Weekly+Learning+Reflections

Back to Teaching with Technology Sub-Menu


 * Weekly Reflections

(Week 3 reflects on the UDL Lesson Builder)

WEEK 1**

This week I began my learning with an understanding of technology learning theories; constructivism, connectivism, and cyborg.

In brief constructivism states that learners expand their learning of what they already know to construct a new understanding. In other words, this theory states that learning occurs individually based on prior knowledge. As such, a teacher needs to act as a facilitator and monitor students' understanding of a new information. Wikipedia states that "It is therefore important that teachers constantly assess the knowledge their students have gained to make sure that the students' perceptions of the new knowledge are what the teacher had intended."

According to George Siemens, the second theory of connectivism builds on constructivism. Siemens adds that learners also learn from networking or interacting with the each other socially and through the use of technology.

Cyborg theory expands this idea further to state that cyborgs are a combination of living beings and technology. According to Marlene M. Maheu, Ph.D., "People are cyborgs when pieces of them are undeniably tied to the computer as an extension of themselves. We see a meshing of technology and man in health care when humans and technology function as one, such as with man surviving with a pacemaker, or a woman surviving with a respirator."

After reading about the theories, I came to the conclusion that one theory builds on another. I've leveled the theories in the table that follows.

Learning can occur at level 1, but not to its greatest potential. At level 3, learning occurs at its greatest potential. The need for technology-based databases and systems in the 21st century is indisputable, specifically as brain research now shows that the human brain is being rewired because of the use of technology. As such, learning occurs much differently than has in the past. Our job is to learn how to teach learners in the 21st century based on this new knowledge.
 * = Level ||= Theory ||= Learning Potential ||
 * = 1 ||= constructivism ||= good ||
 * = 2 ||= connectivism ||= great ||
 * = 3 ||= cyborg ||= greatest ||

Resources Cited:

[|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(learning_theory])

Maheu, Marlene, M., Ph.D. The Future of Cyber-Sex and Theory Relationship Fidelity: Cyborg Theory. //Selfhelp Magazine.// Retrieved November 22, 2009, from []


 * WEEK 2**

This week, I learned about the importance of technology as a tool for increasing student achievement. Just as most good lessons, integrating technology into the curriculum requires planning. Otherwise the result can be detrimental to student achievement. In planning the integration of technology, an educator should always focus on using proven strategies such a Robert Marzano's Nine. According to Howard Pitler, Elizabeth R. Hubbell, Matt Kuhn, and Kim Malenoski (2007), Marzano's nine instructional strategies are:
 * 1) identifying similarities and differences;
 * 2) summarizing and note taking;
 * 3) reinforcing effort and providing recognition;
 * 4) homework and practice;
 * 5) non linguistic representation;
 * 6) cooperative learning;
 * 7) setting objectives and providing feedback;
 * 8) generating and testing hypotheses; and
 * 9) cues, questions, and advanced organizers

Software, such as kidspiration or inspiration, can be used to create advanced organizers that can be used with other instructional strategies. Pitler, et.al., share many other ways technology can be used with the instructional strategies above. For example, a KWHL chart can be used to help students guide their own learning. A sample of the KWHL chart looks something like this: (What I **//__K__now//**__)__ ||= W (What I //**__W__ant**// to Learn) ||= H (What I **//__L__earned//**) || Students can use this graphic organizer to monitor their learing, such as the solar system in science. Another chart that helps students set learning goals is a student progress chart. The following pdf document, retrieved from [|www.marzanoresearch.com] shows this document. This is only one format for setting learning goals that students can use. [|student progress chart.pdf]
 * = K
 * __(//H//__//ow//** I Plan to Learn it) ||= L

Many of these forms are easy to recreate with word, or kidspiration software. Providing students the opportunity to complete these graphic organizers with the use of technology has several benefits. One benefit, according to Pitler, et.al., is that it provides the opportunity to share student work or learning goals with parents and administrators. It also provides students with a more engaging way to set and monitor their goals.

Additionally in 2004, Robert Marzano provides educators with the six-step process for teaching vocabulary that I will begin using in my classroom tomorrow. The process works best when the activity is student-directed, rather than teacher directed. The steps to this process are as follows:
 * 1) Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term.
 * 2) Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words.
 * 3) Ask students to construct a picture, pictograph, or symbolic representation of the term.
 * 4) Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in their vocabulary notebooks.
 * 5) Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another.
 * 6) Involve students periodically in games that enable them to play with terms.

The website at [|www.marzanoresearch.com] provides information, free resources, and more that can make planning and implementing technology a much easier task to for all educators.

In brief, proper planning and implementation of technology in the classroom can have positive effects on student achievement. However, the reverse is true if the use of technology has no direction or focus.

Works cited:

Marzano, Robert J. (September 2009). Six Steps to Better Vocabulary Instruction. //Teaching for the 21st Century,// 67(1), 83-84. Retrieved November 30, 2009 from [].

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., Malenoski, K. (2007). //Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works//. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 7-38.


 * WEEK 3**

Whoa! It's been a wild week. There was so much to learn. This week I had the opportunity to implement Universal Design Principles into my plan. It was interesting how my plan changed as I focused on the UDL principles.

The CAST website based it's principles on recent brain research that has been conducted on how people learn. Every person has their own unique way of learning. Learning has been broken down into 3 categories: recognition networks, strategic networks, and affective networks. Within the recognition network each person has different ways of gathering facts that affects "what" is being learned. Within the strategic network of our brain we organize and solve problem or perform tasks. There is more that one way to solve a problem. It is "how" we learn. The affective network affects our engagement in learning. It's the "why" of learning. Knowing this new information empowers teachers to help their students more effectively than we've done in the past.

The CAST website states that "CAST is a nonprofit research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through Universal Design for Learning." The organization employs education specialists, curriculum specialist, and more. This being said, CAST recommends that all lessons employ the UDL principles in order to reach all learners in a diverse classroom.

At CAST The UDL principles are:
 * 1) Multiple means of representation, to give diverse learners options for acquiring information and knowledge (Recognition Network)
 * 2) Multiple means of action and expression, to provide learners options for demonstrating what they know (Strategic Network)
 * 3) Multiple means of engagement, to tap into learners' interests, offer appropriate challenges, and increase motivation (Affective Network)

By following these guidelines, we are providing learning opportunities for all the different learning styles. I found this task a bit challenging when I added to it students with disabilities and differing learning levels. It took me 2 weeks to plan a lesson that will only take from 1-2 hours to deliver. As I agree with the methods, I can't see spending this amount of time on each lesson for all five subject areas. Also, my district has a detailed curriculum guide that we are expected to follow. It is so detailed that it even provides the script for those that need it. On a positive note, I feel that going through this experience forced me to think in terms of the UDL principles. I can certainly use them to enhance the curriculum guide that we are provided. I'm very tired at this moment and so I may not appreciate it as well as I should. However, that will pass and I will be grateful for the knowledge I've gained this week.

Resources: [|www.cast.org]


 * WEEK 4**

This week's most important idea was the importance student-centered learning. Cooperative learning helps students construct meaning through collaborative work, such as the project based learning discussed in the videos this week. During this course we've practice cooperative learning through hands-on experience. After researching this a bit, I found that the limited direction we were given for the scenario-based project was deliberate. It's one of the elements of an effective cooperative learning group.

According to Robert J. Marzano, Jennifer S. Norford, Diane E. Paynter, Debra J. Pickering, and Barbara B. Gaddy (2001), "It is important to realize that cooperative learning involves more than simply placing students in groups and asking them to work cooperatively. Students must learn and master specific skills for working in groups." The authors mention five elements for a successful cooperative learning. For this type of learning strategy the members of the group must feel a sense of "sink or swim." Certainly this is something that our group has felt as we've worked through our scenario-based problem. Marzano, et.al., calls this element "positive interdependence'. A second element they call,"face-to-face promotive interaction," refers to group members learning from each other and positively supporting each others ideas and efforts. The third element requires participation by all members of the group, which Marzano, et al. calls,"individual and group accountability." To work in a cooperative group effectively, the authors also mention a fourth element; which is "interpersonal and small group skills." These skills include communication, trust, leadership, decision making and conflict resolution. The final element mentioned is "group processing." The members reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of how the group is functioning. Changes to the betterment of group functioning are made.

Reflecting on my experience with my group so far, every single one of these elements applied. Certain members took the lead on certain things right away. The feeling of "sink or swim" certainly forced our group to communicate, help each other, and problem solve. Trust was a major key component to the success of our group. There have been times when 1-2 days may have gone by without communication, but we trusted that work was getting done. And, it was. The "sink or swim" element of our cooperative group got the ball rolling in the direction of success. Whether or not we met the expectation of the assignment, the learning and experience has been invaluable.

Resource: Marzano, R. J., Norford, J. S., Paynter, D. E., Pickering, D.J., & Gaddy, B. B.(2001). //A Handbook for Classroom Instruction that Works.// Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.


 * WEEK 5**

Several things were discussed this week. However one area that I felt was worth looking into further is the importance of teaching students how to identify similarities and differences. According to Robert Marzano (2001), "Researchers have found these mental operations to be basic to human thought. Indeed, they might be considered the 'core' of all learning." Marzano further explains that teachers need to guide and model these mental operations for their students. Additionally, students need to be afforded the opportunity to work on identifying similarities an differences independently. Graphic organizers, such as a Venn diagram can be used to help students organize similarities and differences on two or more things. A Venn diagram consists of two or more intersecting circles. Similarities of the items being compared are listed inside the intersecting portion of the circle that corresponds to the items being compared. Differences are inserted into the portion of the circle that does not intersect with others, but corresponds to the item being compared. Other graphic organizers are available with differing complexity levels. According to Pitler (2007), teachers should also guide students in comparing similarities and differences with the use of metaphors and analogies. Marzano suggests using a graphic organizer that may look something like this:

// (Completed graphic organizer) //


 * __thermometer__** is to **__temperature__**

Relationship: __measures incremental changes in something__

as **__odometer__** is to **__distance__**

Graphic organizers like the one's mentioned above can be created on simple software such as word or a more complex program such as kidspiration. There are so many things that can be compared to make it interesting for children. However the most important point to make is that students must learn how to identify similarities an differences.

Resources:

Marzano, R. J., Norford, J. S., Paynter, D. E., Pickering, D.J., & Gaddy, B. B.(2001). //A Handbook for Classroom Instruction that Works.// Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). //Using technology with classroom instruction that works. //Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

.