Reflection: A Direction in Learning Theory

After completing this class on bridging learning theory with technology, I see ways to implement and offer students more toward the meaning of their education. I look back from week one and still stand by my thoughts of connecting the curriculum to the students. Teachers need to focus on using different modalities to make more connections with more learners. If variety is not used, then differentiation is not met and many students are falling behind.

Dr. Wolfe says a students brain is not a camcorder and they will forget most of what is being taught that day (Laureate Ed., 2009). I really believe the more a teacher incorporates the social learning theory, the more students will engage. If this happens then learning may stick and students will come back with more from the previous day. If they leave talking about what learning took place in class, students may be closer to the camcorder that Dr. Wolfe speaks about in the struggles of learning.

As this course took shape, I realized that technology was used more for instructional purposes. I used the LCD projector for Powerpoint and advanced organizers. Since then I have implemented technology more as a learning tool, allowing the students to do more by producing and sharing their findings. Two tools I would like to integrate into my classroom are Voice Threads and Powerpoints. I have used blogs in class, but see that Voice Threads could provide a quicker more engaging result for student learning. It would allow groups or individuals a chance to create an artifact rather responding to a teacher directed blog with just text. In return sharing and more immediate responses could be offered by their peers as well as the instructor. I would also like to incorporate the Powerpoint tool allowing students to create their work and then peer teach the products in class. My tools of choice offer more than just technological experiences. They also offer problem solving skills and cooperative learning skills that along with technology will be needed later in life.

My long term goals for bridging learning theory with technology, will be to create and effectively mesh digital learning with other instructional strategies. "Educational technology can include any resources and any process that facilitates learning (Lever-Duffy, & McDonald, 2008). Now that I have been given more knowledge and tools in technology, I can incorporate this learning experience into my lesson plans for next year. When I sit down to look at how to teach material for next year, my focus will be how to implement tech tools with student learning. Computer Lab time is tight at my school, but if I know ahead of time what I want to do, I can sign up ahead of time and students will get more of what they need. Dr. Orey states, "Get the experiences into their head" (Laureate Ed., 2009). If I know what I want to do with my technology tools, I can then gain access to computers and help students make more, lasting connections.

Jay Raines

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Reflection: The Technological Impact in my Classroom

This class helped me understand how to use technology to do things different. Before this class, I was only using computers to do things differently. Technology was only used for speed (Laureate, 2008a). Each week I gained insight and confidence through new technology tools. The class gradually helped me get outside my own box, in order to help students use valuable technology for tomorrow's problems.

Today, students learn differently. They want things faster, quicker, and they want to handle multiple tasks at one time. I think as teachers, we need to adjust and adapt to their needs. As the class progressed, I learned different ways to help match up with student's digital learning. I heard of blogs and wiki's, but never knew their value until I saw them up close. "The first time I saw a Weblog, I knew I was looking at something very different from the "regular" Webpage" (Richardson, 2009). I also saw what Will Richardson saw in blogs. After creating my own and working to polish it up, I realized the benefits it could have in my classroom.

After some thought I picked a few ways ways to introduce blogs into my classroom. At our school we still have some limitations, but I was able to attach two blogs to my school webpage. One blog is a political cartoon blog, where students get to discuss, analyze, and share thoughts on issues happening in politics. I have also introduced a New York Times learning blog, that lets students offer opinions to governmental and environmental issues. Getting kids to collaborate and actively engage will help them take a more active and meaningful role in their education (Richardson, 2009). I think it will help them be better citizens, and solution makers to problems we see in the real world.

As the year moves on I plan to introduce ways for students to learn different technology. We recently completed a project where small groups took one aspect of the preamble and created their own powerpoint slide. The object, was to investigate and create better meaning to the first paragraph of the U.S. Constitution. Students then share their findings and explain their rationale for the creation of their slide. My goal is to use additional tools like the wiki to increase investigation and sharing of ideas. Giving my students a chance to look over, check, and add to each others' work will create a higher level of learning and knowledge (Laureate, 2008b). This will also give differnet perspectives and depth to material taught in class.

Looking down the road I plan to keep taking steps forward to improve student learning. I see myself after this year, polishing up my webpage, including blogs as a more regular activity in class. I plan to set it up as a warm up that my students will be able to access and use on a regualr basis. I also want my technology tools set up for the following year, to go along with my curriculum. I want these new tools to have a flow effect with what is going on in my class. It is like meshing the "different" with "differently" and plugging it evenly through our curriculum. While learning Civics/Economics, students will be able learn, investigate, and dig for higher knowledge and deeper meaning.

Students are digital learners who have been born into digital world. They have technology at their fingertips. My job is to make sure they have a foundation for success in the real world. It is more than pressing buttons faster.


References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008a) The emergence of educational technology [Motion picture] Baltimore: Author

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008b) Transforming the classroom with technology: Part 2 [Motion picture] Baltimore: Author

Richardson, W (2009). Blogs, wikis, podcasts and other powerful tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press