EDUC 6712 Reflection

Throughout this course we have been challenged to develop lessons and units that push our students into the seat of creator as oppossed to being mere consumers. These units and lessons continue to address content standards and culminate in tradional assessment techniques but require much more student interaction throughout the process. Like other reviews of teaching practices this type of project can add new ideas and interesting delivery options to the classroom. To be honest the inquiry project idea is a re-hash of tried and true methodologies. In recent years there has been a republishing of prediction sheets and KWL charts and other more traditional literacy skills. The inquiry project as delivered in this course takes many of the same concepts and infuses the use of computers. While it is true that students tend to be visual consumers on information on websites the tasks of being committed and engaged readers stays consistent no matter what the medium is.

From this point on the inquiry based project solidifies the need to teach literacy skills and ensure that students are actively engaged in all aspects of the learning process. I am skeptical that this type of project will boost the achievement of my students. Being an educator that gets innunated with new teaching strategies and best practices I need to be critically aware of the impact that these ideas will have on my students. At times ideas such as the inquiry based project seem like they are created by people who have spent time outside of the classroom in research areas. The translation does not always occur. The inquiry based project is not apporpriate for all grade levels and all disciplines. For that reason the concept seems limited. This project seems to be one that requires specific skills from educators in order to have complete success. Ultimately this project type needs to be attempted in the classroom and the final determination can be made with empirical evidence.

Through the reading of educational material in journals, magazines, and online sites I would like to hear the oppossing viewpoints about this type of project. I become concerned when I am presented with one side of an issue and expected to agree completely with it. While looking for the alternate viewpoint I would like to find other strategies that can meet the goal of teaching these so called new literacy skills. If these new skills are so vital (as the course contends) there must be other strategies that address them.

Phil Bonus

Reflections on Technology

As I stated in an earlier paper learning needs to include certain elements. First, learning needs to be primed. Unless we are aware of a situation it is very difficult to learn. It is possible to learn things unconsciously but this process is rare and often times involves items that are not specifically content oriented. Secondly, learning needs to include observation and experience. Seeing other people perform is not enough. In order to have true learning we need to see examples and then put these examples to practice. Lastly, for meaningful learning to take place an expert is needed. Since everyone has a voice with the capabalities of the Internet and various communication devices it is extremely important that the models we observe are ones that are of high quality.

My immediate concern is that the activities that I assign for my students become more student centered and not a way for me to take a "breather". I want to ensure that the activities that I assign are meaningful, dynamic, and impactful on their lives. Meeting this goal means that the resources used should be ones that my students are going to use later in their education or professional careers. This would include resources such as blogs, wikis, and other social networking resources (as much as that pains me) like Linked In.

Thinking long term, I would like to get to the point where my class is as paperless as possible. This would entail switching journal entries to blog entries. Since most of the papers and homework assignments are already created in word processors it is easy to have my students submit their work via email. I already have a website that provides notes, extension activities, resources, homework assignments, and other tools. These are minor adjustments but ones that will have a major impact on the management of the course. Another long term goal is to change my presentations to include many more engaging activities and visuals and ones that address more of the multiple intelligences. I have traditionally focused on the simple tools like PowerPoint and showing already made websites. I want to shift to using Web 2.0 resources for the presentations and other programs that aid in the creation of more dynamic presentations.

VoiceThread Addition

This VoiceThread discussions the issues surrounding technology at a suburban high school in Northeast Ohio.

Social Constructionism

Social constructivism asserts that students construct meaning primarily through their interactions with others and their environments. Coupled with social constructivism is cooperative learning which provides experiences for students in which they are working together in ways that will enhance and strengthen their learning. Cooperative learning and social constructivism work hand in hand when allowing group collaboration, communication, and problem solving.

One of the many ways that social constructivism can be utilized in the classroom is by using multimedia and web resources. By nature social constructivism requires students to work together to create and construct meaning with material being discussed. When students are able to work collaboratively to create multimedia presentations, like mp3 files and movies, it requires student planning, problem-solving and creativity. These are all skills which require a deeper understanding of content and provide social interactions for students.

Web resources also promote social constructivism. Today, students can log onto the Internet and instantly be connected with students all over the world. This type of interaction allows for students to problem-solve and discuss topics with students hundreds of miles away. The Internet also provides students with a wealth of knowledgeable experts to pull information from. While studying the International Space Station students can email questions directly to experts to receive information via email about questions that the class or students may have.

Social constructivism does not have to be solely used in conjunction with educational technology, however. There are many approaches that can be taken to utilize cooperative learning within the classroom that does not require a computer. Students can be placed into groups to discuss and react to a book that is being read in class or cooperative groups can work together to solve a community problem such as pollution in a local pond. Cooperative grouping gets its strength in the knowledge that is discovered and constructed by the students working together.

When students have the opportunity of working together it allows for each student to share his or her unique talents with the rest of the class. Cooperative learning groups provide a safe and non-threatening way for students to communicate while applying knowledge to create or solve a problem. Social constructivism is one of many learning theories that should be utilized within the classroom.

Constuctinoism: How does it impact the classroom?

The constuctionism theory adds into the equation of learning the idea of intentional and accidental learning. When we want to learn we turn on our receptors and observe the world around us and consciously alter our schemas. This is because our beliefs and knowledge are constantly being added to. If I observe something that solidifies my beliefs I will use it to defend them. If something is observed that contradicts my beliefs I will either find a way to discredit that piece of information or change my belief.

More important is probably the process of accidental learning. There are some things that we observe that add to our knowledge but that do not require us to immediately act on. Take fashion as an example. As new styles emerge we begin to incorporate them without any real conscious decision. That explains why so many people wore leisure suits in teh 1970's, there was no conscious thought. Since motivation is so important in the education of our students we need to activate this intentional learning becuase it is much more powerful. One way that we can do this is to get students to use resources and information in novel ways. With that in mind the strategy outlined in our course text is a perfect example. A teacher can tell her class in about five minutes that investing leads to longterm wealth, it actually isn't that hard of a concept. The problem is that intentional learning has not been activated. To activate this type of learning the teacher does a wonderful job of having her students jump into the world of investing and experience the different choices. By doing this the students are realizing the true difference betwwen the options without the teacher's voice going in one ear and out the other.

That is what we need to be aware of when previewing any resource of lesson plan, whether they use technology or not. The beauty of constuctionism is that it is a pure application of the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. That is exactly what our goals should be. If we want to move beyond route memorization we have to get our students to use information in a manner in which they are creating new products and solving problems that may not have answers.

A Cognitivist View for the Classroom

One of the difficulties of the educator is to effectively teach all students that walk through our classroom doors regardless of previous experiences and prior knowledge. Cognitivism is a learning theory which tries to explain why learners approach learning experiences in different manners but are still able to flourish (Oxendine, Robinson, & Willson, 2004).

Cognitivism works under the assumption that students learn best when they are actively engaged and involved in the learning experience. When students are engaged they are able to gain a deeper understanding of content and use their knowledge to problem-solve and synthesize while creating concrete connections to aide in memory encoding. With the use of cognitive tools students are able to interact with information as they shift the learning from a computer to learning with a computer (Robertson, Elliot, & Washington, 2007). This difference is critical as students are being required to use computers as tools for problem solving at an increasing rate. Teachers need to be sure that their use of computers in the classroom does not replace their impact on the lesson. Typically teachers use computers as a remedial tool and not a teaching tool for new concepts and skills.

When discussing ways of increasing student engagement and experiences into the learning process there are various technological tools that can be utilized. Using graphic organizers and concept maps offer students the concrete experience needed for cognitive learning to take place. Advance organizers can incorporate pictures, text, sound bytes, and even video clips to provide students with a framework to begin and enhance their learning. As advance organizers activate prior knowledge they also develop mental models which allow for students to begin reflecting upon the subject matter which then leads to an abstract understanding (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).

Additional tools which lend themselves to cognitivism are summarizing and note taking skills. When teaching summarizing, teachers can use Microsoft Word to type a portion of text into the program. Together, the teacher and students can work together to summarize the text (this is the concrete stage of learning). Next, the teacher can auto summarize the text to see if the students summarized the text in a similar style to the computer (students are now critically reflecting upon their own work). After that the students are then ready for more abstract practice in which they will summarize a paragraph on their own. Leading the students through the summarizing process and moving from concrete to abstract will provide the students a framework in which to draw from for future lessons and activities.

Cognitivism can be used effectively in the classroom when students are engaged in realistic experiences, discussing content, and experimenting with newly formed concepts and experiences (Oxendine, Robinson, & Willson, 2004). Students will remember content much longer when they have had real experiences and hands-on activities to draw from.


Citations

Oxendine, C., Robinson, J., & Willson, G. (2004). Experiential learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved <2009>.

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

Robertson, B., Elliot, L., & Robinson, D. (2007). Cognitive tools. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved <2009>.

Are These Strategies Really Examples of Behaviorism?

B.F. Skinner created to concept of operant conditioning (later to be included in the larger term of behaviorism) in part to answer two fundamental questions. How do we learn to behave in the manner that we do and how do we develop behaviors in others? Skinner, along with other behaviorist, rejected the internal workings of the mind. He would argue that since there is no way to prove the thought processes of an individual they are largely unimportant. Instead the observable behaviors of an individual should be studied. These individuals will then respond to the environment in which they find themselves in. What in the environment makes people respond? If something pleasurable immediately follows an action that action is more likely to be repeated, the behavior has been reinforced. If something unpleasant immediately follows an action that behavior is less likely to be repeated, it has been punished.

The concept of behaviorism becomes more complicated because we are not talking about normal rewards and punishments. A normal reward would be a congratulatory pat on the back. A normal punishment would be a detention for being late to class. Any educator that has spent time in a classroom will agree that these actions have mixed effects. They are not going to produce the same results each time they are administered. True behaviorism seeks to increase the likelihood or decrease the likelihood of specific behaviors. It has to be intentionally planned and carried out in every situation. A token economy is a good example of behaviorism in the classroom. Positive feedback from a teacher does not necessarily mean behaviorism is at play. Positive encouragement is simply encouragement. To be true behaviorism there has to be a measurable increase or decrease of specific behaviors.

These behaviors are completely different from internal knowledge and thought processes. I cannot increase the accuracy of a homework assignment through behaviorism. I can only increase the likelihood that homework will be completed. With this in mind the strategies outlined in chapters eight and ten of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works are not behaviorist methods. They may be good teaching strategies but they have merit completely independent of behaviorism. The first strategy calls for students to track their effort in comparison to the results on their tests. After four weeks of tracking the students will be able to see that higher effort results in higher test scores. If higher scores are valued by the students and they understand the relation to effort logic would dictate that their effort would increase. The students effort will increase but not because of external reinforcement or punishment. True behaviorism would be evident if the teacher provided something that the student wanted everytime good effort was shown. It might also be shown if the teacher provided an unpleasant consequence when poor effort was shown. Allowing four weeks to pass before the lesson is reviewed is not an immediate consequence and therefore not behaviorism. A second strategy that is oultined in the aforementioned book follows a fictional football coach how is attempting to help his players review mathematical concepts. In this strategy the coach encourages his players to track their workouts in an Excel spreadsheet. This is a great idea to help with data analysis but I have to ask, what behavior is increasing or decreasing? Remember, behaviorism does not teach concepts or any new knowledge, it teaches behaviors. These students still workout on the proscribed days, whether the strategy was used or not the players will probably lift heavier weights, and there is no gaurantee that these players are more or less likely to do their math homework. I do not know any psychologist that would define these strategies as behaviorism.

Skinner tried to relate behaviorism to education. His thesis was that eventually students will learn that the consequences of answering a question wrong are not worth it. Once this realization is made students will not answer incorrectly to avoid to unpleasant stimuli. What Skinner failed to realize and what educators should know is that there are times that we have no choice but to answer incorrectly. If the concept has not been taught how do we answer correctly? That same misconception is repeated in online tutorials and remedial programs. These technologies assume that we are motivated by their feedback, that we learn from our mistakes, and that we are investing our complete attention to their problem. While some resources are beneficial and expertly created, while some resources truly use behaviorism in their delivery, they tend to still fall to the same fallacy that Skinner fell to. I want to reiterate this one very important point. The strategies outlined above and the online resources that tutor and remediate are wonderful educational tools and techniques. They can deliver the lesson perfectly. Some of these lessons will stay with students for years. No matter how good they are behaviorism is not in play. Simply because a lesson is not behaviorist does not mean that its quality is diminished it just using another learning perspective.



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


Standbridge, M. (2002). Behaviorism. In M. Orey (ED.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 07/03/2009, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt

Tavris, C., & Wade, C. (2006). Invitation to Psychology (3rd ed.). Pearson Education, Inc.

Reflections of Technology in the Classroom

Students in the 21st century require exposure to a variety of technologies. The effects that these technologies have cannot be over emphasized. Our students need skills that heighten their ability to think expertly and to have complex communication (Levy & Murname, 2006). These skills need to be practiced by doing new tasks with technology (Kirschner & Erkens, 2006). The importance of such strategies is that students learn what it means to truly collaborate and work together. These skills are essential if they are going to be an effective employee in the global economy (Friedman, 2007). Such strategies require tools that incorporate Web 2.0 technology (Richardson, 2006). Some of these strategies include the use of wikis, blogs, podcasts, and any other technology that allows students to do what they do best, analyze and make judgment decisions (Richardson, 2006).

These teaching tools are largely student centered. However, these technologies should be used to enhance course material and lessons presented by the teacher (Keengwe, et al, 2008). It is when the lesson is centered on course material and the application of the information is conducted with the appropriate technology that learning is the most meaningful (Keengwe, et al, 2008). Educators need to establish the learning objectives in connection with state standards before they look for the incorporation of technology. Once the learning objectives are set technology can then become a consideration. The intended goal is to create a classroom environment in which a balanced approach is present (Keengwe, et al, 2008). Students need to hone their skills with technology but also with other traditional forms of learning and communication.

Staying connected with other teachers and educational innovators is essential. Since technology is always growing and resources appear constantly it might be difficult for a “digital immigrant” to maintain up-to-date techniques (Prensky, 2001). Educators need to incorporate the same tools that the students use. Namely, teachers to need to utilize wikis, blogs, and podcasts that other educators publish (Richardson, 2006). By staying connected in this manner the educator that may not be accustomed to using technology can become aware of trends and new resources.
The true professional needs to set goals and priorities in their career. Education is no different. In order to stay relevant to our students we need to incorporate new resources and innovative techniques (Prensky, 2001). The goals that I have created center on technologies that are student centered. The first goal would be the incorporation of a SMARTBoard to the classroom. This piece of hardware creates a classroom where the students are engaged with an active computer that all students have access to. In schools were computers are at a premium the SMARTBoard puts a processor in the hands of the students every class period. The district that I work for has a position that these boards are not educationally sound. To circumvent an administration that has a negative view I will be looking for funding opportunities from philanthropic organizations. The second goal that I have set for the classroom is the creation of a wiki page that is accessible from the course’s webpage. This wiki will be a site where students will be encouraged to post updated notes and resources that enhance the learning of all students. The goal is that at the end of the course the students will have a resource that they can view when they are enrolled in a college level Psychology course. By participating in this site students will practice the collaboration that is necessary in the global economy (Friedman, 2007).

Friedman, T. (2007). The world is flat 3.0: A brief history of the twenty first century.
New York: Picador.

Keengwe, J., Onchwari, G., & Wachira, P. (2008). The use of computer tools to support
Meaningful learning. AACE Journal, 16(1), 77-92.

Kirschner, P., & Erkens, G. (2006). Cognitive tools and mindtools for collaborative
Learning. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 35(2), 199-209.

Levy, F., & Murnane, R. (2006). Why the changing American economy calls for twenty-
first century learning: Answers to educators’ questions. New Directions for Youth
Development, 2006(110), 53-62.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5).

Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wiks, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for
classrooms (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Reviewing Technology Use in Two High Schools

Note that the heading of the post is a link to download the MP3 file referenced.

Two educators were interviewed to assess the extent to which technology is used in two high schools located in Northeast Ohio.

The first educator highlighted is an Assistant Principle with thirty years of experience in a school that is predominately white (84%) with the largest minority group being African American at 15% (http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/oh/other/163#students). Based on information gathered from this administrator the school district will be able to sustain itself for the next school year or two. Beyond that the district will be forced into a levy campaign which will require the city to vote for increased taxes in order to maintain current levels of service.

The second educator highlighted is a ten year veteran of teaching Math at the high school level. His experiences have ranged from teaching ninth grade through senior year honors level. He also coaches many sports and is involved in numerous extracurricular activities. His school is also predominately white (74%) with the largest minority group being African American comprising 15% of the total population (http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/oh/other/811#students). This teacher has also reported that the district will be able to sustain itslef for the next school year or two and be forced to run a levy campaign beyond that.

These two educators, one in his thritieth year and the other in his tenth, provide a clear illustration of what Prensky describes as "Digital Natives" and "Digital Immigrants" (2001). It seems like the largest difference between the two educators is the purpose of technology. The administrator looks at technology as a tool, a way to get tasks accomplished. The younger educator views technology in a more creative way. The administrator mentioned that he uses his computer for tasks such as email and to view the code of conduct. Through other conversations with this educator I have gathered that he only uses the computer because he is forced to. The Math teacher builds lessons around specific technology. In this case he mentions that the graphing calculator is his main component.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5).

21stcenturyskills.org

Our assignment this week was to provide our thoughts on the website that is the title of this posting. My initial assessment, I must admit that I have not read every word on the site, is that it is typical of websites that attempt to push a specific thought or opinion. It is very easy to find evidence that supports the viewpoints of those that created the site and difficult to find information that refutes their core beliefs. I don't fault these authors, anyone trying to further their viewpoints takes on the role of salesperson, but I do caution the reader on the logic that is used. To be honest I don't disagree with the initiatives pushed by the website, I am nervous about some of the logic. The authors point to a poll that showed 88% support for incorporating 21st century skills in the classroom. What they failed to mention is the motivation for answering in agreement that these are desired policies. What parent does not want their child to have the best environment possible? What parent does not want their child to have the most skills when they leave school? What is missing is the percentage of parents that are willing to pay for the technologies required to teach these skills. That statistic would show the percentage of parents that view 21st century skills as necessary and outweigh the cost. I believe that this number would be far lower than the 88% reported. My evidence is anecdotal in nature. In Ohio we as school districts require the voters to approve any budgetary increase. Time and again school tax levys are defeated, even when the proposed taxing are promised to support technology. In a press release dated January 23, 2009 21stcenturyskills.org makes the statement that schools cannot utilize technology appropriately without the proper skills and training. They say that this is the largest source of failure and not money. This training and support require money. For those districts that cannot afford technology they certainly cannot afford training.

I was surprised by resources presented on the website. By following the "Route 21" link the viewer is transported to a section that portrays the areas of 21st century learning as a rainbow of skills. Upon clicking on a section (I choose the core subject areas) you are taken to a list of a specific areas of interest and links to outside sources. I thought that these links would provide lessons that would enable my students to practice these 21st century skills. What I soon realized is that while some links might provide some lesson advice most of the links simply further argued for the inclusion of these skills in the classroom.

While the site presents a compelling arguement for the inclusion of 21st century skills in the curriculum it does not provide meaningful help in the implementation of these skills. As an educator that is pressed for time I find myself looking for resources that provide substantial material that can benefit my students. This website is geared towards encouraging educators. For that reason I feel this website is a valuable tool in convincing educators that change is needed but not so helpful in bringing these skills to my students.

Focus Time

When pressed for a focus for this blog space I come back to the central question, why do I want to use blogs? This question is good for both the classroom and my own personal life. I will pose this question to the reader. What benefit does blogging give to my students? What activities are better carried out in the blogging sphere than in any other medium? What objectives will my students achieve while blogging that they can't achieve conducting any other activity? Tell me your experiences, both good and bad. I am looking for tried and true methods that enhance student's learning and not simply add the element of technology.

What is this blog thing anyhow?

I suppose there is a bit of niavete in our development as educators. First of all, I assumed that a blog was simply a collection of thoughts written out for the world to see. I think this trouble comes from the word itself. Every connection that I have with the word blog leads me to someone page in which all they have is just that, their thoughts written on the screen for the world to see. If we change the word to something else the spectrum opens.

Instead of blogs lets use the word portals. "Portal" brings to mind an opening. In the case of an educaotr this opening can lead to colaboration, information sharing, accountability and a host of other education friendly terms. I have used such a portal for the last five years. It is a spot that I can post work, share the links of websites that are educational and exciting (yes, they do exist), and simply share why we are studying a certain topic. I have had tremendous success with this. Parents enjoy the collection of work that is available, students complain about the collection of work available (I know that deep down they like this access), and I like the ability to tell my students to check the site to get their missing work.

Traditional blogs might be useful to gather student responses to a variety of concepts. In my Honors Psychology class I typically have students conduct research about the topic at hand. This usually entails them going into the student body and interviewing unsuspecting victims about that topic. My students will then return to class armed with the results to tabulate their findings. These findings can then be added to the blog site and published for the world to see. (Great activity, it allows practice in communication skills, research, collaboration, and technical writing skills.)

Essentially blogs can be useful. I'm as shocked as you are! We need to be careful not to let our own connotations get in the way of quality teaching.

My Very First Blog

I have to say that I am little conflicted right now. For years I have hesititated to create a blog. The mere word "blog" sent chills down my spine. I imagined people who wanted the validation of others to solidify their ideas. If only someone would respond that they agreed with me! My mind is beginning to change somewhat. Looking at the people who have posted blog pages I have realized there are two main groups. Those bloggers that are experts in their fields that want to further their ideas and the rest of us. People who mean well, have interesting ideas, but ultimately do not have any expertise of their own. So we will see where this grand experiment will take us. Who knows, maybe your response will be the validation that sends me over the top.