Social Learning Theory

This week we explored social learning theory.  Basically, social learning theory states that learning occurs when students, "actively engage in constructing artifacts and conversing with each other." (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010)  Students definitely demonstrate better understanding of material when they give voice to their though processes and receive input from others regarding their thoughts.  I constantly encourage my students to "teach" each other how to solve a problem or even to teach their parents how to do the homework problems.

The technologies presented this week offer several opportunities for students to work together to create and share artifacts demonstrating their learning.  The beauty of these technologies is that they are not just limited to students!  Teachers can utilize these wonderful technologies to share and learn from each other.  Understanding how to use these technologies effectively gives us opportunities to share with classrooms all over the world and to get the input of others.  As learners, we can share our experiences and knowledge with the school, community, and world.

Students can collaborate with others in the class as well as students from other schools within the community and the world at large.  Learners gain insight from others by expanding their own understanding by creating a webcast, website, wiki, or other artifact they can share and post.  Working together to develop and create something they will share with others gives students a reason to truly learn and understand the material.  The students can then take ownership of the knowledge and learning and share it with the world by distributing their knowledge appropriately.

Using technologies like the voice thread above gives us new opportunities to have our students create and share their learning.  I look forward to learning, creating, and passing on my knowledge to others.  Thanks for reading!

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Program Number 8: Social Learning Theories [Webcast]. Baltimore: Author

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

Constructivism/Costructionism

Constructivism is defined by Dr. Orey as, "A theory stating that each individual actively constructs his/her own meaning." (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010)  This means that everyone builds his or her own understanding of the world around them.  Our background and individual experiences will affect how we learn and interpret what we learn.

Constructionism is then defined (also by Dr. Orey) as, "A theory of learning that states people learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others." (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010)  Meaning that we learn best when we actually use our leaning to create something that we can use to demonstrate what we learned.  The focus of this blog post is constructionism.

One instructional strategy that lends itself very well to constructionist learning theory is, "Generating and Testing Hypotheses."  Presented in the book, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, generating and testing hypotheses allows students construct their understanding by creating a hypothesis and progressing through the process of testing, revising, and re-testing their hypothesis. 

Teachers can use technologies such as spreadsheets to give students "pre-selected" data for analysis.  Students can then use the data to formulate a hypothesis, for example whether or not the data represents a linear function, and if so, what that function might be.  Students can then test their hypothesis by using the data to create a graph and test whether or not their equation was correct.  Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski suggest using a pre-created spreadsheet to have students investigate investment options by creating and testing equations in order to determine what would be the best (most profitable) investment (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007).

Students can work on projects that can be used to improve the school community and to present information to the community at large.  Teachers can work together to create interdisciplinary lessons in which students can research and address a topic that is important to the community.  Teachers can use technology to collaborate interdepartmentally, but also to set up spreadsheets, wikis and other tools for the students to work together to research and then develop their final product: perhaps a presentation to the student body or even to the board of education to change a policy.

The various technologies presented this week, along with the strategy of generating and testing hypotheses lend themselves to constructionist learning theory very well.  Students tend to be more vested in learning when they can create an object or artifact to demonstrate what they learned - they are essentially now teaching their audience what they learned through researching, hypothesizing, and testing their hypothesis, and by teaching us, they are making more connections for themselves to learn and recall information.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Program Number 7: Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories [Webcast]. Baltimore: Author.

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

Cognitive Learning Theory in the Classroom

This week, we examined cognitive learning theory and some strategies that work well with cognitive learning theory.  In the video lectures, Dr. David Orey presents some cognitive learning theories with which all educators should be familiar (Laureate Education, Inc, 2010).  Understanding how memory works, and the processes behind how we build memory gives us insight into how to create and present meaningful lessons to students and to have them remember and make the important connections between concepts.

The strategies presented in the book, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works," offered many ideas and tips for using technology to help students make the connections that would help them learn.  The first strategy we examined this week, "Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers," suggests that we need to give students a clear understanding of what they will be learning, how they will be learning it, and giving them outlines (for example) of what they will learn to guide their learning as we progress through the lesson.  Technology that can aid in this process includes word processing software, concept mapping software, and spreadsheet software (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).  All of these technologies give us tools to help students make connections and process the information presented in the lesson.  And, as Dr. Orey mentions, making many connections helps people recover information and memory (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010)

The second strategy we looked at was, "Summarizing and Note Taking."  In this strategy, some of the technologies were repeated.  Students can use word processing software to take notes or to summarize the information presented in class and teachers can create note-taking templates in "organizing and brainstorming" software (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).  One of the ideas presented that was most interesting was the idea of using PowerPoint to create combination notes.

Combination notes give students the opportunity to summarize key concepts and to present visual/mulitmedia representations of the concepts on the same page.  This ties in to Dr. Orey's mention of the effective use of images as a cognitive learning theory (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).  When there are visual representations of concepts, we tend to make better connections and establish yet another route for memory to be retrieved.

This week's learning was very interesting, and I am looking forward to using some of the strategies and technologies presented.  My students have stated an interest in using more technology in their learning, and I hope to be able to deliver for them...hopefully enriching their learning experiences and deepening their understanding.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Cognitive Learning Theories [Webcast]. Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

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

Happy Pi Day, EVERYONE!!!

Happy Pi day! Here is a link to Vi Hart's protest of Pi. (She poses some interesting arguments...I'll be checking in on June 28th!)

Behaviorism in the Classroom

This week's assignments focused our thinking on the use of behaviorism in the classroom with particular respect to the strategies of, "Reinforcing Effort," and, "Homework and Practice." As most of us have agreed within our class discussion posts, behaviorism is not dead, and definitely plays a role within the classroom. Predominantly used to teach students how they are expected to behave and act within a classroom, behaviorism can be applied to other areas of learning when used in harmony with other "deeper" learning thories.

Reinforcing effort is necessary to student development. As mentioned in the reading, students often attribute their successes or failures to outside factors like ability, genetics, or race, among other things (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Students do not see that their own effort is worthwhile, and that the more the attempt to learn and master something, the better they will become at that process or task. Students need to make the connection between effort and success, and behaviorism lends itself to this understanding.

I love the idea of using spreadsheet software to have students track their effort and and success over time - it will help them to make the connection and students can gain the reward of seeing how their effort affects the final outcome of their learning.

Behaviorism is only partially used for the strategy of homework and practice. Work given to students should not be rote - students should make connections between what they learned in class and what they are working on at home. Practice is, however necessary for students to master skills and understanding of the material. Using technology that rewards students for doing the right thing is a good way to tie behaviorism to this strategy. Games are a wonderful way for students to get rewarded as they progress through the levels, advancing their abities and getting better at the skills as they go.

Behaviorism may not foster the deepest learning and understanding in students, but it does provide us with a means for teaching students desirable behaviors for the classroom and also as a means for rewarding students as they learn and practice what they have learned in the classroom.

References:

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

(Sorry this post was not up...I forgot to hit "publish," and it was just saved but not posted...I'll get this technolgy thing yet! (-: )