Constructivism in Practice

Constructionism is a theory of learning that believes students learn best when they build some sort of artifact that allows them to construct their own meaning. Basically students need to have first hand experiences with the content so that they can construct knowledge through experiences. Technology tools presented this week are used to allow the students to conduct these experiences with the content presented in the classroom.

I really enjoyed reading and learning about the interactive savings and investment spreadsheet created in Microsoft excel in Ch. 11 of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Mrs. Omar designed three scenarios for students to hypothesis and test using Microsoft Excel. The students were able to enter the data and manipulate the information. After the students conduct the test by entering the data they get to see the results in a line graph and compare these results with their hypothesis. This activity is allowing students to experience and create an artifact that shows understanding of savings, investments, and interest rates. The students are an active participant in the learning that is taking place.

I also believe that Dr. Orey’s example of using PowerPoint with students is another great way to engage students in a constructionist tool. When using PowerPoint the students are engaged in creating some sort of artifact that they can present. The artifact that they are constructing is a direct link to the knowledge that they are creating. I shared the pamphlet idea with one of my colleagues that teaches language arts and she thought it was an excellent idea and is going to try it next quarter on a book project. I also believe that I could easily adapt this pamphlet idea into a social studies unit.

Constuctionism alone is not the answer to all the problems that we face as educators, but it is an essential piece to the puzzle that we must allow are students to experience.

Cognitive Tools

Cognitive learning theorists believe learning is a process that takes place as information enters through the senses. The information is processed and stored in short term memory and long term memory. Short term memory can store and process 7, plus or minus two, pieces of information at one time. To become long term memory, the information is connected to other information and is stored as a declarative memory, procedural memory or an episodic event. The more connections students build the more information they can store and remember.

This week’s resources are full of excellent cognitive tools to enhance instructional strategies. Concept mapping helps keep the information manageable and organized in a manner that replicates the network model of memory. Combining concept mapping with brainstorming questions helps students make connections to the content that will enable them to store the information. Using visual representations in concept mapping is also a very effective tool in helping students store and remember information. I also enjoyed the rule based summarizing for note taking in Microsoft Word. It will help students keep the information manageable focusing on the content that is important. I am looking forward to trying this with my fifth grade class during a social studies lesson. Another example that I found to align with cognitive principles is the Virtual Field Trip. The Virtual Field Trip builds numerous connections to stored information and can help create episodes that become stored in long term memory. These cognitive based tools can help increase student engagement, understanding, and ability to recall information.

Behaviorism in Practice

This weeks learning resource, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, explored two strategies that closely align with principles of the behaviorist learning theory. First, “Reinforcing Effort” and relating it to immediate feedback is an example of reinforcing desirable behaviors and punishing or presenting no reinforcement for undesirable behaviors. This strategy uses each student’s level of effort and its relationship to achievement. If students gain positive rewards for high achievement due to putting forth effort, they will continue to put forth effort in the future. An example that my fifth grade team and I use to reinforce effort is a bulletin board in the hallway titled “Excellence Requires Responsibility”. Every student gets their mug shot photo placed on the board. If they have a missing assignment, their photo is removed from the board. At the end of each quarter, the students who have remained on the bulletin board receive some sort of positive reinforcement.

The second strategy, “Homework and Practice” is another example of using behaviorist methods. Not all homework and practice activities are alike, but some homework and practice activities require immediate feedback to the students. Almost every teacher that I have observed uses some form of positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement after students have completed homework. This feedback provides students with a stimulus that increases the probability that the students will do it again or will correct the mistakes made. Students need to practice concepts and skills that they have learned, so they become proficient. For example, fifth graders need to learn the multiplication table. To become efficient with the multiplication table, students need to practice over and over improving on their speed and accuracy of recall. Students receive immediate feedback by answering quickly and accurately. After reading the spreadsheet software section in the text, I could have the students record their results every week in Microsoft Excel and then graph the information in a bar graph or line graph charting their results and progress. There are also examples provided in the text that present information in a programmed instruction format. One of these examples is Eddie Awards. The EdAlive program is formed to help every child flourish when their sense of self-worth is affirmed. I could not explore the entire program without purchasing the program, but the tutorial gave affirmation when responses were correct. I understand that behaviorist methods alone are not enough to meet the needs of my students, but they are valid in some situations to help students learn.