Danger: Construcionism at work

Gone are the days of simply writing a “theme” to summarize feelings or thoughts on a subject. Nowdays, students are encouraged to develop the ideas from their “theme” and synthesize those thoughts into a multi-layered power-point document with colorful slides, unique backgrounds, engaging audio-visual inserts, and enticing dissolves. What teacher would not agree that using technology sometimes creates more problems than it solves? But also, what teacher would not agree that students are much more active and engaged while working in the computer lab? “Web resources allow the student to use background knowledge, make decisions, and see outcome of their hypotheses in virtual situations that would be impossible in real life. Software also provides incredibly engaging learning environments, resulting in increased motivation and retention in learning.”(Pitler et all 2007)

My 7th Grade American History class recently concluded the year with a two-week long study of the Oregon Trail. I enhanced the information in the textbook with a number of internet resources. I also included the addition of a computer simulation game called “The Oregon Trail.” This computer game takes the students as part of a group of immigrants on a virtual journey of the Oregon Trail. Along the way, the student is present with a number of obstacles they must overcome, ranging from lack of food and water, to accidents and to deadly diseases. I was not able to provide a copy for each student, so the class played the game on my Promethean Board.

It was interesting to watch how the group would interact and discuss strategy as a whole before choosing which decision to make. I felt that more class discussion took place than if students were playing the game individually. The game provided a unique way to let the students provide constructionism to the textbook lessons. Also, the class was able to analyze, problem solve, investigate, inquire, and make decisions together. I was able to help moderate discussions and provide an opportunity for all voices to be heard.
I think it is very important that teachers continue to look for ways to “cement” information into long term memories. I wonder what types of projects the next generation of students will be completing in their constructionism classrooms. My children will graduate in the class of 2022, I anticipate that the technology they will be using in their high school computer lab has not even been invented yet.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Cognitivism in Practice

I remember my 7th Grade American History class with fondness. Mrs. Harrison would require us to take copious amounts of notes on the subject matter. But, she did teach us how to correctly organize our notes into an outline format. I have used this same format for taking notes ever since (yes, even in this Master class.) But when I began teaching 6th Grade Earth Science, I was surprised to learn that the publishing company provided a note-taking workbook for each student. This note-taking workbook uses a variety of concept mapping and cognitive learning tools to help students retain subject matter. Word pyramids, triangle diagrams, web-clusters, picture diagrams are just some of the graphical organizers that are used in the book. I also notice that our Colorado Standardized Assessment Program (state test) now asks students to use graphic organizers to help plan and organize their ideas and thoughts for writing assessments. And where once these graphic organizers were not included in the test, they are now more prevalent throughout the assessment – in math, reading, writing, and science. I also notice an increase in the amount of pictures and diagrams used in the test. I remember the old California Achievement Tests (CAT) tests I took in Middle School. Multiple choice answers filled out on a bubble sheet.

If standardized testing is moving towards more visual learning, it is important to teachers to begin to incorporate these strategies into lesson plans. At our school, each teacher is provided with a laptop that can be connected to a Promethean Board. It is very easy to provide technology enhanced lessons that target visual and aural learners. It helps them activate prior knowledge and provides opportunity for elaboration. (Pitler 2007) One piece of technology that I use in almost every class is Google Earth. In Earth Science, I can zoom into any geographic area or region that we are covering that day. In American History, we can look at Oregon Trail river crossings, or Civil War battle fields. In music, we can travel to Mozart’s hometown, or zoom to New Orleans to see the birthplace of jazz. It is much too expensive to take my class on a field trip to the White House, but in a few clicks, we can take a personal tour online at our own leisure. Every student experiences the visual images of the experience and they remember those images better than just reading the text.

As students began to integrate more technology into their own learning, the need to present material to multiple senses becomes more important. In a few years, students will be carrying their own laptop from class to class. Textbooks will be replaced with on-line texts. Homework will be assigned and distributed via email and blog. It is vital that students process the information into a learning style that best helps them connect the information to their own unique learning style. Concept mapping and virtual field trips still present the same information as outlines and text – they just a new tools to help better organize ideas and information. And honestly, more fun.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

computer = flashcard (Behaviorism in Practice)

How can a teacher get students to become motivated and excited to learn? How can teachers provide interesting and unique lessons that not only entertain, but educate at the same time? We are ultimately responsible to raise student achievement - hour to hour, day to day, year to year. Today's teachers are not only faced with the responsibilty to produce well-behaved, socially enlightened young adults, they also need to keep standarized test scores high enough to keep their job, keep the school in the above average column, and leave "no child behind."

At the beginning of each school year, most teachers work in an “operant conditioning” mode, where the teacher is focused on achieving desired behaviors from students. As the year progresses, it is important to teach students how to become responsible for their own behavior and actions. Students who keep track of their own effort and achievement will begin to make the connection between effort and success. By positively reinforcing effort, students will learn how to compare the amount of work put into a project and learn what is required to do a task well. Also, students who focus on behavioral success will also experience education and social success as well.

Mastering a skill requires a fair amount of focused homework and practice. It takes 24 practice sessions with a skill to achieve an above average competency level. (Pitler et all 2007) This is especially true in music. My Concert Band is participating in a judged music festival this week. We have easily surpassed the 24 mark. The most important saying in my room is that “Practice Makes Permanent.” How you practice is how you will perform. This is true of music, athletics, and education. Beginning Band students are required to pass a number of playing tests throughout the year. Each test is progressively harder and if a student passes them all, they are rewarded with a medal and certificate of achievement. The student is ultimately focused on the end goal – get the medal. I am focused on how best to help that student learn the next set of skills required for the next test. In the end, I have a group of students who have raised their achievement level tremendously. The students however, want the reward for their effort.

Laureate Education Inc., (2009). “Behaviorist Learning Theory.” Baltimore, MD: Laureate Education Inc.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Check out these compositions

My music students have been composing 20th Century Music. Go to http://craverband.blogspot.com and listen to some of the examples.

Week 8: Conclusion: A New Mind-set - Reflection

Walden University – Masters in Education
EDUC-6710I-1 Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society

Some final thoughts…

In what ways has this course helped me to develop my own technology skills as a professional teacher?

This class has allowed me to learn new technology applications that are applicable to EVERY class I teach. I have not had the time to learn podcasting or wiki space presentation. I doubt that without this course, I would have learned it this year. I already use a blog for each class I teach, and I find it to be a great way to develop interaction between classmates how would not normally talk to each other.

In what ways have I deepened my knowledge of the teaching and learning process?

I have come to learn that teaching and learning are interchangeable. I find that I can learn about the latest technology from my students if I just get out of the way. Students are often so much more eager to share how things work. I am quickly learning that it is not so important to teach with the latest technology as it is to teach with the best technology for the lesson. Sometimes that technology might be as simple as a pencil and paper or as complex as 3d street scenes from Google Earth. But not every lesson requires the student to be completely plugged in; they just need to be “powered on.”

In what ways have I changed my perspective from being teacher-centered to learner-centered?

I have always tried to teach my classes in a collaborative manner. In music, it is the student who makes the music. There is no “music” in my room. You can’t go to a file drawer, open it, and pull out extra “music” when you need it (Yes – sheet music, but that is just a paper with symbols on it.) I have tried to step beyond the traditional educational approach of speak, memorize, assess. My first teaching assignment was at a charter school based on the Paidea Philosophy of education, where student centered and student directed learning is the norm. That experience has helped me greatly in my role as a public school teacher. This Paidea approach is now becoming more integrated in our local district and I feel that I was lucky enough to get a head start.

In what ways can I continue to expand my knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology with the aim of increasing student achievement?

A few years ago I was fortunate enough to take part in the Intel Teach to the Future technology course for teachers. I wish that there were more of these courses offered. I know that the use of technology is not readily accepted by all teachers – some consider it just a fad, but I will continue to investigate and research in my classes how best to provide instruction and content with technology that not only inspires me, but also my students. My Promethean board may not make content delivery easier - but at least it keeps students attention.

Set two long-term goals (within two years) for transforming your classroom environment by which I may have to overcome institutional or systemic obstacles in order to achieve them. How do I plan to accomplish these goals?
My first goal is to train another teacher in my building in the “ins-and-outs” of the technology systems used by our school. I am the sole technology resource in the building and I am constantly being called to fix this or that. If I wait until after school to work on a technology problem, I run the risk of our district technology ER being closed. Having another staff member familiar with the hardware and software will benefit not only me, but the school. By training other staff members, I hope to provide additional support to technology not only used in my room, but by all students in the building. The second goal is to begin to teach my Earth Science and American History class in the computer lab on a daily basis. I would like to move to a paperless class in two years. With computers, internet, and Wi-Fi, my students will be able to communicate and collaborate in both real and virtual time. I am in the process of finishing the wiring for a second computer lab in our school that should allow me to begin this process next year.

Technology Interview

How are today's students using technology?

I recently conducted a survey of all my students (110 out of 178 in the school). I asked a number of questions and collected the results using Promethean Board Activotes. This kept responses anonymous and instantaneously recorded the data into easy to use graphs and charts.

Results were varied, but not surprising. Boys used computers for gaming, girls for commuication. Boys watched more TV than girls. 8th graders watched less TV than 6th graders. 7th graders reported that their cellphones were the most important piece of technology they owned. (Follow up questions reveled that most of the 7th graders received a cellphone for Christmas.) Over 70 percent of ALL students families own more than one television.

Since our community is located in the mountain foothills, cellphone reception can be spotty depending on location. Students responded that they spent more communicating with friends via IM (Instant Messaging, MySpace, FaceBook) than with cellphone texting. Our school sits in a relative "dead zone" for cellphone coverage, so we rarely have a problem with texting in school. Most students bring cellphones to school for use as MP3 players.

Over 80 percent of those surveyed have access to a computer at home. All students responded that they get at least one hour of access to computers at school. 32 percent of students have their own laptop or computer in their room.

I interviewed 3 students and asked them some of the same questions I asked in the schoolwide survey. Kaitlyn, Katelyn, and Michelle provided some interesting insights into their use of technology at home and at school.

CLICK ON PICTURE TO LAUNCH INTERVIEW IN THIS BLOG

OR GOTO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAh39u6IXKc to view on YouTube.

Teaching to the future...

I recently took the time to research the website created by The Partnership for 21st Century Skills http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/. I am somewhat familiar with the purpose of this group and its initiative to better prepare students to not only succeed in classrooms of the future, but to prepare students to enter the 21st century workforce.

The web site provides lots of great resources – pages, videos clips, pictures, etc. But you have to look. It can be time consuming to look through all of the papers and files for the information you need, but the site does a good job of presenting ideas of how to teach “outside the box.”
Looking further, I was surprised that Colorado is not listed as a 21st century initiative state. After looking at the list of partner organizations, most of those companies have workforces based in Colorado. Our state prides itself on its high tech workforce and its military presence. I would have thought that Colorado would have been one of the first state of the list. I assumed that Colorado was on the list because teachers attended an inservice last year by this group. I did not realize that governor and the state department of Education are the driving force behind qualifying a state for initiative status.

While it is easy to think that students only learn while in the classroom, it is safe to say that just as much learning these days takes place outside the classroom as well. Students will rarely go home to hours of chores, they go home and “plug in” to the rest of the world. They are bombarded each and every day by hundreds of images, sights, and sounds of the world. Gone are the days of researching a paper or project in the bowels of the local library – using outdated encyclopedias. Students have access to the latest news, maps, and blogs of every corner of the globe. Remember when we were encouraged to write to pen pals in another country – and wait weeks for replies. Today it is possible to communicate in real time with another classroom thousands of miles away. Add a video camera and joint labs or music concerts can take place in front of a world-wide audience.