Course Reflection

This course has deepened my personal learning theory because it has provided me with tools to better myself in areas of weakness and strengthen my strengths. I struggle with motivating and getting students to understand that if you don’t pay attention in class or do homework you can’t get upset about the grade you make. I plan on incorporating the effort activity with my students to get them to understand that they have to put work into learning the material to make good grades. I was expose to several different technology resources throughout each week resources and readings. Two of my long term goals is to incorporate voice threads as way for students to review of the content. I plan to incorporate the voice thread for each unit taught after the Thanksgiving break. This will give me time to figure out all of the features of the program. I also enjoyed the virtual field trips an plan to create one for each unit. This will be time consuming trying to find websites that cover the information needed. I plan to spend at least 1 to 2 hrs.  a week to search the internet for virtual field trips. Overall, I'm leaving the course with several technology tools.

Social & Cooperative Learning

Social learning and cooperative learning are very similar. They both have students work together in way to enhance their knowledge in a particular area. Student are able to get a better understand and construct meaning for the new knowledge. Social Learning cooperative is part of the 21^st century thinking skills. Students must be able to think critical, and work together to solve a problem.  I like to put my students in cooperative groups because sometimes students are the best teachers. There have been times that only a few students mastered a concept. I would take the students who mastered it and group them with struggling students. They were the teacher for the day. Eventually, everyone will get a chance to become the teacher for the day. The students really enjoy being the teacher. The student teachers are able to reach most of the students.   When I group kids for an assignments each student has an important part in one student doesn’t complete their part then the project will be incomplete. I don’t like to assign parts like time keeper, recorder, and facilitator. I feel the laziest person in the group would select time keeper, the best writer recorder, and the bossiest person facilitator. Instead, my groups assignments are multitask and each student is responsible for completing their part. Social learning and cooperative learning is effective when used correctly.

Voice Thread

http://voicethread.com/share/2302769/

Constructivist/Constructionist Learning Theories

 In this week reading  Generating and Testing Hypotheses supports the theory of  constructivism. It supports the theory because students taking their knowledge about a subject matter and are creating their own meaning when they form a hypotheses. The reading also supports the constructionism theory because students must test their hypotheses and create theory. The six traits listed to help student develop a hypotheses supports both theories. The six traits are: system analysis (constructivism), problem solve (constructivism), historical investigation (constructivism), invention (constructionism), experimental inquiry (constructionism), and decision making (constructivism). The technology resources support constructionism because students are using software programs to create and interpret data.

Cognitivism in Practice

       Instructional strategies such as cues, questions, advance organizers, summarizing and note taking are helpful to help students retain information. Cues are like hints that help triggers the student memory. Advance organizers create a visual that allows the students to help the process information.

        I use graphic organizers to help students learn vocabulary words. I have the students draw a frayer model and complete it independently. The way I use the model is that one box is for the definition, another for example, then the student put the definition in their own words and finally the students draw a memory cue. I make my students take note and I underline the important parts for them to write. I feel that if students write it, hear it, and do it they will retain it longer. I do not teach while students are writing. Students cannot process what they are writing and trying to listen at the same time. I find it best to teach and then write. The technology component that I use consists of a short video like brainpops. I try to use a varied of videos from united streaming.

      There are several strategies that can be done to help students process information. As educator we need to determine what works best for our students.

Behaviorism in Practice

“Reinforcing Effort” and “Homework and Practice”

Reinforcing effort basic on academics is an excellent way for students to take responsibility for their learning. Effort put in directly related to the grades student earns. Last year to make students take responsibility for their learning I created a learning contract. The learning contract had all the standards that will be cover for the 9 weeks. I created several of goals with rewards. The goals that the students select he or she must mastery the goal to earn the reward. If a student exceeds their goal and reaches the next goal they would receive both rewards. The students had to complete plan of how they plan to reach their goal. This assignment worked well, but the students were mostly concerned about getting the rewards for mastering the set of standards. In this week reading, I like the effort rubric. The student’s grade themselves weekly on the amount of effort they put into learning, at the end of the week they take a test/quiz. The student then compares the amount of effort put into learning to the grade they received on their test/quiz.

Homework is a good way for students to practice a concept. I do not give homework until my students have a clear understanding of the concept. I do not want the students to get use to doing their work incorrectly. Once, students have a clear understanding I provide several opportunities for students to practice. I have students work in collaborative pairs, play online games related to the content, complete activities on programs purchase by the school for remediation. I currently use the following web resources that are found in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works: BBC Skillwise, Brainpop, Iknowthat, and schools. I also used the interactive lesson that Pearson Hall provides with the textbook.

Technology use in the classroom can be an excellent resource in the classroom. Like all things, there are some negative effects. My school uses a reading program called Reading Plus the school required that students complete a certain amounts of hours before the school year was over. Teachers were concerned about making sure the students got the required hours, so they wouldn’t get in trouble then think about the students. Students would work on the reading program an hour straight for 5 days. The students quickly began bored and didn’t put much effort into the program which made it ineffective. I tell my students if you give 100% for 45 minutes the last 15 minutes was their time. This made student work because they wanted the free time. I also made a tremendous deal when students master a grade level. I would announce it to the class the student received a certificate and a free ice cream pass.  Students like adults want to be praise when we do something well; it makes us want to work even harder. I implement several rewards program throughout the year to keep students motivate. My students made great gains. My school has several programs available from remediation. I use the programs as assessments. Once I feel a student has had enough direct instruction I allow them to work on the program, so I can determine if they master the concept.

References

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

Intro

Hello, I'm currently taking classes at Walden University on how to incorporate technology in the classroom. The blog is use for posting blog related to my classes.