Constructivism in Practice

Being a social studies at the high school levels allows me to use many of the resources we discuss in these technology courses as Walden. I have learned so many great teaching skills that keep my students engaged in the material and really "buy in" to what we are doing in the classroom. They do this because how my students are learning in mainly through interaction and involvement in the class. Dr. Oley discribes constructionism as the process in which people are involved in the knowledge building process. Using technology can truly get the students involved and excited about learning if you are using constructionism theory.

Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works talks about working with spreadsheets and how even young elementary students can experience can learn by using technology and practicing constructionism theory. In the past, teachers who are education their students in testing hypothesis in different subjects would have to allocate a lot of time for the testing aspect of the lesson. By incorporating technology students can spend more time interpreting the data rather than gathering the data-a process that can be tedious and error prone. (2007) This is what technology has done for us. It makes things happen quicker, more effifient and more accurate. These are the type of activities our young students so desperately need. The ability the create something from nothing but your own knowledge is key for students. It allows them to see the progression of what they have learned over time.

Behaviorsim in the Classroom

I believe that the "drill and kill" method of teaching in the classroom is a great way to get the students to fully grasp the idea of the content that is being covered in your class. I think that too many times teachers are trying to be too detailed and do projects or assignments that are too difficult and too in depth for students. I know I have made this mistake in my few years of teaching. I assign too much for each student and sure they may complete the assignment, but did they fully understand what was happening. Another issue teachers face is trying to cover too much material in a short amount of time. The "inch deep and a mile wide" idea of teaching lends itself to favor because they students are not getting the full context of the material and just the basic ideas. I have the theory that you need to teach "an inch wide and a mile deep" in order for your students to fully understand. The issue with this is that there will not be enough time to cover areas you may like and also if some of your students are getting it and others are not, it may become repetitive for those students.

Behaviorism as a classroom management tool is very necessary for most teachers. The reason you are punishing a student is because of undesired behavior and the best way to fix it is to take away privileges and choices of that student. The "experts" who claim that the behaviorist theory of teaching is dead must not be teachers themselves. They are using scientific theories that state that children do not respond, yada yada yada... I agree with Dr. Oley that these behaviorist theories are alive and well in our classrooms today.

Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work and Society Reflection

As I complete my third Masters course, I am beginning to figure out more of how this program can affect my teaching throughout the rest of my career. It is giving me teaching tools and techniques that I can implement into everyday teaching. Today's students are very different from even when I was in high school ten years ago and we must adjust to meet their needs in the classroom. I feel as though this most recent course has provided the most in depth teaching so far in this program and has truly made me excited for this upcoming school year to begin so I can use these new tools that I have acquired.

This course has helped me develop my own technological skills that I can use in my teaching by showing up the effectiveness of blogs, wikis, podcasts and RSS feeds. All four of these technology teaching tools have allowed me to see how easy it would be for students to collaborate together and create their own information on a global scale. I have realized that as a leader of young adults in my classroom, I can pass on these skills and really let them understand that the internet is not only for social networking and other immoral activities.

Today's youth have grown up in a digital world since their birth. They are truly digital natives that have grown up to learn, speak and act in different ways than any other generation before them. We must be able to learn which ways are best to teach them and harness these teaching strategies and implement them into our 21st Century classroom. It seems as though students today learn quicker than in the past. Now the things they are learning are not always the "right" things to learn or what we would like them to learn, but nevertheless they are quick learners. If we can translate this into the classroom I believe we would really have something very special.

I have only been teaching for two years and have always followed a student-centered teaching philosophy. But as I have gone through this course, I realized that just because I put students in groups, had them read something then put together a presentation, does not mean that they are necessarily working collaboratively as I would like. I have learned that all students can have a voice in a group setting and that blogs, wikis and podcasts can give students a voice. I am really going to work on this student-centered philosophy as I go through this school year.

I have approached my Principal this Summer and mentioned to him that I would like to lead a professional development class during one of our teacher in-service work days. I feel as though many of our teachers have no knowledge of the effects computers and technology can have in our classrooms. This course have given me the knowledge and confidence to share what I have learned with others in order to have a school-wide 21st Century student.

Long-Term Goals

In the next two years I would like to get away from a textbook oriented curriculum. We are relying too much on these textbooks to determine student learning in the class. We base our entire assessment strategies on what information is in the book. This is not fair because some students have a tougher time reading and cannot comprehend the material. If we offer a more wide variety of options for students then we will be creating a more well rounded classroom.

I would also like to encourage my school district to continue to offer more technology courses for teachers. We have set aside large amounts of money for technology enhancements in the classroom for all teachers with Smart Boards, document cameras and data projectors, but just because has these machines in the classroom does not mean they know how to use them effectively. I want to be a leader for our staff in creating more funds for our teachers to not only possess this new teaching technology, but educating teachers on how to use it in the best way to reach our students.

21st Century Skills

MISSION STATEMENT

Serve as a catalyst to position 21st century skills at the center of US K-12 education by building collaborative partnerships among education, business, community and government leaders.

This organization has teamed up with independent companies, state and national governments, K-12 school districts and communities nationwide to expand the opportunities given to our children. They want to make sure that they possess the skills necessary to compete on a global scale by the time they reach adulthood. 

Our world has changed in the past decade because Americans are not on an equal playing field as many other nations. With the introduction of technology into the workplace, anyone around the world can have the same opportunities as anyone else. 

One of the things I enjoyed most about the 21st Century Skills Organization was documented in a recent press release. They were integral in getting state and federal governments to put together a 21st Century Skills Incentive Fund Act where the federal government will match any funds given by state governments to enhance the skills of K12 students. 

The Route 21 link on the website offers teachers the opportunity to look at lesson plans, assessment strategies, professional development and standards. This organization is not only assisting in the growth of students but teachers as well. 

http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/

How Can Blogs Benefit My Classroom?

I currently teach high school U.S. History in Hermiston, Oregon (Watermelon Capital of the World!). I can use blogs in my classroom for many purposes. Here is a list of the following uses that I have for my blogs in my classrooms for the upcoming school year:






1. To enrich student contact with classroom material. Homework assignments, articles and websites, etc.)

2. Have a classroom discussion board online. This can motivate students to communicate who are shy in the classroom.

3. Improving student use of technology

4. Excellent opportunities for students to read and write

Hi-Tech Cheating: Cell Phones and Cheating in Schools

Overview
Common Sense Media commissioned the Benenson Strategy Group to conduct a poll of teenagers and parents on the use of digital media for cheating in school. Two-thirds of teenagers today own cell phones*, and most 8- to 12-year-olds will own a cell phone in the next three years**. And those numbers are only a small representation of our kids’ 24/7 media world.
The results of the poll show the great dilemma our children face today. Personal technology has been a real game-changer for education. Information has never been easier to access, and the Internet provides powerful ways to collaborate, communicate, and create. Many believe the mobile phone also has potential as a learning tool. But as this poll shows, the unintended consequence of these versatile technologies is that they’ve made cheating easier. Digital life, by its nature, is distant, hard to track, and often anonymous, which can diminish the impact of action and consequences.
The call to action is clear: Parents and educators have to help our kids apply the same sense of responsibility and ethical behavior whether they’re online or off.

Article from Education Week

Technology in the Classroom

Student's of all ages need to use technology in the classroom or they will fall behind their peers when they get out into the real world!