Cooperative Learning

The cooperative learning instructional strategy assists educators with creating a social learning climate. In this environment, the students work together in small groups to understand new knowledge. The interaction and discussion among students promotes the development of positive social skills while providing opportunities for the group members to share ideas and validate assumptions.

Embedding multimedia, web resources and communication software in cooperative learning forums further enhances student learning by providing structure for group tasks. These forms of technology also allow members of groups to learn and produce cooperatively, even if they are not working face to face (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K., 2007). Global telecommunication networks, such as ePals enable students to engage in project sharing and language learning. WebQuests also provide students from multiple locations with easy access to information, which increases the time they have to focus on understanding and using the information.
Think about this: most parents and employers today view social networks such as Facebook as distractions from constructive activities and work. Yet, in the next decade, our students will enter demanding work places that require global networking and collaborative problem-solving. Their future success is somewhat contingent on their ability to locate and share information globally.

So, should employers and parents embrace social networking in support of our children’s future success? Take a look at this clip I found on YouTube and decide.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8

Constructivist/Constructionist Theories adn Correlating Instructional Strategies

The Constructivist learning theory is based on the premise that people create their own meaning through active learning. Educators who provide students with authentic constructivist activities engage their students by allowing them to explore a concept, idea or topic. The Project Based style of learning also help participants clarify and correct misconceptions about a topic or an idea (Laureate Education, Inc. 2009).

Once the students have learned the main idea through the details of their experience, it is important that they can elaborate and evaluate their findings (Innovativelearning.com, 2010). The incorporation of tasks like problem solving, experimental inquiry, systems analysis, invention, decision making, or historical investigation in technology based lessons significantly improves students’ ability to generate and test hypotheses. Why? Because students can spend more time interpreting the data. For example, an interactive spreadsheet can be created by the educator for students to problem solve with. The students can manipulate the data provided to test their predictions by receiving quick feedback on different scenarios.

In summary, when teachers implant instructional strategies that provide students with hands on opportunity to learn and then reflect on their experience, it enhances the students’ overall understanding of the lesson content. (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. 2007).


Canter, L. (Director), (2009). Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories. [Motion picture] In Laureate Education, Inc., (Producer), United States: Solution Tree (publisher).
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA.
http://www.innovativelearning.com/educational_psychology/constructivism. Retrieved 3/22/10

Community Helper Concept Map

This is an image of the Virtual Field Trip I created using Kidspiration. Click on the picture to see a larger image. In my classroom, I would have the children interact with the Virtual Field Trip using the Kidspiration software, which is easy for a Kindergartener to use. They would read about the community helping professions by clicking on the provided links, then drag the pictures to the appropriate bags.

These are the links my Virtual Field Trip uses:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/commclub/firefighter/index.htm
http://teacher.scholastic.com/commclub/officer/index.htm
http://teacher.scholastic.com/commclub/vet/index.htm

To interact with the Virtual Field Trip, you would have to have Kidspiration software on your computer, so I'm displaying what I made this way for you all to see.

Cognitive Learning

The cognitive learning theory focuses on helping students understand, retain, and recall new information. Atkinson and Schifrin’s approach recognizes that learning begins in the short term memory of the brain and then progresses to long term memory storage. Successful learning will only occur when the initial stage of learning is carefully managed with consideration to the limitation of the 7+/-2 pieces of data that a learner can attend to at one time. Once the student understands the topic, additional information can be added to help students retain the data in their long term memories through the use of facts, episodic events, and rote learning (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008).

One instructional strategy that supports cognitive learning is the structured use of cues and questions. Educators can use questions and cues to focus on the most important facts about the learning topic to leverage the fact that the students’ short term memory can only handle a limited amount of information (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008). Word processing software enables educators to provide introductory rubrics containing both expository organizers like brochures and narratives such as stories and articles. Provision of the multiple organizers further prepares students for acquiring new information. Use of visuals like clip art can also provide students with images to remember in addition to the text props. To further enhance students’ learning, educators can create a table of data in excel that shows the text next to the correlating picture; a combination that connects the ideas and helps students store the information in their long term memories.

Note taking provides a way for students to revisit newly acquired information and address areas they need more clarification about. The traditional method of students independently hand writing notes only provides accurate and complete study aids when students take good notes. Not all students are willing to or able to take good notes on their own but fortunately technology offers creative ways for educators to help. For example, allowing students to share notes on a wiki will provide students with opportunities to collaborate and share information in their own words. Palincsar and Brown define this process of students teaching each other as reciprocal teaching which results in a broader understanding of the topic by all (as cited by Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K., 2007).

Tracking Student Performance Using Technology

The behaviorist theory incorporates instructional strategies in the classroom to promote learning through positive student behavior. In order to help my kindergarten students learn academically, I must also aid them with the development of positive behavior skills. Information presented through a variety of activities and flexible presentation styles can meet individual learning needs to enhance learning and simultaneously provide opportunities for the students to develop respectful and safe habits.

Homework and practice enables students to practice a skill or concept and further enhances their ability to reach their full learning potential (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K., 2007). Online resources such as Starfall are effective tools that help teachers meet the need to vary methods of instruction while helping young students work on particular skills such as learning letters and vowel sounds. BBC skillwise also offers worksheets, games, and quizzes to stimulate knowledge of mathematics concepts and the English language for slightly older students between the ages of three and eight. These types of accessible resources provide enjoyable methods for students to build on their existing knowledge of topics from home or school.

The responsibility for tracking students performance and progress traditionally falls on the teacher, however, technology now offers teachers the option of using effort rubrics like the excel spreadsheet template presented by authors Pitler, Hubbell, Kuln, and Malenoski (2007, p.157) in order to enable students to honestly evaluate their level of effort with meeting goals. Learning how their efforts relate to their achievements can be a powerful behavior changing tool for students because they can identify what to do differently in order to get desired results. The instructional strategy of reinforcing effort is not limited to academic learning. Effort rubrics can also be used to outline the problem solving process in order to aid students with developing positive reactions to social conflicts. This exercise helps students become more responsible individuals through positive relationships with others. The data collection tool Survey Monkey is an effective way to share ways other student have overcome problems and achieved goals.

Ultimately, reinforcing effort and use of multimedia that encourages students to practice skills and concepts will result in students taking responsibility for their behavior and enable them to achieve higher levels of academic success through perseverance.

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

Reflecting

As this fall semester comes to a close, I realize how much I have learned. Rewinding to just eight weeks ago, I remember looking at the text book, Blogs, Wikis, Pod casts, and other powerful web tools for the classroom, and thinking that I knew nothing about how to use those tools and had no idea what value they could bring to my kindergarten classroom. I began the class with great reservations and sincere doubts that I would be able to meet the course requirements. The class has been challenging but also tremendously more rewarding than I anticipated. I can say with certainty that I may never have tried pod casting or creating a blog or wikispace had I not taken this course. I am sincerely grateful for having the opportunity to move beyond my comfort zone to learn that surprisingly I could set up a blog and create a pod cast. The most fun in this course was the wikis assignment. The networking and team work that evolved out of the panic of locating and posting information was phenomenal. We completed the assignment with the help of the more savvy members and breathed a sigh of relief when we were actually finished. This experience enlightened me about the value of collaborative learning. My personal blog is no longer an assignment or a chore. I am proud of the work displayed and plan to continue using it to create a diary of my accomplishments. Perhaps another student or teacher will access my blog and find comfort in knowing that others have struggled with what they are facing. In order to further expand my knowledge of technology I re-affirmed my goal to earn a masters degree in Integrating Technology in the Classroom by spring of 2011. The course work required will take precious time away from my two wonderful children and my husband; however, the investment in my professional development keeps me employable and will provide security for them in the future.

In addition to improving my own technology skills, the exposure to new technology tools and self learning approaches throughout this course has tremendously expanded my vision of an effective learning environment. With this new vision, I have established the following two goals to help integrate technology in my classroom. Thornburg and Davidson (2008) prompted my first goal through their discussion about bringing fun into the classroom. During their discussion, they spoke about school principals being out of touch with the classroom and new learning approaches and the lack of technology related changes as a result of this disconnect. Involving my principal is going to be key to progressing with changes in the classroom therefore my first step will be to ask my principal to participate in a media making work shop. I will locate a work shop that is at an accessible location and that focuses on creative media ideas for elementary school students. I will attend with her. By exposing my principal to the benefits of technology based learning, I hope to gain her support for similar technology training for teachers. In conjunction with encouraging and motivating the principal and teachers to do new things in the classroom that are technology driven, I plan to set up a classroom blog. The blog will include tags to homework assignments, school events and classroom information as well as access to homework aids for the children and parents. Development of the class blog will provide a technological link between school and home which I can expand on with other media like pod casts and videos. As a class we can view our blog and look at other class room blogs, hopefully, some of which will be created by my peers.


Thornburg, D., Davidson, H. (2008). Bringing fun into teaching with technology. (Laureate Education, Inc., DVD). Retrieved from Walden on-line on December 15, 2009.

Digital Native vs. Digital Immigrant

I found it very interesting to chat with my kindergarten students to discover their interactions with today's technology. Below is the link to listen to the podcast I created when interviewing 3 of my students. Please listen to it in its entirety to hear the amazing demographic information about my students.

Enjoy
www.podcastmachine.com/podcasts/2971