For my class, Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction and Technology this week we did a study on the Cognitive Learning Theory and were assigned readings on Cues, Questions and Advanced Organizers and on Summarizing and Note Taking.
How I think the chapter on Cues, Questions and Advanced Organizers demonstrate cognitivism in practice is through the use of concept mapping to facilitate student understanding especially when introducing new concepts (Pitler, 2007). This chapter gave several clear examples of different uses of software for making concept maps, and some of the tools that come with them, like Inspiration's Rapid Fire tool which helps with keeping up with the students when they are brainstorming topics like the one demonstrated in the book on the "Civil War". This gave me the idea to use this with my students during our unit on Reconstruction. I had already began the unit when I learned about this, but I've been using it with each daily lesson to help the students predict what we would be learning about, and then using their concept maps to reflect back on the lesson the next period to help build enduring knowledge as we move into the next topic of study. I've already noticed that the students seem to be recalling more information as we begin each topic and are able to apply a previous lesson to their current one to go into more depth and are asking deeper questions of each other and me.
The chapter on Note Taking and Summarizing helps to pull in the Cognitive Learning Theory in that through summarizing the student begins to network the information into long-term memory. By having students practice summarizing the information, they begin to "chunk" materials into a form that makes it easier for them to understand it, and then if coupled with imaging they can dual code the information for better understanding. I already use note taking with my students in Cornell Note style, but am seeing that if I can incorporate more graphics and, instead of just having them do notes on paper, have them do their notes in online blogs and wikis student interest will increase and that I may see more deeper levels of questions from them.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Behaviorism in Practice
After reading in the Howard Pitler book, "Using Techology with Classroom Instruction that Works", about reinforcing effort (chapter 8), I was a little disappointed that the technology they talked about using was simply spreadsheet generated rubrics. However, I did find Ms. Powell's Effort Rubric very interesting. I am actually considering using it next year with my eighth graders since often I find myself having to explain to students and parents that if I had seen a little more effort in class, the student would have got a 70 in my class instead of a 68. (We are discouraged from giving a grade of 69 by our administrators - you either give them a 70 or drop the score to a 68). I can also see how this can help to make a student more accountable for their grade and give them a sense of how they are responsible for the result - a clear point for the behaviorist theory.
In Chapter 10, "Homework and Practice" I can see how more technology could be implemented. A teacher can always assign creating a presentation about a book the students are reading, which generates more student interest, than using the traditional book report, that most students find boring and uninspired. A student could use wikis to post their summaries or character analysis and have other students rate how they did. Again, this would help students to feel that their learning has a reward, which would make them more apt to complete assignments and more willing to learn new technologies to further that feeling.
I think being able to use technology to complete homework would also appeal to a student who frequently does not complete or turn it in. By using technology, the student will be more willing to "show off" for the teacher, and if the are turning it in on line or posting where other students can see what they have done, the student who wasn't turning in work, now has a new avenue to show their knowledge and become "famous". This ties in to the use of contracts to extinguish undesirable behavior, in this case - not turning in work, a classic example of behaviorism.
Clearly, behaviorism still has a place in the classroom today, and just because we are becoming more technology literate it does not mean we should forget early research and practices. We just need to adapt them to work with technology and our changing classrooms.
In Chapter 10, "Homework and Practice" I can see how more technology could be implemented. A teacher can always assign creating a presentation about a book the students are reading, which generates more student interest, than using the traditional book report, that most students find boring and uninspired. A student could use wikis to post their summaries or character analysis and have other students rate how they did. Again, this would help students to feel that their learning has a reward, which would make them more apt to complete assignments and more willing to learn new technologies to further that feeling.
I think being able to use technology to complete homework would also appeal to a student who frequently does not complete or turn it in. By using technology, the student will be more willing to "show off" for the teacher, and if the are turning it in on line or posting where other students can see what they have done, the student who wasn't turning in work, now has a new avenue to show their knowledge and become "famous". This ties in to the use of contracts to extinguish undesirable behavior, in this case - not turning in work, a classic example of behaviorism.
Clearly, behaviorism still has a place in the classroom today, and just because we are becoming more technology literate it does not mean we should forget early research and practices. We just need to adapt them to work with technology and our changing classrooms.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Workman Junior High Technology Podcast
In an attempt to analyze how much technology my students have access to at home and school, we took a survey on Surveymonkey.com and then conducted technology interviews. I then created a podcast of the results. Have a listen:
http://mindymo4567.podbean.com/
Hope you enjoy!
http://mindymo4567.podbean.com/
Hope you enjoy!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Reflection on Learning
How this course, Understanding the Impact of Technology on Society, has helped me develop my own technology skills as a professional educator is by giving me the courage to take technology risks. Before this course, I knew about Wikipedia, but did not know how to make a wiki of my own. Now, not only have I helped to create a wiki and learned about how useful they can be in putting information out there for everyone to share, but I'm currently working with one of my classes to create a wiki to help review for the upcoming state assessment. I've looked at how pod-casting could be useful in getting lectures and lessons out to students who are absent, or need to go back over a lesson when they are at home, and as far a web-logs, well they allow for me to not feel as alone with my thoughts. I enjoy reading the blogs of others in this class because it helps me to see that I'm not the only one who has the concerns about bringing technology into my classroom. Through their thoughts, I gain confidence to be a risk taker and work toward making myself more tech literate and adventurous.
How I have deepened my knowledge of the teaching and learning process is through the majority of the reading that I have done on the value of using technology in the classroom. Not just giving notes using PowerPoint or a Promethean board, but through allowing students the use of wikis, blogs and pod-casts. Instead of having them complete worksheets or assignments just for me to grade, I need to give the the world to assess their learning. This will help them learn how to interact in a global learning environment and give them reason to think in more depth that they would just filling in a worksheet for me to grade. By using technology my students will be better prepared for an ever changing world and give them a reason to be interested in what they learn in my classroom.
How I have changed my perspective from my classroom being teacher-centered to more learner-centered is through surveying my students on how they would like to learn and how they will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding. By having them work across the room with another student via wiki only -no talking or getting up allowed- my students learn how to collaboratively work with someone in a different area and clearly state their position or argument. Instead of having them work from the book as the only source, I can have them log onto lectures from universities, museums or use Wikipedia to help them fully understand topics. They can go on virtual field trips to battle sites or museums to view first hand the tools or weapons that were used by settlers or soldiers. They can use Google Earth to view the land forms that Lewis and Clark had to traverse or how Native Americans or the early pioneers had to adapt to the climate they were in. Indeed, I've strived to make my classes more learner centered; after all, I won't always be there for them.
How I can continue to expand my knowledge of teaching, learning and leading with technology to increase student achievement is by continuing on with my studies. I can actively seek out training opportunities offered by my district and regional educational service center. This blog can help me keep up with the others in my class and continue to learn from and with them in the future. I can and have continued to look at my group's wiki and the wikis of the other two groups as well to see if any new information has been posted as well as looking online for more ideas. But most importantly, I need to talk to my students and see how they would like to learn. By giving them the opportunity to lay out a plan for how they want to learn, they will begin to take an active role in their education that helps to make it more valuable to them. Will they all like this way of learning? No, because not everyone in technology savvy or have the courage to expand their horizons. Will my administrators fall in line with my ideas and provide me the money and equipment I need? It is doubtful, since I will have to prove that my ideas have merit and I will have to share monies with other departments in a time where funding for education is being cut to the bone. So what do I do? I will need to get creative with what I have and learn how to use it better. Fort students who are not willing to learn using technology, then I will have to convince them to try, but I think they will be the easiest to convince when they see their classmates being more engaged in the lesson. However, it is always my job to continue to help my students become better learners to prepare them for a world that values technology skills.
The long term goals that I set for myself are simply to get more training. As I said previously, I can use technology trainings set up by my district or regional educational center, but I do not think that this will be enough. I have access to sites that I can use to further my learning, such as Atomic Learning and Learning.com as well as the Web 2.0 wiki set up by my district's technology department. I also can continue my learning by taking part in technology grants such as the one I am currently involved in that is funded by my state. I must also continue to practice with technology and use blogs and wikis to seek out new technology to use with my classes. This is going to take me beyond two years and well into the future.
After completing this course, I went back and looked at my answers on the check list given to us in week 1. When I began, most of my answers were in the rarely used category. The reason why is because I did not have the knowledge, skills or courage to change my teaching practices. Now, that I have experimented with them, I feel like my answers will be falling more into the sometimes used category with the goal of the majority being in often used. I want to make my classroom more student-centered and I feel that I have the knowledge to begin doing this on a larger scale that I am right now. For this course, I have been working with only one of my six classes in order to make it easier for me to work with the students as I, myself, have been learning. Next year, I would like to try using all of my classes as I continue to use new technology in my classroom, by I will find myself not only working with new learning strategies, but a new schedule with shorter classes and a new standardized test to prepare my students for. Yet, I have faith that I will be able to be successful in my goal. Will I make the often used category next year? I doubt it, but I will continue to strive to meet it in the years that come.
How I have deepened my knowledge of the teaching and learning process is through the majority of the reading that I have done on the value of using technology in the classroom. Not just giving notes using PowerPoint or a Promethean board, but through allowing students the use of wikis, blogs and pod-casts. Instead of having them complete worksheets or assignments just for me to grade, I need to give the the world to assess their learning. This will help them learn how to interact in a global learning environment and give them reason to think in more depth that they would just filling in a worksheet for me to grade. By using technology my students will be better prepared for an ever changing world and give them a reason to be interested in what they learn in my classroom.
How I have changed my perspective from my classroom being teacher-centered to more learner-centered is through surveying my students on how they would like to learn and how they will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding. By having them work across the room with another student via wiki only -no talking or getting up allowed- my students learn how to collaboratively work with someone in a different area and clearly state their position or argument. Instead of having them work from the book as the only source, I can have them log onto lectures from universities, museums or use Wikipedia to help them fully understand topics. They can go on virtual field trips to battle sites or museums to view first hand the tools or weapons that were used by settlers or soldiers. They can use Google Earth to view the land forms that Lewis and Clark had to traverse or how Native Americans or the early pioneers had to adapt to the climate they were in. Indeed, I've strived to make my classes more learner centered; after all, I won't always be there for them.
How I can continue to expand my knowledge of teaching, learning and leading with technology to increase student achievement is by continuing on with my studies. I can actively seek out training opportunities offered by my district and regional educational service center. This blog can help me keep up with the others in my class and continue to learn from and with them in the future. I can and have continued to look at my group's wiki and the wikis of the other two groups as well to see if any new information has been posted as well as looking online for more ideas. But most importantly, I need to talk to my students and see how they would like to learn. By giving them the opportunity to lay out a plan for how they want to learn, they will begin to take an active role in their education that helps to make it more valuable to them. Will they all like this way of learning? No, because not everyone in technology savvy or have the courage to expand their horizons. Will my administrators fall in line with my ideas and provide me the money and equipment I need? It is doubtful, since I will have to prove that my ideas have merit and I will have to share monies with other departments in a time where funding for education is being cut to the bone. So what do I do? I will need to get creative with what I have and learn how to use it better. Fort students who are not willing to learn using technology, then I will have to convince them to try, but I think they will be the easiest to convince when they see their classmates being more engaged in the lesson. However, it is always my job to continue to help my students become better learners to prepare them for a world that values technology skills.
The long term goals that I set for myself are simply to get more training. As I said previously, I can use technology trainings set up by my district or regional educational center, but I do not think that this will be enough. I have access to sites that I can use to further my learning, such as Atomic Learning and Learning.com as well as the Web 2.0 wiki set up by my district's technology department. I also can continue my learning by taking part in technology grants such as the one I am currently involved in that is funded by my state. I must also continue to practice with technology and use blogs and wikis to seek out new technology to use with my classes. This is going to take me beyond two years and well into the future.
After completing this course, I went back and looked at my answers on the check list given to us in week 1. When I began, most of my answers were in the rarely used category. The reason why is because I did not have the knowledge, skills or courage to change my teaching practices. Now, that I have experimented with them, I feel like my answers will be falling more into the sometimes used category with the goal of the majority being in often used. I want to make my classroom more student-centered and I feel that I have the knowledge to begin doing this on a larger scale that I am right now. For this course, I have been working with only one of my six classes in order to make it easier for me to work with the students as I, myself, have been learning. Next year, I would like to try using all of my classes as I continue to use new technology in my classroom, by I will find myself not only working with new learning strategies, but a new schedule with shorter classes and a new standardized test to prepare my students for. Yet, I have faith that I will be able to be successful in my goal. Will I make the often used category next year? I doubt it, but I will continue to strive to meet it in the years that come.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
21st Century Skills
After looking at the website for The Partnership for 21st Century Skills at http://www.p21.org/, I find myself a little overwhelmed at the amount of information on their site. I did notice that they are a big promoter of how wonderful No Child Left Behind is. As a teacher, I see how NCLB has actually hurt our students, turning them into burned out test takers. The students feel overwhelmed with the amount of testing that takes place during the school year to assess academic readiness which forces the teachers to "teach to the test". I know that I have very little time to work with my students on teaching them the technology skills they will need in order to cover my curriculum for the state assessment. My question is how do I teach the tech skills, and still get through the curriculum?
I understand the issues surrounding developing 21st century skills and see the need to do so, but how do we do this in an educational environment that does not see the value in these skills? We are told to give the students an education that will make them competitive in the business world, but set up our educational system on a pattern that worked before the technology revolution and resist the changes necessary to carry out our goal.
The only way I see this happening is for me to take the burden on myself to take the steps to teach these skills the best I can and as often a possible. Instead of reports printed out and turned in, use wikis instead. Give students assignments that they do as blogging or in e-format. In order to do that, I must take the steps to get the training I need by following some of the links on p21's Professional Development page, and be familiar with my states technology standards.
Yes, I will have to take some initiative. Not only in the classroom, but also on the floor of the Legislature to convince my elected representative to spend the money for our future.
I understand the issues surrounding developing 21st century skills and see the need to do so, but how do we do this in an educational environment that does not see the value in these skills? We are told to give the students an education that will make them competitive in the business world, but set up our educational system on a pattern that worked before the technology revolution and resist the changes necessary to carry out our goal.
The only way I see this happening is for me to take the burden on myself to take the steps to teach these skills the best I can and as often a possible. Instead of reports printed out and turned in, use wikis instead. Give students assignments that they do as blogging or in e-format. In order to do that, I must take the steps to get the training I need by following some of the links on p21's Professional Development page, and be familiar with my states technology standards.
Yes, I will have to take some initiative. Not only in the classroom, but also on the floor of the Legislature to convince my elected representative to spend the money for our future.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Socratic Teaching in the 21st Century
Greetings all.
Over all my time as a 8th grade American History teacher, I've noticed over the years that my students get more and more disengaged with early American History. One question that I get frequently at the beginning of the year is "Why do I have to learn about some boring old dead white guys?", and the answer I give: "So you can understand why we are who we are today" just does not work any more. I don't necessarily think that using more technology is the "magic pill" that will fix what's wrong with education, but I think it may close the gap that is widening every year, and blogging may be a good first step.
One way that I think that having a blog will be beneficial to my students is by using it as a forum for independent study. Teaching similar to how Socrates did. Each week I will post a question that the students need to reflect on and let their comments and questions drive their learning. I already do something similar with class discussions at the end of a unit, but discussions tend to sputter and falter after the same 4-5 students have stated their opinion. Maybe by having them blog, their interest will be piqued and more than the same ones will be adding to discussion.
Over all my time as a 8th grade American History teacher, I've noticed over the years that my students get more and more disengaged with early American History. One question that I get frequently at the beginning of the year is "Why do I have to learn about some boring old dead white guys?", and the answer I give: "So you can understand why we are who we are today" just does not work any more. I don't necessarily think that using more technology is the "magic pill" that will fix what's wrong with education, but I think it may close the gap that is widening every year, and blogging may be a good first step.
One way that I think that having a blog will be beneficial to my students is by using it as a forum for independent study. Teaching similar to how Socrates did. Each week I will post a question that the students need to reflect on and let their comments and questions drive their learning. I already do something similar with class discussions at the end of a unit, but discussions tend to sputter and falter after the same 4-5 students have stated their opinion. Maybe by having them blog, their interest will be piqued and more than the same ones will be adding to discussion.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Trying Again
I set this up years ago, but never used it. Now, I'm giving it a second try.
So, the question that I have is how do I use technology in my classroom, but keep my students safe? How do I keep going in a classroom that has changed even in the 13 years that I've been teaching without falling flat on my face and reach students who are more tech literate than me? I guess that's what this course is teaching us.
So, the question that I have is how do I use technology in my classroom, but keep my students safe? How do I keep going in a classroom that has changed even in the 13 years that I've been teaching without falling flat on my face and reach students who are more tech literate than me? I guess that's what this course is teaching us.
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