Throughout the course, I have been exposed to various learning theories and different strategies that teachers can use in their classroom. Before this course I have heard of these theories but have never learned strategies on how to apply these strategies in my lessons. I was able to expand on my personal learning theory, and incorporate new technology in my classroom that will greatly benefit my students’ education.
During week 1, I was committed to the constructivist learning theory. After this course, I remain committed to constructivism, but I also would also like to include the social learning theory and the cognitive learning theory. It is important to not only concentrate on the students working together to create an artifact, but it is also important to concentrate on how well the students work with peers and having the students understand their own thinking process. Team work and collaborative learning is very important in school as well as in the work force. Many employers look for prospective employees with these essential skills.
I will definitely be using SpiderScribe and VoiceThread in my classroom. In fact I am currently using both tools in a few of my classes. I believe that these two tools allow students to organize their thoughts and information they research to make connections between the information. These are essential skills to have in order to gain a deep understanding of the material. Tools such as VoiceThread allow students to work collaboratively with each other and learn how to communicate and discuss topics with peers. I would also like to start a classroom blog where the class can view and comment on discussion topics that I post. This will further promote the importance of being able to discuss information with others in a respectable way.
My first long term goal is to have students work in groups more often. The social aspect of group work is very important. Students learn valuable skills when working with their peers, such as communication and collaborative problem-solving skills (Pitler, Hunnell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Students also learn to listen to their peers and respond in respectful ways, even though someone may not be pulling their weight or have a differing opinion. In order to achieve this goal, I will be rearranging my desks into small groups so that it will be easier to work with partners or groups during class outside of the lab setting. Instead of having students get up and move their desk if I want them to work with their peers, I can have them take about 5 minutes to discuss the topic with the students in their group, instead of adding the distraction of moving desks.
My second long term goal is to explore new programs and technology tools with my students. One thing I learned in this course is that there are many useful programs out there that can aid in students learning. I plan on challenging students to find new and exciting programs that can help them in class and present them to the class. I can even have students think of ways to use familiar tools, such as a social networking site, and have them brainstorm ways that we can use them in class. I plan on doing this at the beginning of the next school year so that the students may utilize these skills and programs throughout the year.
In conclusion, after this course I feel well prepared and well equipped with the tools I need to successfully incorporate technology in my classroom. I learned that the constructivist, cognitive, and social learning theories work well for me because they help prepare my students for the real world. I will be using tools such as SpiderScribe to help students organize their thoughts, Voice Thread to help students present their thoughts, and blogs to promote discussions between my students. I feel that I grew as an educator and that my students will benefit greatly from the skills I have learned in this course.
Pitler H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Kayla Shandra
