Top of the 4th - Constructionism in the Classroom

In this week's video, Dr. Orey discusses contructivism and constructionism. Both theories deal with how the brain builds its own understanding of the world around it, how it takes in new information, compares the new with the old, and thus constructs understanding or schema. Constructionism takes the building process one step further. Not only do learners take in information and formulate an understanding of their own, but learners can take the construction of understanding even further by actually applying what they know in creating an artifact that exemplifies this understanding of a concept. When students are fully engaged in the learning process, they are able to construct a very strong understanding of what it is that needs to be learned and fully demonstrating the cognitive process (Laureate, 2009).

I feel that anytime students can take concepts and apply them to real life situations, and in the process, create an artifact that symbolizes the learning that has taken place, the concepts become cemented in the long term memory. The concepts become truly meaningful to the learners. Most elementary students that I know love to create things in class. To be able to create artifacts that test out their own thoughts and hypotheses is a wonderful learning activity, fully engaging their minds in hands-on activities. You can witness first-hand learning taking place as you move around the classroom, listening to the educational on-task discussion of what it is that they are working on. Working in teams and collaborating on tasks, seeing light bulbs turning on and shining bright is what teaching is all about. In this week's text, Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski describe a number of activities involving technology and the constructing of understanding through engaging hands-on and minds-on activities. Through using problem based learning activities, spread sheet software can be used to simulate real-world situations and apply concepts about savings and investment that are being taught in class to test out hypotheses. In other activities, data collection tools were used to collect and analyze data gathered in science classes. Finally, gaming software and web resources allow students to be leaders of their own countries and make extremely important and influential decisions regarding their countries' place in the virtual world. The authors state, "Web resources and gaming software...allowing students to use background knowledge, make decisions, and see the outcome of their hypotheses, often in virtual situations...provides incredibly engaging learning environments, resulting in increased motivation and retention in learning" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, p.212, 2007).

I believe that these and other activities where students are actively applying what they have learned into making decisions, collaborating with other classmates, and creating situations where they can see their ideas come to life is fully engaging and reflects what Dr. Orey describes as constructivism and constructionism.





Resources:

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

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

Bottom of the 3rd - Cognitive Theories of Learning

It seems to make sense to me that the more pathways that can be created to access information learned, the more this information cements itself in long-term memory. The more senses individuals use to take in information, the greater the chances are that the information will remain, waiting for it to be retrieved at a later time. Any time learners take new information, and manipulate it in a way that makes sense to them, they attach more meaning. Making meaningful connections creates more pathways and triggers that will link back to specific details(Laureate, 2007).

The use of advance organizers, questioning, and cues before a given lesson will open doors to what is about to be learned, creating a reason and interest to continue on with a lesson (Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, p.73, 2007). By using such technologies as spread sheet and concept mapping software, students are able to use information learned to either represent data in various ways and create mental maps connecting one idea to another, heightening the level of understanding. Taking students on a virtual field trip (Laureate, 2007) is one of the most interesting ways to step out of the classroom, allowing students to "travel" any where in the world to see real-world applications of what is being learned in class. For example, in my fifth grade social studies class, it is possible to take students to the Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where students can see exhibits and presentations about the details of the Constitution as we study it from our room. It is also possible to take students to a museum to see artifacts from ancient civilizations, all from their seats in class. This may be a way to create episodes, where information is linked to occurrences and emotion, thus placing information into one's episodic memory.

When students take notes in class and are asked to summarize what they have learned, they must actively think about what is being told to them, copy down what is to them the most important details, and construct their notes and summarizing in their own words. Because of this, there has to be some type of in depth thought going on as students complete this task. This follows along with cognitive theories, where learning is seen as information enters the brain, is organized, stored, and is kept there until retrieved when needed (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, p.16, 2008).

Wikis amd blogs are great ways to use technology to help take and synthesize notes from class and also allowing collaboration between students to take place. When students learn from other students, there is more chances for deeper understanding to occur. If class notes are combined with related images in a power point presentation, more cognitive thought has gone into understanding what the notes explain. More meaning is attached to the notes when linked with images creating more pathways to the information for recall later (Pittler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, p.131 and p.135, 2007).

References:

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

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

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

Top of the 3rd - Behaviorism in the Classroom

In my mind, the learning theory of behaviorism is one of the most common used theories in a classroom. It may even be one of the most common learning theories that individuals develop understanding of basic behaviors. Lever-Duffy and McDonald (2008) state that with positive behavior comes some form of reward. With negative behavior comes some form of punishment or no recognition at all (p.15). During this process, also referred to as operant conditioning, there is no real thought taking place, the brain making decisions based on the thought that it wants to receive that reward. It does not want to receive a negative response or no response at all. Most simple behavioral issues in the classroom are probably handled in this manner, with positive behavior comes a reward in the form as something tangible or something as simple as a pleasing look on a teacher's face. With negative behavior comes a response in the form of exclusion from activities, or something as simple as an unpleasing look on a teacher's face. Sometimes, the look alone can cause students to understand quite quickly that what he or she did should not be repeated. Believe me, I have experienced some of the most intimidating looks from teachers.

For teachers, if we can get desired behaviors from our students based on this theory, I feel that it is possible for students to understand that with more effort may come higher levels of achievement. If this connection can be made, many students may become more successful in school and later in life. According to authors Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007), students may be able to make the connection between effort and achievement through charting their level of effort given during activities and their level of achievement. Once students realize that their level of achievement is affected by how much effort given, it could condition the students to put forth a more consistently higher level of effort.

Along that line of thought, I believe that the completion of homework is part of a student's effort to succeed. This being said, however, homework that is assigned should be meaningful practice of skills taught in school. Assignments referred to as "drill and kill" should be avoided. These type of assignments may cause students to lose interest in what is being taught. Meaningful practice of skills in real life situations is what should be assigned. Teachers should also give immediate feedback, allowing very little room for students to practice skills in an incorrect manner.

Again, if teachers can have their students understand that with more effort may come higher desired achievement, students may become conditioned to put forth more effort on a consistent basis, thus making use of the behaviorist theory of learning.

References:

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

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