Reflecting back on my instructional theories I have recently made a couple of changes. One of my goals was to create activities that would allow my students to get directly involved in using my smartboard. I was hesitant to do so for fear of them breaking it and not having the money in our budget for repairs. However, I spent class time carefully going over rules for its use. I have since created two activities where my students have used it and for both activities they ere very careful and hook heed to my instructions concerning its usage. My students have explored virtual field trips and web diagrams that they use to present material to teach lessons to their classmates.
I would like to eventually be able to integrate the majority of my lessons geared towards having my students actively engaged with the interactive smartboard. The course work that I have done has helped me find valuable websites and ways in which to apply them to teaching. I would like to find more websites and expand the database that is available for my students to use. This will allow them to have more creativity when they create and present lessons to the class. This will be achieved through research and enrolling in more technology geared coursework.
25.4.10
31.3.10
The idea of the constructivism learning theory puts the students in an active position in their own learning. It requires them to actively engage in what that particular lesson is. The theory is that the more active that they are, the easier it is for them to process, understand, and apply what they have learned. In my classroom, this theory holds true for most of my students. Using this concept, my students can build their knowledge and understanding together under my watchful eye. They are engaged with a hands on approach and this allows them to relate it to something that they may already know and store it as new knowledge.
This theory however does not work for all students. Some of my students shut down completely when they are forced to be engaged. I have one class in particular that would rather sit there all day and take notes. This means that they do not have to do work. Some of them may not learn that way, but that is not their concern at the moment. Their concern is to stay under the radar. I have a few students who have been diagnosed with autism. One of which refuses to work with other students. He will do anything that you ask of him individually, but will not actively engage in learning with other students. He is able to use other methods of learning and apply them, just not cooperative learning.
Overall, most of my students tend to gain more from working hands on with their peers rather than working by themselves or by direct instruction. As the teacher , it is our job to find the middle ground where all of our students become successful in our classroom.
This theory however does not work for all students. Some of my students shut down completely when they are forced to be engaged. I have one class in particular that would rather sit there all day and take notes. This means that they do not have to do work. Some of them may not learn that way, but that is not their concern at the moment. Their concern is to stay under the radar. I have a few students who have been diagnosed with autism. One of which refuses to work with other students. He will do anything that you ask of him individually, but will not actively engage in learning with other students. He is able to use other methods of learning and apply them, just not cooperative learning.
Overall, most of my students tend to gain more from working hands on with their peers rather than working by themselves or by direct instruction. As the teacher , it is our job to find the middle ground where all of our students become successful in our classroom.
24.3.10
The theory of getting our students to generate and test their hypotheses in the classroom is an important aspect in their education. It develops a skills set in which they rely on their self effort, past experiences, and apply that to their new knowledge. This forces them to think on their own and helps guide them through the self learning process. This becomes the building blocks for their mechanisms of learning.
Applications like web resources can be extremely helpful in the classroom by allowing the students to apply the constructionist theory to their learning. By using interactive maps in my classroom in either the computer lab so they can physically work through the assignment individually or on my smartboard so the entire class can observe what is going on, my students are able to use prior knowledge and apply new knowledge to the application. This creates a first hand learning experience that is unique to them and is based on their past experience. By using this method, they are able to see the new topic that was learned and right there in front of them.
Applications like web resources can be extremely helpful in the classroom by allowing the students to apply the constructionist theory to their learning. By using interactive maps in my classroom in either the computer lab so they can physically work through the assignment individually or on my smartboard so the entire class can observe what is going on, my students are able to use prior knowledge and apply new knowledge to the application. This creates a first hand learning experience that is unique to them and is based on their past experience. By using this method, they are able to see the new topic that was learned and right there in front of them.
21.3.10
Cognitive Learning Theory in the Classroom
Reading about cognitive theories and the different ways in which the human brain retains information has made me more aware of the way that I teach. I have always incorporated various visuals into my lessons, but after learning about the sensory input of information, I think am going to add more to in each lesson. Allowing my students to see more of what they are learning will help them with the retention and recall of the information.
One method I recently learned about was a virtual field trip. The concept is so easy to understand and yet so effective. I have never used one before this weeks assignment, but I am definitely going to incorporate them into some lessons. It is a cheap and effective way to take your students out of the classroom and away from their standard text books and put them into the lesson that is being taught. All while never leaving the classroom. Using a graphic organizer to summarize what they have learned would follow each virtual field trip.
Using online graphic organizers is a great way to help my students organize a large amount of information into smaller pieces. The biggest obstacle that I face though is having access to enough computers to allow my students to do that. I could always use the standard graphic organizer using a pencil and paper, but it may not hold their attention. Though I have used graphic organizers in the past, I have found that my students do not get excited to do them. By them using online programs, they use technology that they are familiar with and probably use almost on a daily basis. Also, many online programs offer pictures and video that align with the material.
After reading "Summarizing and Note Taking" in my course text, I found some online templates that are great for brainstorming information. Summarizing is a concept, that as a high school teacher, I see students struggle with. Many of these programs push the students into summarizing, but in a way that they are already familiar with. By using the online note taking, the students can see what is expected of them and examples of what they need to do. This will allow them to sharpen their note taking skills which can carry over to every academic subject that they are enrolled in.
One method I recently learned about was a virtual field trip. The concept is so easy to understand and yet so effective. I have never used one before this weeks assignment, but I am definitely going to incorporate them into some lessons. It is a cheap and effective way to take your students out of the classroom and away from their standard text books and put them into the lesson that is being taught. All while never leaving the classroom. Using a graphic organizer to summarize what they have learned would follow each virtual field trip.
Using online graphic organizers is a great way to help my students organize a large amount of information into smaller pieces. The biggest obstacle that I face though is having access to enough computers to allow my students to do that. I could always use the standard graphic organizer using a pencil and paper, but it may not hold their attention. Though I have used graphic organizers in the past, I have found that my students do not get excited to do them. By them using online programs, they use technology that they are familiar with and probably use almost on a daily basis. Also, many online programs offer pictures and video that align with the material.
After reading "Summarizing and Note Taking" in my course text, I found some online templates that are great for brainstorming information. Summarizing is a concept, that as a high school teacher, I see students struggle with. Many of these programs push the students into summarizing, but in a way that they are already familiar with. By using the online note taking, the students can see what is expected of them and examples of what they need to do. This will allow them to sharpen their note taking skills which can carry over to every academic subject that they are enrolled in.
10.3.10
Behaviorist Learning Theory
Today's students tend to be more of visual learners than auditory learners. It has become unacceptable as a teacher to spend every class period of everyday lecturing students and giving notes. The students of today need to be visually stimulated by technology that they know and are comfortable with (computer, tv, etc.). Today's technology needs to be used in the classroom in order to reach the students on the level and understanding of which they know best. This can assure them that they can be successful. Once they get that though into their head, teaching the content becomes easier.
Once we can implement the proper learning tools for out students, we have to reinforce the importance of the effort that they are putting into their work. Since research "tells us that not all students realize the importance of effort", I will make sure that I consistently reinforce their effort through positive reinforcement (in the form of praise and compliments) combined with consistent feedback. (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). At times I will pull up data from a chart that shows the exam that they may have just taken and which questions were most commonly missed. This allows us as a class to go back and re answer those questions and gain a better understanding of the material. They also get the opportunity to see which ones that they may have missed that others did not. This allows them reflection time and the opportunity to get the correct answer. It also provides a form of review in which that the students tend to remember longer for the simple fact of it being presented to them on the smartboard. If my students do fail a test or an assignment, I will reinforce the fact that they need to put in more effort and will take class time to physically show them what they can do to improve. I will spend more time trying to correct the negative behavior than sitting there reinforcing what they already know, that they failed. This is a confidence booster for them because they know that I have not given up on them and it helps them realize that they should not give up either.
Once we can implement the proper learning tools for out students, we have to reinforce the importance of the effort that they are putting into their work. Since research "tells us that not all students realize the importance of effort", I will make sure that I consistently reinforce their effort through positive reinforcement (in the form of praise and compliments) combined with consistent feedback. (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). At times I will pull up data from a chart that shows the exam that they may have just taken and which questions were most commonly missed. This allows us as a class to go back and re answer those questions and gain a better understanding of the material. They also get the opportunity to see which ones that they may have missed that others did not. This allows them reflection time and the opportunity to get the correct answer. It also provides a form of review in which that the students tend to remember longer for the simple fact of it being presented to them on the smartboard. If my students do fail a test or an assignment, I will reinforce the fact that they need to put in more effort and will take class time to physically show them what they can do to improve. I will spend more time trying to correct the negative behavior than sitting there reinforcing what they already know, that they failed. This is a confidence booster for them because they know that I have not given up on them and it helps them realize that they should not give up either.
27.12.09
Course Reflection
Through out my course work I have learned many new ways to expand my teaching techniques. By trying things like blogs, wiki pages, and pod casts, I have seen new and exciting ways that I can help my students learn. By using things that are more relevant to their everyday life, my students will be able to make faster and easier real world connections to the material that is taught to them.
Before this specific course I was aware of blogs, wiki's, and podcasts, but I never used them or even thought of using them really. After surveying my students, I came to find out out that most used podcasts and were familiar with blogs and wiki pages. That information really helped push me into using them in the classroom for their learning.
For next year, I would like to implement a blog page that starts in the summer with some course reading. It will allow students to have access without being in the building and to get head start on the years material. Also, they can contribute their thoughts and comments which will help stimulate their thinking of the content in a times when they didn't even know that they were thinking.
I would also like to integrate more podcast assignments. After trying it once, I found that my students had a great time doing it and really learned a lot from it. I will be able to add directions on how to create a podcast and when it will be used into the blog.
I think that those two things together, will provide my students with some new ways of learning that they will find very exciting.
I havent quite figured out what I am going to do for my students who do not have online access yet though. I don't want them to have to wait until the school year begins because then they could be one step behind right off the get go.
Before this specific course I was aware of blogs, wiki's, and podcasts, but I never used them or even thought of using them really. After surveying my students, I came to find out out that most used podcasts and were familiar with blogs and wiki pages. That information really helped push me into using them in the classroom for their learning.
For next year, I would like to implement a blog page that starts in the summer with some course reading. It will allow students to have access without being in the building and to get head start on the years material. Also, they can contribute their thoughts and comments which will help stimulate their thinking of the content in a times when they didn't even know that they were thinking.
I would also like to integrate more podcast assignments. After trying it once, I found that my students had a great time doing it and really learned a lot from it. I will be able to add directions on how to create a podcast and when it will be used into the blog.
I think that those two things together, will provide my students with some new ways of learning that they will find very exciting.
I havent quite figured out what I am going to do for my students who do not have online access yet though. I don't want them to have to wait until the school year begins because then they could be one step behind right off the get go.
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