My Personal Theory of Learning

            I took time to read over my personal theory of learning which I wrote during the first week of this course and I was really amazed by how accurate my theory still is now that this class is coming to an end.  In the beginning of this course I had to really sit back and think about the approaches I take in my classroom and what theories I apply to my instruction. I never really took time to think about the actual theory before, however, this class really gives me a deeper understanding of the importance of using specific learning theories in an effort to ensure that all children are learning. After studying the various theories in more depth throughout this course I have come to realize that I am a teacher what really believes that cooperative learning, constructivism, and social learning is extremely important in enabling students to become successful citizens of the 21^st century. Throughout this course I have gained a much deeper understanding of the theoretical basis of each theory and its relevance to education.

            As far as making adjustments to my instructional practice, I really aim to use more technology in my instruction and make my classroom more students centered.  Integrating technology into my curriculum will keep students engaged in the content being taught and this is extremely important. I intend to being integrating and teaching students more technology as the year goes on. The first two instructional tools that I intend to incorporate are concept maps using Spider Scribe as well as Voice Thread. The concept maps will enable students to organize their thoughts which are extremely important to understanding information at a new level and aids in the visual aspect of what is being taught. I really like Voice Thread because it gives students an opportunity to really create something and be creative with their creation on VT. They have many different options they can use to create and make the VT their own.  These two technological tools will keep students engaged and allow them to use the internet to be constructive and build something of value to them. I have been taught various educational technologies that I can add to my repertoire to assist in the educational process. I have been given the tools to know what technology tools I can use to ensure that my students are building the knowledge needed to be prepared for their future.  I look forward to what my students will be able to do with the tools that I am able to now present them with.

            When I think about the future of my classroom and how I would like to incorporate more of what I am learning into my daily teaching I try to visualize what I want my students to accomplish and what I can do to ensure that they are learning.  Two long-term goals that I have for my students includes the environment of the classroom. I really want to work to let go of my control and make my classroom more student centered instead of teacher centered. I think that giving students an opportunity to take more ownership and responsibility for their own learning will give them more of a sense of pride and help them to learn the material on a new level. This is a long-term goal because it will take a lot of time to get accustomed to letting go and letting my kids do more whereas before I was always the one who was in charge. With the student centered approach, I also intend to assign more projects for my students to do which will give them an opportunity to work collaboratively with one another and use the constructivist approach to create various artifacts as part of their projects. This will require that students work together to ensure that they are successful. With projects students are able to use PowerPoints, concept maps, Voice Threads, Prezi, and numerous other technological tools to promote their learning. These two goals are long term because it will be a long process in teaching students how to work in groups and how to use the tools effectively. I will need to trust the students and be willing to turn the control of the classroom over to them. Although I am hesitant to do this, I am also excited because I know that my students will surprise me. I have high expectations for my students and I look forward to seeing the excitement and feelings of success they will experience when they complete a project. I believe that a student centered classroom with more technological resources will create a different environment where students will be eager to come in and learn.

Social learning is vital to a child's education in my opinion. Dr. Orey explains that students are able to build meaning and understanding from others as well as their environment. However, students cannot do this if we do not give them the opportunity to do so. As the teacher, it is extremely important that we are providing opportunities for students to work collaboratively with other students to construct something or even brainstorm ideas or to find a solution to a problem. Social learning gives students the opportunity to socialize and learn from their peers. Not only does this teach them socialization skills but it teaches them how to collaborate with one another and how to respect other peoples ideas and opinions. I like social learning opportunities because I am always amazed by what students can learn from one another.

I never realized that I have been using the jigsaw approach as Dr. Orey explained in the video. For the past two years with my social studies lessons, students work in small groups of 3. Each week the groups remain the same as far as students are concerned. Students are presented with a social studies topic and a newspaper that is focused on our social studies curriculum. Since the newspaper has so much information and would take a tremendous amount of time to completely read, and there is one for every week, students cannot spend the whole week working on reading the whole newspaper to find answers to the worksheet that is provided. Instead, students work together to split the work up equally. Students each take their part, read it and study it, and reports back to the group teaching them the information in their section of the newspaper. Each students learns the material and becomes the teacher. Once all students have done their part in teaching the rest of their group, they each take the worksheet that accompanies the assignment and they complete it. They have the choice to either do the worksheet or work as a group to make a flyer, poster, or other tool to teach someone about the information they have learned. Students are currently working to create a blog in which they will report to the blog on a weekly basis about what they have learned. I never realized that I was using the jigsaw approach but I know now that is what I have been doing. My students love this opportunity to work together and although it requires them to do a lot of work, they are always very excited when Social Studies time comes around.

My voicethread is as follows and means alot since there is a recent impact of its relevance to not only myself but my school and community as a whole. Watch it and you will see what I am talking about. I hope you enjoy.

VoiceThread 

http://voicethread.com/share/2499038/

Constructivism

Over these last couple of weeks I have come to realize that my approach to teaching as well as the strategies and the activities that I use in my classroom offer my students with a wide variety of learning theories and information that I never really thought about in depth when it comes to what learning approach I take. Dr. Orey talks about how using the constructivist approach allows children to process knowledge in their own way. Each of our minds is unique and we understand things differently and we store that information in different ways in our mind. In the video resource this week, Dr. Orey spoke of how it is important to get students “involved in building stuff” “(Laureate Education, Inc., 2011) in an effort to teach in a constructivist approach. Without thinking about what approach I’ve been using, my classroom has a tremendous amount of opportunities where my students are learning in this way. I was very happy to hear Dr. Orey talk about how power point presentations are a wonderful tool to use to apply this learning theory. Over the last couple of weeks my students have been working in small groups of three to create a power point presentation in which they chose a rock and a mineral that they would research and later give a presentation on. This power point was the first exposure that my students have had with creating something using technology. Each group took time to present their presentations earlier this week. It was amazing to see just how in depth my students went in creating their presentations and how well they did considering they were learning how to use power point for the first time.

One huge project that I’ve done every year which does a wonderful job of giving students a opportunity to build something is the electricity unit. After students are taught about electricity, they work in groups to build simple circuits and later learn how to build parallel and series circuits. By the end of the unit students build their own houses out of cardboard boxes and completely power the house using various circuits that they build using batteries, light bulbs, and wires. Included are switches that will operate the lights. Every year, this experience is the most memorable for students because they enjoy the process required to build something that really gages their interest.

I think taking a constructivist approach to teaching is extremely important because makes students taken ownership of their own learning. Having students work in groups to build something and create something makes learning hands on and when students are hands on with their own learning, now only are they more involved and enjoy it more because they are able to do more but they also learn the material on a deeper level because they are more involved. Students are more likely to remember material they have learned if they have been interactive with it and they have been engaged with what they are learning. Taking a constructionist approach makes the learning environment geared more towards a student centered environment where the teacher acts more as a facilitator. I think that students enjoy learning more this way because it allows them to take ownership and they are able to interact with their peers much more.

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

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

The "Black Box" of the Mind

As a teacher, when we teach concepts, information, processes, and everything else to students, our ultimate goal is that every student will learn and are successful. However, often times students ask, “Why do I have to go to school? Why do I have to learn this? Why is this important? As a child, I was one of those children who always wondered why I had to learn certain concepts and was what the teacher was teaching of any significance to me or anything I would do in my life. Now I am on the other side and I am the teacher and I have to answer those very same questions that I once had, for my students who often times wonder the same thing.

Throughout the last few days, my graduate school class has been learning about the cognitive theory and exactly what cognitivism is. While doing some additional research on the cognitivism learning theory, I found a website that described what cognitivism is exactly in two short words. Cognitivism is the “black box of the mind which should be opened and understood” (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2011). In this week’s video resources. Dr. Orey took a moment to explain that students must be able to “understand, retain, and recall information.” (Laureate, 2011). He goes on to say that “ideas must be connected to other ideas” to become long term memory. (Laureate, 2011).  When we test students, our hope and goal is that the material we have taught has taught in that “black box” in their mind. We want them to be able to recall steps to solving a math problem or strategies to use when determining what the best answer is for a question on a reading selection. All the information that we teach should be taught in an effort to prepare each child for their future as an adult in the real world. We must teach them information that they will use to become successful and positive citizens who will contribute something to our world. Before they reach that point, however, they must learn and receive an education. We must teach them concepts that they will store in their “black box” and be able to retrieve when it is needed.

The tough question is how do we do that? How do we ensure that information we are teaching our students is being put into that “black box” in their mind? It must become long term memory as Dr. Orey discussed. I believe that for this to take place we must do as Dr. Orey said and we must make connections for students to be able to not only be engaged in the material but also see relevance to the reasoning behind why the information being presented is important. Virtual field trips not only allow students to experience things they may not get to experience otherwise, but it is also engaging and allows students to see the information being taught in a real world scenario. They are able to make a connection to something in real life and can then internalize the information being taught and store it in their mind. If we can use virtual field trips to create a link in their mind, a child can later recall the information much better than if we were to present the information through pure lecture or a worksheet. A virtual field trip would provide an intriguing visual that would enable the child to process the information on another level.

After learning more about virtual field trips and its importance in making connections with the learning experience, I foresee my classroom in using more virtual field trips to give students an opportunity to experience things that they will not experience otherwise. Incorporating virtual field trips will really bring a whole new level of engagement to my students because my students consist of a population that is in extreme poverty and have very little that they ever experience outside of school. Most of my students have never been to the neighboring county because they have no transportation. As a result, they definitely have no experience of going to a beach or even the movie theatre for most of them. Virtual field trips are extremely important and I definitely plan on using them a lot more! Hopefully with virtual field trips, my students will be able to make more connections or build an understanding for why the information being taught is important and how it is applied to real world scenarios.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Cognitive Learning Theories [Video webcast]. Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6072034&Survey=1&47=8554320&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2011, November). Cognitivism at Learning-Theories.com. Retrieved November 15th, 2011 from http://www.learning-theories.com/cognitivism.html

Before this class, the term behaviorism brought to my mind two specific things that I learned while in my undergrad education. B.F. Skinner and his idea of positive and negative reinforcement and how children thrive off of the positive rewards and how negative behavior receives a consequence or a punishment of some kind. Throughout this week I have had the opportunity to learn more about behaviorism and to grow deeper in my knowledge of behaviorism.

I currently teach fourth grade students and in my fourth grade classroom with my population of students, “reinforcing effort” and “homework practice is extremely important just as it is with kindergarten students. Before I started teaching, I used to think that only very small children would thrive off of small rewards such as stickers, a pat on the back, or even a thumbs up. Boy was I wrong! With my population of students, I have definitely learned that is not the case. My students thrive off of the small gestures I show of praise, encouragement, and excitement when they do something good. It is vital as a teacher that I reinforce effort when students are putting forth that effort. I have high expectations for my students and when my students are working to their fullest potential and are putting forth their best effort I will use positive reinforcement to point out the good. “I like how Zach is taking time to work out each math problem. I really love how Tyrus is using the inverse operation to check his work because that shows me that he is responsible and wants to be successful.” A pat on the back and a stamp that says great job does a tremendous amount. Every student begins to do what is expected and begins to put forth the effort in an attempt to get a stamp or sticker on their paper that they will more than likely throw away later that day or in a week or so. Students thrive on receiving positive reinforcement. There is an internal desire to want to please not only parents but your teacher and my students have that desire to do so. They want to make me happy and they love when I point out something good that they are doing. Students work harder when they feel appreciated and they know that you recognize the good that they are doing.

When it comes to homework and practice positive reinforcement is a huge deal for my fourth graders. My students have very little if any support at home and since the majorities of their parents do not have an education and cannot assist the students with their homework, what I send home is very limited. I always make sure that homework sent home is something that students can do and will be successful on. My efforts to send home work to be completed is an effort to raise the confidence of students when they are able to complete something on their own, without parental support (since many cannot assist) and to come back to school to have it checked, showing that they did well. Homework and practice is vital because it reinforces concepts that have been taught and it gives the students a review to make the information more concrete. Students are rewarded when they return to school the next day with the homework completed showing that they put for the effort. My students become very disappointed if they are not allowed to move their paw up on the back of my classroom door each morning when I check homework. They must complete their homework and have done everything required to move their paw up. That one simple opportunity to start the morning off with their paw on outstanding instead of good is a huge accomplishment in the eyes of my 4^th graders and they start their day off so much better and with an awesome attitude just because they were rewarded because they did their homework. Behaviorism and small gestures of showing the students you are proud of them for doing the right thing goes a very long way.

I love the various examples of “reinforcing effort” and “homework and practice” that the text Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works talks about. There are some wonderful ideas that I can use in my classroom to gauge students’ interest in their academics and how well they are performing. I intend to create a spreadsheet where students can chart their growth on tests throughout the school year so they can see the growth they are making and how their effort is paying off. It could also be used as a tool of reflection for the students if they do not do well one week. They can reflect on what they did and we can discuss ways to improve for the next time. Students want to be successful just as much as their teachers and parents want them to be successful. We just have to help them to be successful and encourage them as well as praise their efforts.

How well students follow rules and procedures is linked very closely to behaviorism. Students will learn rules and procedures and exactly what your expectations are if you reward or praise them for doing a good job. The following video is one that I came across when researching information on classroom management and teaching expectations for math lessons. This teacher has total control of the classroom but it makes me wonder how long she had to work to get the students to this point. They are all very attentive but I wonder if they were able to work the math problems when it was time to put them into practice.

Whole Brain teaching: Power Teaching: 6th Grade http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XroJtR9gQc8

For more information on behaviorism check out https://www.msu.edu/~purcelll/behaviorism%20theory.htm?pagewanted=all

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

Whole Brain Teaching: 6th Grade, Classroom Management

A Time to Reflect

                I am continually amazed at how much technology is available that I am not even aware of and how it can be used to instruct our students. Throughout this course, I was constantly reading postings from other co-horts about the technology that was available to them and how they incorporated and used it in the classroom for instruction. There were many time when I read some new information that I never knew about as far as incorporation of the technology. It seems amazing to have the technology but for me at the same time it seems unrealistic because I am not so lucky in having resources available as many of my other co-horts so it is very difficult to understand and visualize such things being done. However, I am amazed by what is available and what can be done if resources were available.

                Throughout this course I have learned a lot of wonderful things that I can use and incorporate into my classroom. Wikis, blogs, and podcasts are all tools that I had heard about but I never really knew what they were and never used any of them either. However, throughout this course I’ve had to step outside of my comfort zone, reach out, read, learn, and apply what I’ve learned to create each of the aforementioned technological tools. I’ve had to contribute to other people’s ideas and opinions which has opened my eyes to wonderful resources, thoughts, and an overall goal that we all have in common which is to educate and prepare students in a way that would be beneficial and give them the tools to be successful and contributing citizens one day. I can now comfortably use a wiki, blog, and podcast and feel that I can add it to my repertoire to apply its use in my classroom and use it as a teaching tool. I already have plans to incorporate their use into my classroom instruction and have even made it a goal on my state evaluator system that our school and state does to evaluate teachers, to incorporate their use into my classroom. Making it a goal that I must do makes it more realistic and gives me the push I need to ensure that I do use it and incorporate it. I look forward to beginning this journey, applying it and seeing the rewards that will come with allowing my students to be more hands on technologically and contribute more to their own learning.

                I think technology drastically changes how education occurs. Although students are more hands on and instruction is more student centered instead of teacher centered, education will forever need teachers to guide, facilitate, motivate, and assist students. I have changed my views on teaching and feel that I must allow my classroom to be more student centered and incorporate more technology where I can. Students can learn a tremendous amount from technology. They need to have the opportunity to work with technology in an effort to give them the 21^st century skills that they need to be successful. I think the most difficult part of this is not incorporating technology, but instead the management of making my classroom more student centered. With this, students will be up and moving more, having more conversation, and being much more involved as opposed to the old way of teaching where they all sat in their seats and listened while taking notes for the majority of the day. Now I need to let go of my control and find a way to allow more movement, student centered activities using technology to benefit and make my classroom environment more hands on and enriching with opportunities to create wikis, podcasts, and even blogs. I do think that once students understand the task at hand and have enough practice to where they are comfortable, that with it in time, management and more control will come back to the room because students will learn the procedures and will be involved doing something that they enjoy where they themselves are in more control of their own learning.

                In an effort to allow more hands on experiences with more opportunities, I need to learn more about technology and how it can be used to enrich the educational setting. I also think that I need to jump in there and give my students a task. However, it’s okay to not completely understand and know all the answers. I think that is the biggest thing I have learned over the course of this class. I have learned that it is okay to be a student and learn while my students are learning as well. We can learn together and I am sure they can teach me things they know that I don’t know already with technology if I give them the opportunity to do so.  The use of technology will make learning much more engaging and students will be more excited to take part in education. I think with that will come better student success because the engagement of students is a huge factor in how well they learn and how much they take in as opposed to just listening to information.

                In the next two years I hope to have a classroom that is more student centered where students are more involved in their own learning and are taking more control of their education. I hope to allow more opportunities to learn in groups and work collaboratively with one another to present what they have learned.  I also intend to incorporate the use of technology much more. I want to teach my kids how to use a wiki, podcast, blog, and other resources that they can use as tools for learning. It is important to provide these opportunities and ensure that they know and can manipulate them and create them on their own. Students must be able to work with these tools to be ready for the future. They must develop 21^st century skills and it is my job to provide them with the opportunity to do so. I need to make sure that they become critical thinkers and problem solvers. These two are extremely vital to whether or not they will be successful as adults.