Reflecting on Technology, Differentiated Instruction & UDL

Every student learns differently and for this reason, a “one size fits all” curriculum will not meet the needs of all students in our classrooms. All students have backgrounds and learning styles and preferences uniquely their own. “How we recognize and relate to those differences depends on the prevailing culture, how individuals choose to make their needs known, and the technologies available to accommodate differences” (Bray, Brown & Green, 2004, p. 1). Although these differences may present many challenges, educators must continue to strive to embrace student differences and identify how such differences can be valuable in the classroom.

Reflection is a critical component of teaching. Every day I am analyzing the actions of myself and my students and making changes necessary to promote active learning the classroom. Differentiated instruction was a term that I was always familiar with and I recognized the value behind it; however, I was a bit misguided. Dr. Tomlinson reminds us that differentiated instruction is “one clear set of goals with different systems or avenues to reach them” and not simply “individualization” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Universal design for learning (UDL) supports the differentiated instruction model as it “builds maximum flexibility into curriculum” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). According to Dr. Rose, many curriculums are poorly designed and make it difficult to accommodate students’ learning differences. The UDL approach encourages educators to remain flexible by providing multiple means of representations, expression, and engagement (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Learning more about differentiated instruction and UDL has encouraged me to take multiple factors into consideration prior to planning lessons and developing curriculum.

Teachers can differentiate based on students’ readiness, interests, and learning profiles. In the past, I have differentiated primarily based on students’ readiness due to my ability to quickly assess students to determine their level of understanding for various academic concepts. Next year, I plan to have parents help their child complete a comprehensive student survey, such as the one developed by the University of Connecticut (http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/sem/pdf/thingsdo.pdf) and answer questions about their child’s previous schooling experiences and learning preferences. Such a survey will provide me with enough information to determine what instructional practices will prove to be most beneficial with individual students and the class as a whole.

Technology can lessen the challenge of differentiating instruction in a Kindergarten classroom. My new SmartBoard undoubtedly will allow me to introduce and practice core concepts in an engaging manner that will appeal to a variety of learning styles and preferences. Websites such as http://www.iknowthat.com/com and http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/learn.jsp contain many leveled activities that will meet individual students’ needs. Allowing students to use technology to demonstrate their understanding of concepts encourages student creativity, individuality, and choice. Teaching students how to use technology tools such as VoiceThread, Photo Story, and other digital storytelling programs supports the UDL and differentiated instruction models as they support flexibility in representation, expression, and engagement.

Change is necessary to keep the learning process from becoming stagnant. The first step I must take to becoming a greater proponent of differentiated instruction is to analyze the challenges that my students and I face based on student differences and determine how those differences can be advantageous in our classroom. Second, I must make a conscious effort to differentiate when developing lessons by determining how the curriculum and materials used can be adapted to meet all students’ needs. Lastly, I must incorporate technology as a means of differentiating instruction in my classroom. All of my students are digital natives with an understanding of technology that far surpasses that of Kindergartners ten years ago. Their familiarity with technology and sense of comfort when using technology supports its use as a means of differentiating instruction in the classroom. Maintaining a high level of awareness about the various factors that contribute to student achievement and using technology resources that appeal to a variety of learners will promote the principles of UDL and differentiated instruction and will ensure that all students’ learning needs are being met.


 
References:
Bray, M., Brown, A., & Green, T. (2004). Technology and the diverse learner: A guide to classroom practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Reaching and engaging all learners through technology. Baltimore: Author.
 

GAME Plan Reflection and Overall Learning

Throughout the past seven weeks, I have created, adapted, and reflected upon my GAME plan. Creating a GAME plan to facilitate self-directed learning “enables you to customize your approach to learning tasks, to develop relevant skills that are important to you, and prepares you for lifelong learning” (Cennamo et al., 2009, p. 4). According to Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer (2009), there are four steps involved in a GAME plan: 1. Set Goals 2. Take Action to meet those goals 3. Monitor progress toward achieving goals, and 4. Evaluate whether the goals were achieved (p. 3).

Set Goals:

My initial goals fell under the Model Digital-Age Work and Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership categories. My first goal was to become more knowledgeable about my soon to come Interactive Whiteboard and how to effectively integrate it into my Kindergarten classroom. My second goal was to become an active member of the school technology committee to ensure that technology integration in the classroom is being recognized as an issue of importance.

After week two, I decided to change my second goal to one that would be more applicable in encouraging my effectiveness as an educator. I decided to focus on developing a class web page because it is more measurable and will have an immediate impact on how I communicate with parents.

Take Action to meet those goals:

Over the past seven weeks, I have been to several district meetings regarding SmartBoards where we have discussed the board’s features and ways to integrate them in our classroom. I have also participated in several discussions with building colleagues where we have shared ideas about our plans for classroom integration. All of these interactions have left me excited to incorporate this learning tool into all aspects of my day. Visiting websites that feature interactive whiteboard tools and activities has also increased the likelihood that I will take advantage of this valuable tool as I make notes of activities that correlate with my curriculum.

Monitor progress toward achieving goal:

Monitoring my progress was critical in determining if adjustments needed to be made to my GAME plan and reaching my ultimate goals. To reach my goal in creating a class web page, I created mini goals to make success come more easily. First, I reviewed several other classroom web pages and noted their features. Second, I chose to focus on creating one or two tabs/sections for my web page each week. Taking small steps allowed me to stay focused without it becoming overwhelming. I am still monitoring my progress towards my goal of becoming more knowledgeable about integrating an interactive whiteboard in my classroom. Through the use of a journal and post-its, I write down activities that are applicable to my students and curriculum and store them in a place where I am likely to refer to them. Due to the fact that I do not have my SmartBoard yet, staying organized is critical as it will increase the likelihood that I remember to utilize the resources that I have discovered.

Evaluate whether the goals were achieved:

Achieving my first goal will undoubtedly take years and is a work in progress. I look forward to applying my newfound knowledge about interactive whiteboards and through trial and error, determine which activities are most effective in teaching my Kindergartners. Time and practice will allow me to become more proficient in integrating technology in my everyday classroom routines and instructional practices. My second goal of creating a class web page has been achieved. The next step is to continually evaluate it and make sure that it is fulfilling its purpose of informing families about the happenings in our classroom. Through parent feedback, I will be able to make changes that are necessary to increase its effectiveness in relaying such information.

Overall Reflection:

Technology integration is a critical component to ensuring that we are providing our 21st century students with the higher level thinking and collaboration skills that are necessary to be competitive with other students in the world. Through social networking, wikis, and digital stories, students can express their thinking and utilize their creativity to demonstrate their understanding of concepts in a 21st century manner. Teaching students how to use these tools to benefit their learning will provide the students with: opportunities to develop collaboration skills, practical applications for technology tools, and an opportunity to develop higher level thinking skills in a relevant manner.

One immediate adjustment that I plan to make is to incorporate problem-based learning into my instructional practices. Dr. Peggy Ertmer encourages the use of this instructional method where the students learn new content in the context of a problem. Throughout the process the students use higher level thinking skills and collaboration to clarify and refine the problem, collect and analyze data, and present solutions (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). PBL allows teachers and students to explore content in a meaningful and relevant manner.

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.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore: Author.

International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•T) and Performance Indicators for Teachers. Retrieved September 14, 2010, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf

NETS-S and GAME Plans

I have always considered myself a student of learning. How is it possible to teach students without having a clear understanding of their position as learners? Creating my own GAME plan allowed me to break up the learning process into small, manageable steps. Effectively utilizing technology in the classroom can be overwhelming and frustrating in the beginning stages due to the unknown and period of simple trial and error. Welcome to the world of our students.

Effective teachers support student learning when they “model and apply the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS•S) as they design, implement, and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning; enrich professional practice; and provide positive models for students, colleagues, and the community” (ISTE 2007). Encouraging students to use the GAME plan to create goals, create a plan of action, monitor, and evaluate teaches students that learning is an on-going process and never is complete. Through technology, teachers and students now have the capabilities to extend learning far beyond the walls of a classroom.

The GAME plan lends itself well to problem-based learning. Here the students could create a goal based on a problem. By asking essential questions, the students can develop a plan to find a solution to their problem. Throughout the process, the students would be asked to monitor their progress and determine if changes need to be made to the plan. Finally, the students would be asked to evaluate the end result, reflect upon what they learned throughout the process, and determine if follow up steps are needed. Utilizing the GAME plan format encourages students to become conscious of their decisions as learners.

The NETS-S promote utilizing technology to teach creativity and innovation, communication and collaboration, research and information fluency, critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making, digital citizenship, and technology operations (ISTE 2008). Each of these skills can be practiced when technology is used to find a solution to a problem-based lesson designed using the GAME plan.

References:

http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-2008.aspx

http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-student-standards-2007.aspx

Evaluating and Revising my GAME Plan

Revisiting your goals is always beneficial as it requires reflection. Acknowledging one’s accomplishments is critical to remaining on the path towards an ultimate goal. In this case, I am trying to become more proficient in using technology to advance learning in and outside of my classroom. I am proud to say that my class webpage is up and running and I have already received several emails from parents regarding the information it provides. Granted this is a work in progress, but I look forward to the day when it is simply commonplace to update my webpage with relevant information and parents reference it frequently to stay up-to-date with our classroom happenings. You can visit it at http://minnie.hartlandschools.us/groups/msseiterskindergartenclass/. I welcome any comments or suggestions that you may have.

My second goal is to become more knowledgeable about interactive whiteboards; SmartBoards, in particular. After conversing with a colleague, who is also a member of the technology team, we decided that it would be beneficial to create a database that contains links to the different interactive whiteboard resources. Creating such a database would increase the likelihood that other teachers would use such resources to integrate technology in their classrooms. In addition, we also hope to evaluate these resources to ensure that we are using the best learning resources for our students. Understandably, this will be a project that could be years in the making; however, the discoveries that will occur along the way will help guide me in the right direction of become more proficient in integrating technology into my classroom.

Evaluating my GAME Plan

The final step of a GAME plan is a critical component to determining success and/or possible next steps. To support the development of self-directed learning, it is important to “reflect on how well you have met your goals and determine whether you should modify your strategies for future learning tasks” (Cennamo et al., 2009, p. 3). Prior to setting my goals for my GAME plan, I wanted to increase my effectiveness in communicating important classroom information and fun happenings with my students’ families. Creating a class webpage seemed like a natural first step. With my webpage constructed and ready to be made public, the goal of constructing a webpage is complete; however, future evaluations must be made to determine its effectiveness by asking for parent feedback. This will be a work in progress for quite a while.

My second goal was to become more knowledgeable about interactive whiteboards as I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of mine in November. To better familiarize myself with how to utilize an interactive whiteboard to support student learning, I subscribed to a variety of elementary technology blogs and frequently review their updated posts. Educational technology blogs such as http://ilearntechnology.com/ and http://primarytech.globalteacher.org.au/ have posts that often contain links to engaging activities and descriptions as to how to best integrate these tools into the classroom. Staying up-to-date on these informational blogs helps to maintain my enthusiasm about integrating technology in the classroom and extends my GAME plan for years to come.

Reference:

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.



 

To recap my GAME Plan, I have created two goals for myself that are in accordance to the NETS-T standards. To meet the Model Digital-Age Work and Learning standard, I am creating a class website that will increase my ability to communicate relevant information to my students’ families. Concurrently, I am taking steps toward becoming more knowledgeable about Interactive Whiteboards through professional discourse and my own research.

My class website is a work in progress but I am planning on making it available to parents at the end of the week. Having looked at other teacher’s websites, I had a good idea as to what components I wanted to included on mine; however, I look forward to gaining the parents’ insight into its effectiveness in communicating classroom information. In conjunction with the website (which is actually a wiki), I have an attached blog where I plan to include updates about the classroom happenings. While the wiki will be more informational, I hope that the blog will provide the families with a better understanding of what is actually happening within the four walls of our classroom through pictures and conversational text.
This week, I met with the school technology committee to discuss the upcoming installation of our Promethean Boards. With deadlines in place, it is all the more critical to have a tentative plan as to how I would like to integrate this piece of technology into my already functioning without Kindergarten classroom. Fortunately, one visit to Promethean Planet is all it takes to provide me with plenty of ideas, as it contains numerous flip charts that are relevant and applicable in meeting the standards in our core curriculum.

This week’s learning resources has left me thinking more about using technology as assessment tools and assessments in general. Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer (2009) emphasize the importance of jointly planning lessons and assessments. They also remind educators to only use technology as an assessment tool when it facilitates learning, and is “not simply a novelty” (p. 146). I think this is an important idea to reflect upon. As new technology infiltrates our classrooms (some more quickly than others), much thought must be given to how it should be best incorporated to ensure that teachers are still using best practices as instructional strategies. Technology such as wireless responders fulfills these guidelines as they allow teachers to receive immediate feedback about specific concepts assessed through a forced-choice assessment. Students, in turn, also benefit as they receive the same feedback in an engaging manner. I look forward to having access to this tool in the near future.

Reference:
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

GAME Plan Revisited

My GAME plan already needs to be tweaked. I decided that I would like to create another goal that is more measurable and will have an immediate impact on how I communicate with parents. This year, I plan to create a class website that will contain all important information pertaining to my class. Although I know that this is a large undertaking, I feel that it is critical to finding my place in a family’s busy lifestyle.

My district recommends teachers to create their websites in the form of a wiki. Although I am relatively familiar with how to create a wiki, I have located a how-to guide to assist me with the basics. I also have referred to many other teacher websites, noting the most commonly included information. Examining other websites provided me with greater clarification as to the direction in which I should be taking with my own website.

My other goal outlined in my GAME plan is to become more knowledgeable about my future Interactive Whiteboard. Although I will be receiving district training about how to use the equipment, I want to have a better idea as to how to incorporate it into my Kindergarten classroom. I have already subscribed to several technology blogs that provide Interactive Whiteboard ideas. Sifting through activities found on www.ilearntechnology.com and http://primarytech.globalteacher.org.au/ has allowed me to determine which activities are aligned with my curriculum. Dr. John Ross reminds teachers that sometimes you have to “train yourself to go out and find information” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Fortunately in this day in age, a simple Google search can get you headed in the right direction – well, most of the time that is.

Reference:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore: Author.

Developing my Personal GAME Plan

My students deserve a teacher who has a desire to be a continual learner. The GAME plan as outlined by Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer (2009) provides easy steps for self-directed learning. After reviewing the NETS-T standards, I feel that focusing on two areas will directly influence my effectiveness as a teacher and a proponent of technology integration in the classroom.

Set Goals:
My goals fall under the Model Digital-Age Work and Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership categories. My first goal is to become more knowledgeable about my soon to come Interactive Whiteboard and how to effectively integrate it into my Kindergarten classroom. My second goal is to become an active member of the school technology committee to ensure that technology integration in the classroom is being recognized as an issue of importance.

Take Action to meet those goals:
To become more knowledgeable about my Interactive Whiteboard, I plan to attend any offered trainings and communicate with those that have already successfully integrated its use in their classroom via educator technology forums and online discussions. There are also many websites available that have Interactive Whiteboard resources. Frequently reviewing websites such as www.ilearntechnology.com will ensure that my newfound practices never become mundane. Becoming a member of the school technology committee is the first step to achieving my second goal. Since the committee sets goals for itself, I plan to actively participate in helping the technology committee achieve such goals.

Monitor progress toward achieving goal:
I plan on keeping a journal to document the outcome of various lessons involving the Interactive Whiteboard. What went well? What should I change? Were the students engaged? Was it an effective use of technology? Answering these questions will better prepare me for discussions with my colleagues about technology integration and how to best use an Interactive Whiteboard. Monitoring my progress for my second goal may prove to be more difficult; however, if I can expand the conversations about technology to include how to use technology to inform instruction and engage students in learning then I feel that I will be making progress in achieving my goal.

Evaluate whether the goals were achieved:
Achieving my first goal will undoubtedly take years as it requires much trial and error; however, I will feel satisfied when I can foresee the success of a future lesson involving my Interactive Whiteboard. Only then will I know that I am on the path to truly utilizing this technology tool to promote student learning and engagement. Achieving my second goal can be determined by what goals the school technology committee chooses to create for the following school year. These goals should contain a focus of technology integration in the classroom if I truly was an active participant in discussions with my colleagues.

Self-directed learning is not only meaningful but it is also critical to being an effective teacher. “As a self-directed lifelong learner, you’ll be able to respond to the rapid and continuous technological changes that inevitably will occur during your professional career, keep your skills up-to-date, and better meet the needs of your students today and in the future” (Cennamo et al., 2009, p. )

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.

International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•T) and Performance Indicators for Teachers. Retrieved September 14, 2010, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf

Reflection

The Internet does not leave today’s students awestruck because of its many capacities; it is simply an everyday tool. Many teachers recall referring to hardcover encyclopedias and maybe even, an informative computer program to locate information about particular topics. Not surprisingly, these are things of the past. Just as we were taught to locate information in an encyclopedia, today’s students must be taught how to use the Internet effectively as a learning tool. Throughout the past few weeks, I have gained a greater understanding of how many new literacy skills must be taught in order for students to become proficient in the 21st century. Simply put, the definition of “literate” has definitely changed.

The new literacy skills include: questioning, searching, evaluating, synthesizing, and communicating. Prior to this course, I simply went through the motions of using these skills in my everyday life and never put much thought into the importance of the skills. Although many of these skills were self-taught, today’s students need explicit modeling and guided practice beginning at the early stages of their schooling careers because they will be required to develop and use these new literacy skills in order to be considered literate in the 21st century.

One goal that I am creating for myself is to utilize more collaborative learning, especially with others outside of our school and classroom. Will Richardson states that it is important for our classrooms to have “thin walls” when teaching our students the new literacies. “If we sincerely want to prepare students to read, write, and edit their way through complex online networks, we need to make these literacies part of the way we do business as educators/learners” (Richardson, 2009, p. 31). To support this thinking, I plan to set up a collaborative project with one of my good friends who teaches Third Grade at another school. Every year, my Kindergarten class creates a fairytale during our fairytale unit and this year, I think it would be fun to create a digital fairytale between the two classes. This project would promote imagination and collaboration amongst the students in my classroom and it would provide a framework that allows for creativity in a timeframe that is appropriate for my students’ attention span. Such a project will not only teach my students valuable collaboration and new literacy skills, but they will also have a product that the students will be proud of.

Reference:
Richardson, W. (2009, March). Becoming network-wise. Educational Leadership, 66(6), 26–31.

Reflection

Reflecting upon learning theories give educators a foundation from which to build their own learning theories. Although all learning theories have their place in the classroom in some form, I still believe that constructionism outlines how most students learn and construct meaning. Important brain research proves that “[t]he brain is sculpted through experience” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009), reinforcing the idea that no two students are exactly the same. According to Han and Bhattacharya, constructionists maintain “that new ideas are most likely to be created when learners are actively engaged in building some type of external artifact that they can reflect upon and share with others” (Orey, 2001, p. 4). Instead of simply assessing student knowledge through the use of standard assessments, learned concepts can be demonstrated by creating an artifact through the use of PowerPoint, VoiceThread, wikis, blogs, and any other application that encourages student creativity.

Based on my learning throughout this course, an immediate adjustment that I will make to my instructional practice is to utilize a portion of our time in the computer lab as a time where the students are reviewing previously introduced literacy and math concepts. “Practicing with multimedia allows students to shape the experience to their individual learning styles and increase their level of understanding to mastery” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 192). Allowing the students to practice these concepts through the use of multimedia will increase engagement and will give me another method in which to assess the students’ level of knowledge regarding specific concepts.

One technology tool that I intend to utilize in my classroom is VoiceThread. Allowing students to utilize VoiceThread to demonstrate their understanding of a concept or share their ideas provides students with the opportunity to create an artifact. This form of constructionism is beneficial in promoting meaningful learning through experience. Adding a social component through student comments enhances student learning as maintained by social learning theories. According to Beaumie Kim, “[m]eaningful learning occurs when individuals are engaged in social activities” (Orey, 2001, p. 3).

Through the use of Kidspiration, a concept mapping tool, students can learn how to identify similarities and differences. “Use of graphic organizers helps students visually portray connections and experience new and deeper insights about the content” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 179). By using this technology tool to create concept maps, my students can easily include graphics and text to increase meaning to support Paivo’s Dual Coding Hypothesis which states that information is stored as images and text (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009).

As I become more knowledgeable about how to best incorporate technology into my current practices, it is important to set and outline personal goals. To increase student engagement, I plan to make a more conscious effort to incorporate technology more as a learning tool instead of simply an instructional tool. Due to the fact that our SmartBoard is a new addition to our classroom, I feel that I have not familiarized myself enough with it yet to fully allow my students to use it mostly as a learning tool. As I explore its applications more fully, I intend to explicitly model how to properly use the SmartBoard so my students will have a clear understanding of how they are to use this tool to enhance their learning. Through the use of an interactive whiteboard, my students will be encouraged to be active learners by collaboratively reviewing concepts in an engaging manner.

Next year, I also plan on developing at least one activity per term that introduces my students to a new learning tool and allows them to use this technology to demonstrate their understanding of a concept. Now that I am aware of a variety of technology tools that can be used to encourage active learning, I plan on reviewing my curriculum map and identifying which concepts would lend themselves nicely to incorporating learning tools such as VoiceThread, PowerPoint, and concept maps. By identifying these areas prior to the conclusion of the school year, I will increase the likelihood that I will in fact utilize these tools when they prove to be most relevant and beneficial to enhancing student learning.

I believe that learning is doing. Every year, my students and I share the role of learners in my classroom as I continually adapt my teaching practices to best meet my students’ needs. I look forward to next year when I can begin the school year with my newfound knowledge pertaining to technology integration in the classroom.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program 2. Brain Research and Learning. [Educational video]. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program 5. Cognitive Learning Theories.[Educational video]. Baltimore: Author.

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

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

VoiceThread regarding Interactive Whiteboards

In this VoiceThread, I am seeking the advice of my colleagues as to how I should begin utilizing an interactive whiteboard in my Kindergarten classroom.

http://voicethread.com/share/1040725/

The Connection between Social Learning Theories and Cooperative Learning

According to George Siemens, “Education is complex” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). No educator today will argue that simple fact. Teaching mandated curriculums in addition to 21st century skills proves to be a daunting task for many due to uncertainty as to how to effectively align the two. However, today’s students are a part of a networked society and “[t]o be prepared for the fast-paced, virtual workplace that they will inherit, today’s students need to be able to learn and produce cooperatively” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 139).

Cooperative learning supports the idea of social learning. According to Dr. Orey, students construct meaning when they are actively engaged in constructing artifacts and conversing with others (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Social learning theories also suggest the use of more knowledgeable others when constructing meaning. Although a teacher frequently fills this role in a classroom, through collaborative groupings, students may be paired with another student to fill the role as the more knowledgeable other. Technology can also be used to support this form of social learning.

“Technology can play a unique and vital role in cooperative learning by facilitating group collaboration, providing structure for group tasks, and allowing members of groups to communicate even if they are not working face to face” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 140). Through the use of multimedia, Keypals, WebQuests, web site development, and collaborative organizing tools, students can gain invaluable experiences which allow them to work collaboratively with other individuals towards a common goal. These technological tools require students to compare their perspectives and knowledge of particular topics and ultimately, encourage students to develop meaning based on experience.

Social learning theories definitely have a place in our classrooms as our world become increasingly interconnected. Using technology is an excellent way to give our students the experiences they need to better understand how to effectively communicate and collaborate with others to reach a common goal.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program 7. Social Learning Theories. [Educational video]. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program 8. Connectivism as a Learning Theory. [Educational video]. Baltimore: Author.

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

Constructionism in Practice

Constructionist learning theories are demonstrated when project-based learning is taking place in the classroom. According to Han and Bhattacharya, project-based learning allows learners “to become active builders of knowledge while confronting misconceptions and internalizing content and associated conceptions” (Orey, 2001, p. 10). Constructionism is reflected in student-centered learning environments and the creation of artifacts that demonstrate the learning outcome (Orey, 2001, p. 9-10). This week’s resources mentioned numerous methods for which teachers can encourage their students to solve problems by using technology with the focus being on students constructing their own meaning based on learning experiences. Dr. Michael Orey is a proponent of utilizing PowerPoint as a tool for which students can “build something” to demonstrate their understanding of a concept and take an active role in the learning process (Laureate Education Inc., 2009).

Generating and testing hypotheses demonstrates constructionism as it requires students to use the mechanisms of learning outlined by Dr. Orey: assimilation, accommodation, equilibration, and schema (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Throughout the learning process, students are continually actively constructing meaning. “Technology can play a vital role in generating and testing hypotheses because new development in probeware and interactive applets allow students to spend more time interpreting the data rather than gathering the data” (Pitler, et al., 2007, p. 203). Teacher-created interactive spreadsheets and data collection tools give students the opportunity to complete authentic tasks and use higher level thinking skills to solve problems more efficiently.

If students construct meaning by doing, the gaming software referenced in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works can provide students with opportunities to become actively involved in the learning process by requiring students to apply what they have learned to solve problems and/or carry out tasks. According to Pitler et al. (2007), “[s]imulation software also can provide incredibly engaging learning environments, resulting in increased motivation and retention in learning” (p.213).

Meaningful learning takes place when students are actively involved in the process. Teachers cannot simply impart information to their students, as it is the student who must construct knowledge in his/her mind. The use of technology can motivate students and provide them with unique ways to individually demonstrate their understanding of core concepts.

References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program 7. Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories. [Educational video]. Baltimore: Author.

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

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

Instructional Strategies that Support Cognitive Learning Theories

Today, there is much information for educators to use in helping their students store information in their long-term memories. Understanding how the brain processes information and builds connections provides educators with the knowledge necessary to develop units and lessons that are meaningful, engaging, and give students experiences from which to build multiple connections to information stored in their brains. According to Dr. Michael Orey, long-term memories are stored in networks (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Teachers can capitalize on this knowledge by providing their students with multiple opportunities to learn and store core concepts by using several of the teaching strategies and technology tools described in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Through consistent use of multimedia, advance organizers, higher level questioning, summarizing, and cueing, teachers can take a proactive approach to teaching students how to organize information and require them to use stored information to make connections between concepts and ideas.

According to Pitler et al. (2007), educators can teach their students how to retrieve, use, and organize information about a topic through the use of cues, questions, and advance organizers (p. 73). Through the use of a cues and questions, students will develop a greater understanding of what they are about to learn and can begin the process by building connections to their own background knowledge. Technology such as Kidspiration and PowerPoint, are examples of “editable visual aids and multimedia resources that appeal to a number of learning styles” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 79). Additionally, use of such visual aids is supported by Paivo’s Dual Coding hypothesis which supports the idea that information is stored as images and text (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). By including images that support the development of connections, students may be more apt to retrieve information based on a specific image.

Through the use of summarizing and note taking, students learn how to synthesize information and present it in a concise form. Both of these strategies support cognitive learning theories as they encourage students to organize information in a manner that is meaningful. Teachers are encouraged to provide their students with teacher-prepared notes and to teach their students how to take notes through a variety of formats to provide students with multiple visual representations (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 128).

One instructional tool that I feel would be beneficial in my Kindergarten classroom is concept maps. According to Dr. Orey, “concept maps replicate the network of connections that we have in our brain…and helps learners visualize ideas and connections between ideas” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Through concept mapping tools, students can receive a visual representation of the connections made between background knowledge and new information. Since learning requires connections to be made, concept maps and other instructional strategies that support cognitive learning theories must be incorporated in every classroom.

References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program 5. Cognitive Learning Theories. [Educational video]. Baltimore: Author.

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

The Correlation between Technology and Behaviorism

Aspects of the behaviorist learning theory can be found in every classroom. Students are naturally inclined to exhibit positive behaviors when consistently rewarded with a desired response. According to behaviorists, behaviors can be unlearned and replaced by new behaviors (Orey, 2001). The students in our classroom arrive with various levels of intellect, abilities and experiences; however, the one factor that is within a student’s control and plays a large role in individual success is effort. If teachers can condition students to exhibit greater amounts of effort by demonstrating how effort correlates with achievement, undesirable behaviors will change and learning will increase.

In Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, the authors provide instructional strategies that utilize technology to teach students about the importance of effort. “Technology makes it easier for students and teachers to track the effects of effort and facilitates more immediate feedback” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 156). Through the use of an Excel spreadsheet, students can be taught how to rate their level of effort based on a rubric, record their information, and compare their level of effort to their test scores. Viewing several weeks of results helps to give students a clear picture of how their grades can positively and negatively be affected by the level of effort exhibited prior to a test. Such an activity supports the behaviorist learning theory as “[s]tudents need consistent and systematic exposure to teaching strategies like this one in order to really grasp the impact that effort can have on their achievement” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 159). Behaviors can be changed if teachers can explicitly demonstrate the implications that behaviors, such as effort, have on one’s level of achievement.

The concept of drill and practice is highly debated in today’s schools. Although all teachers agree that repeated practice is necessary for retention of skills, the argument lies in where such practice should take place and in which form. Advancements in technology and software have given teachers the ability to differentiate practice by allowing students to practice skills through various forms of multimedia. “Practicing with multimedia allows students to shape the experience to their individual learning style and increase their level of understanding to mastery” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 192). No longer are the days of boring repetitive practice. Today, students can practice and refine skills in a manner that is appealing, individualized and provides immediate feedback.

According to Dr. Orey, “Behaviorism is used everyday throughout everything we do” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Teachers should employ technology as a stimulus to increase the likelihood of positive behaviors and student success in the classroom.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program 4. Behaviorist Learning Theory. [Educational video]. Baltimore: Author.

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

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