Application Week 4 ~ Constructivist/Constructionist in Practice
Instructor: Kathryn Arnold
EDUC-6711I-1 Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology
What does constructionism look like in the classroom? I believe it is a learner-oriented environment in which the teacher is the facilitator (Orey, 2001). In this room you would hear a low hum of students engaged in constructing an external artifact that can be shared. The students are collaborating, communicating, and working towards a hands-on task.
This week’s educational strategy Generating and Testing Hypotheses is a way for students to enhance their understanding of information (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski, 2007). This strategy correlates with the constructionist learning theory because it will produce an artifact that students can share with one another.
Students could use a variety of technology applications for their final artifact. Spreadsheet software, data collection tools and web resources are different methods of generating and testing hypotheses (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski, 2007). I agree with Mrs. Omar that although learning how to set up a spreadsheet is a skill students should learn it is very time consuming (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski, 2007). I would rather have my students focus on the final objective. I have not used spreadsheets with my students but after reading Mrs. Omar’s lesson I can think of different math lessons that would be enhanced by this technology.
Using data collection tools students can visualize the information and correlate it to real-life events. In my classroom we do a year long unit of collecting sunrise and sunset data. I think it would be interesting to have my students compare our data to another states sunrise and sunset data. Then they could set up a web based data collector for the students to interact and discuss their findings.
The web has an infinite number of resources students can use to help generate and test their hypotheses. The one site I enjoyed exploring was Explorelearning (http://www.explorelearning.com/) (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski, 2007). The site had different interactive qizmos for students to explore. Teachers could use the gizmos to introduce concepts like plate tectonics and rock cycles.
I believe constructionist theory strategy will put the spark back into the learning environment. By using this strategy students will no longer be passive consumers. Instead students will be active participates in their education. Students will create unique final products that will make a lasting connection.
Reference
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved on May 25, 2009 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.
Posts
Dawn,
ReplyDeleteI agree with about time should be spent using the spreadsheet instead of setting up the template. I think the students would learn more from entering the data. I also believe that the classroom should have students collaborating together to create something instead of working alone doing the same thing over and over. Using technology to enhance lessons will create more connections for the students to retrieve the information that need when they are be tested.
Dawn,
ReplyDeleteYour project on sunrise and sunset data gave me a wonderful Idea for a project. I have always thought that there was a correlation between the barometric pressure and how well my students sing in tune. They tend to sing flat on rainy days. Just think of the spread sheets and charts we could generate with that kind of data, I might even get a valid conclusion to my quandary. How much do barometers cost anyway? None the less thanks for the idea!
Hi Bonnie,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad my project sparked an idea for your class. I would be interested in your class results.
Dawn
Hi Amy,
ReplyDeleteWhat type of collaborative projects have your students done? Do you find that they enjoy doing group projects of individual projects? I know with my third graders it is a struggle to get some of my students to work collaboratively with others.
Dawn
Dawn,
ReplyDeleteStudents that create an artifact that they will then share with others is a great way to make connections with what was taught previously. I agree that spreadsheets do take a long time to set up and that I would rather have the students focus on the final project. I had the students create a budget this year and I think it will make a lasting connection with them when they get into the real world. They will not be caught off guard when it comes to making, planning, and executing a budget. They will already have a little background knowledge on the concept that they can make a prior connection to.
Dawn,
ReplyDeleteI agree that project based learning will put the spark back into students' learning and techers' teaching. I believe they go hand in hand. When a students walk through the door and are excited about learning it make our job much more meaningful.
PBL allows the teacher to help students discover the relevance to the real world. When this happens students are forming networks ensuring knowledge will be easily retrieved.
Dawn,
ReplyDeleteI also had not thought about spreadsheets in my classroom as an activity for the students. I always thought that it would take to much time to teach them the setup, but the lesson idea in our reading helped me to see that if I do the setup the students can benifit from using the template, and begin learning basic spreadsheet skills.
Dawn, you always seem to have some wonderful project ideas. I really thought that the projects this week might have been out of the reach of first (which it looks like I have been shut out again (of fifth grade) after the events of this week) and/or second graders. As much as I love all the things we are learning, I wonder how capable this is for my grade(s) and ability of students. I would really like to become a more project based classroom, but for this group leaving me in a few more days...they barely could hold on to learning the basics! Do you have any ideas or suggestions?
ReplyDelete