Today's class has helped further my understanding of the learning theories and how they impact my beliefs on teaching. I have realized how the T2P statements are different pieces that form together my beliefs about education and how we learn. Fleshing out some of the different T2P statements that I have formed over the past couple of weeks have helped me understand what I value most about education. I can see that there are two prevalent ideas that arise from my T2P statements: interaction and student-centered classroom. These two ideas are fundamentally connected but interaction focuses on the student element in teaching and learning whereas student-centered classroom focuses on the teacher's involvement in this process. Both these elements are necessary in my opinion for having a successful learning environment in the foreign language classroom.
I also have appreciated the time set aside within the past two weeks to practice expanding upon the T2P statements. As a result of this, I can already see my final paper forming right in front of me. It is exciting to see my T2P statements expanded with not only theoretical support, but my own beliefs about teaching. These T2P statements have helped me focus on what I believe my role is as an educator and I am looking forward to see how the pieces of my beliefs come together in my final paper.
The letter assignment that we completed for today was also extremely helpful. In my undergrad, I completed an undergraduate thesis about the differences between second language learning and foreign language learning. As a result of this study, I discovered motivation was an extremely prevalent factor in learning for both groups of students. While reading the case study about Ronnie, it reminded me of the study I conducted. This assignment reminded me again the importance of motivation in learning as well as the value of intrinsic motivation over extrinsic motivation.
As long as I am able to find videos to support my statements, these are my tentative T2P statements (without theoretical/moral support yet):
If students can learn to appreciate and utilize other people's differences as a resource then successful learning can occur because students will strengthen their own learning and understanding of a topic through the experiences of their classmates. Vygotsky suggests that learning primarily develops through social interaction. Student's social environments help shape the framework on which concepts are built. Through the help and guidance of more knowledgeable others, students will be able to reach toward their next level of proximal development. I believe that it is important for social interaction to occur in the classroom, particularly in the World Language classroom as a huge part of the World Language curriculum is learning about culture and acceptance. Student's prior experiences concerning other cultures can help other students better understand culture and acceptance through discussion and social interaction.
If students are active in a student-centeed classroom then students will become more engaged and interested in their work because they are taking their work into their own hands acting as autonomous learners, which leads to self-determination. Through a student-centered classroom, students have control in the content that is being presented. As a result, students feel they have a responsibility for this content, which leads the students to become intrinsically motivated toward the topic and perhaps may lead them to feel this way about learning in general. The idea of a student-centered classroom can be tied to Jean Lave's theories of learning. Lave believes that learning is social and comes largely from our experiences of participating in daily life. This is facilitated through communities of practice, which are formed by people who engage in a process of collective learning in a shared domain of human endeavor i.e. Vicki Davis' classroom. I believe that when students feel they have control over their learning, and this can be accomplished through student-centered learning, students will begin to feel self-determined toward their learning.
Monday, June 27, 2011
A Good Teacher...
A good teacher is someone who is not only knowledgeable about their content area, but is someone who is able to break down the content in a variety of instructional methods. A good teacher not only shares content information, but also serves as role model for students through the manner in which they comport themselves in class. Good teachers also allow the students to take control of their learning through student-centered activity. I believe good teachers should be independent, yet open-minded and caring individuals. It is also very important for good teachers to respect all individuals no matter their differences. These are important characteristics for a teacher to possess and hopefully through modeling, some of these characteristics will also be transferred to the students.
If all novice and experienced learners are valued in the classroom, then learning will occur because novice and experienced learners all have important experiences to share. According to Jean Lave the classroom can be viewed as a community. There are novice learners and experienced learners (students and teachers) who are all considered valuable in the communities of practice (classroom) as each person brings in their own experiences to the group to share. In this way, members of the community are able to learn from others experiences. Learning from each other is a critical part of the classroom and this theory embodies that. I believe that it is important that students not only learn from the teacher, but they also learn from their classmates. Peer-peer interaction can provide very meaningful experiences for student learning as a peer's explanation of a topic may make more sense to a student then a teacher's explanation. This can be explained through the theory of zone of proximal development. Students are much closer to each other in their zones of proximal development than the teacher, so their explanations may make more sense to each other. Peer interaction provides a form of scaffolding for learning that is a crucial component in the learning process. As a result, peer-peer interaction encourages students to not only expand their views on content knowledge, but may also help shape student's views on the world around them.
If all novice and experienced learners are valued in the classroom, then learning will occur because novice and experienced learners all have important experiences to share. According to Jean Lave the classroom can be viewed as a community. There are novice learners and experienced learners (students and teachers) who are all considered valuable in the communities of practice (classroom) as each person brings in their own experiences to the group to share. In this way, members of the community are able to learn from others experiences. Learning from each other is a critical part of the classroom and this theory embodies that. I believe that it is important that students not only learn from the teacher, but they also learn from their classmates. Peer-peer interaction can provide very meaningful experiences for student learning as a peer's explanation of a topic may make more sense to a student then a teacher's explanation. This can be explained through the theory of zone of proximal development. Students are much closer to each other in their zones of proximal development than the teacher, so their explanations may make more sense to each other. Peer interaction provides a form of scaffolding for learning that is a crucial component in the learning process. As a result, peer-peer interaction encourages students to not only expand their views on content knowledge, but may also help shape student's views on the world around them.
Friday, June 24, 2011
EDCI 5825 Assignment Week 5
As a future Spanish teacher, I definitely plan on using e-pals. This website is an excellent way for students to learn about Spanish culture through the perspectives of peers their own age in various Spanish speaking countries. According to the website, "ePals is the leading provider of safe collaborative technology for schools to connect and learn in a protected, project-based learning network" (ePals GlobalCommunity). This type of collaborative technology is perfect for a Spanish classroom. By communicating with their e-pal, students will not only learn about culture, but they will also be practicing their writing and reading by utilizing the target language. It may be possible as well for the students to skype their e-pal, which would then the students will also be utilizing their listening and speaking skills in the target language. This e-pal program allows language learning to transcend beyond the limitations of classroom learning to actual real world applications. In this way, students will really have a sense of the importance of language learning as well as to have a more realistic connection with different cultures.
I also plan on using Livemocha if the school that I am working for will allow a subscription. Like the e-pal program, Livemocha will allow students to be able to speak with native speakers as well as share different aspects of culture. In addition to the communication component, Livemocha also utilizes tools such as games, flashcards, video and role play. These tools will be helpful for the students to practice Spanish in a fun, interactive way. One article describes some of the benefits of Livemocha: "The casual connections with real people throughout the world, however brief, are not just fun and surprising but reveal more about how the language is really used. The boy from Tunisia, while knocking my conjugation, passed along slang and attitude, something rarely found in textbooks" (Wayner, 2010). In this way, students are able to expand upon their language learning in a way that cannot be learned in the classroom. It is only through this real life interaction that certain elements of language learning can develop. These collaborative projects are a great way to get students interested in language learning.
References
ePals GlobalCommunity. (2010). Retrieved June 24, 2011 from http://www.epals.com/
Wayner, P. "Learning a Language From an Expert, on the Web." New York Times 28 Jul. 2010: B8.
New York Times. Web. 24 Jun. 2011.
I also plan on using Livemocha if the school that I am working for will allow a subscription. Like the e-pal program, Livemocha will allow students to be able to speak with native speakers as well as share different aspects of culture. In addition to the communication component, Livemocha also utilizes tools such as games, flashcards, video and role play. These tools will be helpful for the students to practice Spanish in a fun, interactive way. One article describes some of the benefits of Livemocha: "The casual connections with real people throughout the world, however brief, are not just fun and surprising but reveal more about how the language is really used. The boy from Tunisia, while knocking my conjugation, passed along slang and attitude, something rarely found in textbooks" (Wayner, 2010). In this way, students are able to expand upon their language learning in a way that cannot be learned in the classroom. It is only through this real life interaction that certain elements of language learning can develop. These collaborative projects are a great way to get students interested in language learning.
References
ePals GlobalCommunity. (2010). Retrieved June 24, 2011 from http://www.epals.com/
Wayner, P. "Learning a Language From an Expert, on the Web." New York Times 28 Jul. 2010: B8.
New York Times. Web. 24 Jun. 2011.
Monday, June 20, 2011
EDCI 5065 Week 4 T2P
Today’s class has further expanded my knowledge on a variety of learning theories. This knowledge seems to be ever expanding from week one as more and more theorists keep getting added to the mix. Today’s class video about Vicki Davis’ student-centered classroom really resonated with me. I have always known the importance of a student-centered classroom, but I don’t think I truly realized the benefits of having a student-oriented classroom until watching the video. The students took complete control of their learning and Davis acted more as a guide. Students seemed to be engaged in class activity as well as they seemed knowledgeable about the tasks they were completing. At one point in the video, the students were even explaining to Davis a concept that she didn’t know about!
I also found it helpful to see all the presentations of the Big Six. Looking at the spreadsheet of all the theorists and the information required about them was very daunting at first especially for the theorists that I knew nothing about. I found the presentations were a concise way to share the information about the theorists that focused on the aspects that we were interested in. This is more beneficial to my classmates and I as this saves us the time and energy researching every single one of these theorists and picking out the aspects that were are interested in.
I also feel like I have a better understanding of the T2P statements and their purpose. The example given to us today in class really helped fill in the missing pieces. I am starting to see how my final paper will form and I feel my final paper will encompass the aspects of learning theory that I found will be most beneficial for my future classes.
If all novice and experienced learners are valued in the classroom, then learning will occur because novice and experienced learners all have important experiences to share. According to Jean Lave the classroom can be viewed as a community. There are novice learners and experienced learners (students and teachers) who are all considered valuable in the communities of practice (classroom) as each person brings in their own experiences to the group to share. In this way, members of the community are able to learn from others experiences. Learning from each other is a critical part of the classroom and this theory embodies that. I believe that it is important that students not only learn from the teacher, but they also learn from their classmates as this lends to a more meaningful experience for student learning.
(Not completely filled in yet I have everything saved in Word)
EDCI 5065 Week 4 T2P
If students can learn to appreciate and utilize other people's differences as a resource then successful learning can occur because students will strengthen their own learning and understanding of a topic through the experiences of their classmates. Vygotsky suggests that learning primarily develops through social interaction. Student's social environments help shape the framework on which concepts are built. Through the help and guidance of more knowledgeable others, students will be able to reach toward their next level of proximal development. I believe that it is important for social interaction to occur in the classroom, particularly in the World Language classroom as a huge part of the World Language curriculum is learning about culture and acceptance. Student's prior experiences concerning other cultures can help other students better understand culture and acceptance through discussion and social interaction.
If students are active in a student-centeed classroom then students will become more engaged and interested in their work because they are taking their work into their own hands acting as autonomous learners, which leads to self-determination. Through a student-centered classroom, students have control in the content that is being presented. As a result, students feel they have a responsibility for this content, which leads the students to become intrinsically motivated toward the topic and perhaps may lead them to feel this way about learning in general. The idea of a student-centered classroom can be tied to Jean Lave's theories of learning. Lave believes that learning is social and comes largely from our experiences of participating in daily life. This is facilitated through communities of practice, which are formed by people who engage in a process of collective learning in a shared domain of human endeavor i.e. Vicki Davis' classroom. I believe that when students feel they have control over their learning, and this can be accomplished through student-centered learning, students will begin to feel self-determined toward their learning.
If students are active in a student-centeed classroom then students will become more engaged and interested in their work because they are taking their work into their own hands acting as autonomous learners, which leads to self-determination. Through a student-centered classroom, students have control in the content that is being presented. As a result, students feel they have a responsibility for this content, which leads the students to become intrinsically motivated toward the topic and perhaps may lead them to feel this way about learning in general. The idea of a student-centered classroom can be tied to Jean Lave's theories of learning. Lave believes that learning is social and comes largely from our experiences of participating in daily life. This is facilitated through communities of practice, which are formed by people who engage in a process of collective learning in a shared domain of human endeavor i.e. Vicki Davis' classroom. I believe that when students feel they have control over their learning, and this can be accomplished through student-centered learning, students will begin to feel self-determined toward their learning.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
EDCI 5825 Assignment Week 4
For a student with a hearing impairment, I would first and foremost have this student sit closer to the front of the classroom so they would be able to hear me better when I speak. I also would make sure that whenever I would give an oral lecture that students have to take notes from I would make my notes readily available for my students to access via the course wiki or google docs. In this way, the hearing impaired student will be access my notes so if they possibly missed something from the lecture they will be able to have the material they missed. If possible, I would use a variety of SMARTBOARD activities as these are very strong visual aides for the students. Also, if possible, I could use speech recognition software that would allow me to speak into a microphone as I am lecturing and have what I am saying either project on the board or to the student's computer. The hearing impaired student will be able to follow right along with the lecture and will be able to catch all of the nuances of what I am saying as what I am explaining may be portrayed differently in the written notes form of the lecture.
For a student with with low vision, I would use technology such as DAISY talking books. The DAISY talking books are a more technologically advanced version of books on tape, but DAISY talking books offer even more than just this aspect. "Some of the features that make the DAISY system effective are image files, video playback, and support for standard files such as .wav, .jpeg, etc. The tools allowed by DAISY aids those with visual impairments to share in today's digital, knowledge society" (WEBSITE). DAISYwould aid those students who are not able to see very well will be able to have an interactive textbook. I also would plan to use technology such as jingcasts that can talk to the students directly to explain what is going on if there is an activity that utilizes a lot of visual aides.
For a student with a broken right arm, I would use technology such as speech recognition if the students are required to do an activity where they need to take notes. The student would also be able to use speech recognition to complete a quiz or a test. The speech recognition software will allow the student to complete any task required. According to the wiki article, "The use of speech recognition software allows students that have little or no motor skills in their arms and hands to be able to produce typed reports, manage software, and perform research with a computer, just like other non-disabled student" (WEBSITE). I would also have my notes readily available for the student as it may be difficult to catch all the information from the lecture.
For a non-communicative autistic student, I would use a variety of the tools already mentioned. Something beneficial for these students would be DAISY talking device. Not only can DAISY read textbooks, but it can also read documents. Some autistic students have the ability to write. In this case, I can have the DAISY reader read the student's assignment right from the word document. I would also use lots of pictures in my lecture as non-communicative autistic students are able to connect very well through photos and are able to recognize certain characteristics. As for the other students, I will also make my lecture notes readily available.
Reference
For a student with with low vision, I would use technology such as DAISY talking books. The DAISY talking books are a more technologically advanced version of books on tape, but DAISY talking books offer even more than just this aspect. "Some of the features that make the DAISY system effective are image files, video playback, and support for standard files such as .wav, .jpeg, etc. The tools allowed by DAISY aids those with visual impairments to share in today's digital, knowledge society" (WEBSITE). DAISYwould aid those students who are not able to see very well will be able to have an interactive textbook. I also would plan to use technology such as jingcasts that can talk to the students directly to explain what is going on if there is an activity that utilizes a lot of visual aides.
For a student with a broken right arm, I would use technology such as speech recognition if the students are required to do an activity where they need to take notes. The student would also be able to use speech recognition to complete a quiz or a test. The speech recognition software will allow the student to complete any task required. According to the wiki article, "The use of speech recognition software allows students that have little or no motor skills in their arms and hands to be able to produce typed reports, manage software, and perform research with a computer, just like other non-disabled student" (WEBSITE). I would also have my notes readily available for the student as it may be difficult to catch all the information from the lecture.
For a non-communicative autistic student, I would use a variety of the tools already mentioned. Something beneficial for these students would be DAISY talking device. Not only can DAISY read textbooks, but it can also read documents. Some autistic students have the ability to write. In this case, I can have the DAISY reader read the student's assignment right from the word document. I would also use lots of pictures in my lecture as non-communicative autistic students are able to connect very well through photos and are able to recognize certain characteristics. As for the other students, I will also make my lecture notes readily available.
Reference
Assistive Technology in Education/DAISY. (2009). Retrieved June 19, 2011, from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/DAISY
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
EDCI 5085 Assignment Week 3
Looking at all of the different ways to utilize the internet in the classroom has made me start to think about how I want to use the internet in my own classroom. I have come up with a few different ideas.
1. Course Wiki- I have never even seen a course wiki before this semester but now it is something I can definitely see myself using in my future classroom. At a first glance I thought that using a course wiki was going to be more cumbersome than useful; however, after only a few short weeks I have come to appreciate the benefits of using a course wiki and could never imagine looking at a paper syllabus again! One of the benefits of using a course wiki is to being able to use an interactive syllabus ( In this way the students are able to access it at all times and will not have the opportunity to lose or misplace a paper syllabus. Also, the teacher can add items or change items so the student can have an up to date copy of the syllabus at all times. The course wiki is also a great way for the class to compile information. There is a discussion tab, which allows different members of the course wiki to post questions about an assignment or to share resources with other members of the course wiki. Course wikis are also an efficient way of relaying a message quickly to students if ever there was a change in an assignment or something needed to be brought to the attentions of the students. Overall course wiki is a great way to communicate with students and for them to be aware of up to date information about a class.
2. Photo Sharing- I could definitely see myself using this in my classroom. Photo sharing allows the teacher to share photos with the students via a website such as Flickr where people need permission to view the photos (Schrum & Levin, 2009). In this way, it is protected from unwanted viewers and is limited to only those who are allowed to view them. I lived in Spain for five months and I traveled all over Spain and I of course took pictures of everything. I always hoped that I would be able to share my pictures with my students someday and hopefully be able to create an activity from it. I was never able to think of any creative ideas to do so. The reading helped me realize I could create an activity based upon the history and sights that I photographed. This can be utilized during a map exercise for example and the students would have to place the pictures in the correct place on the map.
3. Google Earth- This is another interesting way to make an activity more interactive for the students. Google Earth allows people to zoom in on different places in the world to actually see what places look like. It is one thing for me to show my students where different countries are on an atlas, but it totally takes it to the next level by being able for the students to get an eagle eye view of what the country looks like at this very moment. This tool allows the students to make a more meaningful connection to different places they are studying because it gives them a better picture than just looking at a map. This is a tool I can also see myself using the classroom especially when learning about different Spanish speaking countries.
References
Schrum, L., & Levin, B. (2009). Leading 21st century schools: Harnessing technology for engagement and achievement. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.
1. Course Wiki- I have never even seen a course wiki before this semester but now it is something I can definitely see myself using in my future classroom. At a first glance I thought that using a course wiki was going to be more cumbersome than useful; however, after only a few short weeks I have come to appreciate the benefits of using a course wiki and could never imagine looking at a paper syllabus again! One of the benefits of using a course wiki is to being able to use an interactive syllabus ( In this way the students are able to access it at all times and will not have the opportunity to lose or misplace a paper syllabus. Also, the teacher can add items or change items so the student can have an up to date copy of the syllabus at all times. The course wiki is also a great way for the class to compile information. There is a discussion tab, which allows different members of the course wiki to post questions about an assignment or to share resources with other members of the course wiki. Course wikis are also an efficient way of relaying a message quickly to students if ever there was a change in an assignment or something needed to be brought to the attentions of the students. Overall course wiki is a great way to communicate with students and for them to be aware of up to date information about a class.
2. Photo Sharing- I could definitely see myself using this in my classroom. Photo sharing allows the teacher to share photos with the students via a website such as Flickr where people need permission to view the photos (Schrum & Levin, 2009). In this way, it is protected from unwanted viewers and is limited to only those who are allowed to view them. I lived in Spain for five months and I traveled all over Spain and I of course took pictures of everything. I always hoped that I would be able to share my pictures with my students someday and hopefully be able to create an activity from it. I was never able to think of any creative ideas to do so. The reading helped me realize I could create an activity based upon the history and sights that I photographed. This can be utilized during a map exercise for example and the students would have to place the pictures in the correct place on the map.
3. Google Earth- This is another interesting way to make an activity more interactive for the students. Google Earth allows people to zoom in on different places in the world to actually see what places look like. It is one thing for me to show my students where different countries are on an atlas, but it totally takes it to the next level by being able for the students to get an eagle eye view of what the country looks like at this very moment. This tool allows the students to make a more meaningful connection to different places they are studying because it gives them a better picture than just looking at a map. This is a tool I can also see myself using the classroom especially when learning about different Spanish speaking countries.
References
Schrum, L., & Levin, B. (2009). Leading 21st century schools: Harnessing technology for engagement and achievement. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.
EDCI 5065 Week 3 T2P
Yesterday's class was an excellent opportunity to expand my knowledge on a variety of learning theories. I have studied some of the theorists and their theories in some of my undergraduate classes, but there were also some theorists that I was unfamiliar with and it was interesting to learn about them. I feel it is beneficial as future teachers to be familiar with a variety of learning theories. The Kruse article was particularly helpful because not only did it outline the basic cognitive and behavioral theories, it also suggested that it is beneficial for lessons to be structured in a way that incorporates all of the learning theories. In prior classes we have talked about being conscious of students different learning preferences and I was unsure of ways on how to put together a lesson that would cater to a variety of learning preferences. The article illustrates perfectly on how this is possible through his explanation of the different learning theories.
I also found it helpful that we were all assigned a theorist a head of time and then we had time to share with the other groups on our findings about the theorist. I feel that this is more beneficial to my learning as I was able to have a strong focus on one of the theorists instead of having a weaker focus on three theorists. In this way, we were able to share our information to the other groups, which is a great practice in explaining things to others.
The part of the class on Bloom's Taxonomy was also extremely beneficial. I have learned about Bloom's Taxonomy in other classes, but it was not as clear to me until after this class. The text examples given on the course wiki page that showed how to actually apply Bloom's Taxonomy was the light bulb moment for me. I understood Bloom's Taxonomy and what it is trying to accomplish but it was once I read the examples for each of the levels that I finally saw how I can write these questions for my own classes.
If teachers utilize the learning theories in a way that complements each other, then students will become more well-rounded learners.
I also found it helpful that we were all assigned a theorist a head of time and then we had time to share with the other groups on our findings about the theorist. I feel that this is more beneficial to my learning as I was able to have a strong focus on one of the theorists instead of having a weaker focus on three theorists. In this way, we were able to share our information to the other groups, which is a great practice in explaining things to others.
The part of the class on Bloom's Taxonomy was also extremely beneficial. I have learned about Bloom's Taxonomy in other classes, but it was not as clear to me until after this class. The text examples given on the course wiki page that showed how to actually apply Bloom's Taxonomy was the light bulb moment for me. I understood Bloom's Taxonomy and what it is trying to accomplish but it was once I read the examples for each of the levels that I finally saw how I can write these questions for my own classes.
If teachers utilize the learning theories in a way that complements each other, then students will become more well-rounded learners.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Week 3 LT1
1. Identify B.F. Skinner's theory related to learning. (Knowledge)
B.F. Skinner's theory related to learning is the Behavioral Learning Theory. This theory is based on operant conditioning and response to a stimulus. As people react to the stimulus, they will either be positively or negatively reinforced. In this way, people will know how to react to the stimulus again. For example, a rat in a cage after time has realized that if they hit the second lever they will recieve a treat. The rat is being positively reinforced for his behavior. This is one example of the Behavioral Learning Theory.
2. A psychologist is observing a child to figure out which stage of development they're in. The psychologist shows the child a stuffed animal, and then hides the stuffed animal behind a couch. The child begins to cry, believing that the stuffed animal is gone for good. What stage can we conclude the child is in, based on Piaget's stages of development? (Comprehension)
I conclude that the child is in the pre-operational stage of development as the child is unable to realize that although they do not see an object, the object still exists. At this stage, children do not have any concept of object permanence and things only exist if they can physically see them.
3. Further subdivide the Cognitive Learning Theory into its three main subgroups by creating a diagram that displays these ideas in a few words (Analysis)
Constructivist Learning Theory: focuses on changes in observable behavior, creates difficulty for understanding learner's reasoning and thinking
Developmental Learning Theory: focuses on how prior experience and age affect students' ability to handle abstraction.
Social Learning Theory: focuses on how learning is constructed via social interaction
B.F. Skinner's theory related to learning is the Behavioral Learning Theory. This theory is based on operant conditioning and response to a stimulus. As people react to the stimulus, they will either be positively or negatively reinforced. In this way, people will know how to react to the stimulus again. For example, a rat in a cage after time has realized that if they hit the second lever they will recieve a treat. The rat is being positively reinforced for his behavior. This is one example of the Behavioral Learning Theory.
2. A psychologist is observing a child to figure out which stage of development they're in. The psychologist shows the child a stuffed animal, and then hides the stuffed animal behind a couch. The child begins to cry, believing that the stuffed animal is gone for good. What stage can we conclude the child is in, based on Piaget's stages of development? (Comprehension)
I conclude that the child is in the pre-operational stage of development as the child is unable to realize that although they do not see an object, the object still exists. At this stage, children do not have any concept of object permanence and things only exist if they can physically see them.
3. Further subdivide the Cognitive Learning Theory into its three main subgroups by creating a diagram that displays these ideas in a few words (Analysis)
Constructivist Learning Theory: focuses on changes in observable behavior, creates difficulty for understanding learner's reasoning and thinking
Developmental Learning Theory: focuses on how prior experience and age affect students' ability to handle abstraction.
Social Learning Theory: focuses on how learning is constructed via social interaction
Monday, June 6, 2011
EDCI 5065 T2P Week 2
Today I further enhanced my knowledge of the concept of learning. The two articles that we had to read for class today really opened my mind to the degree that teachers impact their students. I knew the role of the teacher was to teach content and to share their knowledge with their students. However, I didn't realize how many other factors can also impact the overall learning of a student. I knew that teachers can be role models for student, but I didn't realize that this can happen in a very indirect way. It is important for teachers to realize that their actions can impact the future actions of their students as students look to their teachers to be able to judge how to act in social situations. Teachers direct this learning through their own classroom management as well as how they comport themselves in the classroom. This aspect really stuck with me today as important and especially to be aware of it in my future classroom.
I also appreciated breaking up into groups again to have discussions. This helps to solidify my learning as I enjoy bouncing ideas off of other people as everyone has a different perspective about an idea. At first my group struggled to create a new concept map, which was surprising to me because we had such an easy time last week. However, it makes sense that we struggled more this week because we have more knowledge about learning. Since we have more information, it was harder to categorize all of our thoughts. This also leads to another problem. It seems that learning is not best described through categorization, but more as a process. I believe that my group and I forgot that learning can be described as gray, which makes it very difficult to put into specific categories. By reassessing our concept maps again, it helped me realize even more how abstract learning truly is and how many ideas and thoughts can encompass learning.
Lastly, I feel that the videos we watched in class were very informative and helpful in demonstrating different methods of teaching. It is very easy to read about different methods in a textbook, but it was beneficial to actually see them in action in a video. It is helpful to examine other people's teaching preferences as it is helping me form my own preferences for teaching. Through watching the videos and class discussions of the readings I see how important the teacher's presence is in the classroom as an intrinsic and extrinsic model for students.
If students can learn to appreciate and utilize other people's differences as a resource then successful learning can occur because students will strengthen their own learning and understanding of a topic through the experiences of their classmates.
I also appreciated breaking up into groups again to have discussions. This helps to solidify my learning as I enjoy bouncing ideas off of other people as everyone has a different perspective about an idea. At first my group struggled to create a new concept map, which was surprising to me because we had such an easy time last week. However, it makes sense that we struggled more this week because we have more knowledge about learning. Since we have more information, it was harder to categorize all of our thoughts. This also leads to another problem. It seems that learning is not best described through categorization, but more as a process. I believe that my group and I forgot that learning can be described as gray, which makes it very difficult to put into specific categories. By reassessing our concept maps again, it helped me realize even more how abstract learning truly is and how many ideas and thoughts can encompass learning.
Lastly, I feel that the videos we watched in class were very informative and helpful in demonstrating different methods of teaching. It is very easy to read about different methods in a textbook, but it was beneficial to actually see them in action in a video. It is helpful to examine other people's teaching preferences as it is helping me form my own preferences for teaching. Through watching the videos and class discussions of the readings I see how important the teacher's presence is in the classroom as an intrinsic and extrinsic model for students.
If students can learn to appreciate and utilize other people's differences as a resource then successful learning can occur because students will strengthen their own learning and understanding of a topic through the experiences of their classmates.
EDCI 5065 Week 1 T2P
Today I learned many things about the abstract concept of "learning" that I believe will benefit me as a future educator. It was very interesting to me to be able to see on paper what my learning preferences are. I always speculated what I believed were my stronger/weaker learning preferences, so it was interesting to see a whole list of preferences and how I rated. As students and teachers, it is important to understand where are strengths and weaknesses are in order to be able to know how information should be relayed best.
It was also beneficial I feel to split up into groups in order to compare other people's learning preferences. It is important for teachers and students to realize that people have different learning preferences as this helps explain why we are all different. It is important to be able to present information in a way that is conducive to multiple learning preferences.
The concept map was also helpful as it made me realize how abstract learning really is. There is no one set definition and everyone views learning differently. Through discussing the idea of learning with my group, I was able to come up with a better understanding of learning through the multiple avenues that learning occurs. The biggest thing for me is that learning is gray. Learning is not cut and dry and encompasses many different definitions.
In all I feel the most important concept I took away from this class today is differences. We all have different learning preferences, different personalities, different demographics etc. After this class I feel that above everything our differences will make us stronger especially as a group as we will have the opportunity to learn from each other's differences, which will make us better educators. When we embrace each other's differences and begin to learn from them, it will help us reach our students in different ways.
If a teacher employs a wide variety of learning activities throughout the daily lesson, then a wide variety of learning preferences will also be met which is beneficial to the students because no student learns in the same manner as another so in this way students will have many opportunities to connect to content.
It was also beneficial I feel to split up into groups in order to compare other people's learning preferences. It is important for teachers and students to realize that people have different learning preferences as this helps explain why we are all different. It is important to be able to present information in a way that is conducive to multiple learning preferences.
The concept map was also helpful as it made me realize how abstract learning really is. There is no one set definition and everyone views learning differently. Through discussing the idea of learning with my group, I was able to come up with a better understanding of learning through the multiple avenues that learning occurs. The biggest thing for me is that learning is gray. Learning is not cut and dry and encompasses many different definitions.
In all I feel the most important concept I took away from this class today is differences. We all have different learning preferences, different personalities, different demographics etc. After this class I feel that above everything our differences will make us stronger especially as a group as we will have the opportunity to learn from each other's differences, which will make us better educators. When we embrace each other's differences and begin to learn from them, it will help us reach our students in different ways.
If a teacher employs a wide variety of learning activities throughout the daily lesson, then a wide variety of learning preferences will also be met which is beneficial to the students because no student learns in the same manner as another so in this way students will have many opportunities to connect to content.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
EDCI 5825 Assignment Week 2
All four of the instructional models of Internet use (Internet Project, Internet Workshop, Internet Inquiry, and WebQuest) have many similarities between them and many times actually overlap in their use. All four of these models use the Internet in some way in order to obtain information for personal knowledge or to be able to share with a group. There are only a few defining differences between their form and use. Internet workshop is a simple research activity that a teacher will utilize in order for students to gather open-ended information about a topic to be able to share with the class. This differs from Internet project where students collaborate on a project with another classroom either in the building or elsewhere. Internet projects allow opportunities for cultural exchanges as many classrooms from around the world may participate in these projects, whereas Internet workshop intends to collaborate within student’s own classroom.
Internet workshop and Internet Inquiry are similar in that students are attempting to research information on the internet, but Internet Inquiry is more of a personal research quest for the student. Internet workshop is guided more heavily on questions from the teacher, whereas Internet Inquiry allows students to choose their own research question based on the unit of study with guidance from the teacher. Internet workshop and Internet Inquiry both rely on the students to share their results from their findings.
Internet workshop and WebQuests are directly related to each other as teachers can use WebQuests in their Internet workshops. WebQuests consist of teaching/learning units on their Internet already tested by other teachers. Students follow the directions and complete their learning experiences at the webquest site. Teachers should fully investigate the WebQuest before using the activity for an internet workshop in order to deem it an appropriate activity.
Internet project and Internet Inquiry utilize Internet research conversely. Internet project utilized the internet as a collaborative project whereas Internet Inquiry is an individual effort. It is possible that some Internet projects utilize a WebQuest as one of the activities so this is how these two instructional models may overlap. As for comparing Internet Inquiry and WebQuest, these two instructional models also approach using the internet differently. Internet Inquiry relies on personal research and investigation where the WebQuest guides the student along for information.
Since my subject area is Spanish, using internet project would be something I could use in my future classroom. Internet project allows for cultural exchanges between two different classrooms so this would be an excellent opportunity for my students to meet students from other Spanish speaking countries to be able to share information with one another. In this way, my students and the other cooperating classroom will be able to experience another culture first hand. My internet project would most likely consist of e-mail exchanges with the other cooperating classroom so it would be like having an online pen pal. This is a known as a form of internet project called a temporary project where teachers develop a project that fits a specific curriculum need (Leu, 2001). My students would be directed to write about certain things to their pen pal to enforce certain grammatical points and vocabulary that I am currently covering. In this way, students will see a greater importance of being able to communicate in the Spanish language as they will actually be talking to someone who is native Spanish speaker.
I have been able to meet with my cooperating teacher already so I have an idea of some of the technology components she would like me to include in the classroom. The textbooks that I will be teaching from have additional online resources that I may utilize in my lessons. These additional resources include online activities and additional online information about certain topics in the textbook. There is also a language lab in the school where activities such as internet workshop can occur as well as opportunities for students to practice listening and speaking Spanish. The classroom that I will be using will also have access to a SMART board, which my cooperating teacher uses frequently. I hope to be able to devise some lesson plans that will allow me to use the SMART board. I have already received the textbooks that I will be teaching from in the Fall so I will shortly begin to start planning my lessons and I plan on trying to fit the SMART board in there somehow.
Mac Questions: I have noticed that there are certain videos that I am not able to play because I don’t have the correct plug-ins. If I opened the windows side of the mac would they play? Can I download the plug-ins for the mac or is it for windows only?
Reference
Leu, D.J., Jr. (2001, March). Internet Project: Preparing students for new literacies in a global village [Exploring Literacy on the Internet department]. The Reading Teacher, 54(6). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/elec_index.asp?HREF=/electronic/RT/3-01_Column/index.html
Internet workshop and Internet Inquiry are similar in that students are attempting to research information on the internet, but Internet Inquiry is more of a personal research quest for the student. Internet workshop is guided more heavily on questions from the teacher, whereas Internet Inquiry allows students to choose their own research question based on the unit of study with guidance from the teacher. Internet workshop and Internet Inquiry both rely on the students to share their results from their findings.
Internet workshop and WebQuests are directly related to each other as teachers can use WebQuests in their Internet workshops. WebQuests consist of teaching/learning units on their Internet already tested by other teachers. Students follow the directions and complete their learning experiences at the webquest site. Teachers should fully investigate the WebQuest before using the activity for an internet workshop in order to deem it an appropriate activity.
Internet project and Internet Inquiry utilize Internet research conversely. Internet project utilized the internet as a collaborative project whereas Internet Inquiry is an individual effort. It is possible that some Internet projects utilize a WebQuest as one of the activities so this is how these two instructional models may overlap. As for comparing Internet Inquiry and WebQuest, these two instructional models also approach using the internet differently. Internet Inquiry relies on personal research and investigation where the WebQuest guides the student along for information.
Since my subject area is Spanish, using internet project would be something I could use in my future classroom. Internet project allows for cultural exchanges between two different classrooms so this would be an excellent opportunity for my students to meet students from other Spanish speaking countries to be able to share information with one another. In this way, my students and the other cooperating classroom will be able to experience another culture first hand. My internet project would most likely consist of e-mail exchanges with the other cooperating classroom so it would be like having an online pen pal. This is a known as a form of internet project called a temporary project where teachers develop a project that fits a specific curriculum need (Leu, 2001). My students would be directed to write about certain things to their pen pal to enforce certain grammatical points and vocabulary that I am currently covering. In this way, students will see a greater importance of being able to communicate in the Spanish language as they will actually be talking to someone who is native Spanish speaker.
I have been able to meet with my cooperating teacher already so I have an idea of some of the technology components she would like me to include in the classroom. The textbooks that I will be teaching from have additional online resources that I may utilize in my lessons. These additional resources include online activities and additional online information about certain topics in the textbook. There is also a language lab in the school where activities such as internet workshop can occur as well as opportunities for students to practice listening and speaking Spanish. The classroom that I will be using will also have access to a SMART board, which my cooperating teacher uses frequently. I hope to be able to devise some lesson plans that will allow me to use the SMART board. I have already received the textbooks that I will be teaching from in the Fall so I will shortly begin to start planning my lessons and I plan on trying to fit the SMART board in there somehow.
Mac Questions: I have noticed that there are certain videos that I am not able to play because I don’t have the correct plug-ins. If I opened the windows side of the mac would they play? Can I download the plug-ins for the mac or is it for windows only?
Reference
Leu, D.J., Jr. (2001, March). Internet Project: Preparing students for new literacies in a global village [Exploring Literacy on the Internet department]. The Reading Teacher, 54(6). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/elec_index.asp?HREF=/electronic/RT/3-01_Column/index.html
Friday, June 3, 2011
EDCI 5065 Week Two Assignment
• http://www.spanishnewsbites.com
This looks like an extremely beneficial resource to use in the classroom. This website consists of articles and videos about what is going on currently in Spain and Latin America. There are a variety of articles and videos of various levels for different levels of Spanish speakers. Unfortunately, many times current events are discouraged from being included in curriculum as it takes away time from other topics that needed to be covered. However, including events that are actually happening right now in the world seem to be an excellent way of engaging the students in the subject matter. In my opinion, “good teachers” will take the time to incorporate something that may not be in the curriculum, but is relevant and important to what they are teaching. In this way, the subject may seem more relevant to the student’s own lives as the event is occurring right now. Students will be able to develop competency in world languages when they allow themselves to become immersed in the language and this can be accomplished by sharing with the students current events from the Hispanic culture.
• http://www.virtualseville.com/
This also looks like an excellent resource that I may use if I were to teach a unit on the cities of Spain. This website provides a virtual tour of the city of Seville. The videos provide an accurate portrayal of the city and it comes to life more for the students instead of just looking at Seville from 2d pictures. The website also includes 2d pictures and maps so this activity could also be used for teaching directions and public transportation. I feel that many people learn by seeing and actually experiencing something, which pairs nicely with this activity. In my opinion, “good teachers” utilize a variety of teaching methods and utilize a wide variety of materials. This is an excellent interactive tool, which many students nowadays will appreciate. Students will develop competency in Spanish when they feel like they are a part of the culture, which is easily facilitated with this activity as the videos can make them feel like they are practically walking down the streets of Seville.
• http://www.spanish4teachers.org/
This website would be for me to utilize in order to produce activities for the students but it provided me with many ideas to include in my lesson plans. The website includes a variety of lesson plans, handouts, PowerPoint’s, vocabulary lists, tests/quizzes, and songs/videos. This website has a whole host of resources to browse through. Again, “good teachers” will pursue a variety of different resources to share with their students. Students will especially interactive activities such as the songs/videos section. Students will learn best when they are engaged in what they are learning about and this can be accomplished through incorporating something like unusual like a song that will help them remember the subjunctive tense for example. Something interesting like a song to help remember a verb tense will encourage students to develop competency in Spanish.
This looks like an extremely beneficial resource to use in the classroom. This website consists of articles and videos about what is going on currently in Spain and Latin America. There are a variety of articles and videos of various levels for different levels of Spanish speakers. Unfortunately, many times current events are discouraged from being included in curriculum as it takes away time from other topics that needed to be covered. However, including events that are actually happening right now in the world seem to be an excellent way of engaging the students in the subject matter. In my opinion, “good teachers” will take the time to incorporate something that may not be in the curriculum, but is relevant and important to what they are teaching. In this way, the subject may seem more relevant to the student’s own lives as the event is occurring right now. Students will be able to develop competency in world languages when they allow themselves to become immersed in the language and this can be accomplished by sharing with the students current events from the Hispanic culture.
• http://www.virtualseville.com/
This also looks like an excellent resource that I may use if I were to teach a unit on the cities of Spain. This website provides a virtual tour of the city of Seville. The videos provide an accurate portrayal of the city and it comes to life more for the students instead of just looking at Seville from 2d pictures. The website also includes 2d pictures and maps so this activity could also be used for teaching directions and public transportation. I feel that many people learn by seeing and actually experiencing something, which pairs nicely with this activity. In my opinion, “good teachers” utilize a variety of teaching methods and utilize a wide variety of materials. This is an excellent interactive tool, which many students nowadays will appreciate. Students will develop competency in Spanish when they feel like they are a part of the culture, which is easily facilitated with this activity as the videos can make them feel like they are practically walking down the streets of Seville.
• http://www.spanish4teachers.org/
This website would be for me to utilize in order to produce activities for the students but it provided me with many ideas to include in my lesson plans. The website includes a variety of lesson plans, handouts, PowerPoint’s, vocabulary lists, tests/quizzes, and songs/videos. This website has a whole host of resources to browse through. Again, “good teachers” will pursue a variety of different resources to share with their students. Students will especially interactive activities such as the songs/videos section. Students will learn best when they are engaged in what they are learning about and this can be accomplished through incorporating something like unusual like a song that will help them remember the subjunctive tense for example. Something interesting like a song to help remember a verb tense will encourage students to develop competency in Spanish.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
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