Reflection on EDUC 6711: Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology

It is hard to believe another course has gone by in my pursuit of my Master’s Program, Integrating Technology in the Classroom.  In some ways, this was the most difficult course yet, since it coincided with the end-of-the-year school activities and my spring greenhouse business.  There were many nights of very little sleep, and much stress!  Now it is time to reflect on what I’ve learned during this course.

During Week One, we discussed our personal theories of learning.  I surmised that people learn through a combination of theories, including social learning through cooperative learning and other forms of collaboration; and constructionist learning, in which “learners build new ideas or concepts based on their current/past knowledge” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008).  Over the past weeks we have learned more about different learning theories and technology tools available to enhance each theory. I also learned how much the effective use of technology can impact and add to the learning experience.  While I found information from all the theories to be applicable, upon reflection, I still believe the social learning theory and constructionist theory to be most relevant in how students learn in the classroom, because of my experience with ninth and tenth grade students.

For example, cooperative learning is effective in my language arts classes in many ways. Students are naturally highly social at this stage in their lives.  When given carefully-devised lessons using collaboration and effective technology tools, students can learn from each other and work together to discover new knowledge as well.  Like a real workplace, students with different strengths, learning styles, and abilities can work together to discover, create, and learn.

Also, students in my classroom, as in many subject areas, must build on prior knowledge in order for new knowledge to take place.  The constructionist learning theory “is not seen as just the product of mental processes; it is an entirely unique product for each individual based on the experiences within which those mental processes occurred”  (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008).  I see how students construct new knowledge based on prior experiences, or “as a result of the collaboration of a group of learners in an effort to construct a common core of knowledge” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). Language Arts skills, such as writing are built upon prior knowledge.  My job is not so much introducing new material as it is mastering what has been introduced in prior years of education.

This class has opened the door to many changes I will be making immediately in my own classroom.  I have used cooperative learning for years in my repertoire of lessons.  However, unlike cooperative learning in the past, where students worked together with mostly paper and pencil projects, I am excited to integrate more technology tools with cooperative learning to bring the classroom into the 21^st century.  Included on my list of “Must Do’s” is VoiceThread.  During the week we made a VoiceThread, I received some excellent ideas from my instructor and classmates to not only make my activity collaborative, but to further liken it to a real-world activity by having students from different class periods work in groups, much like a remote workplace environment would resemble.

I also intend to use technology in the form of Constructionist artifacts such as online graphic organizers.  These graphic organizers are “structures that teachers provide to students before a learning activity to help them classify and make sense of the content they’ll encounter, particularly new content that is not well organized in its original format.  In essence, advance organizers help students focus their learning” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski, 2007). Online tools such as Spiderscribe and ExploreATree are excellent for helping students formulate and organize their thoughts.  This will be particularly effective in teaching writing.  When organizing and prewriting, the use of these graphic organizers is invaluable.  I also have plans to use advanced organizers when we are working with literary works and such elements as characters, where we can compare and contrast.  Organizers are great when looking at cause and effect or other non-fiction writing as well.

I have been thinking of long-term goals for next year and beyond.  One such goal would be to integrate a technology piece for each larger unit.  My goal is to ensure the technology enhances the activity, making learning more meaningful and authentic.  The ISTE NETS standards indicate the need for teachers to “facilitate technology-enhanced experiences that address content standards and student technology standards” as well as “apply technology to develop students’ higher order skills and creativity” (2011).  I want the technology I use to help with those higher thinking skills.

A second long-term goal is to get more familiar with many different kinds of technology tools.  My plan for the remainder of my career is to be able to switch gears and work with other teachers in helping them connect meaningfully in the classroom.  This will not happen magically.  I will need to spend a considerable amount of time getting familiar with and implementing these tools in my own classes first.  Only then will I have the knowledge and insight needed to connect other teachers to appropriate technology as well.

Overall, I have been reminded of the importance of technology as an instructional tool.  According to Lever-Duffy and McDonald, “Technology is a means to an instructional end, not an end in itself.  To use technology effectively, the teacher must have a clear understanding of learning and the teaching strategies that will result in the intended knowledge transfer”  (2008).  I must teach with the end in mind, and use technology as an effective tool, along with sound lesson design, to achieve that end.

References

International Society for Technology in Education. (2011). NETS for teachers. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers.aspx

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical foundations (Laureate Education,

Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

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