Week 4: Constructivism & Educational Technology

This week, in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, you explored an instructional strategy that embeds technology: “Generating and Testing Hypotheses.” Reflect on the strategy and how it relates to constructivist/constructionist learning theories. Consider the project-based learning tools you explored. How do they correlate to the instructional strategy and constructivist/constructionist learning theories?

No matter what the subject area a teacher focuses their teaching on, teachers should be giving students opportunities to solve real-life problems on a regular basis. The wonderful thing about technology tools we have available today is they help us collect and organize our data much faster than ever, so our computational tasks are minimal, therefore allowing students to concentrate on analyzing data and making predictions. Pitler, Hubbel, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) discuss how important it is for educators to vary the type of critical thinking (testing hypotheses) situations for students. (These include systems analysis, problem-solving, historical investigation, invention, experimental inquiry, and decision making)

In the constructivists learning point of view, classrooms have transitioned from a teacher-centered classroom to a student-centered classroom where students make conjectures, then test them by experimenting, then make a conclusion or decision based on their data. This "scientific process" is a problem-solving process that can be used in all content areas, especially across content areas.

The idea that students will learn best using only constructivist-based methods would be difficult to believe for all concepts, but to use it for appropriate situations to make learning permanent and meaningful is a great way for students to see value in what they are learning while being able to deepen their knowledge as they take ownership in their products. In my math class, students will be using the Explore Learning website to develop their own construct of knowledge about functions. The activities on this site are interactive and are supplemented with a student guide that literally guides students through the process from concrete to abstract understanding. Patterns in funtions will also be investigated through their virtual field trip to investigate patterns in real life and how they can be used in music, codes, and even to design space suits.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: AuthorPitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Cognitive Learning Theory and Learning w/Technology

There are so many resources for teachers to use to help students make learning meaningful and fun at the same time. What a difference there is between the educational setting just 20 years ago and today - I wish I had been a student in some of these classrooms where teachers use simulations and virtual field trips!!! I think that the brain research and research on cognitive learning points every finger at using these hands-on, visual, active approaches to acquiring new knowledge. I think it was in the first video where Dr. Orey said that above all, students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process.

I have done webquests with students in math and love them! I cannot wait to get my hands dirty exploring the many resources in this weeks set of info. Has anyone found a particularly good math virtual field trip dealing with functions or patterns?

Week 2 Summary

Up until I started taking this course, I did not really give much thought into what type of learning theory in which I believed and used most in my classroom. I am a firm believer in students being successful based on a good work ethic. As a secondary math teacher, I know students need to put time into their work in and out of the classroom to practice their skills and keep them sharp. I have always made participation in class part of their quarterly grade using a rubric, but I really like the idea of creating a spreadsheet that will help students see that their efforts are directly correlated to their results of classwork, homework, and assessments. I teach 8th grade math and Algebra 1 to 8th graders. Most middle school students need to learn to work hard to get high school credit. Whenever students start playing the blame game for not doing well, I remind them taking Algebra 1 and learning it well requires hard work and they enrolled in it voluntarily. They seem to rise to the challenge.

Although a lot of the behavior we see and mold as teachers are through response and stimulus, we need to be careful to not cause damage by using it too much. Zimmer said there is research that shows that in nature, if an animal is affected by outside stimulus (ex: recovering from and injury), the animal may not be able to be a survivor when released back into his habitat. They are more successful without outside factors than with outside factors. Trying to maintain a similar delicate balance with classroom instruction, I as a teacher try to make the best decisions possible with the resources I have used in the past and now use in the present with my colleagues. Depending on the lesson or concept I am trying to teach, there are some that students learn best using behaviorist learning techniques while others are best brought forth by constructivist methods.

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

Zimmer, Gene. Meaning and Motivation. Retrieved on 11/14 from http://www.sntp.net/behaviorism/motivation.htm

1st Quarter is Over!

Wow! This year is flying by! We finished the 1st quarter last week and are in the 2nd week fo Quarter 2. I am finding that my 8th grade MATH students are doing pretty well learning skills, but they are having a very hard time solving real life problems. They do not use clues to solve problems, they just put numbers together any way they want. Does anyone else have the same problem?

Jen