6711: Final Reflection

Final Reflection

Throughout this course, I have discovered new ways to motivate my students with technology and learned more about how my own teaching will help or hinder this integration. As I reflect on my own personal learning theory I am reminded of how difficult It was to identify one learning theory as my own personal theory. This made me realize the truth in Dr. Wolfe’s statement that teachers are instinctive and cannot explain how they teach what they teach they just do based on instinct (laureate education, Inc., 2011a). I wholeheartedly agree, I did not fully understand multiple intelligences, learning styles, and learning theories until beginning my masters. Though I found that through instinct many of my instructional strategies incorporate a variety of modalities and strategies that meet various learning styles and theories that I learned about through my masters courses. Another reason it was difficult to identify with one theory is because I found them all to be so similar and interrelated in many ways. However, in the first week of the course I stated that my personal learning theory was the constructivist theory and the multiple intelligence theory. While this still holds true today I need to add that all of the learning theories correlate in some way with my teaching methods. I do not believe that an educator can simply use one theory without incorporating the other theories in some way as well. The key is to have a balance of the theories. I also realize that many of my lessons are also based on the social learning theory. The most important thing that I learned about learning theories is that there are a wide variety of learning strategies and technology tools that help to facilitate the learning theories. I am very excited about enhancing my lessons in the future by integrating these tools.

Over the past seven weeks I learned that there is a difference between instructional technology tools and learning technology tools. Instructional technology tools are mostly teacher-centered and represent what the teacher can do with the technology. Whereas, learning technology tools are student-centered and represent what the students can do with the technology. In order for learning to be powerful and meaningful students need to play an active role in the learning process (Laureate education, Inc., 2011b) This makes a great deal of sense to me and forced me to rethink how I use different technologies in my classroom. As I reevaluated my technology use I realized that I was guilty of using power points many times as strictly an instructional tool without enhancing them in anyway. Dr. Orey, states that, if there is a need for teacher-centered instructional tools then the educator can make them effective by applying the dual coding hypotheses (Laureate education, Inc., 2011b). Research has proven that the brain is very visual therefore by removing the words from our presentations and incorporating visuals while teaching the students a topic the teacher is able to engage multiple senses; such as auditory and visual. By engaging multiple senses learning becomes more meaningful and powerful.  Dr. Orey also tells us that the most powerful strategy for learning is learner-centered where the teacher is merely the facilitator (Laureate education, Inc. 2011b). I strongly agree with this statement and was very appreciative of the many technology resources and strategies provided during this course to help revamp our lessons and teaching strategies to better engage and motivate our students.

One technology tool that I learned about this week that I have come to absolutely love is VoiceThread. This tool coincides well with the constructivist theory and the social learning theory. This tool can be used effectively as both an instructional technology tool and a learning technology tool. I plan to use this tool in place of powerpoints to introduce topics to the students. I also plan on having the students use this tool to create multimedia artifacts of their learning. Constructing an artifact that they can share with their peers is an example of the constructivist theory (Laureate education, Inc. 2011c). This tool allows you to upload audio, visual, and script to demonstrate learning. It also allows students to provide feedback directly onto the VoiceThread in audio, video, or script. Not only does this tool encompass concepts of the social learning theory, which indicates that students learn best while communicating with others, it also encompasses Pavlov’s dual-coding hypothesis (Laureate education, Inc. 2011d). I especially liked this tool because it is extremely easy to use, effective, efficient, motivating, and actively engaging for all types of learners.

Another technology tool that I found fascinating and useful was the use of Spiderscribe to create concept maps. At first I had difficulty figuring out how I would incorporate this into my lessons as a foreign language teacher, but after using it with the students I was impressed by the results. This tool is a great way to organize a variety of concepts and chunk information to make a topic more meaningful and easier to understand. I used this tool with my interactive white board and had the students come up with the web nodes and move them around with their hands as they saw fit. Students were also able to attach pictures, videos, websites, and my favorite virtual field trips to the nodes to assist in making connections to the information. This tool represents the dual coding hypothesis and is also a useful tool in facilitating the cognitive learning theory (Laureate education, Inc., 2011e).

These past seven weeks have provided with an enormous amount of insight to the abundant ways that learning theories, strategies, and technology tools can be used in combination to create an engaging and motivating environment highly conducive to powerful and meaningful learning. With this in mind I have set two goals regarding how I plan to change my instructional practice and how I integrate technology in the classroom. One of my goals is to use technology tools like VoiceThread, concept maps, webquests, blogging, wikis, virtual field trips, and Prezi into my lessons. Although technology is very limited in my district, having these tools available on the web free of charge without having to download them makes them useful in any setting. My favorite part about using these tools is that students can use them anytime anywhere. These tools allow students to work collaboratively without having to be in the same room. As I become more familiar with these tools I would like to have students use them globally, as well.

Research shows that “Student-created multimedia is a natural environment for cooperative learning” (Pitler, Hubel, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p.141). Along with multimedia projects, students can create wikis, blogs, and use Skype, to engage in active anytime anywhere communication and collaboration not only with people in their very own classroom but on a global realm, as well These are just a select few of the fascinating web 2.0 tools that not only supplement the cooperative learning theory but the social learning theory, as well. Meanwhile, they are also preparing students for a fast paced, global, virtual workforce in the future (Pitler, et. al., 2007).    

This brings me to my second goal, which is to incorporate more project based learning with cooperative groups into my teaching using web 2.0 tools such as the ones mentioned above. Not only do these tools make project grading easier they are more motivating and engaging for the students to use. The 21st century brings many changes to education and although it maybe difficult to embrace at times it is necessary for the success of our students now and in the future. I would also like to begin using Skype as a weekly class activity to actively communicate with other classes in Italy that are studying English. This tool will be helpful to students when they are creating projects because it will provide students an opportunity to identify different similarities and difference between the two cultures and will provide students with an assimilated immersion experience. It is also a great way to practice the language by speaking with native speakers.

In order to accomplish my goals, I plan on improving my knowledge of these technology tools and skills by attending workshops, collaborating with peers, and researching a variety of ways that others have used these tools in my subject area. The internet provides a plethora of resources for integrating a variety of technology. I also plan to continue to further my knowledge of technology integration through my graduate courses at Walden University. This will help me to better familiarize myself with the tools and in turn use them effectively. Once I have gained a strong enough confidence and a portfolio of examples for integrating these fascinating and highly motivating tools into instruction I hope to facilitate my own professional development workshop at my school where I will be able to demonstrate and share my knowledge with my peers.

Thank you for being a part of my journey! :-)

Daniela Petruzzella

References:

Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2010a). Program one: Understanding the brain.

[DVD]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore,

MD:  Patricia Wolfe, Ed.D. Retrieved from

http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program thirteen: Technology:

Instructional tool vs. learning tool [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

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011c). 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

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011d). Social learning theories [DVD]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology Baltimore, MD: Author. 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

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011e). Program five: Cognitive learning theory.[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

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

VoiceThread

This is my artifact of this week’s experiment with a fascinating Web 2.0 tool called Voice Thread, which was very new exciting for me.

Italian Grammar Made Easy – Cenerentola Project-

http://voicethread.com/share/3149371/

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

This week I explored the Social Learning Theory and the Cooperative Learning Theory. I found these theories to be very insightful and like the behaviorist, cognitivist, and construcionist theories, they correlate very well with my current teaching practice. As I researched these theories I began to reflect on how they correlate with each other. Through my research I have found that the social learning theory (SLT) includes cooperative methods of teaching.  

Dr. Orey (2011), defines the Social Learning Theory as a method of learning in which students are actively engaged in constructing artifacts and conversing with others (Laureate education, 2011).  Whereas, Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec (1986) Defined Cooperative learning as, “working together to attain group goals that cannot be obtained by working alone or competitively. The main purpose is to actively involve students in the learning process; a level of student empowerment which is not possible in a lecture format” (Orey, 2001a, p. 3). Providing students with teamwork and accountability enhances their knowledge and social skills. Through collaborative learning students become more motivated, engaged, concepts and ideas are elaborated and clarified through the immediate feedback of their peers. These are just the few benefits of this learning theory, there are many more and as technology evolves rapidly, the need and importance of implementing this theory rises as well. Students thrive for communication. It is vital to them that they be able to communicate with their peers.

            It is evident that both learning theories correlate with each other because they both involve students obtaining knowledge through some type of communication. These two theories complement each other very well and are very helpful in the long term meaningful retention of knowledge and 21st century skills that or students will need to succeed and thrive in this global workforce.

However, many educators have difficulty implementing the Social Learning Theory and the cooperative learning theory because they have experienced situations where students did not work equally to complete tasks, or that this type of learning is to time consuming and difficult to assess, also many educators fear that they will lose control of the class in this learning environment. As we progress deeper and deeper into the 21st century, teaching strategies, methods, and technology will continue to change. Thereby, drastically affecting the way we teach. Teachers can no longer rely on the lecture teacher-centered approach to reach their learners. Lessons now need to be more student-centered where the teacher is the facilitator of knowledge and students are the active learners. Dr. Orey (2011a), mentions proper grouping as very important part of cooperative learning. He also states that it is important to set clear expectations of each student in the group. Furthermore, he suggests a jigsaw puzzle approach to collaborative grouping which involves assigning responsibility to each member of the for learning the information and turn-keying it to their peers. A great way to assess that students are doing their due diligence to their group is through the use of rubrics (Laureate education, Inc., 2011a). Through this process, practice with using the cooperative learning, and professional development workshops teachers will gain greater insight to the great benefits of implementing these theories into their lesson and will be able to implement them successfully.

 “One of the best ways to learn content is to teach it. Teaching others helps the learner develop a deeper understanding of the content” (Laureate education, Inc., 2011a). Technology can be a great asset to educators and students when teaching each other content. Students can work collaboratively to create multimedia projects and then use these artifacts to teach their peers about their findings trough a demonstration of their creation. Research shows that “Student-created multimedia is a natural environment for cooperative learning” (Pitler, Hubel, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p.141). Along with multimedia projects, students can create wikis, blogs, and use Skype, to engage in active anytime anywhere communication and collaboration not only with people in their very own classroom but on a global realm, as well These are just a select few of the fascinating web 2.0 tools that not only supplement the cooperative learning theory but the social learning theory, as well. Meanwhile, they are also preparing students for a fast paced, global, virtual workforce in the future (Pitler, et. al., 2007).  

This week’s resources have also raised my awareness of how much technology has changed the way we learn. In fact the Social Learning Theory and the proposed Connectivism theory surfaced from the effects of technology. With all the social medias available to our students today, such as Facebook, twitter, email, instant messaging, blogging, wikis, and Skype our students thrive on socializing. It is inevitable that we would have to incorporate these skills into our lessons in order to engage our students. In fact, “by providing teamwork and individual accountability, students work toward acquiring both knowledge and social skills” (Orey, 2001, p.3). As previously mentioned, these skills are crucial for success in today’s global workforce.  The connectivist learning theory is based primarily on the modern transitions that education has made due to the influence of technology. Connectiivism is the belief that knowledge resides in patterns of how different concepts are networked. “Learning is the act of forming networks” (Laureate education, Inc., 2011b). Being that there is an abundant amount of methods to obtain information at rapid rates we need to form networks to transfer information and store it. Some examples of these networks are mobile phones, computers, Internet, and various data collection tools. Similar to the social theory, the ability to communicate with others is vital (Laureate education, Inc., 2011)

Many of the technology tools I learned about this week were very familiar to me. However, one that was new and very intriguing to me was the use of Voice Thread. This week I was able to practice using this tool and immediately saw the benefits in using this as a cooperative learning tool in my classroom. Currently my students are working on writing a story in the past tense to enhance their skills in using the past tense vocabulary. This is a cooperative group project done partially in school and at home. Students are provided with a few sentences to begin the story and then they have to end the story however they like. The story that they are working on is Cinderella. For this project they will need to use the Internet to type, get pictures, look up unknown words using translator tools, and multi-media technology. However, after having the opportunity to experience voice thread I immediately shared it with my students and added it as an optional tool to use in completing this task. The students were equally as excited as I was because this tool allows them to work cooperatively without having to be in the same room. This tool is perfect for creating engaging, interactive learning experiences for students (Laureate education, Inc. 2011c)

I am a firm believer that technology tools can expand and extend collaborative and cooperative learning beyond our expectations. “Technology has evolved to the point where it is so simple to use that educators can create powerful meaningful learning experiences with very little time” (Laureate education, Inc.,2011c). Through the use of technology and the different learning strategies, especially cooperative learning and social learning theory educators are able to differentiate instruction more effectively and efficiently with greater levels of success because students become more motivated and engaged in the learning process.

As a foreign language teacher, I am highly aware of the benefits social learning has on education. I am also well aware of the importance of incorporating the cooperative, collaborative, and social learning theories into my lessons. Through experience and research I have seen that students learn best through communication and collaboration with peers, especially in second language acquisition (Orey, 2001). I plan t seek creative methods to effectively incorporate various web 2.0 tools like blogging, wikis, e-pals and Skype to better engage my students by providing them with an immersive global experience. Do you implement the social and cooperative learning theories in your classes? If so what technologies if any do you use to enhance your activities and better engage your students? If you do not use any technologies or these theories at all, what are you waiting for?!

Here are some links that may be useful when seeking ideas for social and cooperative learning.

Cooperative Learning Ideas - http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/cooperativelearning.htm

Blog offering several ideas fro cooperative learning - http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2010/04/02/the-best-sites-for-cooperative-learning-ideas/

Informative video clips on social learning - http://www.tagoras.com/2011/04/12/embracing-social-learning/

I welcome any suggestions and/or comments you may have for me, as they help me to continue to grow as an educator and life-long learner, as well.

Thank you for stopping by! :)

Daniela Petruzzella

References:

 Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Social learning theories [DVD]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology Baltimore, MD: Author.

 Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Connectivism as a learning theory [DVD]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology Baltimore, MD: Author.

 Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011c). Connectivism as a learning theory [DVD]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology Baltimore, MD: Author.

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.

           

Constructivism in Practice

This week was another fascinating and insightful week in my masters course. During this week I conducted research on the Constructivist and Constructionist learning theories. Both of these theories are very similar and lend themselves to how students construct knowledge.  According to Dr. Orey (2001), “Constructionism is both a theory of learning and a strategy for education that builds on the Constructivist theory” (p.5). The constructivist theory simply that knowledge is not knowledge is not simply taught by the teacher, but actively constructed by the learner (Orey, 2001). Although Constructionism supports the constructivist viewpoint, its emphasis is placed on the notion that learning takes place through the active construction of external artifacts that can be shared with others (Orey, 2001). Along with these two learning theories, I was also able to further my understanding of the problem-based learning and generating and testing hypotheses strategies. Through my research I found that these two strategies compliment the constructionist and constructivist learning theories in a variety of ways.

            Through the process of testing and generating hypotheses teachers can create interactive spreadsheets which students can use to collect data on a specific task and compare their predictions to actual results, in a time efficient manner. This use of technology is effective by providing the ability to maximize instructional time and meet learning objectives. The use of interactive spreadsheets also allow students to gain a deeper understanding of the topic being addresses and requires them to use critical thinking skills to predict outcomes (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Data collection tools are also very helpful in helping students to clarify information and recognize patterns. “The internet is a huge data collection tool. It allows students to share and compare data online through a variety of collaborative sites such as Global School-House” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 211). Web resources such as gaming software, virtual simulations, and interactive applets are also highly effective and motivating tools that allow students to use background knowledge, make decisions, and see the outcome of their hypothesis. Any educator in today’s society is aware that their students interests lie in videogames. Many of our students spend the majority of free time playing video games at home. At least once a week a students tells me an educational fact that they learned about Italy from playing the video game Assassins Creed. Although this is not the ideal gaming software for teaching our students there are a variety of resources on the web that provide appropriate games and interactive software. According to the book, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works,  “Simulation software can provide incredibly engaging learning environments resulting in increased motivation and retention in learning” (Pitler et al., 2007, p.213).

Dr. Orey (2011) states that there are four key concepts to the constructionist learning theory. They are, equilibration, assimilation, accommodation, and schema. Through the process of researching the data, collecting data, making predictions, and generating a hypothesis based on their predictions students are assimilating external facts and reality (data and research) to fit with their current beliefs and understanding. By assimilating their new knowledge and creating an artifact that they can reflect on through teacher-student feedback, as well as, student-student collaboration and feedback they reach equilibration, which is a balance between their current beliefs and reality. As the students create new knowledge they accommodate their current understandings to reality (Laureate education, Inc. 2011).  It is evident that the previous mentioned tools and strategies correlate well with the four concepts of constructivism.

Project-based learning is another strategy that I researched this week, which correlates very well with the constructionist learning theory. The project-based learning environment requires learners to construct artifacts based on that reflect their acquisition of knowledge. This is a students-centered approach to learning where the teacher is simply the facilitator and the students are responsible for their own learning. Project based learning must incorporate real world concepts, must provide options or choices to the learner, and should incorporate hands on activities.  Through the process of project-based learning there are three components; planning, creating, and processing. During this process students collaborate with peers, receive feedbach from peers and their educator, create an artifact displaying their knowledge, and process the new knowledge through the sharing of their artifacts (Orey, 2001). This strategy assimilates perfectly with the coostructivist learning theory.  Students are building on prior knowledge by  engaging them in real world experiences that allow them to develop new knowledge and skills in a learner-centered environment. Through this process the connection to constructivism is highly evident. I personally am drawn to project-based learning. I like that it provides students with the option to work alone or in pairs, and in my experience, students that are provided the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a realistic situation understanding the purpose of what is being taught and are able to retrieve that knowledge or skill for longer periods of time. I often use this strategy in my classroom through digital story telling, dialogue presentations, power point presentations, and WebQuests.

I have found that giving the students options on what they are base their project on, and freedom to e creative with their responses while providing an engaging scenario, like ordering food in an authentic Italian restaurant in the target language and paying with euros, is not only significant of the constructivist learning theory, it is highly engaging and motivating to the learners. These experiences build a desire for lifelong learning within the learner. Technology is also very important in the effectiveness of these learning theories and teaching strategies. Technology is a great asset to the teacher as well as the learner. We live in a digital world that provides with any and every possible resource at our fingertips.  As Dr. Orey (2001) stated in the Constructivism vs Constructionism, Technology is everywhere. A very important part of our career as educators is to prepare our students fro jobs that do not exist yet” (Laureate education, Inc., 2011). How can we do our due diligence to our students if we keep avoiding this reality by not integrating technology into our lessons? Technology is no longer a requirement but a necessity. Regardless of the learning theory or strategy, technology can be used to enhance a lesson, the important thing is knowing how to use it. This is why I am eagerly continuing my education in integrating technology in the classroom through this masters, peer collaboration and professional development workshops. 

Here are some great resources that I found on project-based learning:

http://www.mrsoshouse.com/pbl/pblin.html

http://pbl-online.org/

http://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com/2010/01/16/free-project-based-learning-resources-that-will-place-students-at-the-center-of-learning/

Thank you for stopping by! :-)

Daniela Petruzzella

References:

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.

Cognitivism in Practice

Cognitivism in Practice

            Through this week’s learning resources I gained a better understanding of the Cognitive learning theory and identified a variety of ways to effectively incorporate cognitive learning into my lesson by incorporating a wide variety of cognitive tools while integrating technology.  These tools provide a variety of ways to differentiate instruction and develop lasting meaningful knowledge while engaging students in the lesson.

            The cognitive learning theory is based on the way information is processed and retained.  According to Dr. Orey (2011a) the cognitive learning theory consists of a three-stage model for processing information. One stage is the sensory input stage, which is enhanced by the integration of multiple senses to improve learning. The second is the short-term memory stage, which can be enhanced by the chunking of information since the brain can only process a limited amount of information at a given time. Lastly, is the long-term working memory, which consists of information that is stored for longer periods of time. These memories are stored in networks and each piece of information is connected to another memory (Laureate education, Inc. 2011a). Using cognitive tools in the learning process, especially technology based cognitive tools are a great way to make lessons more interactive and engaging to the learner. “Many cognitive tools have multiple roles. Their roles allow students to interact with information in order to acquire, synthesize, create, and share new knowledge (Robertson, Elliot, & Robinson, p.4, 2007) Examining these roles provides educators with a variety of tools and resources to consider regarding the implementation and impact on how students learn.

           

            Two tools that is highly effective in developing long-term memory are virtual field trips and concept mapping. Virtual field trips enhance cognitive learning through the use of dual-coding which consists of the incorporation of image and text to make connections and associations to prior knowledge. This immersion method of learning reaches a variety of senses which provides more avenues for learners to retrieve information from stored memory. By allowing students to virtually go places that they are physically unable to go to they are developing episodic experiences that they can tie information to, compare and contrast information too, and engage in critical thinking (Laureate education, Inc., 2011b).  Another Highly effective tool in enhancing cognitive learning is concept mapping. Concept maps also support the dual-coding of information and are highly in helping the learner to organize their thoughts, clarify any misconceptions, visualize their ideas, and make necessary corrections or changes as needed (Laureate education, Inc., 2011). 

The book using Technology with Classroom Instruction that works provides two strategies that are highly effective in the cognitive learning theory and very helpful to the processing of information through the mapping of information. One is Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers. This strategy is found in chapter four of the text. Cues and questions provide explicit reminders that help student trigger prior knowledge by making connections to it and advance organizers provide students with a variety of methods to organize their thoughts to identify what they know, what they need to now, and make connections to new knowledge through research. Technologies provide the opportunity to efficiently and neatly organize information through the use of spreadsheets, rubrics, and brainstorming software. A great too for webbing thoughts and organizing information is the Kidspiration organizer. This tool allows students and teachers to identify the central topic then make connections to that topic using text and picture while mapping out their thoughts.  Using multimedia tools such as power point and video software to as questions and organize thoughts is also a great way to enhance learning  through the use by activating prior knowledge and higher order thinking skills (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K., 2007).

           

            The second strategy researched is Summarizing and Note Taking. This strategy can be found in chapter six of the text. This strategy helps students to synthesize information in order to identify which pieces of information are most important in achieving the goals of the lesson.  As mentioned earlier the brain can only process a limited amount of information at a time. This process is very important to the cognitive learning theory because it allows students which aspects of information are most valuable to achieving the goal of the lesson and makes the most memorable connection to their learning experience. Many students have a great deal of difficulty with the note taking and summarizing process therefore it is very important for teachers to teach these skills by demonstrating this process to the students first. This process can also be highly effective when conducted through peer collaboration. The use of wikis and blogs are a great way to share notes on a specific topic and identify the most valuable pieces of information that provide the most memorable connections to prior knowledge (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K., 2007).

           

            Through my research of the cognitive learning theory I have identified that there are many ways to enhance students ability to process information, build new knowledge, and retain that knowledge for long periods of time. Through the use of technology I am able to enhance the students learning experiences and highly engage students in the cognitive learning process. “Cognitive tools impact student learning by causing them to think about information instead of reproducing and/or recalling information” (Robertson, Elliot, & Robinson, p. 9, 2007). Through the use of virtual field trips, graphing and organizing software, concept mapping, multimedia tools, and various other forms of cognitive technology tools I am able to create lasting learning experiences that allow students to develop connections to prior knowledge through a variety of modes. I am a firm believer in the cognitive learning theory. Until now I had not realized how many ways that I already used cognitive learning tools, as well as, the variety of tools available to me to enhance the learning process, thereby enhancing each students opportunity to succeed and thrive in the future by building enduring knowledge and skills through engaging experiences. How do you incorporate the cognitive learning tools into your lessons? Through your experiences, are there any cognitive technology tools that you and your students prefer?

Some of my favorite sites that incorporate cognitive tools are:

Google Docs and Spreadsheets – http://docs.google.com

Prezi – www.prezi.com

Glogster- www.glogster.com

Kidspiration/Inspiration - www.inspiration.com/Kidspiration

Brain POP – www.brainpop.com

This is a great site for virtual field trips-  

http://www.uen.org/tours/fieldtrips2.shtml

Any comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you for stopping by! J

           

References:

Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2010a). Program one: Understanding the brain. [DVD]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore, MD:  Patricia Wolfe, Ed.D. 

Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program two: Brain research and learning. [DVD]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore, MD:  Patricia Wolfe, Ed.D. 

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011c). Program three: Instructional theory vs. learning theory [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

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

Robertson, B., Elliot, L., & Robinson, D. (2007). Cognitive tools. In M. Orey (Ed.)

 Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved May 14,

 2012, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Daniela Petruzzella

Behaviorism in Practice

Behaviorism In Practice

            Through my experiences as an educator and my educational studies I have become more fluent in the various learning theories and their roles in the classroom. This week for my graduate course in Integrating Technology in the classroom I researched the behaviorist theory. As I researched this theory I reflected on how I apply this theory.  I also reflected on the role the behaviorist theory correlate with strategies like reinforcement of student effort and the application homework and practice. Lastly, I reflected of the role of technology integration and realized that in many ways they are all intertwined.

            What is the behaviorist theory? The behaviorist theory is the oldest theory that focuses on how human beings learn. Theorist B.F. Skinner developed this theory on the basis of operant conditioning to study observable and measurable behavior. Behaviorist theorists believe that changes in behavior are a result  stimulus-response associations made by the learner. Through the use of the behaviorist theory educators manage students behaviors rewarding desirable behaviors through positive reinforcement and punishing undesirable behaviors through a variety of undesirable consequences to ensure the development of good learning habits (Standridge, 2002).

            One strategy that I studied this week involving the behaviorist theory and technology is reinforcing effort. According to Hartley (1998), one of the key principles to learning under the behaviorist theory is reinforcement.  Receiving positive rewards for positive behavior is much more preferable than receiving negative rewards such as punishments or failures (Smith, 1999).  While reinforcement is a very strong motivator, effort is also a strong motivator that students often do not realize or acknowledge the importance of in regards to their academic success. Technology makes it very easy for students and teachers to monitor the effects of students’ effort and provide immediate feedback. Through the use of data collection tools, spread sheets, surveys, and rubrics students can monitor their effort to academic achievement ratios and compare these rates to those achieved when more effort is applied. Using these tools and allowing students to assess themselves provides them with an awareness of the academic success they can achieve when they give each assignment their best effort. Of the variety of technologies learned in the book, Using Technology With Classroom Instruction that works, my favorite tools for monitoring effort and providing reinforcement for positive efforts rubrics, which can be created on the site http.rubistar.4teachers.com, and the use of surveys on effort which can be created anonymously by the students of previous years then provided to incoming students to provide the new students with ways in which the previous students have overcome their obstacles and achieved their highest potential by putting forth their best effort I great survey creating tool is Survey Monkey which is found at www.surveymonkey.com (Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).

            The second strategy that I studied this week, which also adopts the behaviorist theory, is homework and practice. Behaviorist theorists believe that the learner must be active in the learning process, learning happen through frequent repetition and practice, and clear ojectives (Smith, 1999).  Providing students with homework is a great to extend their practice and build a deeper understanding of varied concepts outside of the classroom. According to Marzano et al. (2001, p.67),  “Tipically, students need about 24 practice sessions with a skill in order to achieve 80-percent competency  (Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 188) Providing students with a variety of ways to practice these skills inside and outside of school will ensure mastery of the topic. Through the abundance of resources available on the internet technology is a great facilitator of homework and practice skills. The use of web resources provides students with opportunity complete online review games that provide them with instant feedback and reinforcement of the correct or incorrect answer and the reasoning behind those answers. The ability to practice their skills through programmed learning is great reinforcement of skills through and activity the enjoy (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). One method of using homework and practice with technology to enhance student learning is through various types of multimedia projects. I usually start these projects in school, then have the students complete them at home. Some projects include the creation of jeopardy review games using power point and digital stories using power point or moviemaker software.  Allowing the students to complete projects at home provides them more opportunities to collaborate with peers using wiki spaces, blogs, email, phone, etc. It also provides them to put their best efforts forward and be more creative than they can be in a classroom. (Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007)

            As previously mentioned, the behaviorist theory is a very old theory but when applied correctly a very good theory that educators and students greatly benefit from incorporating into the classroom even today. Especially with the integration of the vast array of technological resources available to educators and students, the behaviorist theory can prove highly beneficial to classroom management and academic success. I use the behaviorist theory in several ways in my lessons daily. How do you apply this theory to enhance your students learning and reinforce positive students habits, behaviors, and skills?

            A great resource for instructional tips and activities using the Behavioral learning theories can be found at this site http://viking.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/et-it/behavior.htm.

           Comments and/or suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. :)

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program four: Behaviorist learning theory [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

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://infed.org/biblio/learning-behaviourist.htm

Standridge, M.. (2002). Behaviorism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on

learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 2012, May 8, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Daniela Petruzzella

REFLECTION: FINAL BLOG POSTING

    As I reflect upon the pars seven weeks of my fourth course in graduate school, I have found that I have not only become more confident and skilled in my ability to effectively integrate technology into my lessons. These new skills have motivated me and empowered me to continuously seek out more new and exciting ways to teach my students using technology as much as possible. I have always been a dedicated teacher wanting to provide my students with the very best but did not always know how to do that. Prior to this course my technology skills were very week and my classroom technology use was the equivalent of using technology to do the same thing differently just faster, rather than the effective way to use technology which is to do different thing all together (laureate education, 2010). Throughout this course I learned and experienced effective and ineffective uses of technology. If I am to prepare my students for a global technology driven workforce I need to do better, and I will. Below I have listed some examples of the technologies and 21st century skills that I have learned and experienced. I know these tools and skills will positively change my students learning experience.
   
    I learned how to create a blog and customize it to meet my needs. I also learned how to post to various blogs and set up RSS feeds that will let me know when people are commenting on my post, when they reply to comments that I have posted on their page, and it informs me of any other post updates that may come up on the blogs in my RSS Feed. These last seven weeks have also taught me about Wikis and podcasts and how to upload them to my blog. While I was learning about the great educational benefits of using and integrating these blogs into my lessons, I also experienced the excitement and ease of using these blogs first hand. Prior to this course the extent of my experience with blogging was Facebook. I never knew how to create a podcast let alone create one then upload it to my blog, my experience with podcasting was watching YouTube. I now know how to create them and have explored various ways of using them in my lessons. Lastly, I experienced collaborating with peers by creating a group wiki for the first time and communicating and editing directly onto this wiki to complete a task. This experience along with all the others truly enlightened and empowered me to continue to find new and innovative ways to engage my students by integrating these new tools into my lessons. They definitely worked for me, I enjoy using them very much now and am confident that my students will continue to enjoy using them, as well. I quickly went from feeling intimidated by thought of integrating these tool to feeling confident, motivated, and empowered by the great possibilities the tools provide.

    Using web 2.0 tools are not the only aspect of applying 21st century skills. However, they are a major factor and they do contribute to the use of other 21st century skills like, differentiation, communication, collaboration, critical thinking skills, problem solving, worldwide communication, etc. Collaboration and communication amongst peers is a 21st century skill that I used regularly prior to this class. Another, major factor of21st century learning is the student-centered classroom as opposed to the teacher-centered classroom. I have always loved the students-centered approach and while I use this approach often I became frustrated at times because I had difficulty coming up with ways to make more of my lessons student-centered. Throughout this course I have gained great insight into the benefits of communicating my ideas with my students and discussing there ideas to find new ways of learning that they enjoy. I also plan time for reflection with my students after lessons whenever possible. Obtaining student feedback has been highly beneficial for me in creating engaging and motivating lessons and activities that the students enjoy. Another major change in my teaching since the first wee of this course has been the use of Skype. I have always wanted to use Skype in my classroom with my Italian students but was nervous about it not working and the security issues with students having pen pals and so on. Although, I have only used it as class rather than individually and the other class that we Skyped with was the other middle school in the same town, and a family member of mine living in Italy, it worked out really well. My students were engaged, motivated and excited by the activity. This was a great start and I look forward to continuing this activity more globally and hopefully starting a penpal program with my students and a class in Italy in the next few years. I would also like to start a blog where students can post comments about each others writing and upload podcasts of their skits that they perform in class. This blog can also be a resource that parents and students could use to find out current class related events, due dates, assignments, and useful websites. I hope to have my new classes beginning in September, with proper permission, blogging and actively using the blog.     

    Based on my new knowledge and experiences gained throughout this course I have developed the following long term goals that I hope to achieve over the next two years. First, within the next two years I plan to write a grant(s) for lap top computers so that my students can experience the great benefits of 1:1 computing. Second, over the next two years I will continue to use the great new web 2.0 tools that I have learned about and experienced throughout this course, along with the many others that I am sure to learn about throughout this graduate program. I also plan to seek out technology based professional development, and collaborate regularly with peers to brainstorm ideas for the integration of technology into my lesson. Third, I plan to survey my students regularly regarding the topics being studied and discuss how they like to learn and what they would like to see or do more of. I then plan to incorporate a new tool or lesson strategy once a month. Lastly, students often complain that they cannot get access to many of the sites that they would like to use such as the social networking sites. This frustrates them because sometimes students are using these sites for reports. I plan to advocate for my students by not only teaching them appropriate behavior when using the internet, but also teaching educators how to teach students about best practice on the internet and the consequences of their actions. Within the next two years my goal is to have built up my confidence and knowledge base of technology integration in the classroom and will be awarded the opportunity to teach the skills to my fellow peers through professional development workshops. 

    After reviewing the self assessment checklist, I found that at the beginning of this course most of my responses were sometimes. I had very little experience with technology and therefore did not use it often. I was always strong in the areas of providing activities that incorporate communication and collaboration amongst peers and teachers throughout the learning process and to complete tasks. However, my weaknesses lie in my ability to provide learning experiences that integrate technology into their learning to meat their goals. I have been attending more professional development workshops on integrating technology, collaborating with peers at school and online, and consistently researching new ideas to change the way I teach by integrating technology and making my lesson more engaging while providing my studnets with the skills they need to success and thrive in life. I am now at the end of my course, and although I have too few checks in the often category of my list, I know I have made great improvements.  Although, I am too young to fit Prensky’s (2001) definition of a digital immigrant I still define myself as a digital immigrant with a strong accent that is fading little by little. Dr. Thornburg (2010), stated that we as the users of technology shape how it gets used (laureate education, n.d.). Technology use is no longer an option it is a necessity.
   
     I leave you with a quote from Richardson (2010),  “The coming years will be marked by a flood of new innovations and ideas in teaching, most born from the idea that we can now publish and interact in ways never before possible. In reality, we now have the Read/Reflect/ Write/Participate/Web, one that will continue to evolve and grow in ways not yet thought of, spurred by the efforts of creative teachers who recognize the potential to improve student learning (p 155)” I have a long way to go but as long as I continue my education, my confidence, dedication, and motivation will guide me in the right direction to get myself and my students to where they need to be. I look forward to continuing my education and building upon my 21st century skills.I aspire to always be a creative and innovative teacher like the one’s mentioned by Richardson (2010).

    Thank you for reading and supporting me through my blogging journey.  :-)


References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). The Emergence of Educational Technology. Baltimore: Author.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5).

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

Podcast- Technology Interview of Today's Students

In the article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 1, Prensky (2001) stated that "today's average college grads have spent fewer than 5,000 hours of their lives reading, but over 10,000 hours playing video games (not to mention 20,000 hours watching TV). Computer games, e-mail, the internet, cell phones and instant messaging are integral parts of their lives (pg.3)."

As part of my graduate studies, this week I was required to survey how my students use technology, the types of technology they use, how often they use technology, and how they feel about technology use at home and at school. I conducted the survey with my eighth grade students. At the completion of the survey I chose four students to be interviewed. Their responses represented those of the class majority. This was my first ever podcast, in fact a student had to instruct me on how to us GarageBand on my personal computer. I was intrigued by the level of experience my students have with the various technology tools and embarrassed that it far exceeded my knowledge and experience. I was also bothered by the students frustration with the technology use at school and the lack thereof. I was surprised that sightly less then half of my students are either not allowed to use social media sites like Facebook and many of them who do use these sites were only recently permitted to do so. I was equally surprised that on average students spend one hour or less using the computer for school or to complete assignments. Many of my students stated that they have created their own Podcasts and blogs in their free time for fun yet never used these tools in school or for academic use.  My goal is to begin incorporating these tools more and more into my lessons. The more I practice using these tools the better I understand their benefits and the more confident I become with incorporating them.

This is my podcast interview of my four eighth grade students. These students as well as the majority of my students represent the school student body that is performing either at or above skill level. Two girls are White, one is Asian, and one is mixed race. These students are also from a middle to high income home, as are the majority of students in my class.  I apologize for the length of the interview and the technical difficulties, these students were so excited to share their thoughts. This and my lack of experience with the program made it very difficult for me to edit and delete without losing key responses.

Thank you for your time and patience in viewing my podcast. I am a newbie in training looking forward to becoming an expert at teaching with technology.

Podcast - Technology Interview: Today's Students 

Click here for the full interview:

Today's Students-Technology Interview

Reference: Prensky, M. (2001).(p.3) Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5).)."