Social Learning

The instructional strategy, cooperative learning, focuses on having students interact with each other in groups in ways that enhance their learning (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007).  This is something teachers have been doing for centuries, students working in groups, so what has changed? Technology is one of the things that has changed over the centuries and today’s students to be able to feel comfortable in learning have to use technology.  The principles of social learning theories, according to Dr. Orey are: Students actively engage in constructing artifacts and conversing with others, students cannot do it alone they need the more knowledgeable other: could be teacher, peer, or parent, and Context and culture are critical in constructing knowledge and understanding of the world around us (Laureate Education, Inc.).

How do the cooperative learning and the principle social learning theories correlate?  The correlation between the two is technology.  Students can works in groups over a Google doc and not even be in the same room.  This allows students to work in their comfort zone of the techno world and use the benefits of the cooperative learning strategy of students working together.

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

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program eight: Social learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology.

Contructivism in Practice

There are three instructional strategies; problem based inquiry, problem based learning, and project based learning. "Problem based inquiry is an effort to challenge students to address real world problems and resolve realistic dilemmas. Problem based learning is an instructional strategy in which students actively resolve complex problems in realistic situations. Project based learning is a teaching and learning strategy that engages learners in complex activities" (Orey, 2001).  These three instructional strategies are not the only ones available to teachers but they work best with the principles of constructivist/constructionist learning theories.  The constructionist building blocks are defined by Dr. Orey: Assimilation, Accommodation, and Equilibration.  Assimilation occurs when external reality is made to fit within one’s current beliefs and understanding, Accommodation occurs when one’s current beliefs and understandings are altered to fit the external reality and equilibration is the balance between Accommodation and Assimilation.

The key to the correlation between learning strategies and the principles of constructivism is getting the students to achieve equilibrium with the curriculum that you are teaching, which may be a fairy tale because achieving equilibrium in every subject matter for every student is extremely difficult.  That being wrote, as teachers we need to do the best with what we have and create as close to equilibrium as possible for the students in our class. The best way to do that is assimilating your subject matter to the reality of our students.   

I teach high school math and one way I assimilate math is to have the students look for graphs of equations in their real world and then take a picture of it.  They take pictures of seven different items that look like graphs of equations and then put them in slides of a power point.  It is a great way for students to realize math is every where.

Behaviorism in Practice

                The principles of behaviorist learning theories are: operant conditioning and behavior management (Laureate Education Inc. 2010).  Operant conditioning is broken down to reinforcement and punishment.  Behavior  management in schools is mainly done through visual consequences like moving a clip next to your name down a spot when you do something that is not permitted.  The basic operant conditioning has been used in education for years : if you do not do your homework then you will not pass the class.  The problem with this practice is that today’s students do not know what it takes to make that operant conditioning relevant.  They do not want to spend the 30 to 45 minutes to do their homework because it is not relevant to them.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). [Webcast]. Behaviorist Learning Theory. Baltimore: Author.

Reflection Blog

The course has helped me develop my own technology skills by expanding on my previous knowledge of blogs, wikis, podcasts and student learning development needs in the 21st century.  I have known about blogs but not in an educational setting.  Knowing now how to set up a blog and use it in the classroom by having students do problems on the blog or critique someone else’s entry will continue to help me connect with the students as well as give them the ability to use for their future.  I knew about Wikipedia and I heard mainly bad things about it because anybody could edit the information.  This course helped me to understand that there are enough people out there to “police” the wiki’s and keep their knowledge as accurate as possible.  I would use a wiki in my community project where the students would post their idea of how to change one aspect of their community and then I would get the community to give us ideas on how to improve it.  I have been listening to podcasts for about five years now.  Thus it was really exciting to make a podcast of my own, I still need to work on how to edit it better.  I would use podcasts as a way for students to get extra assistance in getting their work done.  They could listen to me doing and follow along.  Understanding of how students are now developing and the skills the students will need also follows along with ways I have deepened my knowledge.  Students are now needing to be incorporated into the 21st century skills which I believe are communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.  When I fully develop my curriculum to incorporate all those skills students will benefit and will want to be life long learners.

One of the most easiest ways to continue my education with technology is to keep up to date on the blogs I started following and communicate my own findings of this knowledge. 
My two long term goals for my district would be increase bandwidth of our internet and get students to blog about a project.  I plan on increasing the bandwidth by one finding out the cost to do so by two getting support from other teachers.  I would create fundraisers to get to that goal and present that information to the board.  Non of my answers have changed through this course, I do believe it has opened my eyes to teaching the next generation of students.

Podcast

This is just the raw interview I was not able to find editting software.


http://holiveraiders.podomatic.com/entry/2011-08-02T05_57_44-07_00

21st century website

The 21st website creates a thought process for all educaters to be aware of.  That thought process is to get students to understand the 3 R’s reading, writing, and arithemetic as well as integrate their 4 C’s: critical thinking, creativety , collaboration, communication.  I completely agree with the 4 C’s and how they will affect our students lives and how they live.  Getting students to think critically individually and with groups will be a lifelong skill that could help our students be successful.

I agree that students should master all their core subjects English, reading or language arts, World languages, Arts, Mathematics, Economics, Science, Geography, History, Government and Civics.  In truth most schools struggle with getting students to master the 3 R’s.  This years legislation cut backs have really hurt schools ability to think into the 21st century for our students.  The budget cuts do not look like they are going to end anytime soon either.  Most public schools rely on funding to be able to do any sort of radical changes to the educational system, which this website is looking for. 

The implications for our teachers will be that as a group we will have to integrate the 4 C’s into our curriculum our selves.  The change could take some time but with hard work we, as educators, could collaborate and make this change possible.

First Ever Blog

I am very intrigued with the flipped classroom.  I think it would better serve my math students and a blog would be ideal for this environment.  One idea for using a blog is to have students post 3 important points from the video, and one question or one thing they need clarified from the video.  This would serve two purposes: one, to use this information as a formative assessment of my students understanding to plan my lessons, and two, to use these questions and posts as in class review the next day.  The blog would also allow me to post assignments online for absent students and provide a discussion board for out of class discussion.  I see the blog as a place for students to interact with the content area, although, putting an extra credit problem that is much more difficult, but based on, the content we are studying in the unit, could also provide an opportunity for students to showcase their work.

Using a blog enhances the classroom because it allows the classroom to extend beyond the traditional four walls.  It provides an interface between the content and the learner that excites and interests students.  It also gives the teacher a tool for formative assessment and an opportunity to connect with students to view how they are integrating the content and what kind of learner they are to better structure lessons to differentiate teaching for all students.  A blog enhances the lesson by tapping into to the students’ experience, making the content more relevant.  Students are very savvy with technology and screens, and a blog is a way to use their ubiquitous screen talk to foster discussions about the contents. 

As a high school math teacher, I am constantly searching for ways to involve my students in a class most of them dislike and/or in which they feel like failures.  By flipping my classroom and incorporating a blog, the students are more involved in math because a blog provides a comfortable environment for students to ask questions and learn from others, so they see others struggle with the same issues, thus providing me, and the students, with opportunities to clarify, encourage, and review.  A blog also provides a great way for me to formatively assess my students’ learning in order to better plan the in class lessons.  It can also help with review at the beginning of class to help students’ really learn material.  The usefulness of blogs as an instructional tool is an endless opportunity to create an environment in which students are proficient and comfortable to facilitate learning of content material.