Sunday, March 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Connectivism and Social Learningn in Practice.
In week five of our course, we explored social learning as defined by cooperative learning. A myriad of strategies exist to support cooperative learning: building web sites, exploring simulation games, interacting with Skype or Facebook tools, creating multimedia, Webquesting, blogging, GoogleDocs, jigsaw activities, think- pair-share, and many more.
The options are dizzying and I wonder which methods best fits my teaching style. Perhaps I should look at this way: Which collaborative tech tool or activity best suites my lesson? Whatever the perspective, it is certain that cooperative work is a give and take situation among students that builds critical thinking, as Palmer et. al cite: “Because cooperative learning creates a situation in which students must explain and discuss various perspectives, a greater understanding of the material is obtained” (2001, pg. 4). Not only does cooperative thinking create deeper understanding, but it also ignites motivation and builds interpersonal skills.
In my classroom, my English language learners are encouraged to elaborate their thoughts through conversation. Many times my ELL students are petrified to speak in front of the class (not because I’m Mrs. Grinch, but because of the embarrassment factor). However, by having them communicate in pairs or teams, they are verbalizing more freely and I think have more confidence when they are allowed to formulate ideas together. Palmer et. al support my viewpoint: “Cooperative learning creates a safe, nurturing environment because solutions come from the group rather than from the individual. Errors in conclusions and through processes are corrected within the group before they are presented to the class” (2001, p. 12).
I could see how the on-line sites that we had to explore help students to reach across the globe as they learn in a cooperative manner, especially sites like Edublogs, Webquest, and Facebook. However, the site Second Life seemed to me like it was geared for adults only. There were some pretty far-out worlds and crazy people to meet and create. I guess an economics teacher could look at Second Life as an opportunity to have her students do business (creating a store), bring business (Dell networking), and take on a virtual job. The option I liked on this site was the “Get Cultured” aspect. I could see taking my students on virtual field trips to the Latino Virtual Museum or having them partake in a book club of sorts.
The options are dizzying and I wonder which methods best fits my teaching style. Perhaps I should look at this way: Which collaborative tech tool or activity best suites my lesson? Whatever the perspective, it is certain that cooperative work is a give and take situation among students that builds critical thinking, as Palmer et. al cite: “Because cooperative learning creates a situation in which students must explain and discuss various perspectives, a greater understanding of the material is obtained” (2001, pg. 4). Not only does cooperative thinking create deeper understanding, but it also ignites motivation and builds interpersonal skills.
In my classroom, my English language learners are encouraged to elaborate their thoughts through conversation. Many times my ELL students are petrified to speak in front of the class (not because I’m Mrs. Grinch, but because of the embarrassment factor). However, by having them communicate in pairs or teams, they are verbalizing more freely and I think have more confidence when they are allowed to formulate ideas together. Palmer et. al support my viewpoint: “Cooperative learning creates a safe, nurturing environment because solutions come from the group rather than from the individual. Errors in conclusions and through processes are corrected within the group before they are presented to the class” (2001, p. 12).
I could see how the on-line sites that we had to explore help students to reach across the globe as they learn in a cooperative manner, especially sites like Edublogs, Webquest, and Facebook. However, the site Second Life seemed to me like it was geared for adults only. There were some pretty far-out worlds and crazy people to meet and create. I guess an economics teacher could look at Second Life as an opportunity to have her students do business (creating a store), bring business (Dell networking), and take on a virtual job. The option I liked on this site was the “Get Cultured” aspect. I could see taking my students on virtual field trips to the Latino Virtual Museum or having them partake in a book club of sorts.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Constructivism in Practice
This week we were presented with constructivism as applied through technology tools such as spreadsheet software, data collection tools, and web resources. The fact that these tools allow students to manipulate information and make educated decisions (hypothesis) based on data or realistic simulated events, speaks to the power of constructionism. For example, the scenario put forth by Mrs. Omar challenged her students to consider, graph, and predict investment options and then compare results to real world situations. True to the heart of constructivism, students were using higher-order thinking, collaboration, and reality-based scenarios.
In reading how to apply constructivism, I am becoming a more motivated teacher because I see how interactive and real world based education can excite and “wake” up the sleeping minds that too easily fall through the educational cracks. As I have read, at-risk students have the most to lose if we do not allow them to create and take ownership of their learning.
I grew up learning the old fashioned way until college, where I was immersed in a program called INVST (International and National Volunteer Service Training). In learning about how non-profit organizations work, we visited Colorado, Jamaica, and Utah where we not only worked for and interviewed leaders of non-profits, but also walked in the shoes of people being serviced (i.e. We had to be homeless, on the street, for 2 days!!). We were faced with scenarios of what can go wrong in these organizations, and we were educated about how these services stay alive. No other traditional class could compare to the real-world adventures of INVST.
I know I can’t relocate students across the world for such real world learning, but technology affords me the opportunity to let kids know they are part of a larger world. This larger world is willing to communicate and be educated by each other. This broader world of student peers, experts, and community members has so much to offer, as exemplified on Apple’s Online Project-Based Learning website that featured First People’s Projects. In this project, indigenous students exchange art, writing, and interviews with other indigenous students across the world. However, they exchange more than culture; they exchange basic life relief, like blankets, generators, and scholarships. Students are directly solving humanitarian problems through the power of the web! How great is that.
In my own classroom, I want my students to build a wiki that educates the public about the history of Coachella, and how it came to be the home of many migrants. Because we have so much gang and graffiti problems, it is my hope that the wiki site will empower my students to learn about their community so that can appreciate it more. Contacts with current leaders and citizens will help to build more unity and awareness of the city’s problems and possibly, solutions!
In reading how to apply constructivism, I am becoming a more motivated teacher because I see how interactive and real world based education can excite and “wake” up the sleeping minds that too easily fall through the educational cracks. As I have read, at-risk students have the most to lose if we do not allow them to create and take ownership of their learning.
I grew up learning the old fashioned way until college, where I was immersed in a program called INVST (International and National Volunteer Service Training). In learning about how non-profit organizations work, we visited Colorado, Jamaica, and Utah where we not only worked for and interviewed leaders of non-profits, but also walked in the shoes of people being serviced (i.e. We had to be homeless, on the street, for 2 days!!). We were faced with scenarios of what can go wrong in these organizations, and we were educated about how these services stay alive. No other traditional class could compare to the real-world adventures of INVST.
I know I can’t relocate students across the world for such real world learning, but technology affords me the opportunity to let kids know they are part of a larger world. This larger world is willing to communicate and be educated by each other. This broader world of student peers, experts, and community members has so much to offer, as exemplified on Apple’s Online Project-Based Learning website that featured First People’s Projects. In this project, indigenous students exchange art, writing, and interviews with other indigenous students across the world. However, they exchange more than culture; they exchange basic life relief, like blankets, generators, and scholarships. Students are directly solving humanitarian problems through the power of the web! How great is that.
In my own classroom, I want my students to build a wiki that educates the public about the history of Coachella, and how it came to be the home of many migrants. Because we have so much gang and graffiti problems, it is my hope that the wiki site will empower my students to learn about their community so that can appreciate it more. Contacts with current leaders and citizens will help to build more unity and awareness of the city’s problems and possibly, solutions!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Cognitivism in Practice
Week three’s reading explored the following instructional strategies that embed technology and that relate to cognitive learning theories: “Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers” and “Summarizing and Note Taking.” Highlighted among these strategies is the use of concept mapping tools and multimedia (i.e. virtual field trips).
I currently use a program called Thinking Maps that helps students organize their thoughts into different types of graphic organizers. Our school (K-6) utilizes them so much that students embed them in their personal lives. For example, I caught a girl writing love notes on a bubble map and another kid writing his Christmas wish-list on a tree map! This program has been useful for improving the basics of reading, writing, and mathematics as well as for problem-solving.
However, I think that digital concept mapping tools can further enhance learning in my classroom. For starters, it allows users to integrate pictures, web links, and sounds, which according to Dr. Orey (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009) all support Paivio’s dual coding of information hypothesis that states that information is stored as images and text. Bringing in multiple senses into the learning process improves associations with ideas. Second, the mapping tool such as Cmap allows users to associate ideas using linking words to strengthen relationships among the nodes. Third, the use of an essential question helps focus the concept at hand. I never used an essential question in my thinking maps, but now understand its importance: “…research shows that higher-order questions produce deeper learning than lower-order questions do” (Pitler, et.al., 2007, pg. 78).
The closest I have come to virtual field trips in my curriculum is United Streaming and BrainPop. My students love the video clips from these sites and I notice they spark further inquiry into a subject. For example, we were reading a book about a boy and his adventures with a waterfall. I showed a clip that showed the most magnificent waterfalls around the world and the students wanted to know where these waterfalls came from, so I showed another clip that explained the source of waterfalls. Then students were excited about waterfall sky divers, so….you get the point.
In surfing the web, I came across some good virtual field trips, but found that many of them are not graphic enough; too much small text that is not inviting to the eye. Also there is little animation or video, many times the author just incorporates a picture or two with long text. When I think field trip, I want to see, hear, and feel. Maybe smell will be incorporated into the next wave of technology! The virtual field trip gems that are out there (found a good mission one) support elaboration, a component of cognitive theory that Dr. Orey cites as helping to build numerous connections to stored information. It’s good to have a collection of quality, elaborative multimedia sites in order to deepen understanding and bridge connections to other ideas. I am currently sifting through all sites and collecting them in subject folders on my computer to utilize for my new assignment next year: fourth grade!
Cristina Chico
References
Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology 1-13. (2009). Brain research and learning. (Laureate Educational, Inc., CD-ROM, 2009 release).
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
I currently use a program called Thinking Maps that helps students organize their thoughts into different types of graphic organizers. Our school (K-6) utilizes them so much that students embed them in their personal lives. For example, I caught a girl writing love notes on a bubble map and another kid writing his Christmas wish-list on a tree map! This program has been useful for improving the basics of reading, writing, and mathematics as well as for problem-solving.
However, I think that digital concept mapping tools can further enhance learning in my classroom. For starters, it allows users to integrate pictures, web links, and sounds, which according to Dr. Orey (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009) all support Paivio’s dual coding of information hypothesis that states that information is stored as images and text. Bringing in multiple senses into the learning process improves associations with ideas. Second, the mapping tool such as Cmap allows users to associate ideas using linking words to strengthen relationships among the nodes. Third, the use of an essential question helps focus the concept at hand. I never used an essential question in my thinking maps, but now understand its importance: “…research shows that higher-order questions produce deeper learning than lower-order questions do” (Pitler, et.al., 2007, pg. 78).
The closest I have come to virtual field trips in my curriculum is United Streaming and BrainPop. My students love the video clips from these sites and I notice they spark further inquiry into a subject. For example, we were reading a book about a boy and his adventures with a waterfall. I showed a clip that showed the most magnificent waterfalls around the world and the students wanted to know where these waterfalls came from, so I showed another clip that explained the source of waterfalls. Then students were excited about waterfall sky divers, so….you get the point.
In surfing the web, I came across some good virtual field trips, but found that many of them are not graphic enough; too much small text that is not inviting to the eye. Also there is little animation or video, many times the author just incorporates a picture or two with long text. When I think field trip, I want to see, hear, and feel. Maybe smell will be incorporated into the next wave of technology! The virtual field trip gems that are out there (found a good mission one) support elaboration, a component of cognitive theory that Dr. Orey cites as helping to build numerous connections to stored information. It’s good to have a collection of quality, elaborative multimedia sites in order to deepen understanding and bridge connections to other ideas. I am currently sifting through all sites and collecting them in subject folders on my computer to utilize for my new assignment next year: fourth grade!
Cristina Chico
References
Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology 1-13. (2009). Brain research and learning. (Laureate Educational, Inc., CD-ROM, 2009 release).
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
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