EDUC 6711--Walden University--Week 4 Application--Constructivism in Practice

There were several learning strategies provided by the resources this week which I found informative and valuable.  Many of these strategies meshed well with the constructivist learning philosophy.  This philosophy relies upon the indication that we all have our own unique base of knowledge which is created by on our own unique experiences (Laureate, 2011).  Therefore, the strategies presented this week were centered on the idea of having the learner construct an artifact, product, or design.  Accordingly, the learner would also be constructing knowledge; making assimilations, accommodations, and/or modifying their overall schema during this process.  Therefore, the learner is actively engaged in the learning process and responsible for a great deal of his or her own learning. 

Ultimately, this approach to learning seems extremely beneficial for a variety of learners.  There are many areas of intelligence or preferences which can be met when an educator decides to use this philosophy.  In fact the constructionism learning theory which is directly linked to this philosophy recognizes the importance of allowing learners to have immediate hands-on experiences with content.  These experiences are needed in order for the learner to thoroughly understand and make use of new knowledge.  In fact, this approach learning can provide a learner the opportunity to learn from to visual cues, social interactions, audio representation, and even self-inquiry.

Learning by design and project based learning are the first strategies that I will highlight in regards to their correlation with the constructivist learning philosophy.  Although these two strategies seem very similar, they are not exact replicas.  The main difference seems to be the end result.  During the learning by design strategy the learner is left with an actual artifact, but during the project base learning strategy the leaner may be left with a product, project, or simply an experience.  Furthermore, project based learning seems to encourage a sustained amount of cooperation over an extended amount of time (Orey, 2001). 

However, both of the strategies encourage constructionism as they allow the leaner to interact with the content, confront any misconceptions, and construct new meaningful knowledge.    Furthermore, the learners are provided with reflection time, which allows them to reactivate new knowledge and hopefully increase the retention rate for this learning (Orey, 2001).  Finally, both strategies seem to increase motivation as they are related to student interests and have the potential to create meaningful experiences.

Next, I evaluated the use of problem based learning in which leaners actively resolve complex problems in realistic situations (Orey, 2001).  It is extremely important that the student takes ownership of the problem.  In other words, if you provide the learner with a problem which is completely irrelevant to their life, then the actual learning will probably not be as powerful.  Finally, the student is allowed to find a solution and create evidence which supports their finding.  The nice thing about this is that the student is able to take any avenue as long as the can support their finding.  In other words, there is more than one answer. 

In fact, the problem based learning theory fits well with the idea of student generating and testing their own hypotheses.  In other words, creating a hypothesis does not have to be solely for science experiments (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007); it can actually be linked into any part of the curriculum given the correct framework.  For example, students can actively find solutions to a variety of topics in a variety of contents, including math, social studies, health, and even current events.  Accordingly, problem based learning is structured around the construction of data to resolve or make sense out of a meaningful investigation.

Ultimately, I believe the most important aspect of constructionism to remember is that learner is to actively construct knowledge in their mind.  This is not intended to be a passive process in which the knowledge is simply transmitted from teacher to student (Orey, 2001).  Instead, the student receives knowledge by physically creating their own artifact.  This artifact and the process can then be reflected upon by the learner at a later date.  In my mind, this part of the process seems to provide the most meaningful portion of the learning.  Not only is the learner actively constructing their own knowledge during the creation process, but they are also left with a physical creation or experience which can be used to reflect upon and activate the new learning at a later date.

The following is a link to a video which provides an example of the differences between a traditional classroom and a constructivist classroom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEsGHVdVkMw&feature=related.  While this video is a little extreme I still believe it did a good job of emphasizing the redundancy and ineffective strategies which can be common in many traditional classrooms.   Please enjoy, I know I did!      

Resources

Contructivist vs. Traditional Classroom [Video podcast].  (2011).  Retrieved from the YouTube website:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEsGHVdVkMw&feature=related

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

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

EDUC 6711--Walden University--Week 3 Application--Cognitivism in Practice

         During the completion of the requirements for this week in my Walden University course I was provided with many ideas and strategies that involve the cognitive learning theory.   However, many of the instructional strategies described this week can already be located within my classroom.  This is very reassuring as I begin to analyze the importance of these strategies.  It seems as if the majority of these strategies help learners to begin to think about their thinking.  At first the may seem a little strange, as adults this is something usually comes naturally.  Children, on the other hand may need assistance with this concept and the strategies provided this week help them to actually visualize their own thinking and analyze new situations or information

In fact, the majority of these strategies encourage the use of cognitive tools, which allows students to encounter new ideas, relate those ideas to prior knowledge, and then contruct new information or understanding (Orey, 2001).  Furthermore, when these strategies are combined with the use of technology even greater amounts of self-reflection and information processing can occur.  According to Orey (2001) thse cognitive technologies help learners move past the limitations of their own minds.

The instructional strategy that I currently find beneficial within my own classroom is the use of cues, questions, and organizers.  Kindergarteners respond well to these strategies.  Not only do these strategies provide them with an avenue for organizing their thoughts, but they also give them a starting point and help them to feel successful.  The following is clip I found to help illustrate the use of an organizer with the cognitive learning theory:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmfVOaPnIls (Carnighan, 2011).  Furthermore, as a teacher I can use questioning to encourage critical thinking (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).  Finally, these questions can give my students a clear sense of my expectations for their learning.

The next instructional strategy that I have decided to focus on is the ability for students to track their own learning by summarizing and note taking.  Unfortuately, I do not use this strategy to often with my Kindergarteners.  However, I was provided with some ideas to modify this strategy and make it beneficial for use with a younger audience.  For example, I could provide my studetns with teacher prepared notes that are age appropriate.  Furthermore, I could replace big sets of information with one word or phrase (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).  I could definitely see myself using this strategy during our reading time as we attempt to create understanding and make connections.

Finally, my favorite instuctional strategies which were proposed during the instruction this week were the use of virtual field trips and concept maps.  I was pleasantly surprised by te deep connections my children were able to construct during our virtual field trip to a chocolate factory.  When coupled with a concept map these connections were strengthened.  Furthermore, concept maps can allow students to organize their own learning (Novak, 2008).  Our concept map allowed my students to take the information from this trip and visually make sense of their understanding. 

Ultimately, this week refreshed my ability to use certain strategies within my classroom.  I was also encourage to use further strategies.  Not only will these techniques help my students to understand their thinking, but they will also help me to identify with my own thinking and information processing.  While the cognitive learning theory is defenitely present within my classroom, it is very helpful to be provided with tools for recognizing this theory and creating visuals to even observe it in practice.

References

Carnighan, D.  (Producer).  (2011).  A lesson in cognitivism [Video podcast].  YouTube.  Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmfVOaPnIls

Novak, J. D., & Cañas, A. J. (2008). The theory underlying concept maps and how to construct and use them, Technical Report IHMC CmapTools 2006-01 Rev 01-2008. Retrieved from the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition Web site:  http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.pdf

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

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

     

EDUC 6711--Walden University--Week 2 Application--Behaviorism in Practice

          It has been very refreshing to begin this course by reviewing not only instructional strategies, but also learning theories.  While I was exposed to a variety of these tactics during my undergraduate research, it is nice to be given the opportunity to take a look at them from a different angle.  As a teacher, with 6 years of experience I can know compare my own experiences with the strategies discussed in the resources from this week.  Furthermore, I have been able to examine these same tactics and their ability to correlate with the integration of technology into my own classroom setting. 

          This week featured two key instructional strategies, reinforcing effort and homework and practice.  Currently I use both of these strategies as an educator.  However, it has been awhile since I actually evaluated the effectiveness of these strategies.  My favorite of the two would have to be reinforcing effort.  This strategy emphasizes the correlation between success and personal effort; which I personally hold near and dear to my heart as I am fully aware of the success that may ensue given the right amount of effort.

          As a Kindergarten teacher I constantly am reinforcing the effort of my children which in turn gives them the confidence to keep trying even when they are not successful.  On a daily basis I inform my children that I am only expecting their best; so if they do their best and still are unable to read a certain word, write a simple sentence, or even complete an assignment in a given amount of time, that’s “ok” with me as long as they did their best.  The last thing I would want at this delicate age of development would be to discourage any of my children from trying simply based on the fear of failure. 

          In fact, this specific instructional strategy correlates very well with the behaviorist learning theory.  According to Smith (1999), positive reinforcement is a key when attempting to implement a behaviorist approach due in part to the ability for a teacher to control environmental stimuli when using this strategy.  In other words, what one learns can be highly determined by the reaction of others.  If a child receives reinforcement in regards to the effort that he or she has puts forth, then the likelihood for that effort to be repeated is greater.

          The second instructional strategy featured in the resources this week was homework and practice.  When I was a 5^th grade teacher I distributed greater amounts of homework than I do now as a Kindergarten teacher.  However, I still give my students plenty of time to practice new skills.  This practice time may not always be directly incorporated at home, but is definitely encouraged.  At this age it is hard to find that line between how much time should be used to practice skills at home and the amount of time that is developmentally appropriate.  In other words, some children are simply not developmentally ready to take on such responsibilities at home.

          However, I have found that they are capable of taking on these responsibilities when given in small, manageable quantities.  Furthermore, when I do use homework I find myself using the behaviorist theory to encourage active participation and eliminate the act of not completing the work.  This is done by either providing positive reinforcement for those who return their work or some form of punishment, such as staying in at recess for those who do not complete their homework. 

          In regards to technology, I use many Web Resources to help reinforce learning.  Furthermore, I believe that these resources seem to follow the expectations of the behavioristic approach to learning.  For example, I may use games, interactive stimulations, and other forms of multimedia which in turn help shape learning by either rewarding appropriate behaviors or providing a means for the extinction of unwanted behaviors.  All of these tools provide children with additional practice which reinforces the primary learning within the classroom environment (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). 

          Ultimately, it seems as if behaviorism definitely has a place within my classroom.  While I do not rely solely on this theory, I do find myself using it during a variety of experiences.  I think it is important to provide children with an environment that sets them up for success.  The behaviorist learning theory can help educators to not only achieve learning within their classroom, but also achieve the development of appropriate life skills within their students.

          If the previous information is still a little fuzzy, please feel free to visit this wonderfully informative site: http://www.education.com/reference/article/behaviorism/ (Daly, 2011).  It may help you to develop your own consensus regarding the use of behaviorism in the classroom.  After all, we are all individuals with different perspectives and outlooks.  It definitely helps to have more than one resource. 

References

Daly, E.  (2011).  Behviorism.  Education.com.  Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/behaviorism/

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

Smith, K. (1999). The behaviourist orientation to learning. In The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm

EDUC 6710—Walden University—Final Blog Posting

              As this course comes to a close I sit here pondering the implications that my newly acquired learning will have on my own teaching.  This course has helped open my eyes to many great possibilities.  I now feel confident in my own ability to incorporate new and cutting-edge technologies into my teaching.  Does this mean I need to be an expert at using all the technologies I will face in the coming years?  No, but I do need to have an open-mind and willingness to change; after all change is something that can either make or break us.  If I choose to be pro-active and foster current technological tools in my classroom, then I must also be willing to take a step back and become the learner.  In other words, my success in the future is dependent upon my ability to adapt to whatever the future may hold.  I can no longer be afraid of the unknown; fortunately, I will have students who can not only lead their own learning, but also teach me as well.  This is part of the transformation that seems necessary for a classroom to convert into a successful 21^st century learning environment. 

Personally, this course has brought me in the right direction.  I now feel as if I have the knowledge and correct mindset to enter this 21^st century classroom with the correct tools and framework.  I no longer feel anxious while attempting the use of new technological tools within my classroom.  Ultimately, this course has helped me to change my role as a teacher.  I now feel as if discovery will be a big component in my classroom.  I have developed plenty of technological skills along the way, but know that I still have a lot to learn and discover.  Therefore, my students and I will travel down the technological 21^st century learning path together.  

This path will force us to face many instructional components which I now feel are extremely important to the learning process.  I will attempt to expose my students to more opportunities for learning.  Instead of being the sole proprietor of information, I will facilitate the learning through activities that not only encourage the use of technology, but also the use of communication, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.  These learning components will not only help my students to be successful in their future learning endeavors, but also in life in general.

Obviously, I will no longer need to be the center of attention at all times.  By exposing my students to the previous learning components I will be preparing them to take ownership of their own learning.  In other words, I will be teaching students how to find an answer, instead of just providing them with an answer.  Given the elements of the information age, this shift in learning is an effective trait to possess in our society (Richardson, 2010).  Furthermore, as a teacher I will no longer have to pretend like I know the answer to everything; instead I will be able to demonstrate the means for finding an answer, which will also be an opportunity to model appropriate use of the plentiful amount of resources which are currently available.

  Although I will be facilitating the learning of my students, I will also need to keep abreast on all the current pedagogical philosophies so that I may continue to expand my own knowledge base.  Student achievement can be increases with the use of 21^st century skills and technology, but in order for that to happen I must remain active in my own use of these skills and tools.  It is not enough to simply have technology in my classroom.  Instead, I must use the technology that is present to do different things which will encourage higher amounts of student learning and progression.  In order to stay up-to-date I will continue to face reality and become a learner right along with my students.  In other words, it is no longer acceptable for any educator to hide behind the excuse, “I don’t know how to do that.” or “I have never done that.”  If we are to expect our students to tackle these new forms of knowledge, then we must be willing to as well.

Therefore, it now seems impeccable for me to set goals to help ensure my own success as an educator in the future.  Within the next two years I would like to increase the amount of technology that is available to my students during the school day.  Based on my class and school demographic profiles, it is obvious that many of our students already have access to technology outside of school.  Therefore, I would like to increase the amount of technology that is available during the school day to be at the very least equal to their time spent with technology at home.  In order to accomplish this goal I will need to look into educational grants and possibly rally the support of political leaders within my area.  This seems like an enormous goal, but as one person I can at least do my part to get the ball rolling.

Another goal I have is to use the technology in my room to do different things and incorporate the use of mindtools.  I feel as if I have already mastered the art of using technology to do things differently.  Now I need to step out of my comfort zone and proceed into higher areas of use; areas where critical thinking skills will be fostered and developed.  In order to accomplish this goal I must be willing to incorporate 21^st century skills in my classroom and take chances with new forms of technology. 

After reviewing the checklist I completed during Week 1 of this course I did notice a few changes in my answers.  Under the “In my teaching practice I…” category, I checked that I rarely design instructional activities requiring student collaboration to accomplish a joint task.  Now that I realize the importance of collaboration in the acquisition of 21^st century skills, I am not feeling more and more comfortable allowing my students set times to work together and co-construct an answer or solve a problem.  Also, under the “As a teacher leader at my school, I…” category, I have definitely bumped up my ability to seek out other professionals, especially in the larger community, with whom I share best practices and build a personal learning community to further my own professional growth.  This was done by simply becoming familiar with the use of blogs, wikis, and podcasts during the duration of this course. 

Although, I feel as if I am moving in the right direction, I know that there is still plenty to learn.  It is now my job to use the knowledge I have acquired and apply it to my specific teaching situation.  Furthermore, I realize that I no longer have to know everything.  Answers to my questions are simply a click away and when I collaborate with other educators I will not only be helping myself, but also my students.    

References

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Walden University--EDUC 6710 Podcast--Week 5 Application

The following is a link to a podcast I created which provides demographic information about the use of technology amongst my student population.

http://angelschwartz1.podbean.com/

EDUC 6710---Week 4 Application Post--The Importance of 21st Century Skills

This past week in my coursework I have been introduced to the importance of building 21^st century skills within my classroom.  I have been refereed to numerous resources and provided with an array of suggestions for incorporating these skills into my own curriculum.  Although there are challenges that may accompany the inclusion of these skills, the benefits which may be redeemed conquer and outweigh any obstacles.  In fact, the development of 21^st century skills in our children seems like an essential component in the future success and advancement of our nation on a global level. 

Many of you may not have a clear definition for these skills.  In fact, even after completing my own research I still do not have a solid definition.  This is due in large part to our society; in other words, 21^st century skills encompass a large amount of knowledge which changes on a daily basis given the demands of our society.   However, the foundation for these skills seems to remain consistent.  This foundation includes skills such as collaboration, problem solving, communication, creativity, critical thinking, and analysis.  All of these skills require the learner to do much more than just regurgitate a given set of facts.  They must be able to use new illiteracies to adapt their current thinking and create their own knowledge.  Most importantly they must be willing to change, remain flexible, and at times conform to meet the demands of different situations.

Luckily, as an educator I have access to a variety of resources that will assist me in my pursuit of incorporating 21^st century skills into my curriculum and classroom in general.  I do not feel as if 21^st century skills should be a separate entity.  Instead, I feel as if I should be able to mesh these skills into my core standards particularly through the use of project-based learning and assessments.

            After exploring the website of the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills (2004), which can be found at the following link http://www.p21.org/, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of support there is for the inclusion of these skills within our classroom.  There seems to be plenty of “big name” corporations who are willing to spend money and provide funding in support of professional development for 21^st century skills awareness and research.    This support from major affiliates and corporate leaders in our society can be found under the Strategic Council Members page.  It is nice to see such major organizations realizing the importance of these skills within our schools.  This gives me hope that society may be realizing the importance of preparing our children for the future and global competition within our world.   

I found this site to be extremely informative in regards to the use of 21^st century skills in our schools and society in general.  Furthermore, the information provided correlated well with the resources used during this current week.  My favorite aspect of this organization is the fact that they are advocates for educators.  They are attempting to close the gap between the skills that are in demand and the skills which are emphasized in our current educational system.  I am pleased to learn about their emphasis on local, state, and national policies to compliment this advocacy.  

The one thing about this site that did not sit well with me was the fact that my own home state is not included in the initiative plans.  I’m sure that this is based on decision making at the state level and not from the organization as a whole.  Hopefully, Wyoming will follow the lead of other states and become a part of this initiative framework.  It would be pleasing to see us take these necessary steps and receive help in the area of integrating these 21^st century skills into our schools and classrooms or at the very least to develop more awareness.  

Therefore, as an educator in the great state of Wyoming I may not have access to the same resources as states that have chosen to be a part of this initiative, but there are still plenty of steps I can take to ensure these skills are used and present inside my own classroom.  The most important implication this can have on my students is the development of a set of skills that they can take with them into the future.  However, these skills must be taught in ways that encourage each individual to remain flexible and at times think outside the box.  The 21^st century has given way to a world where the possibilities seem endless and given the right skills and mindset my children will have every chance of success possible. 

Resources: 

Partnership for 21^st Century Skills.  (2004).  Mission, tools, state initiatives, events, about us.  Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/

WEEK 2 APPLICATION--EDUC 6710

Wow, this new form of communication, is actually turning out to be very entertaining.  Not only am I noticing the potential for my blog to help me learn and understand, but I am also seeing the entertainment that it can provide.  Perhaps this entertainment could also be extended to my wonderful group of little learners; by allowing them to help me with the blog I can spread the learning to them as well.  There is even a great chance that this blog can create meaningful situations by allowing them to take ownership of their work.

After experimenting with my blog and the possibilities I have several ideas for incorporating this piece of technology in my classroom.  While it does not seem feasible or realistic to provide each 5 and 6 year old Kindergarten student with their own blog, it does make sense to create a classroom blog where we can navigate and produce an educational site together.   Fortunately, there are several choices and options for creating this classroom learning piece.

As a Kindergarten teacher I could use my blog as a class journal, for class investigations, and class points of interest.  In doing so I would allow the children to help me by informing me on what to include and even how to spell some of the words (perhaps typing), similar to an interactive writing lesson.  Only this would be more of an interactive typing lesson and would help the children with their literacy development as well as their fine motor skills. 

Our journal could be used to discuss, review, or develop further ideas for any part of the curriculum, such as math, science, social studies, etc.  Therefore, children would also have an online documentary to look back on with their parents at home.  An added bonus would be the encouragement of communication between school and home.  Not very often do 5 and 6 year olds remember exactly what they did in school on any particular day when asked by their caregiver.  In fact, I can still remember the day I asked my 5 year old, “What did you have for lunch today?”  His response, “I give up!”  This is a classic example of a Kindergarten’s memory ability.  However, the blog could provide parents with specific details on any given day so that they may prompt their children to discuss school topics at home.  What a great way to link the two together!

Speaking of home communication, I could also use my blog to post important dates and reminders for the parents.  While, my school does provide each teacher with a website, a blog would allow the parent to immediately communicate back to me with any question, comments, or concerns.  I have found that many parents may have the same question, but only one is brave enough to inquire.  Therefore, a blog would allow all parents to benefit from the answers and information I provide.  This would definitely save me time and energy as an educator.

Finally, I could also use the blog to publish student work.  Obviously, the majority of Kindergarteners may not be able to type and publish their own work.  Furthermore, they would never be able to publish their own coloring and artwork without some form of adult assistance.  Therefore, I could use my scanner or document camera to save images of their work onto my computer and transfer them into the blog site.  After all, pictures are an integral part of writing development and should be celebrated and included in a portfolio for a Kindergarten classroom. 

Ultimately, I believe using a blog within my classroom would enhance my curriculum by providing an opportunity to visually demonstrate student work, especially when using the blog in conjunction with my SMARTBOARD.  Furthermore, the children would realize the importance of their work given the fact that the whole world can now view it.  This would in turn give them a sense of pride and achievement on a greater level than posting their work in the halls of the school.  Knowing the whole world is looking would make them feel important, provide meaning, and hopefully be a motivational tool to try their very best.