Student - Centered Learning

Constructivists contend that learning is a process in which learners must be actively engaged in order to develop new understandings (Orey, 2001). Today, there are many new instructional approaches that support this theory of learning. A variety of strategies can also be used in the classroom to support student engagement and their creation of knowledge.

One such way to involve students in the learning process is through generating and testing hypotheses. This strategy can be used in all areas of the curriculum. Generating and testing hypotheses involves a structured process, through which teachers should guide their students (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007). Learners begin with a theory, then conduct research and collect data to support or disprove their hypotheses. A key piece to this strategy is the end result, when students must clearly explain their conlusions (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007).

Much like constructivist theorists recommend, the generating and testing hypotheses strategy is a student-centered activity. Learners are engaged in problem solving a real-life situation while they conduct their investigations. As noted by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn and Malenoski (2007), this strategy is “experimental inquiry” in the classroom (p.203). Incorporating constructivist strategies like this truly allow students to assume an active role in their own learning.

Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

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

Cognitive Learning Theory in Action

Cognitivism stresses the role of the brain in the learning process. Theorists contend that the brain arranges new information in organized structures (Orey, 2001). This week, I discovered many strategies that support this theory of learning.

Several pre-learning strategies can facilitate the brain’s desire to organize new knowledge. Cues provide with a preview of what they are going to learn (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, * Malenoski, 2007). Giving learners a clear sense of what is coming helps them prepare for the lesson. A second strategy, questioning, can help students call upon their prior knowledge as it relates to the upcoming lesson (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, * Malenoski, 2007). According to Orey (2001), prior knowledge is essential for the comprehension of new information.

During learning, teachers can support students’ mental processes with different techniques. Activities like note taking make it easier for students to take in and organize new knowledge (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). While they are learning new information, note taking assists in the structuring of concepts in a logical order.

Finally, post-lesson strategies like concept mapping can be used to promote connections between new and old knowledge. According to Dr. Orey, these tools actually replicate the networks and relationships that our brains try to create with our knowledge (Laureate Education, 2009).

The key principles of cognitive learning theory promote the organization of knowledge before, during, and after learning. Theorists contend that structure is key when presenting information (Laureate Education, 2008). Using techniques like cueing, questioning, note taking, and concept mapping facilitate in the structuring of new knowledge that according to these theorists, is the cornerstone of learning.


Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Cognitive learning theories. Baltimore: Author.

Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

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

Behaviorist Strategies in the Classroom

Many classroom strategies incorporate the principles of behaviorism. The two highlighted in this week’s resources, “reinforcing effort” and “homework and practice” exemplify the ideals of behaviorist learning theorists such as Watson and Skinner.

Reinforcement is just one principle associated with behaviorist theory. According to Dr. Orey, reinforcement is actually the primary tenet of behaviorism (Laureate Education, 2009). The strategy of reinforcing effort aims to change the way students perceive the relationship between effort and achievement (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007). A 5^th grade teacher utilized this technique in her classroom. She asked her students to fill out rubrics that would assess the effort they put forth each day during a particular unit. She had them format a spreadsheet that, once they entered each assessment grade, would depict the relationship between each student’s perceived effort and the grades they earned. By providing feedback and demonstrating that in fact, effort and achievement are in direct correlation, this teacher changed her students’ behaviors: their thinking. Another way “reinforcing effort” promotes behaviorist theories is by way of observational learning. Seeing their peers achieving success through maximum effort will influence student behavior as well (Orey, 2001).

A second strategy that relates to behaviorism is “homework and practice.” Smith (1999) contends that one of the four key principles of this theory is the notion that repetition is essential for student learning. Elaborating further, he reiterates, “Skills are not acquired without frequent practice,” (p. 1). Homework offers learners the opportunity to hone the skills addressed in school that day. An integral piece of homework, as noted by Magliaro, Lockee and Burton (2005), is the correction of this independent work by teachers. This ensures “correct interpretation and application of the targeted content (p. 45). To incorporate technology with this strategy, teachers could assign homework of online games that reinforce the day’s concepts. Not only are internet games motivating for students, but also the plethora of activities available makes it easy for teachers to find one that relates specifically to the topics they want students to practice.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Behaviorist learning theory. Baltimore: Author.

Magliaro, S. G., Lockee, B. B., & Burton, J. K. (2005). Direct instruction revisited: A key model for instructional technology. ETR&D, 53(4), 41–54.

Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

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

Smith, M.K. (1999). The behaviourist orientation to learning, the encyclopedia of informal education, www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm

Final Reflections

This course has opened my eye to a completely new world of opportunity for me as a teacher. I was accustomed to using technology to “do things differently” as opposed to “doing different things.” I feel that this course has exposed me to new tools that I can now use in my classroom. Not only am I capable of using these tools in my classroom, but I feel confident that I can use them to enhance the learning experiences of my students. Because I am now comfortable with these tools, I can provide guidance to my students as they learn to harness the power of these tools.

Once I complete this course, I will continue to expand my knowledge of how to integrate technology into my classroom. As I have done throughout this class, I will check several technology blogs to stay abreast of the latest information. These blogs are excellent resources for learning about new tools as well as innovative ways to incorporate them in the classroom. I also plan to update my own blog periodically to generate discussions regarding the use of technology in schools.

To ensure that I follow through with my plans to continually integrate technology into my classroom, I have set two long-term goals. First, I plan to have a class blog up and running by the beginning of next school year. The blog will be used to facilitate class discussions. My students this year are guinea pigs to the whole project. I hope to iron out the kinks so it will be in full use for next year’s students. Secondly, I plan to be an advocate for technology use in my school. I will keep my administration up to date on the new ways our staff can be using these tools in their classroom. I can also work closely with my principal to create professional development opportunities for the staff. This course has provided me an excellent foundation so that I can continue to infuse technology in my classroom.

Student Technology Survey

Here is the link to a podcast I made with my students. I asked them about how they use technology at home and at school. There responses might surprise you...


Survey

21st Century Schools

The organization Partnership for 21st Century Skills has developed a framework for integrating “21st century skills” into our school’s curriculums. This in depth plan outlines the key elements of a 21st century education, including the skills students will need for the future, as well as new content that students will need to learn.

Our schools are struggling to keep up with the fast-paced changes in our society, including the introduction of new technologies. The push towards 21st century learning that the Partnership is spearheading is essential if we wish to prepare our students for their futures. I was surprised to learn that the framework proposed the Partnership aligns with No Child Left Behind. Their recommendations “complement” NCLB, in fact, and would help schools meet the legislation’s goal of students achieving technology literacy.

I have one issue with the organization’s proposal, however. They encourage the use of “21st century tools” to develop the skills our students will need in the future. These include computers, video and audio recorders, as well as other various tools which students must have access to in order to become technology literate. The plan lacks an explanation as to how our school systems will be able to provide these tools for all students. They make no suggestions as to how this technology can become affordable and available to ensure all of our nation’s students have equal access to the technology that will prepare them for their futures. With such a comprehensive plan, I am surprised that they did not address this issue.

Overall, I think the Partnership’s plan will open the eyes of school officials. When it is spelled out in black and white, it is hard to ignore our schools’ sluggish response to society’s digital revolution. Even though it will be a long journey for schools to transform their curriculums, this framework provides schools with plenty of small changes that can be made along the way.

Blogging in the Classroom

I am a special education resource teacher in a career technology school, and I serve students in a variety of classes including Automotive, Architecture, Visual Communications, and PC Systems. Because these content areas are vastly different, I have come up with some ways that blogs could be used effectively in some of these courses.

The automotive instructor and I have been brainstorming ways to use video in his class. We determined that students could develop How-To videos for completing a variety of tasks, including alignments and tire rotations. Keeping with the theme of blogging in the classroom, students could post their videos to a class blog, and “build a body of knowledge,” (November, 2008).

I also thought about how blogs could be utilized in the architecture class. Students are frequently asked to analyze a structure and comment on several areas of its design. To make this task more efficient, the instructor could post the pictures of the structures on a class blog, and students could post their responses. Building upon this idea, students could also be responsible for responding to the ideas of their classmates, which is something they cannot do by simply turning in their own paper and pencil responses in class.

Students are motivated by the use of blogs, which connect them to a global audience (November, 2008). They can serve a variety of purposes in the classroom; taking into consideration grade level and content, there are countless ways to utilize these tools to enhance instruction.

November, A. (2008). Web literacy for educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.