Think Out Loud Evaluations

The purpose of this activity is to record your cognitive processes as you go through the necessary steps to evaluate the validity and reliability of a website and the information it contains. This activity is intended to further develop your own information literacy skills and to increase your awareness of the types of websites that may prove challenging for your students to properly validate. This experience should also inform the construction of the next part of your unit plan that you will complete next week. After completing this exercise, you will briefly reflect upon the experience.

Teaching is a rewarding and challenging career to be in.  There are many concepts and theories to consider when one begins their journey of teaching.  In order to be effective, one must have a clear idea about the founders of educational theory. “Learning is a complex activity that can be explained differently depending on one’s perspective on how and why people do what they do” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008, p.12).  One must know where their style lies to effectively meet the needs of their students.

Personal Theory of How Students Learn

People are all different and therefore, I feel as though not everyone can or will learn in the same manner.  “Teachers want to transfer the knowledge and skills they currently possess to their students so that they too can embrace, enjoy, and use that knowledge academically, personally, and professionally” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008, p.10).   My own teaching is based off a few different learning theories.  To begin, I have a behaviorist perspective when it comes to my discipline.  I use rewards for positive behavior, punishments for unwanted behavior, and withheld responses for mild behavior.  I feel as though there are external influences over my students and I have to use different methods to teach them proper behavior in my classroom as well as in society.

Academically within my classroom, I feel as though I relate to the constructivist perspective.  “In this view, learning is considered a result of the collaboration of a group of learners in an effort to construct a common core of knowledge” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008, p.18).  I use group work a lot in my classroom.  I feel as though this helps students learn not only the concepts I am teaching, but also how to communicate with their peers about their ideas and perspectives.

I relate with Lev Vygotsky in his theories about scaffolding learning.  In mathematics, one must know previous concepts in order to be able to grasp new concepts.  Vygotsky felt as though “for learning to take place, the material must be challenging enough to engage students’ interest, but not so challenging that they become frustrated and give up” (Howard, 2004, p. 26).  This is important for all subjects, but mathematics especially since it is a continuation of previous year’s knowledge.  One cannot complete algebraic expressions if they cannot do basic mathematics.  Vygotsky believed in evaluating students where they academically are and teaching them on their individual level.

Student Technology Changes

There are two methods that I learned about this semester that I would like to implement with my students.  First, I want to use webquests with my students.  I discovered that they are good ways of teaching students new material or reviewing old material at the student’s own pace.  The webquest also uses multiple technology strategies to teach students.  The other piece of technology that I am going to use more with the students is voice thread.  Students can narrate a presentation with their own voice rather than using writing in a PowerPoint presentation.

Technology Changes and Goals

There are two changes I am going to implement in my classroom technology.  First, I am going to increase the use of learning technology.  When I assign a project, I am going to make sure the students are using technology to improve both their mathematics knowledge and their knowledge of technology.  I feel this will make them a more rounded learner.  Next, I am going to vary my own technology use.  Right now, I use PowerPoint almost exclusively.  I am going to use other programs such as excel and internet programs to enhance my teaching.

References

Howard, K. (2004, February 1). Universal design for learning: Meeting the needs of all students. In the Curriculum–Multidisciplinary. Learning and Leading with Technology, 31(5), 26-29. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ695745) Retrieved June 30, 2009, from ERIC database.

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

Using WebQuests are fantastic ways of allowing students to discover new topics.  Students can work in collaborative groups to explore a new subject or discover something new about a familiar topic.  “WebQuests are inquiry-oriented activities that allow students in a class or from multiple locations to work together to learn about a particular subject or to tackle a particular project or problem” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007, p. 145).  These activities are fun for students and allow for wonderful exploration with peers both in the classroom and around the world.  Using this technique is a wonderful way for students to build social skills, which is a socialist learning theory.  J. Lever-Duffy and J. McDonald, in their book Theoretical Foundations, tell us that socialist learning theorist concentrate on how people interact with each other and how students learn these skills.  Through working in groups, with the support of their teachers, students learn how to communicate with each other in a respectful way.  For example, students can learn that disagreeing with a peer is okay; however, in society one must respectfully voice their opinions.  Teachers can help facilitate respectful conversations about how students feel a project should be conducted or a paper should be written.

Another technique for collaboration within the classroom that was mentioned in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works is the use of shared calendars.  I use a Google Calendar to organize my personal life including meetings I need to attend, appointments that I have, etc.  Using this set up for students is a wonderful way to show students how to manage and organize their time.  This type of collaboration is a good way to teach students how to manage their time for when they are in a working environment that has deadlines.  This is just one organizational tool that they can use, but it could get them into better habits.

References

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

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

For this week’s learning, constructivism was discussed.  “For constructivists, knowledge is a constructed element resulting from the learning process.  Further, knowledge is unique to the individual who constructs it” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008, p. 16).  The big aspect of constructivism is that it is more personal and hands-on than other popular theories.  In Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski introduce three strategies teachers can use to teach students to generate and test hypotheses: spreadsheet software, data collection and web resources.

The two that are most like the constructivist way of thinking are spreadsheet software and data collection.  Spreadsheets are the first discussed.  “Using spreadsheets to generate and test hypotheses is already common in science class, with students making informed predictions, collecting data, analyzing the data for patterns, and revising their original hypothesis or coming up with a new one” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007, p. 204).  When students use a spreadsheet to test theories, they are actively involved in their learning.  Predictions that are entered into the spreadsheet are unique to their ideas and experiments.

Data collection was described next.  “Collecting data usually answers some questions and generates new ones.  Typically, students research a problem, form a hypothesis, and collect data to confirm, deny, or revise their last hypothesis” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007, p. 210).  This strategy of having students collect their own data, experiment, and revisit their original ideas is definitely a constructivist technique.  Students are again actively involved in their own learning and is different according to the research each student is doing as well as the individualized experiments.

In conclusion, constructivist way of learning is unique to the student and learned through active participation.  Students are able to learn through doing rather than observing.  Technology makes this way of learning more organized and visual for students.

References

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

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

Cognitivists have a different view on the way people learn.  “Cognitivists focus on learning as a mental operation that takes place when information enters through the senses, undergoes mental manipulation, is stored and is finally used” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008, P. 16).  As discussed in Using Technology with classroom instruction that works, using cues, questions, and advance organizers is one way in which teachers can use the constructivist theory of learning.

Cues are explicit reminders or hints about what students are about to experience.  Questions perform the same function as cues by triggering students’ memories and helping them to access prior knowledge.  Advance organizers, a concept originally developed by David Ausubel (1960), are structures that teachers provide to students before a learning activity to help them classify and make sense of the content they’ll encounter, particularly new content that is not well organized in its original format.

This strategy is one that allows students to access what they have previously learned and apply it to a new concept.  According to Cognitivists, this is the essence of learning.  Students must be able to access their knowledge and use it in an effective manner.  One idea for using advance organizers is having students make a brochure using a word processor before going on a field trip (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008).  Students conduct research on the internet, compile the information, and create the brochure.  This allows students to have a base of knowledge before learning something new.  Cognitivists would say that the students have a place to store new information to come.

Another strategy that constructivist thinkers would consider beneficial is summarizing information.  Summarizing takes important information and condenses it into more manageable parts.  Through summarizing, students are able to use information that they have learned and make it easier to reference.  Students must have a clear understanding of the material to be able to do this effectively.  One way to use technology to summarize is through Microsoft Word.  Students can take a paragraph that was written by a researcher or another source and strike through it to add their own words and comments.  This is a good visual for students and helps them see them see how changing the words does not change the meaning of the paragraph, but does help the information be more manageable.

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

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

This week I was to post my thoughts on how the instructional strategies described in the resources I explored correlate with the principles of behaviorist learning theory. First I needed to look at behaviorism and what it is. According to Lever-Duffy and McDonald behaviorists “view all behavior as a response to external stimuli” (p. 15).

In chapter 8 of the Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski text they describe and instructional strategy to reinforce effort. This instructional strategy “enhances students’ understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement by addressing their attitudes and beliefs about leaning” (p. 155). This strategy involves the teacher creating a rubric that grades the students in various activities (note taking, attention, participation, homework, studying) in which the student has to grade themselves on. They grade themselves right before the test and then compare their effort to their grade. I think this instructional strategy is great. It uses behaviorism because it provides and external stimuli that could alter the students’ behavior. If the student marked that they gave little effort they could then see the correlation between their effort and their low grade. After they start putting more effort into the various activities their grade should rise. This should provide them with the reinforcement and motivation to keep their level of effort high.

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

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

This course has been very informative and helpful. I am a technology person so my first instinct in every situation is to figure out what piece of technology will help me accomplish my task.
I was already using some technology in my classroom before this class.  EDUC-6710 helped me think about these technologies (blogs, wikis, podcasts, etc…) and how they could be integrated into my classroom and into my lessons.
This class has helped me think more clearly about the needs of my students as 21st century learners.
I plan on continuing my learning of incorporating technology into the classroom through finishing my degree  through Walden University, staying abreast of new technologies and how they could be used in my classroom, collaborating with peers through conversation, blogs, seminars, etc….

Two long-term goals that I have for transforming my classroom environment are:

1. developing a blog for students to interact with their peers and their teacher, to complete short assignments, and as a resource to gain further understanding of the course.
2. Setting up a wiki as a source for more information about lessons we are covering in class and as a tool for the students to help complete longer assignments or projects

The main obstacles and solutions to these goals are:

• Obstacle: Some of the students do not have access to technology in the home.
  • Solution: Do all technology related activities in the classroom.
• Obstacle: There is absolutely no access to computers in my classroom.
  • Solution: Reserve a computer lab.
• Obstacle: It is hard to reserve a computer lab since every teacher in the school is fighting for certain times on certain days.
  • Solution: Plan far in advance and reserve the computer lab in advance (maybe a month).
• Obstacle: There is not enough time in the curriculum to spend the time on technology related activities.
  • Solution: Better planning. If the proper planning is done then the curriculum can be covered and technology can be used.

Technology Survey

The written report of my findings.

This week I looked at the web site of Partnership for 21^st Century Skills. I then reviewed it using the following questions.

1)    Your reaction to the Web site
a.    Mission statement sounds good in theory, however, implementation is more difficult.
(Taken from mission statement) This skills set includes:
1)    Information and communication skills (information and media literacy skills; communication skills)
2)    Thinking and problem-solving (critical thinking and systems thinking; problem identification, formulation and solution; creativity and intellectual curiosity)
3)    Interpersonal and self-direction skills (interpersonal and collaborative skills; self-direction; accountability and adaptability; social responsibility)
4)    Global awareness
5)    Financial, economic and business literacy, and developing entrepreneurial skills to enhance workplace productivity and career options
6)    Civic literacy

2) What information on the site surprised you?

The Partnership’s Statement on President Barack Obama’s Education Plan
TUCSON, AZ — March 11, 2009
“The Partnership applauds President Obama for his vision to create standards and assessments that ensure students have rich content knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge, problem solve, and communicate.”- Seemed very political in nature

3) Did you disagree with anything on the site? Explain.
“The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is hopeful that President Barack Obama’s new education plan will guarantee every child in America graduates high school with the 21st century knowledge and skills required to be successful citizens, workers and leaders in today’s world.”

-This sounds good in theory, but other factors affect how students do in school.  Blanket statements guaranteeing success does not seem realistic based off students who struggle due to language issues or learning disabilities.  There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve our current percentages, however, “guaranteeing every child in America graduates high school with 21st century knowledge” seems impracticable

4) What are the implications for your students, and for you as a contemporary educator?
•    Assessments that might arise from this if it is implemented in GA worries me due to the high stakes that it guarantees
•    Curriculum changes would arise when my school just went through a curriculum change