that students need technology integrated in the classroom to stay engaged and motivated in the curriculum. I have seen this to be the case in my room.

I have also begun receiving the magazine, Learning and Leading with Technology, which has given me some wonderful ideas, such as creating an ‘assistive technology toolkit’ (International Society for Technology in Education, 2011).

Finally, in terms of implementing a new technology tool into my curriculum once a quarter, I am pleased to share that I will the recipient of a brand new SMART board come beginning of January. While I used to have an Eno board in my old classroom, I have never used the SMART board technology, and I cannot wait to learn more. I have already registered for a training session about using the technology through my district. Richardson (2010) has made the point that teachers must continue to learn about new types of technology and how to implement them in the classroom, so that students have the opportunities they deserve to work with these 21^st century tools.

In reflecting on this course and the lessons I created for my unit on Jamestown, I realized that integrating technology into all curriculum areas is possible! Abrams (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009) shared a plethora of ideas on how teachers can implement digital storytelling into subject areas like math, science, and social studies, using a number of free online tools. In learning this, I came to the understanding that there are so many resources available on the web and elsewhere that can help me in integrating technology into some of the more difficult subject areas, such as math, I did not think would be possible.

I also learned in this course that problem-based learning is possible for younger students. In implementing my problem-based lesson with my third grade students with a small scale simulation, I immediately noticed the higher level thinking and collaboration that occurred amongst my students. Ertmer and Simons (2006) mention that problem-based learning can be implemented successfully in the classroom when starting small, and this was definitely the case for my class.

I hope to use tools like problem based learning, online collaboration, and digital storytelling throughout the various subject areas and more consistently as a teaching and learning tool. Some future projects I have in mind that use these tools include collaborating with classes from other states to learn more about their home state, creating a digital story about famous people in United States’ history during a biography genre study, and presenting a scenario in which students must identify rocks based on various properties and tests they have learned about through an Earth Materials science unit.

I am excited for the rest of the school year, as I have developed my knowledge of various technological tools I can utilize in the classroom, through this course and GAME plan implementation. As Cennamo (Laureate Education, Inc. 2009) stated, teaching and learning is a continuous progress that is adjusted as one reflects back on the progress. I have done this throughout this class, and will continue it throughout my teaching career.

  

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Ertmer, P., & Simons, K. (2006). Jumping the PBL implementation hurdle: Supporting the efforts of K–12 teachers. The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 1(1), 40–54. Retrieved from http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=ijpbl.

International Society for Technology in Education. (2011, November). Build an Assistive Technology Toolkit. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(3), 22.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.

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

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for   classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

SarPottle. (2011, November 28). Re: Monitoring game plan progress. [Blog message]. Retrieved from: http://lmackley.blogspot.com/2011/11/monitoring-my-game-plan-progress.html#comment-form

Monitoring my GAME Plan Progress

            As I continue to work on the two goals I set at the beginning of this course, it is imperative that I constantly monitor my progress and make adjustments accordingly. Cennamo (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009) has made the point that the process of working towards a goal is in constant circulation as one makes a goal, regulates and evaluates the progress, and makes adjustments as needed to continue in a forward direction towards the goal. As a reminder, the first goal I created was to seek out professional learning opportunities on a consistent basis to enrich my learning of various technologies. My second goal is to then incorporate one new technology into my curriculum once a quarter.

         In terms of finding the information I need to address my goals, I have been making progress. I met with the district-wide technology committee last week to discuss uses for various technologies in the classroom, and received some great suggestions. Some examples of technology I learned more about from my colleagues in the meeting include Moodle and Animoto. I am hoping to integrate Animoto into a project over the next couple of months to work towards my second goal of integrating a new technology into my classroom each quarter.

         While I feel that I am well on my way to achieving my second goal, my first goal may hit a snag, as the opportunities to meet with other colleagues to discuss technology is limited. The district-wide technology committee will not be meeting again until sometime second semester, and other colleagues within my building already feel bogged down by other required meetings, making it difficult to add one more meeting to the schedule. While I feel that I have plenty of online resources to aid in my quest for knowledge about technology in the classroom, I appreciate time to discuss technology with people in my own building. Stephenwvu (2011) made the suggestion in a prior blog post of mine that setting up an online collaboration tool to discuss these issues with my colleagues may be helpful. I could not agree more with this idea, as it would allow for me to interact with other teachers in my building on a more consistent basis.

While going through this process, I have already learned that technology can offer a wide variety of tools and resources that other tools cannot offer. November (2008) argues by using some of the technology available to schools, students and teachers get an option of doing different things, rather than doing things differently. By reading the blogs I have been following, I am learning about new web resources and tools I can utilize in my classroom that will give students a more hands-on experience with their learning that other paper-and-pencil activities cannot do. I have also learned that because of this knowledge, I need to utilize technology for other aspects of my goal. Besides just reading blogs, perhaps starting one with the colleagues in my school or district would provide an easier way to gain information and practice using the technology.

            Because of the progress I am making, I do not feel that I need to modify my action plan at this time. In terms of questions I still have, I am wondering if anyone has some examples of projects or skills they focus on while using the technology, Animoto. I am also curious as to what technological resource would be the most useful and accessible for online collaboration? I feel that the resource must be easy to use so that colleagues are more inclined to use it as a discussion tool.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.

November, A. (2008). Web literacy for educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. Chapter   6, “Expanding the Boundaries: Blogs, RSS, Podcasts, and Wikis”

Stephenwvu (2011, November 20). Re: Carrying out my game plan. [Blog message].         Retrieved from:   http://lmackley.blogspot.com/2011/11/carrying-out-my-game-          plan.html

Carrying out my GAME Plan

               Part of carrying out my GAME plan to address ISTE indicators that I need to make improvement on is identifying resources and information I will need to achieve these goals. My first goal is seeking out professional learning opportunities on a consistent basis to enrich my learning of various technologies. My second goal is to then incorporate one new technology into my curriculum once a quarter. I needed to evaluate what steps I have already taken to work towards these goals, as well as assess what resources or information I still need to move forward.

            At this point, I have spoken to my principal about receiving a magazine through the district that explores technology use in the classroom. I have also joined the district-wide technology committee that addresses technology uses and needs in the district, which meets twice a school year. Nieto (2003) argues that teachers must speak with fellow colleagues about important issues to gain a new perspective on a topic, as well as gain fresh ideas or strategies. In meeting with teachers across the district, I hope to not only learn more about new technology and various uses, but play a role in deciding what other types of technology would benefit my district. Finally, I have began my own search for interesting blogs or web resources that are updated on a frequent basis, in hopes that I may gain more technology insight from them. Here are a few: http://karenogen.blogspot.com and http://theconnectedclassroom.wikispaces.com/.  

            In order to meet both of these goals, I still need to speak with other colleagues at my school to identify blogs and other resources they may use to learn more about technology that would be beneficial to my students and me. Ertmer (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009) asserts that in order for teachers to provide enriching learning experiences for students with technology, a teacher must be confident to use the technology and believe that using technology is beneficial to students’ learning. By speaking with other teachers and fellow graduate school colleagues about technology they have used, or where I could find useful information to learn more about the topic, I will gain a greater sense of confidence to use technology in the classroom in the most meaningful way.

            To address both goals thoroughly, I will need to practice using the technologies to learn about their uses. While I will research information and speak with colleagues to learn valid information, ultimately, I will need to practice using them myself to feel confident enough to use them in the classroom. As Richardson (2010) argues, teachers must practice using these new technologies so that they are capable and confident enough to have students learn from them as well.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Integrating technology across the

           content areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.

 Nieto, S. (2003). What keeps teachers going? New York: Teachers College Press.

 Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for                      

         classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

              

My Personal GAME Plan

            In order to best prepare students for the future workplace, it is essential for teachers to reflect on their current instructional methods and strategies and pursue professional growth opportunities to strengthen weak areas whenever possible. An area of education that is becoming essential to students’ future success is the use of technology. Prensky (2008) argues that integrating the use of technology into the curriculum keeps students motivated and more engaged in academic material. Because of this, I have created a GAME plan to address two technology indicators from the National Education Technology Standards that I struggle to incorporate into my every day third grade curriculum.

            An area that I struggle to pursue on a consistent basis is collaborating with local and global learning communities to explore other forms of technology for student learning (International Society for Technology in Education, 2008). Outside of this graduate program, I find it challenging to locate and participate in other sources of professional learning communities. DuFour (2004) notes that professional learning communities can strengthen not only teacher’s understanding of material, but also student achievement and growth, as the group works together to improve education. My first goal then, is to seek out professional learning opportunities on a consistent basis that will enrich my understanding of technology for student learning. In order to achieve this goal, I plan on following at least two blogs by fellow educators that discuss the use of technology in the classroom. I will also begin meeting with my fellow grade level teachers once a month to discuss ways in which new technology can be used in upcoming curriculum.

            Another area of my teaching that could use strengthening is the understanding and inclusion of emerging technologies into the everyday curriculum (ISTE, 2008). While I feel that I incorporate technology into much of what I teach, I tend to fall back on the same forms of technology. Ertmer (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009) argues that in order for teachers to successfully integrate technology into the classroom, they must have a genuine knowledge of new technologies and the confidence to use them with students. Because of this, my second goal is to incorporate at least one new type of technology into my curriculum once a quarter. In order to achieve this goal, I will need to meet with other teachers in the district to learn about new ways of using certain technologies at least four times throughout the school year. I will also need to research new uses for technology using web resources and other books. 

            Part of taking action on a set goal is to provide opportunities to monitor and evaluate progress (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). The way I will monitor and evaluate whether or not I am meeting my two goals is to keep track in a journal the number of times I meet with coworkers to discuss technology and read the web resources I am utilizing for information. A key part of the evaluation portion then, will be to further reflect on the effectiveness of the meetings with coworkers. Cennamo et al (2009) mention that the key to proper evaluation is to reflect beyond the basic description of events, and evaluate the effectiveness and connections made from the events. I will also note in the journal whether or not the information I am reading about through blogs and the other web resources is useful in my classroom. By keeping the journal, I can visually track how often I am exploring topics related to technology, and how I am using the information I receive.

Does anyone have any suggestions for blogs or other web resources I could research to strengthen my knowledge of different technologies?

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful             classroom use: A standards-based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Dufour, R. (2004). What is a Professional Learning Community. Educational Leadership, 61,6-11.

International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from      http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.

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

Final Reflections

            Throughout this course, I have reflected on my specific philosophy of teaching and how technology has played, or will play, a role in the classroom. Wolfe has made the argument that teachers must provide hands-on experiences, and ‘hooks,’ for students so that they may develop a sophisticated network of connections within the brain (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010c). I have developed a deeper understanding of technology that will provide rich learning experiences for students, while still incorporating instructional strategies that are effective with students.

            In looking back at what I believed my learning theory centered on at the beginning of this course: collaboration, conversation, and variety, I would argue that I also incorporate other learning theory aspects into my teaching. For example, I never really believed that I included behaviorist learning components into my instruction, until Orey gives examples of its use within the classroom, such as online tutorials and behavior management techniques (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010b).  Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) also make mention of homework’s use and how a student does on an assignment is immediate reinforcement of what the student needs to continue doing or change, which is a behaviorist component.  I often use homework as a gauge for students’ understanding of material and frequently use web sites, such as BrainPopJr. to supplement material. Despite my initial beliefs that my philosophy lined up primarily with social learning theories, I now realize that I am a better-rounded teacher, in that I pull different elements of many learning theories into various aspects of my teaching. Wolfe notes that students need to practice material in a variety of ways in order for it to transfer, and using different instructional strategies and learning styles to teach about a topic is a great opportunity for that (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010c).

            I have also become more aware of various technologies I can use to promote my learning theory beliefs in collaboration, conversation, and variety. I often have had students working with one another to create posters or Power Points primarily. This course has reminded me that there are other forms of technology available for student use that will promote positive peer interaction and conversation.  A prime example of a technology that fosters cooperation amongst others would be Voice Thread. Jarrett states that students come together to discuss a Voice Thread and the creator and others involved can see a topic in a new way (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010d).  I have developed a deeper knowledge for other technologies that may exist, that can aid me in teaching students successfully and to my learning theory.

            An immediate adjustment I will make to my technology use within the classroom is attempting to use technology as more of a learning tool than an instructional tool. Orey makes the point that students will be more engaged in their learning when they are more involved in it (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010e). I hope to create lessons using technology in a way that makes students the primary users. Jarrett remarks that using technology as a learning tool gives students more opportunities to explore technology and encourages them to be invested in their own learning (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010e).

            One technological tool that I plan on using regularly is concept mapping. According to cognitive learning theories, in order for information to be stored into long term memory, many connections need to be made to it (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a). Orey goes on to state that students need episodic experiences, or images, attached to information to better process it (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a). Both of these components of the cognitive learning theories are addressed through concept mapping. Novak and Cañas (2008) maintain that concept mapping helps to organize and represent information as cross-links are created between concepts. Because the concept map can physically show links between words, students have a better opportunity to remember the visual connections between concepts.

            Another tool that I will use consistently is VoiceThread. VoiceThread puts both audio and visual images together into a single presentation that others may provide feedback on. Orey (2001) affirms that discussions between peers can help students strengthen their thoughts as they elaborate ideas to others. He goes on to say that instant feedback is also a positive for students (Orey, 2001). VoiceThread helps to build on students’ ideas and allows for feedback to be given quickly.

            Overall, my knowledge of instructional skills and strategies has expanded. A prime example of this would be the strategy of reinforcing effort. Besides grades and comments to students, I did not realize what could be done to truly improve effort using technology. When Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) make the point that reinforcing effort is affective when students see the relationship between effort and achievement visually, perhaps through a graph on Microsoft Excel, I gained a much better understanding of how to use this instructional strategy effectively.

                         One long term goal I have for technology integration into my classroom is creating more student-centered interaction with technology at least once a week. At times this can be difficult as access to technology is limited at my school, however, it is imperative that students get opportunities to work with various technologies, as it will only continue to change as they get older. I plan to incorporate instructional strategies such as problem-based learning and experiential learning into my technology use, through WebQuests related to content and virtual field trips. Orey argues that by giving students images and episodes to remember, it will be easier for them to process that information into long-term memory (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a).

                        The next long term goal I have for technology integration is using technology in different ways so that students get a wide array of experiences. November (2008) argues that by using some of the technology available to schools, students and teachers get the option of doing different things, rather than doing things differently. I plan on implementing a technology-driven, student-centered project once a month, using a technology in a way that I have not before. For example, I have used Microsoft Word many times before for basic story writing. Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) assert that Word can also be used to create graphic organizers, edit writing, and summarize ideas. Students will be able to see certain technological tool’s full potential by utilizing the various features it contains.

                        In reflecting on my learning from this course, it seems evident that I have developed a more knowledgeable understanding of how technology, when paired with effective instructional strategies, can help students reach their learning needs.  When teachers elaborate on material through instructional variety and technology use, students have a better chance of succeeding (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a). I hope to take what I have learned to create a curriculum that is student-centered and embraces the use of technology to help students to achieve their utmost potential.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010a). Program five. Cognitive learning theory [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010b). Program four. Behaviorist learning theory [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010c). Program one. Understanding the brain [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010d). Program ten. Spotlight on technology: VoiceThread [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010e). Program thirteen. Technology: Instructional tool vs. learning tool [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

  Novak, J. D., & Cañas, A. J. (2008). The theory underlying concept maps and how to construct and use them, Technical Report IHMC CmapTools 2006-01 Rev 01-2008. Retrieved from the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition Web site:             http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.pdf.

November, A. (2008). Web literacy for educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. Chapter   6, “Expanding the Boundaries: Blogs, RSS, Podcasts, and Wikis”

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

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

Social Learning Theories and VoiceThread URL

This week I explored social learning theories, which Orey asserts to be students actively interacting with others to construct an artifact (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a). Cooperative learning is a powerful instructional strategy that encourages collaborative group work to create a final product. Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski (2007) state that cooperative learning can be achieved by promoting face-to-face interaction, both individual and group accountability and skills, and group reflection. Orey (2001) goes on to say that cooperative learning helps students reach group goals that could not be reached individually. Because the entire premise of social learning theories revolves around students making meaning of knowledge by interacting with others, the instructional strategy of cooperative learning fits this learning theory well because of the interaction required to be successful.

There are a number of technological tools that embrace cooperative learning, or social learning theories. One example would be communication software, specifically blogs and wikis. Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) insist that these types of software can provide another median through which students may communicate and share out ideas to work collaboratively. Examples of popular communication software would be www.blogger.com  or www.wikispace.com.

Another technological tool that emphasizes social learning to achieve a deepened understanding for a topic is a Voice Thread. Jarrett notes that a Voice Thread is images put together, sometimes along with audio or video, in which people can comment on (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010b). The hope is that the creator of the Voice Thread will see the pictures in a new way after reading through the comments left. Because Voice Thread emphasizes the need for interaction to make meaning, it correlates well with social learning theories. Please check out the Voice Thread I created, in which I introduce a problem to my third grade students: http://voicethread.com/#q.b2081843.i0.k0.

Overall, cooperative learning, communication software, and Voice Threads, incorporate interaction with others to achieve or create an end result. Because of this, they correlate well with social learning theories.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010a). Program eight. Social learning theories [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010b). Program ten. Spotlight on technology: VoiceThread [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

 Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

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

Constructionist/Constructivist Instructional Strategies

              Constructivist/Constructionist learning theories center on the ideas of active, engaged students, teachers as facilitators, and the creation of artifacts (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Using the instructional strategy of generating and testing hypotheses speaks to these notions, as it puts learning into the hands of the student.  WebQuests are also an instructional strategy that motivates students to generate and confirm hypotheses.

                        Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski (2007) assert that students learn problem solving, critical thinking, and decision making skills when generating and testing hypotheses. Orey (2001) states that constructionism is a learner-centered environment that revolves around exploration, communication, inquiry, and presentation. When students are given the chance to manipulate data or ideas to generate and confirm hypotheses, they are active in their learning and must seek answers to come to conclusions. Some resources that promote hypothesis generation include data collection and spreadsheet tools, as well as web resources, such as WebQuests (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Throughout all of these resources students must explore the resources given to them to pose questions and find answers, which are ideas that constructionists/constructivists believe in.

                        A WebQuest is a web resource that embraces constructivist/constructionist learning theories as well. Orey (2001) mentions that WebQuests have a focus question or problem that students must develop a position on and find evidence to back up their position. Some examples of WebQuests that have great resources for primary grades include: http://www.literacy.uconn.edu/34webqu.htm, and http://eduscapes.com/sessions/travel/k3webquests.htm.  In order to back up their positions, they must explore various resources, discuss findings, and reevaluate their information. It is up to the student to come to a final conclusion and present the material in a way that demonstrates his/her understanding of the material. Throughout the process, the teacher must act as a facilitator, to guide students into thinking deeply about the material. All of these elements speak to constructivist/constructionist learning theories.

                        Both instructional strategies keep students engaged in their learning and promote artifact creation. These two concepts are the focus of  constructivist/constructionist learning theories.

                                     

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program seven. Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

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

Cognitive Learning Theories

Orey states that cognitive learning theories revolve around the following components: limited short-term memory, the network model of memory, elaboration, the dual-coding hypothesis, and episodic experiences (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). That being said, the instructional strategies of cues, questions, advanced organizers, and summarizing and note taking embrace many features of the cognitive learning theories.

 The idea of elaboration is the entire premise for cues, questions and advanced organizers. Orey mentions that elaboration is the process of forming multiple connections to information and is essential to storing content into long-term memory effectively (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).  Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski (2007) argue that the use of cues, questions, and organizers help students to reach higher level, deep thinking that can be clearly organized for students by cognitive tools like Microsoft Word and Inspiration. If students are given the tools to organize information in a way that is helpful and visually appealing, more connections will be made. Integrating virtual field trips found at sites like http://www.thinkport.org/Classroom/trips.tp and http://www.vickiblackwell.com/vft.html, is also a way to answer some of the deeper level questions teachers may ask, provide information for filling out advanced organizers, and present students with images and audio that supports the dual coding hypothesis Orey discusses (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).

Summarizing and note taking are effective ways to eliminate unnecessary information from students’ memories. Orey asserts that people can only process up to nine items at any given time to store into short-term memory, which is the only way information will get to long-term memory (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski (2007) give suggestions for summary or note taking templates found on cognitive tools such as Microsoft Word, Power Point, and Inspiration, that students may utilize to effectively sort through important information and organize it in a meaningful way. The more variety in note taking templates or strategies, specifically graphic representations, the better chance the student has at retaining information (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). This correlates with the cognitive learning theory of dual- coding as well, in that students tend to remember images over text (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).

Overall, both instructional strategies help teach for understanding as they use dual coding, elaboration, and episodic experiences to create deep connections amongst students.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program five. Cognitive learning theory [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

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

Behaviorist Learning Theory in Teaching Today

As Orey mentions in his discussion of behaviorist learning theories, many teachers insist that they do not use behaviorist techniques in their classroom, when in fact many do every day (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).  One instructional strategy that Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) suggest using to reinforce skills is homework and practice. They also assert that teachers should give appropriate feedback immediately on homework so that students can fix any errors or internal thought processes. This instructional strategy correlates well with the behaviorist theory in that students will respond to the feedback given. Orey (2001) argues that behaviorist learning theories focus primarily on a person’s change in behavior based on certain responses. So, if a student does well on homework or practicing a skill, they will not have to make any corrections, which is an example of positive reinforcement that Orey (2001) states as being a stimulus that reinforces a certain behavior. The student will want to continue doing well on assignments so he/she does not have to make corrections. On the other hand, if a student does not do well with a particular skill or homework assignment, he/she will have to relearn the skill and possibly practice more. Smith (1999) asserts that positive reinforcement is the best motivator for students’ learning. If the child does not want to have to make corrections next time, he/she will work harder on the following homework assignment.

                        The same reinforcement is given from many web resources that exist which promote consistent practice and give immediate feedback. Websites can be appealing to students and act as a motivator when getting students to practice skills (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). I will often display different websites for students on my webpage so that they can access them at home for extra practice on skills. Some examples of websites that provide instant feedback, which aligns with behaviorist theories, include: http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hme/k_5, http://www.gamequarium.com/punctuation.html, and http://www.fun4thebrain.com/division.html.

                        Another instructional strategy that Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski (2007) discuss using is the reinforcement of student effort. If students track their effort and their grades using a program like Excel, they often see a correlation between the two (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). With this strategy, students can visibly see the initial stimulus (effort) and the response (grade) and can change their behavior accordingly, which Orey (2001) would argue is an example of positive reinforcement: the student will increase the desired behavior (effort) to achieve a better grade.

                        With both strategies, teachers are using the idea of reinforcement and feedback to attain positive, desired behaviors amongst students. B.F. Skinner’s idea of operant conditioning is present in various forms within the classroom as students and teachers work to reinforce appropriate attributes and traits (as cited in Orey, 2001).  When used in a beneficial manner, behaviorism can be a powerful tool in schools.  

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program four. Behaviorist learning theory [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

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

Smith, K. (1999). The behaviourist orientation to learning. In The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm

Reflection on the Course

In what ways has this course helped you to develop your own technology skills as a professional teacher?

This course has taught me a lot about certain technologies that exist, as well as ways to use them effectively in the classroom. For example, I have never experimented with podcasting before and it was a challenging, yet informative, learning experience. Also, I have heard about how to set up both blogs and wiki spaces before, however, have not had the opportunity to create and use one of my own. Doing this gave me great insight into how I may utilize them both in my third grade classroom, as well as what parameters need to be set up to make them run successfully. Richardson (2010) makes the point that teachers must experiment with technology before introducing it into the classroom, and I could not agree more, as it gave me a better idea of what to expect from students.

In what ways have you deepened your knowledge of the teaching and learning process?

Upon looking at the Partnership for Twenty-First Century Skills website, as well as reading other course resources, I became much more aware of what skills students will truly need in the future workplace. The Partnership (2004) claims that students need to attain and use the skills of problem solving, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration to be successful in the twenty-first century work force. I have reflected on how I will encourage students to learn and use these skills on a consistent basis throughout their learning in school, so that they will be better prepared for the adult world.

I have also learned how essential it is to use new technologies within the classroom. Thornburg (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010) insists upon utilizing technologies such as SMART phones, blogs, and digital cameras as they embrace ‘anywhere, anytime’ learning. Because students are using these tools greatly outside the classroom, it makes sense to make use of them at school in a positive, safe manner.

In what ways have you changed your perspective from being teacher-centered to learner-centered?

One of the key pieces of information that Dede (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010) shares that helped me to better understand my role as a teacher is that because students have immediate access to various sources of information through different types of technology, teachers need to help students interpret the knowledge, rather than ignoring it completely. He goes on to say that students will learn much differently within the classroom now, because of the technology they are exposed to. I need to embrace more of a project-based learning environment because many students are coming to school with millennial learning characteristics, such as the ability to think quickly and critically. If I want my students to communicate and collaborate well with others, both important skills for the future workplace, I need to give them inquiry-based projects that encourage them to think critically to get to a solution. My students will be taking ownership over their own learning, while I am there to help guide them in the right direction.

In what ways can you continue to expand your knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology with the aim of increasing student achievement?

One way that I can continue to expand my knowledge of integrating technology into the classroom effectively is to stay informed and take some risks. Kirschner and Erkens (2006) make the point that teachers will often get access to new technologies and then rarely use them in different ways. It is my duty to be aware of what technology is available for classroom use and how I can use it to better my students’ learning and achievement. I also need to experiment with some of the technologies that become available to see if they will effectively work within my classroom setting. If I do not take the chance, students will not even have the opportunity to use some of these tools that are becoming more common in the workplace.

Another way I can continue to build on my knowledge of technology in the classroom is collaborating with others. Nieto and Bode (2008) assert that teachers need to collaborate with other teachers and students at times, to create new thinking. I would like to learn about what other teachers are doing with the same technologies I have to make their students be successful. I will listen more closely to my students to find out what technologies they are using and for what purpose. If students get to utilize technology in similar ways as they do at home, they be more engaged and motivated in the curriculum at school.

Set two long-term goals (within two years) for transforming your classroom environment by which you may have to overcome institutional or systemic obstacles in order to achieve them. How do you plan to accomplish these goals?

One long term goal I have for my classroom to give students more opportunities to utilize various technologies in the school setting is integrating a technology-driven project into my curriculum at least once a month. If students have the ability to make use of various forms of technology they will be better prepared for using them in the adult workforce. In Thornburg’s discussion (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010), a teacher makes the point that educators must push forward with administration within the local and state governments to get the technology needed. I think it is very important for me to be an advocate for my students’ education, so I will work with my school and district to ensure that tools are available to my students so that students get to work with a variety of technological tools and programs.

The second long term goal I have for my classroom is to create more student-centered classroom that instills communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. This can be difficult as preparation for standardized testing focused on independent, concrete, paper-and-pencil thinking.  It will be important to find the balance between independent and group work, but it will be essential to students’ learning to get equal opportunities at both styles of learning. I plan to incorporate at least one group project into my curriculum every week that is student-driven, whether it is a one-day task, or a one-week task. In doing this, students will get the opportunity to sharpen twenty-first century communication and collaboration skills that are essential to being successful. Students will also be more accountable for their own learning, thus developing higher level thinking skills and creativity to come to a solution.

Refer to your checklist from Week 1. Have any of your answers changed after completing this course?

A few of my answers have changed on the ‘Practices to Support 21^st Century Skills’ checklist since the beginning of this course. In terms of teaching practices I rarely provided students with varied opportunities for using technology to support learning, simply because I was not sure what was available. Now that I have learned of some great tools to utilize effectively in the classroom, such as wiki spaces and blogs, I feel like I now sometimes give students opportunities to use technological tools for learning, rather than rarely. I also use various technological tools myself on a more frequent basis to communicate with students, rather than rarely. One example is the fact that I am setting up a class website in which I will share classroom news with parents. Students will get a chance to add to the website as well. November (2008) argues by using some of the technology available to schools, students and teachers get an option of doing different things, rather than doing things differently.

In terms of being a teacher leader I feel like I have taken a strong initiative in promoting the development of technology skills in my colleagues, where as two months ago, this was not the case at all! I have also been making a conscious effort to research and evaluate other tools and programs to use in my curriculum. Friedman (2005) notes that the world is changing drastically because of technology, and the United States needs to keep up by incorporating tools consistently into the curriculum. In researching the twenty-first century tools that exist now I am giving more opportunities to my students.

References

Friedman, T. (2005, April 3). It's a flat world, after all. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com

Kirschner, P., & Erkens, G. (2006). Cognitive tools and mindtools for collaborative learning. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 35(2), 199–209. 

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society. Baltimore: Author.

Nieto, S., & Bode, P. (2008). Affirming diversity: The sociopolitical context of multicultural education (Laureate custom edition). Boston: Pearson.

November, A. (2008). Web literacy for educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. Chapter   6, “Expanding the Boundaries: Blogs, RSS, Podcasts, and Wikis”

The Partnership for 21^st Century Skills. (2004). Retrieved from:       http://www.p21.org/index.php . Washington, D.C.

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for   classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Podcasting!

Hello everyone!
As part of my graduate course, I am required to create a podcast, highlighting the demographic profile of my students' use and experience with technology. This proved to be very challenging, as my school's technology refused to mesh with the podcasting technology, hence I did not get to use my students' recordings. That being said, it was definitely a learning process this week. Please click on the link below to listen to my analysis of technology's impact on my third grade class.

http://www.podcastmachine.com/podcasts/9030 

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Post the following to your blog by Wednesday:

• Your reaction to the website: The Partnership for 21^st Century Skills

The Partnership for 21^st Century Skills website offers some informative, eye-opening material. I found some information startling, while still having doubts about the actual impact the partnership holds.  Let me explain.

 

Information on the site that surprised you or helped you develop a new understanding of the issues surrounding 21st-century skills

First off, I was surprised particularly by the twenty-first century skills that the Partnership (2004) highlights: global awareness, financial, economic, and business literacy, and civic literacy. While I know that global awareness is becoming a more common expectation in classrooms, I had not thought of the other literacy components as being deemed twenty-first century skills. Being a third grade teacher, I am not sure how to incorporate business, economic, and financial literacy into my curriculum, short of learning how to count money correctly. Reading about these skills made me reflect on how to incorporate these skills at an appropriate level that will be meaningful to students.

Information or opinions on the site that you disagree with along with an explanation of why you disagree

Although the Partnership (2004) is a website that has over eight thousand members, and provides some great videos that may help a teacher prepare to teach in the twenty-first century, many of the resources listed are dated back to a few years ago! In trying to find one resource available in the state of Wisconsin, the most recent one occurred in 2009! I found it ironic that the site claims to be a leader in advocating for twenty-first century student readiness, yet the resources themselves are dated. How can teachers attend workshops to learn more about this program when the workshops no longer exist?

The implications for your students and for you as a contemporary educator

Overall, the site does imply that teaching a student twenty-first century skills requires more than just putting him/her on a computer. To really prepare students for the adult workforce, I need to include skills like problem solving, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration into all aspects of my curriculum: instruction and assessment.

The Partnership for 21^st Century Skills. (2004). Retrieved from: http://www.p21.org/index.php . 

            Washington, D.C.

Blogging in the Classroom

By Wednesday, post an idea for how you might use a blog in your classroom.
           One of my goals for this class is to implement some of the latest technologies into my third grade classroom effectively. As I learn the ropes of using a blog, I reflected on how I could successfully use blogging within my room. Currently my students are really starting to use the writing process: prewriting, rough draft, revising, editing, and finally, publishing. At one point in the writing process they need to hold a peer writing conference, in which one person reads and the other gives at least one positive comment and one revising suggestion about the written piece. This proves very challenging for students, as they do not always remember what their partner read and/or they do not give a very meaningful suggestion.

            I would like to use blogging as an outlet for students to work through the writing process and eventually showcase their published work. Specifically, I would like to form small groups of three or four students to act as a team in revising each person’s work. Each child would submit his/her rough draft, and the other members of the team would come up with at least one compliment and one revising suggestion. After the child has made the necessary revisions, he/she could post the published piece.

            As Richardson (2010) points out, many students do not realize, especially elementary age ones, how to properly post to a blog, so initially I would post my own ‘rough draft’ for all students to reflect on and help revise. I would also show examples of various levels of meaningful, helpful posts, so that students know exactly what is expected of them when giving feedback.  

            In using a blog to help teach students about the writing process, students are becoming more involved in each other’s writing. By posting to a blog, students need to work hard to come up with meaningful compliments and feedback. Toffler (1980) argues that education is becoming more collaboration-driven as society moves through this technological age, which is what the purpose of this blog would be: working together to create published written work. This also gives me the chance to really monitor the students’ writing progress and ability to give constructive feedback.  I could also make the blog accessible to parents, so that they have a chance to see their own child’s progress. Overall, it seems that blogs provide an innovative way for students to work together and for parents to stay connected with school.

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Toffler, A. (1980). The third wave. New York: Bantam Books.