VoiceThread

Have you heard of VoiceThread? It's a powerful tool for students to create voice-over content with the click of a mouse. I created a short VoiceThread about Brazil that will be part of a lesson that my students will do later in the year. My students will choose a country in South America and create a presentation about it. They will then be required to create a VoiceThread about their country and present it to the class.

https://voicethread.com/share/11199513/

Constructionism and Constructivism

Constructionism and Constructivism

Dr. Orey stated that Constructivism is “A theory of knowledge stating that each individual actively constructs his/her own meaning” (Laureate Education. 2015e) Jean Piaget created this concept and his theory was that perhaps people don’t learn by simply listening, they must interact with a concept to truly understand it. Constructionism is “A theory of learning that states people learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others.” “Getting involved and building stuff.” (Laureate Education. 2015e) Although these theories sound similar to each other, there are slight differences between them. Throughout this blog post, I will examine how these theories can support technology use in the classroom and how the ISTE standards support this practice. I will also discuss ideas on how I use these theories in my classroom and other ways to incorporate them.

In education today, project-based learning (PBL) is a huge buzzword. Gone are the days where a teacher spends the class period lecturing to a sea of quiet, obedient children. At the beginning of the school year last year, my principal told us that when he walks into a classroom, he wants students to be up out of their chairs, moving around and working in groups. It is vital for teachers to move into the 21st century with our instruction. As stated in the ISTE Standards for Teachers, “Teachers should exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.” (ISTE. 2008)

Incorporating these theories is something we should strive for if we aren’t already using them. Hands-on classes like science and technology go hand in hand with these theories; however, these theories can be used cross-curricular, as well. “When students generate and test hypotheses, they are engaging in complex mental processes, applying content knowledge like facts and vocabulary, and enhancing their overall understanding of the content.” (Pitler & Kuhn. 2012. p 202) Dr. Orey suggested that creating a PowerPoint presentation would be a great way for students to create a product and could be used in all classes. For example, if students are studying Mayan and Aztec cultures, they could research and create a digital presentation to present to the class. “The learning is inherently valuable because it is connected to something real and involves adult skills such as collaboration and reflection.” (Orey. 2010. p 120) This type of learning also supports the ISTE technology standards for students. “Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.” (ISTE. 2016)

In my classroom, we use a lot of the constructionism theory in practice. By design, my classroom is very hands-on and collaborative. Students work in partners in my classroom, rotating through projects and experiments every two weeks. The topics range from robotics to digital imaging, and they are required to create authentic work as well as a presentation at the end of the two weeks. I will also be able to use this type of learning when I implement my Genius Hour project. Since I have some experience implementing this type of learning, I think this will be a smooth transition for this project.

In conclusion, the theories discussed this week go hand in hand with 21st-century learning. If we continue to use project-based and problem-based learning, our students will be prepared with the proper skills needed to succeed in the job market today. I also look forward to implementing the Genius Hour project with my students using these methods.

                                   

Akınoğlu, O. o. (2018). New Trends in Education. International Journal Of Instruction, 11(3), i-iv.

                       

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2016). Standards for students. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students-2016

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008). Standards for Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/standards-for-teachers

Laureate Education (Producer). (2015e). Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2010). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://textbookequity.org/Textbooks/Orey_Emergin_Perspectives_Learning.pdf. Retrieved from http://textbookequity.org/Textbooks/Orey_Em Section

Cognitive Learning Theory

In this unit, Dr. Orey discussed how the cognitive learning theory goes hand in hand with virtual field trips and graphic organizers. Dr. Orey also presented the components of the cognitive learning theories throughout the resource video. The components of the cognitive learning theory are limited short-term/working memory, elaboration, dual coding hypothesis and network model of memory. Virtual field trips are a great way to engage students and explore a play that may not be accessible otherwise. When you engage different senses and make a connection to a topic, a student is more likely to be invested. The component I most related to in the cognitive learning theory was the dual-coding hypothesis. I wanted to engage this hypothesis in my virtual field trip lesson to try and tap into their long-term memory. "In the dual coding hypothesis, he argues that there is this phenomena that people can remember images much better than they can remember just text." (Laureate Education. 2015c) 

Dr. Orey talked at great lengths about the correlation between our senses and learning and processing new information. “The solution is to use cognitive tools to present problems in a way that “externalizes” them—making them more visible, palpable or otherwise “real” to the learner.” (Jonassen. 2003) The thing that we as educators have to realize is that making connections between what we are teaching and relating that information to what our students already know is the best way to get that information into their long-term memory. "You try to make as many connections as you can to that piece of information that you're trying to learn." (Laureate Education. 2015c) It is also important to note that the ISTE teacher standards align with the cognitive learning theory, as well. "Teachers should engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources." (ISTE. 2008) When creating my virtual field trip, I tried to make sure that it aligned with both the ISTE teacher and student standards.

For my virtual field trip, I was able to present it to two students ages ten and six. Since they are on summer vacation, I thought it would be fun to take them on a virtual field trip to Mexico to learn about the culture, food and some notable landmarks. Both of the students had some prior knowledge of Mexico, and I used some of that prior knowledge to connect the lesson to what we were learning. Our proximity to Mexico was also significant when discussing why we were learning about Mexico. Both students decided that their favorite part of the virtual tour was able to see the fantastic beaches in Mexico. One of the students observed that "The water is SO blue and the sand is so pretty and fluffy."  During the lesson, we were also able to tour Chichen Itza. If we had more time, they could have also learned about and researched the Mayan culture. There are so many possibilities when it comes to virtual field trips, and there are so many teachable opportunities. When I was doing the lesson with them, I realized how much information they can learn through this interactive medium.  

              If I had more time, in addition to the graphic organizer, I would have liked to have them create a PowerPoint presentation about Mexico and the facts that we learned. During the end of the school year last year, I had a fun project where students were able to pick any destination in the world and plan a vacation to that place. They were given a budget and time frame, and it was up to them to find airfare, hotel, the budget for food and budget for activities. The students had a lot of fun with this lesson, but I think adding the element of a virtual tour of that place could be even more eye-opening for them. This project aligns with the ISTE Student Standards, especially 6c which states " Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.” (ISTE. 2016)

I value the cognitive learning theory because it is easy to find concrete examples of how to implement this theory in my classroom. It also ties in very well with the technology classroom that I teach.  “There is a complex collection of these theories, and there is a variety of technologies that will allow you to take advantage of these theories.” (Laureate Education. 2015c)

Resources

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008). Standards for students. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/standards-for-teachers

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2016). Standards for students. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students-2016

Laureate Education (Producer). (2015c). Cognitive learning theories [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Jonassen, David. (April, 2003). Using Cognitive Tools to Represent Problems. Innovations of Learning. Retrieved from http://sites.tufts.edu/ets/files/2012/12/newsletter_apr_20031.pdf

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Behaviorst Theory

The behaviorist theory is a theory that focuses on the observable behavior of students. “Behaviorists assert that the only behaviors worthy of study are those that can be directly observed; thus, it is actions, rather than thoughts or emotions, that are the legitimate object of study.”(Orey. 2010. p 271) In my opinion, the behaviorism theory is a superficial theory that only focuses on students learned behavior. Much like Pavlov trained his dog, the theory suggests that we train our students with positive and negative reinforcement. Given the population of students that I teach, they frequently have more issues that affect their ability to learn that reach far beyond the classroom. Although my opinion on this theory is not the most favorable, the theory itself does make some good points. Positive and negative reinforcement can be an excellent tool for classroom management if done correctly.  I believe that this theory can go hand in hand with technology implementation and project-based learning.

One of the ways that I use the behaviorism theory in my classroom is by establishing classroom rules and procedures. I have a classroom management system in place that rewards attendance, engagement, work completion and behavior. Students earn points every day and work towards incentives that I create throughout the year. There are weekly incentive winners, as well as every nine weeks. The nine-week incentive is a more significant “prize” than the weekly incentives. Prizes I have given in the past have been ice cream floats and breakfast taco parties, just as an example. Since my classroom is held in a technology lab, this part of the behaviorism theory leads into my computer lab, as well. Since we use computers every day during class, students are trained to come into class, log in to Google classroom and start their warm-up. After the bell rings and I have finished greeting students at the door, the students know that they will receive points if everyone is logged in and working. “You always want to reinforce appropriate behaviors. That’s the more powerful of the two.” (Laureate Education. 2015)

A powerful suggestion from the provided video resource was the tutorial. This would be a great way to incorporate this theory into my classroom. If I could establish a way to do a flipped classroom, where students can see my instruction as needed, this would be an excellent tool for them to use. In module two I decided to do a modified genius hour with my class. I think a lot of students would think of tutorials as dull or dry, but if they see my face and hear my voice, the connection will be made for them. As stated in the ISTE standards for teachers, educators should “model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.” (ISTE. 2016)

An excellent way to use the behaviorism theory when I implement my Genius Hour project will be to provide positive incentives for students when they complete specific milestone tasks. Most of my students do not have to complete projects that require long-term planning like the Genius Hour. I will have to create a system for them to stay engaged an excited about the project.

Resources

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2016). Standards for students. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students-2016

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008). Standards for students. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/standards-for-teachers

Laureate Education (Producer). (2015a). Behaviorist learning theory [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2010). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://textbookequity.org/Textbooks/Orey_Emergin_Perspectives_Learning.pdf

Hartrick G; Journal of Nursing Education, Jan99; 38(1): 17-22. 6p. (Journal Article) ISSN: 0148-4834 PMID: 9921783, Database: CINAHL Plus with Full Text

Technology in the Classroom- A Reflection

As a technology teacher, I try to keep up to date with all the latest technology and implementation methods so when I registered for this class, I didn't think there was much for me to learn. From the beginning, we were challenged to create our blog and twitter. I stepped out of my comfort zone and experienced new and exciting ideas on how to implement these web tools throughout my curriculum. I will admit that Twitter was something that I avoided because I didn't get the allure of it and I didn't take the time to learn it. I am glad that we were gently led outside of our scope of comfort so we can learn new ways to integrate technology. Digital bookmarking is another example of a web tool that I was not previously familiar with. I loved interacting with my groupmates on resources that they had, and it was a great forum to share those ideas. Finally, the wiki was the lesson that was most intimidating for me. When I first read through the guidelines, I still felt like I had a lot of questions. As soon as I came up with an idea for a lesson, things started to fall into place. I realized that students would be able to edit these pages on a weekly basis and update information on their own. There is enormous potential for fantastic student work to be done through wikis. Without this class and these resources, I never would have explored wikis and how to use them in my classroom effectively. 

As educators, we must adapt and change the way we teach based on the world around us. According to the ISTE teacher standards, "Teachers should engage in professional growth and leadership." (ISTE. 2008) By self-reflecting and collaboration with other educators, we broaden our scope of knowledge. There are several new websites and web tools that were shared by classmates throughout this course that I will take with me and use in my classroom next year. Although I am a technology teacher, there are still some aspects of technology that I find intimidating, and I have learned that I need to step out of my comfort zone so I can find the best way to educate my students. This quote from the Grunwald report resonated with me and one I need to follow.  “Make a commitment to learning new technologies or applications that can genuinely help your own productivity or student learning.” (Grunwald and Associates. 2010)

There are several tools that we learned in this course that I will be using next year in my classroom. The first tool I will be implementing will be blogging. As students are working on their projects, I am going to have them write in their blog for the last ten minutes of class. I will have prompts for them based on the day, and they will write reflective blog posts about their projects. I will also require them to read and respond to two of their classmate's blog posts. I am looking forward to this because I will be able to see their thought process throughout their two-week projects. I also think that students will be excited to read each other's blogs and respond to them. The tool that I am most excited about using next year is the class wiki. I have already talked to my principal, and he has agreed to allow me to teach one class section of Newspaper. This course will be devoted to the writing and editing of our school newspaper, and in this case, it will be a digital newsletter. Students will be responsible for researching information and writing their columns every week, and then students and teachers will receive the QR code for the newsletter. Students will be working collaboratively designing the newsletter, honing their creative skills as well as using problem-solving skills throughout this whole process. Even though this process is fun, the students will be authentically practicing their 21st-century skills. I can't wait to meet my Newspaper students and introduce them to this exciting plan.

The first SMART goal I am setting for myself is to complete my master's degree program by March 2019, so I can enhance my teaching skills and be a better advocate for my students. Finishing my master's program will open doors for me, and in turn, will help my students succeed. I also want to be a good role model for my students and show them that a Hispanic woman can achieve higher education and beyond.

My second SMART goal is at the start of next school year to start and implement a new technology integration twitter account for my colleagues at school. I will post to the twitter account regularly with technology tips and integration ideas. I think this will be very beneficial to my colleagues because a lot of them needs a little extra support when it comes to implementing technology in the classroom.

Based on my courses and current teaching assignment, one issue I would like to study further is looking at girls and women in technology and STEM fields. There is currently a big push for girls to explore STEM fields, but as evidenced in my classes, the ratio is still very skewed towards male students. I want to find out why our girls are not interested in these fields or if they are interested, what is keeping them from pursuing it?

In conclusion, this course has given me the confidence to step outside of my comfort zone and try new technology implementation tools. I am leaving this course with a greater knowledge of different technology tools and a collaborative spirit that I intend to take into my next school year.

“What we need to do is help educators understand that the function of these tools is to allow them the freedom to spark and keep alive the flame of learning in the hearts of all of our students” (Laureate Education, 2015h)

Resources

 Laureate Education (Producer). (2015h). The changing role of the classroom teacher: Part 1 [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2015i). The changing role of the classroom teacher: Part 2 [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Technology Proficiencies. (2015). Retrieved June 22, 2018, fromhttps://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201860_02/1_Standard_Documents/1_Current_Documents/MSED/MSED_RWRCOEL_Technology_Proficiencies.pdf

 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008). Standards for teachers. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards/standards-for-teachers

Grunwald and Associates. (2010). Educators, technology and 21st Century skills: Dispelling five myths. Retrieved from http://www.grunwald.com/pdfs/Educators_Technology_21stCentury-Skills_GRUNWALD-WALDEN_Report.pdf

Blogging in the Classroom

Blogging is a great, informal way to express your thoughts and ideas in an open forum. I believe that blogging can be very impactful in a classroom setting. 

Blogging is something that I have experimented with the last couple of years as a form of journaling in my 7th and 8th-grade classes. Students in my classroom are on STEM rotations of two-week periods and they work in pairs. They do projects like build a and design solar cars, robots, bridges and other STEM-related activities. No two students are doing the same project at one time. My classroom is what I like to call "organized chaos." Students are challenged to problem solve and work as a team to create a specific project. Blogging goes so well with this curriculum because my classroom is unconventional by nature. Although blogging has become more mainstream, a lot of people still don't see it as a way that it could be used in the classroom. "Teachers facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity."(ISTE, 2008) It is up to teachers to keep moving forward and inspire our students to think outside the box. 

Students are able to either blog through regular blogging methods or develop a video blog or "vlog" to document their work. I have a good mix of students picking both types of blogging. One of the most important things about blogging is teaching and practicing digital citizenship. Digital citizenship is a topic that we cover extensively at the beginning of each school year, and several times throughout. One of the ISTE Standards for Teachers states that "Teachers promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility. (ISTE, 2008)

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International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008). Standards for teachers. Retrieved from: http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/standards-for-teachers Accessed on 5/15/2018

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.