EDUC-6711 Reflection

When reflecting on my original thoughts while starting EDUC-6711, I concluded the paper saying I want to be armed with new, effective technology to implement in my classroom.  This class has given me numerous resources to use in the classroom and has also shown me the most effective ways to utilize that technology in my classroom.  I am now experienced in using voicethread, bubbl, and a variety of other technological resources I was not familiar with before this class.

One major immediate adjustment I will make to my instruction is to make my classroom more student centered.  I plan on implementing two new technological tools in my classroom which will move my classroom from teacher centered, to student centered.  The first I plan on using is a class wiki page.  The wiki page will have all of the classroom resources and will also include discussion boards where students will respond to questions I pose and to their classmate’s projects.  Another resource I plan to use in my classroom is voicethread.  Voicethread takes a variety of different instructional practices and implements them into one experience.  The use of pictures and language can be a powerful learning tool.

One long-term goal I have is to create a wiki page for all of my classes.  This coming school year I will have wikis created for two out of my three preps.  By next school year I would like to have a class wiki page for all three preps.  I will accomplish this by taking time each week to add to the class wiki page.

Another long-term goal I have is to make 50% of my assessments project based.  I would like to find a mixture between the traditional pen and paper assessment and project-based assessments.  With more project based assessments I will create detailed and easy to follow project rubrics and I will find fun, effective projects for my students to complete.

Social Learning Theory

I’m 27 years old and I have just finished my 5^th year teaching, so I would consider myself a relatively young teacher.  This year I am celebrating my 10 year high school reunion which always elicits a number of feelings, some are nostalgic about the good ole days, and others make me laugh thinking about how much has changed in the past 10 years.  I remember the dilemma I had after graduating high school as to whether I wanted a cell phone.  I have always been a very self-conscious of my actions and I have always been very leery about becoming too narcissistic.  Today I can sit back laugh at my self debate over whether I needed a cell phone.  To think about where society has come in the past 10 years can almost be overwhelming.  Today children want cell phones in primary school.  They want Facebook pages even earlier and after looking through Professor Arnold’s resources this week Kindergarteners are twittering.  I was a much different high learner compared to my students, and once again I would be considered a newer teacher.  The way students learn has always changed and the past decade has been a testament to this belief.  Students in the past 10 years have become social learners.  They learn best when being put in a social setting.  Whether they are collaborating, or one student is teaching others, as long as students are social they are building meaningful learning experiences.

A few resources from this past week are great examples of using technology to provide valuable learning experiences for today’s learners.  One particular resource which I enjoyed was the voicethread collaborative tool.  This is a great example of using a social medium to encourage collaboration.  Another social media tool I have used in the past is Glogster.  This is where students can create interactive posters with videos and a bunch of other great features.  This can be used in my classroom in place of students creating a WWII propaganda poster.  Instead, I can encourage student motivation through providing them with an opportunity to be technologically creative.

Voicethread

Follow the link to my very first voicethread!

http://voicethread.com/share/2089255/

Constructionist Learning Theory

Constructivist or Constructionist it all sounds as though I am getting ready to build a house.  This would not be a successful journey for me due to the fact that I am the anti Bob Villa.  Just the other day I successfully installed gas shocks on my storm door and I was excited.  Alright, enough about my carpentry skills, and more talk about the Constructionist learning theory.  Ultimately, there are six basic tasks that can be done through using the Constructionist method.  They range from problem solving, to historical investigation, inquiry, and decision making to name a few (Laureate, 2010).  By using these tasks students are able to have original thoughts and then they are able to explore those thoughts. 

An example of a lesson that I use in my junior U.S. History classroom that uses the Constructionist theory is testing a hypothesis over the Boston Massacre.  I have students use prior knowledge about the massacre and have them develop a hypothesis explaining the motive behind the British soldiers opening fire on Boston citizens.  Most of my students have been fed the basic patriotic version of events, so they all have similar hypotheses.  We then study multiple primary sources from the massacre and the students independently examine the information provided.  They then must decide if their hypothesis was correct or incorrect and then explain their reasoning behind their findings.

This lesson is one of the more powerful and interactive lessons for many of my students.  They are able to give a hypothesis, historically investigate, analyze different sources of information, and then synthesize all of the information by making a determination of the merits of the original hypothesis.  The lesson usually ends with a lively debate between students who have the same information, but have come to different conclusions.

The Constructionist learning theory does have its drawbacks.  Some students initially struggle with the freedom this learning theory provides.  Students are in the lead with their own learning and teachers act as guides.  This is great, but some students thrive on the structure a “normal” classroom provides. 

Resource:

Laureate Education,Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010)/ Program seven. Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Webcast}. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD. Author

Using Technology to Reinforce Effort

In this post I will be discussing the role of technology in both reinforcing students effort and also the role of technology in homework and practice.  I will also be relating the role of technology to the behaviorist learning theory.

In this weeks reading the important role technology can play in reinforcing student effort was discussed.  Technology can be used in a variety of ways to increase student effort in the classroom.  Using technology to create effort rubrics can provide students with a valuable learning tool (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).  Students are able to understand what type of effort is expected of them by having it spelled out in a effort rubric.  The chapter references how Ms. Powell then uses the effort rubric in a spreadsheet where students chart their weekly progress.  Students are able to see immediate and long term effects of effort in the classroom (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).  This type of reinforcement has a direct connection to the behaviorist learning theory.  By providing students an opportunity to provide positive and negative feedback to themselves, teacher's like Ms. Powell are reinforcing positive behavior through self analysis.

In this weeks reading I was also introduced to the role of technology with homework and practice.  This week's reading states "technology facilitates homework and practice by providing a wealth of resources for learning outside of the classroom" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).  There are a variety of technologies which can be used with homework and practice such as word processors, spreadsheets, multimedia, web resources, and communication software.  For example, spreadsheet software allows students to chart numbers and can show students slope, or paraboles.  Students can use computers to play educational review games (Pitler).  There are a variety technological resources which can reinforce student learning outside of the classroom.  Another example of technology which can be used effectively outside of the classroom is Google Docs.  Google Docs allows for one user to create a document and others can collaborate with them, or a teacher can give instant, direct feedback outside of the classroom (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).

Technology has a growing place both inside and outside of the classroom.  Technology can also be easily adopted into any learning theory.  Since this week we are specifically focusing on the behaviorist learning theory, technology can be used to provide positive reinforcement to students through the use of self analysis spreadsheets.  Technology can also provide students with opportunities to continually practice a skill through interactive games and simulations (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).

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

Reflection On Impact Of Technology On Education

At the beginning of this course I was a bit apprehensive about using new forms of technology.  It is easy to continue to do the usual routine, and having to create a blog, or heaven forbid a podcast, creates anxieties most people do not like to confront.  The most important lesson I have learned through this journey is simply to not be afraid of trying new forms of technology.  Most new forms of technology are user friendly and easy to use. 

My knowledge has been changed in one major way.  It is okay to be both a learner and a teacher.  Throughout education classes they hammer home the idea that teachers must have mastered their content to be an effective teacher.  But what if the teacher no longer is the only source of information?  Do teachers have to be a master of technology?  I believe teachers can learn new technologies with their students.  Teachers can work collaboratively with students while mastering new technologies. 

I can continue to expand my technological knowledge in a variety of different ways.  The first is to continue with my professional development responsibilities and take classes on implementing new technologies on the classroom.  I think the most effective way of continuing to implement new technology in the classroom is by listening to your students.  Teachers are on the front lines and by listening to what new technologies the students are using in their daily lives, teachers will have plenty of opportunities to implement effective technologies in their classrooms.

Podcast Discussing Technology in Education

The following link will take you to a podcast I have created.  The podcast discusses my student's responses to a technology survey.

Link: http://jdeutschillini.podbean.com/

Partnership For 21st Century Skills

Partnership for 21st Century Skills Website: http://www.p21.org/

Everyone would agree with the idea that implementing more technology in classrooms is a good idea.  To prepare students for the 21st century workplace the effective use technology in the classroom is a must.  Using technology with very little direction will only lead to more of the same.  This is why I believe the Partnership for 21st Century Skills is an effective website to give teachers direction in implementing technology in the classroom.  What I especially like is how they are working with states to align their curriculum with the state's curriculum.  The give teachers specific ideas of how to go about effectively implementing 21st century technology in their classrooms.  If you are interested in seeing how the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and states are working together go to this link: http://www.p21.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=505&Itemid=189

After looking through their ideas for implementing technology into teachers everyday curriculum and aligning the use of technology with state standards I am left with this feeling of a drastic move away from traditional communications.  I think the Partnership for 21st Century Skills goes too far in their scope of implementing technology in the classroom.  Teachers must find ways to combine "traditional" forms of communication with more modern forms of communication.  Educators cannot just cut and run from the traditional styles of communicating and educating, but they must find an effective blend of both.

Using Blogs in Classrooms

Being a high school social studies teacher there are many times my class will have open discussion on a variety of subjects.  I am usually taken back by how students love to talk about current events, or even a controversial government topic, such as the Electoral College.  As much as I try to make everyone in class give an opinion I always know there will be a couple of students in class who have an opinion on a subject, but they are just too shy to give it in class.  I view blogs as another way to incorporate these students into the discussion.  I, and I'm sure many of my students, would be surprised at the opinions and expressions of the students who struggle discussing their opinions in front of the class.

Technology... Blogs... Other Random Thoughts

If myself six months ago could see me now he would probably be a bit dumbfounded.  I am not the typical "blogger" type, but this will be a great experience and make be come out of the protective shell I have built for myself. 

Technology in the classroom is constantly changing and it can make even the most technologically advanced teacher feel a bit overwhelmed.  What types of technology should you use?  How much technology should you use?  What are the advantages?  Disadvantages?  Just when you think you have it all figured out a new technology comes along which grabs students attention and we repeat the process all over again.

It's very obvious using effective technology in the classroom benefits students.  What are some new forms of technology being used in the classroom?  How does you school district feel about implementing the latest forms of technology and communication in the classroom?