Reflection

At the beginning of this course I described my personal theory of learning as part behaviorist, part cognitive-constructivist.  This remains true as this course comes to a close. I have learned a great deal about combining the right technology with an appropriate instructional strategy.  I have also come to realize it isn’t enough to simply use technology.  This course deepened my knowledge and understanding of the nine research based instructional strategies: identifying similarities and differences; summarizing and note taking; using cooperative learning; setting objectives and providing feedback; generating and testing hypothesis; using cues, questions and advanced organizers; creating non-linguistic representations; reinforcing effort and providing recognition and assigning homework and practice.  In the video, Dr. Debra Pickering told us the effective teacher has mastered all of these strategies.  She then suggests that teachers choose one or two strategies and work on refining until they are effective (Laureate, 2008). This course has given me many new and exciting ways to integrating technology into my lesson plans for my students. I have to now choose forms of technology that can be paired with the nine instructional strategies that will ultimately lead to the student’s success. (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Matenoski 2007) 

The biggest change I need to make in my instructional practice is changing the focus of my classroom technology from being an instructional tool into a learning tool.  The video with Dr. Michael Orey opened my eyes to the difference. (Laureate Education, Inc. 2010)  In the past, I was convinced using Power Point presentations with the interactive whiteboard was a good cognitive learning tool for students.  Now I realize that the Power Point program was not being used as a learning tool, but rather an instructional tool.  I have learned that this was not the best scenario if I want to help my students learn and retain the information.  This was nothing more than another lecture with a few pictures.

There are two long-term goals I want to achieve. I will be reworking my lessons this summer to include “hands-on” technology for my students and more collaboration. Two of the technology tools that I plan to use with my students are concept maps and voice threads.

Concept maps are a great way for students to organize ideas. Students are able to create pictures or objects that will help them process information, which will become a part of long-term memory. Concept maps are an excellent tool for visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners.  Voice threads are also beneficial to all learning styles.  Students are able to create an artifact with pictures and sound that can be shared and commented on by others. 

This course has gotten me very excited about how technology can be used in my classroom to support the nine instructional strategies.  I only thought I was using technology in my classroom, now I realize I have only touched the “tip of the iceberg”.  I will continue to research and develop additional Web 2.0 tools to implement in my lessons for next school year.  This supports my belief that teachers should be life-long learners.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Program 5: Cognitive learning theories [DVD]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. (2008) Theoretical foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

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

Voice Thread

My class has a problem with students being exhausted by the middle of the day. This is the voice thread I created explaining how the students will look at their activities after-school each day to try to come up with solutions for the problem. They will also be practicing their time-telling and elapsed time skills as they look at their activities. Please let me know what you think.

http://voicethread.com/share/2095021/

Social Learning in the Classroom

I have used cooperative learning in a variety of ways in my classroom.  We had base reading groups in which the students were all on the same reading level.  I met with the higher level group at least once per week.  The middle and lower level groups were met with at least twice per week, sometimes more depending on rest of the curriculum.  Formal grouping was for various assignments throughout the year.  The group assignments changed as did the projects.  I also used informal grouping such as think-pair-share and partner reading.  The constant changes in grouping allowed for the students to form connections with each other that they otherwise may not have made. 

With the addition of social networking and Web 2.0 tools cooperative learning can be taken a step further.  Next year, I would like to have a class blog where a topic is posted and students have to contribute to the topic. I hope to be able to blog with other 2^nd grade classes from different parts of the country and perhaps different parts of the world.   I would also like to create group wikis.  Each group will have a topic to research.  Each member of the group will have a subtopic that he or she is responsible for.  The use of wikis and blogs will expand the students’ computer skills while encouraging collaboration and cooperation. 

Constructivism and Constructionism

This week’s video and reading assignment were very informative.  In the video, Dr. Orey discussed constructivism and constructionism.  Constructivism is the idea that everybody creates their own meaning associated with a word based on prior experiences.  Constructionism is the theory that people learn best when they build something they can share with others.  We learn through experiences or project-based learning.  Our reading assignment from Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, was focused on “generating and testing hypotheses”.  

True learning takes place when students are asked to think about a problem, formulate possible solutions based on their prior knowledge, and then use hands-on materials or simulations to test the solutions.  This process will help the students develop higher order thinking skills.  I see this as something that is lacking in many classrooms.  Students are not being expected to think or make decisions on their own without depending on their parents or their teachers to give them the answers.  How can these students ever know what success is, if they have never experienced failure?  I think it is critical for student to be taught to use what we called “the scientific process” in order for them to succeed in the jobs of the future.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [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.

Instructional Strategies and Cognitive Learning Theory

The cognitive learning theory is, in simple terms, information processing.  It is taking new information from short-term memory to long-term memory.  This can be accomplished by using the instructional strategy's in this weeks assigned reading from Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works.

The first strategy was "Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers.  I already use these for most of my lessons in the form of presenting a summary of what we will be learning, using BrainPopJr, UnitedStreaming, graphic organizers, and power point presentations as advance organizers to introduce the lesson.  These techniques have all helped my students make connections, process information, and store the information in their long-term memory. I have worked with concept maps using the activboard and the Promethean Planet resources.  I just didn't know it was called "concept mapping".  It's nice to be able to manipulate and move the organizers around the interactive white board.

The second strategy was "Summarizing and Note-Taking.  These excellent strategies to help students organize and process information.  While summarizing and note-taking work for most students, I can not help but think of one particular student who had the most amazing, detailed notes but struggled with the test that came directly from their notes.  The student could tell me word-for-word what was in the notes but could not get the information back on the paper due to how their brain processed information.  This was extremely frustrating for both of us.  I found when they added pictures, doodles, or symbols to the notes, their ability to recall the information significantly improved.  For this reason, it is important to individualize our instruction to meet every students' cognitive learning needs.

Behaviorism

There has been many discussions about the use of behaviorism in the classroom.  I believe that the use of behaviorism is important to managing classroom behavior.  The first step is making the students aware of expectations, rules and procedures.  During the first few days of school each year, my class goes through "basic training".  We practice everything....how to line up, small group procedures, bathroom procedures, to name a few.  We are in training for ten days.  I explain to my students that there will be individual rewards for positive behavior and punishment for negative behavior.  I also give group rewards and class rewards.  This has worked very well.  It helps that there is a little competition between groups too.  


I really enjoyed the reading assignments from the book Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works.  I had not given much thought to the concept of reinforcing effort.  The effort rubric is a great idea for using operant conditioning.  With the use of the rubric, the expected behavior is clearly defined for the students.  They know exactly what is expected of them.  This is an excellent visual tool when combined with spreadsheet and data collection tools.  The students are able to see the relationship between effort and achievement.


I also read about homework and practice.  I do give homework to my students, but only as additional practice to reinforce the lesson we have done in class.  I do not believe is giving homework just to give them something to do.  I keep it to a minimal, but I do expect my students to do it on their own.  I want to know who has mastered the skill and who need additional instruction.  The text gave several examples of sites where educational software can be found that students can use for practice.  One of the sites I love is IXL.com.  The site has all the math standards for Pre-K through 8th grade.  Students practice their skills and get rewards along the way.  There are reports that show strengths and weaknesses, problem areas, amount of time a skill is practiced and many more.  It makes it very easy for the teacher, student and parents to track their progress.  This was a great hit this year in my class.


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

What a Difference 7 Weeks Can Make!

As I reflect on the last seven weeks I am amazed by how this course has changed my thinking about what I am doing as a teacher and what I will do in the future.  Upon looking back at the Week 1 checklist I see that I only thought I was doing a good job at using technology in my classroom.  I now realize that using technology in the classroom goes far beyond using power points and an interactive white board.  Today’s students need and deserve so much more than I have been giving them.  To be honest, I feel I have been letting my students down. 

Through this course I have learned to use some of the web 2.0 tools that are available.  I had heard of blogs, wikis and podcast but had never used them or thought about how I could integrate them into my lessons before this course.  It amazes me how simple they are to use and how much my students enjoyed participating in them.  My second graders really got excited about the podcast.  They have also enjoyed looking at blogs from around the world.  I am very excited about implementing their use in my classroom and teaching my students how to use them in a responsible manner.  Next years class can look forward to blogging from day 1. 

I have always thought that I was doing the right thing by having the students complete individual projects.  This course has opened my eyes to the importance of collaboration among students to complete projects and assignments. This truly is teaching them a life-skill that they must use if they are to be successful in the workplace of the 21^st century.  Isn’t that what teaching is all about? 

Along with web 2.0 tools and collaboration, I have also learned that my students need a facilitator instead of an instructor.  I need to let go and let them make decisions and discover information on their own.  It’s time for the classroom to shift from teacher-centered to student-centered.  This will perhaps be the hardest change for me to make since the teacher-centered classroom is what I grew up with and the way I was taught to teach. 

My goals for the future will focus on creating a technology-based, student-centered classroom.  I plan to use the summer break to revise my lessons and assessments to include wikis, blogs and other tools that encourage collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking.  I will share these ideas with other teachers in the hopes that they are open to trying something new. I plan to be an advocate for 1 to 1 laptops and other tools that put technology in the hands of all students.  My ultimate goal is to become a facilitator of instruction, which will require “rewiring” my brain. Through the information that I have received during the past seven weeks and the courses that are to come, I feel certain that this goal can and will be met. 

I am very excited about implementing these changes.  At the same time, I realize that attaining these goals will take a lot of research and time but the more I learn, the more I can enrich the lives of my students.  It also means that I will find myself in the minority at times, which can be a very scary, lonely place.  It is then that I have to remind myself of my reason for teaching, to make a difference.  These students are our future leaders.  We have a responsibility to put aside our fears and make sure they are given all the tools they need to become successful citizens.    

Student Interviews about Technology

2nd Grade Interviews

My assignment this week for my Masters program was to create a survey for my students about their use of  technology at home and at school.  I had my students complete a survey and then I chose 3 students to interview.  I did record all of the students who had parental consent because they were all so excited about it.  I used Audacity to record the interviews.  After several frustrating attempts, I finally figured out Audacity.  I actually had to do the recording twice.  The first time I did them I did them all separately thinking I could put them together as one.  After many hours and trying many different things I decided to just redo the interviews the next day using the "Pause" button between them.  For this interview I picked 3 students.  Then I chose Podomatic to upload my Audacity file to.  My students were very excited about getting to do something for my class.  I also found out that even though they say they use a lot of technology, it's mostly video games.  

Partnership with the 21st Century Skills

Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a great resource for educators interested in preparing students for the 21st century.  It stresses the importance of combining the three R's with the four C's (critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creative thinking.  The website provides many resources and publications on how we can implement the change in educating for the 21st century.  I was pleased to see that Louisiana has formed a state initiative and is committed to 21st century standards.  The list of strategic council members is very impressive.  It includes Apple, Microsoft, Pearson, Adobe, and ETS to name a few.  One of the publications that I read was http://www.p21.org/documents/policymakersguide_final.pdf.  "We need to commit to a more important goal than rooting out underperformance.  We also need to determine whether every child is ready to contribute in a competitive, interconnected world.  We need to commit to 21st century readiness for every student."  This should be our goal as educators.

How will I use this blog? good question

I would like to get my students involved but I am not sure that is possible at this time.  I teach 2nd graders who still have a difficult time logging into the computer.  I plan on showing them this blog and others when we return to school next week.  If they seem interested, I want to include some input from them and show them how to post if they want to.  I will mostly use this blog to showcase the students’ work and what goes on in the classroom that the parents don't always hear about.  Parent asked, "What did you do today?"  Student answers, "Nothing." This is what many parents hear about the classroom activities.  I want to show them some of the great work being done by their children because many times the work doesn't make it home.  I think it may encourage some of my students to take more pride in their work if they know that good work will be displayed on the blog.  There are also a lot of great projects and activities that I would like the parents to know about so they can have a discussion with their children about what they have learned.  I will also include links to websites that the parents and students might find helpful.  

Once I get a real feel for this and a little experience, I would like to try blogging with other classes.  I see how this could eventually grow to be an awesome classroom experience.  I hope to get many ideas from fellow classmates too.  There are still so many things going on in my head.  Stay tuned to see what happens next.

I'm still here

Made it through the week.  It seemed so long at times.  Have spent many hours trying to work out this blog.  This is something I really enjoy doing but I am a perfectionist and it's not perfect yet.  There is so much I don't know but want to learn.  I have looked at so many blogs the last few days.  There are some great ones out there.  I have added a few to my list.  I invite you to check them out.

I had to start somewhere.

Ok, so I'm ready to try this.  It's been a really long day.  Only 3 days until winter break!  I think I can make it.