Social Learning Theories in Practice

Application Week 5 ~ Social Learning Theories in Practice
Instructor: Kathryn Arnold
EDUC-6711I-1 Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology


“Open your book to page 357 and read to page 450. When you are done answer the questions at the end of the chapter. Remember no talking and you may not help each other." Isn’t that a wonderful way to motivate students these days? I’m sure most of you are shaking your head and do not agree with that type of educating. Unfortunately, there are still educators that believe that this is the best way to teach children.

This week we learned about a wonderful theory that will engage and motivate students to be successful. Social learning theory is when students are engaged in creating an artifact while having discussions on what they are doing with others (Laureate 2008). This makes the curriculum engaging, motivating and collaborative. What a fantastic way to get kids excited about school!

Vygotsky and his Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) states that there are 3 levels students are at during their development. What the child already knows, what the child is about to learn, and what the child is unable to learn (Laureate, 2008). During the stage: What the child is about to learn: it is crucial that the child has help from a teacher, peers or a computer to make successful connections to the information. Incorporating a cooperative learning strategy into the learning environment would help enhance the process.

When developing cooperative groups make sure they are of a manageable size and use a variety of criteria to the groups (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski, 2007). I typically change out my groups depending on the final outcome desired. There are times that I allow my students to pick who they want to work with. This gives my students a voice in their learning environment. At the beginning of the year we discuss the different roles each member of the group will be responsible for. The roles can vary but normally I have a timekeeper, facilitator, record keeper, reporter, and mediator. By having roles for the kids it seems to help elevate the groups.
There are a variety of different web resources that allow students to engage in cooperative learning with students around the world. I would really like to incorporate ePals (www.epals.com) into my class next year. I have a diverse group of students and it would be exciting to participate in a cross-culture exchange (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski, 2007).

I learned about webquests last year and I really enjoy them. My students explored a few webquest and I plan on creating more to spice up our “ho-hum” curriculum. The quests are challenging and motivating for all my students. I enjoy listening to the different conversations my students have during and after the quests.

Students are no longer engaged by reading outdated textbooks. Drills and practice do not motivate students. Students don’t have to regurgitate answers for a test. 21st century learners need to be engaged with innovative lesson and cooperating with their peers on a project. The learning environment has changed. At times it may be loud, messy and disorganized. Stop and take a closer look at the 21st century learning experience and you will see students excited, engaged, cooperating, and connected.

Reference
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program eight. Social Learning Theories [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Voice Thread URl

I really enjoyed creating my Voice thread! Please go and check it out: http://voicethread.com/share/527129/

Constructionist in Practice

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.

Cognitive Learning Theory

Application Week 3 ~ Cognitive Learning Theory in Practice
Instructor: Kathryn Arnold
EDUC-6711I-1 Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology


This week’s resource on instructional strategy discussed cues, questions, and advanced organizers. The other strategy that was discussed was summarizing and note taking. Both of these strategies utilize the cognitive learning theory.

I start each of my lessons with an objective. I want my students to understand what they are going to learn (Pitler, Hubbel, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). By providing advanced organization as tools my students are able to formulate connections from past learning.

I also think it is important to ask ‘Higher-level” questions to help students synthesis what they have learned and elicit inference type answers. I thought the website that the text provided for Bloom’s Taxonomy (www.teachers.ask.org.au/researchskills/dalton.htm) gave a lot of excellent examples of good questions to ask at each level of learning (Pitler, Hubbel, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). This site also provided useful verbs to include with the questions. Asking open ending questions will allow my students to extend what they have learned.

I believe that providing visual cues during lessons will help students activate prior knowledge (Laureate education Inc., 2008). Using concept mapping tools like Inspiration will help students organize the information and it can be used later for an outline (Laureate education Inc., 2008). The concept map can also prepare students for going on virtual field trips. Both of these applications will provide students with a connection that will help them retrieve information.

I was very impressed with the project on women’s rights in China titled: grass born to be stepped on (Pitler, Hubbel, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). I think the students demonstrated an advanced grasp on the organizational requirements of a multimedia project.

For my third graders, summarizing and note taking are very challenging strategies to teach. They are concepts I demonstrate and model throughout the year. The "rule-based summarizing step for younger students" is a guide I will utilize in my classroom (Pitler, Hubbel, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). It helps to simplify a difficult task. When we are learning about an in-depth topic I will have my students use the jigsaw strategy so they are not bogged down with a lot of information. The jigsaw strategy is when I break up a passage or section of a book and have groups of students summarize their section for the class.

I do not require my students take notes. If there is important information they need I typically pre-organize it and have my students highlight the important concepts. I’m really excited about incorporating the Smartboard into my class and I envision my students using it to organize and summarize information. I think this technology will integrate multiple senses in to their learning environment (Laureate education Inc., 2008).

Cognitive theory refers to how an individual thinks and processes information (Laureate education Inc., 2008). Through practice the cognitive process takes information from the short-term memory to the long-term memory. It is important for educators to understand that students can only retain about 7 pieces of information plus or minus two, at a time (Laureate education Inc., 2008). By knowing this information the teacher is cognitive to the amount of information given at one time.

This theory is supported by a number of different components: elaboration, use of images, dual coding, and episodic experiences (Laureate education Inc., 2008). After reading the chapters on cues, questions and advance organizers along with summarizing and note taking I find they are directly linked to the cognitive learning theory. These strategies allow the teacher to elaborate on a concept and use effective images to help store the information (Laureate education Inc., 2008). By using different forms of software applications teachers can help build a bond between the different components of the cognitive learning theory.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program five. Cognitive Learning Theory [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author.

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