People are constantly learning from others. Our students' peers can be an awesome resource for information if they work cooperatively. Research has shown that students learn more if they are actively engaged in their learning and Orey (2007) tells us the main purpose of cooperative learning is to get our students actively engaged in their education.
Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, the authors of Using Technology with Classroom Technology that Works, suggest a few methods to get our students working together
(140). My favorite of these methods is the cooperative multimedia project. Of course rubrics are given and students are given responsibility to create the project among themselves. I really like how students are given or choose roles for what they intend to do in the project. This gives structure to the project. Another thing that correlates is having students work on a project like this will make them work together and achieve success together. They will be accountable to one another and in turn, help each other learn.
Winner
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Constructivism and Project Based Learning
I think I'm one step away from the suggestions of Pitler, Hubble, Kuhn, and Malenoski in their book Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. I got it all but the technology. In the book, the authors suggest using a program which will simulate an actual battle or war from history (p. 213). The web resource the authors give is awesome and I will be using it in my class in the future.
Back to my point...I already do this, just without technology. I thought a few years back that a game I have and play at home, "Axis and Allies" would work great as a group activity to teach World War II. For most folks, Axis and Allies is a complicated,boring, long board game. I saw it as a awesome learning resource. So I talked the school into buying me a half dozen games. I had the students play the game from the perspective of the five major powers in the war...USA, USSR, Great Britain, Germany, and Japan for those who struggled in History class :) The students loved it and learned a lot more than standard lecture, note-taking, and reading.
I found out recently that this game comes in a computer based version. Boy would that save a lot of setting up...this game has about 1 million pieces :)
The program as described in the book and my Axis and Allies program are the perfect complement to the constructivist learning theory. Constructivist believe we learn something based on the process in which we learn it. Reading, lecture, notes means one thing to students: boredom. Most information learned in this way goes in one ear and out the other. Providing information to students in a hands on way such as these programs will enable students to learn the information as they will remember the information along with the process in which they learned it. Just as the name implies, constructivism is based on the process of learning. Just like building a house, it takes many parts to reach the completed project. Education works in much the same way. A foundation must be built and the various other pieces of information are needed to construct a framework of knowledge to the learner.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., Kuhn., Malenoski, K., ( 2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Denver, CO: Mid Continent Research for Education and Learning.
Winner
Back to my point...I already do this, just without technology. I thought a few years back that a game I have and play at home, "Axis and Allies" would work great as a group activity to teach World War II. For most folks, Axis and Allies is a complicated,boring, long board game. I saw it as a awesome learning resource. So I talked the school into buying me a half dozen games. I had the students play the game from the perspective of the five major powers in the war...USA, USSR, Great Britain, Germany, and Japan for those who struggled in History class :) The students loved it and learned a lot more than standard lecture, note-taking, and reading.
I found out recently that this game comes in a computer based version. Boy would that save a lot of setting up...this game has about 1 million pieces :)
The program as described in the book and my Axis and Allies program are the perfect complement to the constructivist learning theory. Constructivist believe we learn something based on the process in which we learn it. Reading, lecture, notes means one thing to students: boredom. Most information learned in this way goes in one ear and out the other. Providing information to students in a hands on way such as these programs will enable students to learn the information as they will remember the information along with the process in which they learned it. Just as the name implies, constructivism is based on the process of learning. Just like building a house, it takes many parts to reach the completed project. Education works in much the same way. A foundation must be built and the various other pieces of information are needed to construct a framework of knowledge to the learner.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., Kuhn., Malenoski, K., ( 2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Denver, CO: Mid Continent Research for Education and Learning.
Winner
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Building an Educational Experience
Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenski provides us with a few new ideas about how to use cues, questions, and advance organizers to increase student learning. Basically, the authors believe that we can increase student achievement by building off of knowledge that students already have to advance their new learning. What a great idea! Of course, this isn't a new idea. Researchers have long known that we learn by connecting new knowledge with prior knowledge. Cognitivist such as Bruner, Ausubel and Piaget believe that as Lever-Duffy and McDonald state that learning takes place when, "information enters through the senses, undergoes mental manipulation, is stored, and is finally used" (p. 16).
Pitler, et al discuss using different technologies that will help students do just that. The authors discuss using Word Processors, spreadsheets, and multimedia to get students thinking. I really liked and will use the idea of using brochures as the authors discuss to activate learning. An example I might use in my class would be that of creating a brochure on the dust bowl. Students could research the Internet and find information like maps, pictures and video of the dust bowl prior to us even discussing the topic in class. This would activate the students brains prior to the lesson and would create a framework for learning. When we did get to the lesson, students could share their brochures with the class. Many different sense could be accessed such as sight, sound, and touch just as cognitivists teach.
Multimedia is another technique discussed by Pitler et al. This is another thing teachers could use to access the senses and build off prior knowledge of students. Multimedia projects such as powerpoints and video used in the classroom will also activate learning through the senses just as cognitivist like.
Overall, the authors do a good job of giving teachers new ideas for using the cognitivist approach.
Winner
Pitler, et al discuss using different technologies that will help students do just that. The authors discuss using Word Processors, spreadsheets, and multimedia to get students thinking. I really liked and will use the idea of using brochures as the authors discuss to activate learning. An example I might use in my class would be that of creating a brochure on the dust bowl. Students could research the Internet and find information like maps, pictures and video of the dust bowl prior to us even discussing the topic in class. This would activate the students brains prior to the lesson and would create a framework for learning. When we did get to the lesson, students could share their brochures with the class. Many different sense could be accessed such as sight, sound, and touch just as cognitivists teach.
Multimedia is another technique discussed by Pitler et al. This is another thing teachers could use to access the senses and build off prior knowledge of students. Multimedia projects such as powerpoints and video used in the classroom will also activate learning through the senses just as cognitivist like.
Overall, the authors do a good job of giving teachers new ideas for using the cognitivist approach.
Winner
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Week 2 Application
Well, I'm back at it...blogging away my thoughts for a new class this time. Stay tuned as I have several more things to discuss for this class.
This weeks topic asks me to analyze the ideas of the book Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski and identify any correlations to the behaviorist learning principles.
Chapter 8 of the book discusses effort and reinforcing it with our students. Behaviorist love reinforcement, positive or negative, because it creates a reaction. In the book, the authors do a good job of explaining how to track effort even giving teachers software strategies to track the effort. Although the strategy is well thought out, I think it is hard to quantify something like effort. What I think is a good effort, the next person may think the same effort is poor. The authors want educators to track effort and strive for improvement which I believe we can do. Students know how much effort they are putting into something and know if they are increasing the effort over time. The result of this survey will give a positive or negative reinforcement like behaviorist want and students will adjust effort accordingly.
I never understood why math teachers gave me 50 questions of homework over the same exact concept. I always asked, couldn't the same thing be done with 5 questions? According to behaviorist, this drill and practice helped me learn the concepts. Chapter 10 of the book discusses strategies teachers can use with technology to create more effective homework. These strategies vary and all make the point that students might enjoy using them as many can be done collaboratively. I liked the idea, and so would behaviorists, that these technology resources give immediate feedback. Also, these strategies would allow students to practice the skills at home as most could be adapted for a web format.
Winner
This weeks topic asks me to analyze the ideas of the book Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski and identify any correlations to the behaviorist learning principles.
Chapter 8 of the book discusses effort and reinforcing it with our students. Behaviorist love reinforcement, positive or negative, because it creates a reaction. In the book, the authors do a good job of explaining how to track effort even giving teachers software strategies to track the effort. Although the strategy is well thought out, I think it is hard to quantify something like effort. What I think is a good effort, the next person may think the same effort is poor. The authors want educators to track effort and strive for improvement which I believe we can do. Students know how much effort they are putting into something and know if they are increasing the effort over time. The result of this survey will give a positive or negative reinforcement like behaviorist want and students will adjust effort accordingly.
I never understood why math teachers gave me 50 questions of homework over the same exact concept. I always asked, couldn't the same thing be done with 5 questions? According to behaviorist, this drill and practice helped me learn the concepts. Chapter 10 of the book discusses strategies teachers can use with technology to create more effective homework. These strategies vary and all make the point that students might enjoy using them as many can be done collaboratively. I liked the idea, and so would behaviorists, that these technology resources give immediate feedback. Also, these strategies would allow students to practice the skills at home as most could be adapted for a web format.
Winner
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