Here is the url to my voicethread
http://voicethread.com/share/657813/
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Let's Learn From Each Other
How many times have you had to work or play a sport with others. In order for the a project to be successful, those involved must cooperate. Groups or teams must work together with each member responsible for his/her job. The group's success is dependent on the each individual's contribution. Our world today has become smaller because of the ease of communication between geographically far away places. So much work today involves cooperation between groups or individuals that are located in different prts of the world.
The instructional strategy of cooperative learning groups gives students the chance to develop the ability to learn and create cooperatively. One component of cooperative learning that correlates to social learning theory is the building of interpersonal and small group skills such as encouragement and conflict resolution (Pitler, et al, 2007). Dr. Orey also states in this week's media resources, that cooperative learning groups provide encouragement, validation and immediate feedback as ideas bounce back and forth (Laureate,2008). The jigsaw learning strategy motivated learners to become teachers within the group. To be able to teach you must understand the content very well. This is supported by the idea, that the best way to learn is to teach. Technology plays crucial role in facilitating cooperative learning (Pitler, et al,2007). Facebook, blogs, wikis, webquests, voice threads, Google Docs, and Skype allow students to communicate, collaborate, receive and give feedback, even though members of the group are not face-to-face. As educators we must model the social skills necessary for cooperative learning groups to succeed. This something is a fact that is not always the case in our schools today.
As stated in the book, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works, in order to be prepared for the fast-paced global workplace, students need to be able to learn and produce cooperatively (2007).
References
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
The instructional strategy of cooperative learning groups gives students the chance to develop the ability to learn and create cooperatively. One component of cooperative learning that correlates to social learning theory is the building of interpersonal and small group skills such as encouragement and conflict resolution (Pitler, et al, 2007). Dr. Orey also states in this week's media resources, that cooperative learning groups provide encouragement, validation and immediate feedback as ideas bounce back and forth (Laureate,2008). The jigsaw learning strategy motivated learners to become teachers within the group. To be able to teach you must understand the content very well. This is supported by the idea, that the best way to learn is to teach. Technology plays crucial role in facilitating cooperative learning (Pitler, et al,2007). Facebook, blogs, wikis, webquests, voice threads, Google Docs, and Skype allow students to communicate, collaborate, receive and give feedback, even though members of the group are not face-to-face. As educators we must model the social skills necessary for cooperative learning groups to succeed. This something is a fact that is not always the case in our schools today.
As stated in the book, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works, in order to be prepared for the fast-paced global workplace, students need to be able to learn and produce cooperatively (2007).
References
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
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Take control of Learning
There are some students willing to just listen to a teacher lecture and then robotically repeat the information that was taught but not learned. They think let me just remember just long enough for the test. After that it won't be needed anymore. Their are also teachers who would prefer this scenario over children asking too many questions. What if they don't the answer to a very good question.
Educators can take a cue from coaches. Coaches can draw plays up, model the execution of a play, but they can't do it for them. Also the other team isn't just going to do what you want them to do. Great coaches teach their players to think. They also give options and pose further questions. Players then try out their ideas and learn form their experiences.
Constructivism/constructionism learning theory states that the learner creates his/her own knowledge. The educator then becomes a mentor/facilitator. In the book Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works, an instructional strategy is presented that relates directly to constuctivist/constuctionist learning theory; generating and testing hypotheses is an integral part of project-based and problem-based learning. The authors believe that when students generate and test hypotheses, they engage in complex mental processes (higher order thinking skills), therefore enhancing understanding (Pitler, et al, 2007). As Dr. Orey stated in the this week's video constructionism states that people learn best when they build an artifact (Laureate, 2008). Learners first come up with ideas (generate hypotheses), then they test them. The next step would be to gather and then analyze data. Technology makes these processes less tedious and time consuming. This in turn lets the learner spend more time analyzing what they have learned and compare the hypothesis. Finally the learner can create an artifact, with the help of technology, that will support the hypothesis and allow the learner to make meaningful connections to the content related to the project or problem that is being worked on. By taking control of the learning, the concepts gain more relevance. The learner can finally see how the concepts relate to them and the real world.
References
Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program seven. Constructionist and Constructivist 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
Educators can take a cue from coaches. Coaches can draw plays up, model the execution of a play, but they can't do it for them. Also the other team isn't just going to do what you want them to do. Great coaches teach their players to think. They also give options and pose further questions. Players then try out their ideas and learn form their experiences.
Constructivism/constructionism learning theory states that the learner creates his/her own knowledge. The educator then becomes a mentor/facilitator. In the book Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works, an instructional strategy is presented that relates directly to constuctivist/constuctionist learning theory; generating and testing hypotheses is an integral part of project-based and problem-based learning. The authors believe that when students generate and test hypotheses, they engage in complex mental processes (higher order thinking skills), therefore enhancing understanding (Pitler, et al, 2007). As Dr. Orey stated in the this week's video constructionism states that people learn best when they build an artifact (Laureate, 2008). Learners first come up with ideas (generate hypotheses), then they test them. The next step would be to gather and then analyze data. Technology makes these processes less tedious and time consuming. This in turn lets the learner spend more time analyzing what they have learned and compare the hypothesis. Finally the learner can create an artifact, with the help of technology, that will support the hypothesis and allow the learner to make meaningful connections to the content related to the project or problem that is being worked on. By taking control of the learning, the concepts gain more relevance. The learner can finally see how the concepts relate to them and the real world.
References
Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program seven. Constructionist and Constructivist 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
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