Voice Thread

 Hi Everyone!

Please take a look at my Voice Thread by clicking on the link below. My Voice Thread allows students to become archeologists and make predictions and inferences about ancient Sumerian life using artifacts that they have found on their "dig." I would love any comments or feedback to my voice thread in order to make it better so that I can use it with my students soon. Thanks for your help! Enjoy!

voicethread.com/share/2164163/

Social Learning Theory and Technological Tools

Social learning theories greatly influence current trends in education. The increase in cooperative learning strategies in the classroom is greatly influenced by social learning theories. Dr. Michael Orey (2009) states that to create meaningful learning, students need to be actively engaged in creating products and collaborating with others. Social learning theories have greatly influenced the creation of activities and lessons designed to promote cooperative learning in the classroom. In order to successfully promote cooperative learning, both teamwork and individual accountability needs to be enforced within the activity (Glazer, 2001). A variety of technology also provides opportunities for students to work collaboratively within the classroom environment, as well as globally through internet tools and resources.

One technological tool that not only helps develop students’ abilities to collaborate with others, but also develops their ability to interact with others around the world is keypals. Keypals allows students to communicate with others all over the world through a safe, monitored website and encourages students to learn about others’ languages and cultures (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Keypals not only allow students to communicate with others, but many also include project-based learning that is conducted with students all over the world and require cooperative learning in order to be successful within the activity. In order to prepare students for the future, educators need to teach students how to cooperate with others through a global world (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). I first heard about the website epals.com earlier this year and am so excited to start integrating this with my own class. Since Ancient Civilizations is such a huge focus in the sixth grade, I thought it would be great for my students to write to other students in some of the countries that we study. By collaborating with these students, my students can have a personal connection to the curriculum that would not be available if not for internet resources. Keypals support social learning theories because this technology tool encourages students to learn with and from others.

I have already thought a great deal about integrating the use of blogs and wikis into my classroom environment in order to promote collaboration and the growth of 21^st Century skills within my students. Currently, I have a class blog that students will be in charge of maintaining as a small group so that they learn how to create and maintain a blog. By requiring that students work in a small group, they will soon learn that success and failure will be determined by how well their team collaborates. Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) state that blogs and wikis allow students the ability to communicate and share ideas as they work cooperatively.

Voice threads are another technological tool that can be used to teach students how to collaborate using internet media. While I am still learning the possibilities of using this tool with my students, I am excited for the possibilities of incorporating content in an engaging way while encouraging students to collaborate with others while responding to teacher created, or student created voice threads.

Incorporating a variety of technological tools into the classroom environment not only supports social learning theories, but also help to ensure that students are not just creating what Dr. Michael Orey (2009) calls “inert knowledge.” Using graphic, web-based tools to learn with others and show acquired knowledge will help students understand concepts in a more memorable way. Social learning theories have influenced many of the technological tools that are available for student use. Because our world is becoming more and more devoted to collaboration with a variety of people, as many opportunities for cooperative learning within the classroom environment will help prepare our students for the future.

References:

Glazer, E. (2001). Problem Based Instruction. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved on July 20, 2011 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program number 9: Social learning theories [DVD]. Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore, MD: Author. (2005). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

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

Constructivism & Constructionism in the Classroom

Constructivist and constructionist learning theories are very important to include in one’s classroom environment. The beliefs of these theories support hands-on, inquiry, and project-based learning with students. Dr. Michael Orey (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010) states that these theories of knowledge and learning say that people learn best when they can create, build, and share their own meaning and understanding. Constructivist learning theories support the implementation of strategies that require students to generate and test hypotheses within the classroom environment because they allow students to create their own hypotheses and test them in order to construct their own learning.

Allowing students to create and draw their own conclusions regarding a topic will make the learning more relevant and meaningful. In order to help students collect their own data on a topic, online data collection tools can be used in the classroom environment. These tools enable students to see the large picture as well as recognize patterns within a variety of information (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Students can also share information they collect through online collaborative project websites. One way I might integrate this into my own classroom is through Social Studies. In sixth grade, the history is so interesting and students are already so engaged in learning about civilizations of the past. To spark their curiosity of various aspects of each culture that we study, I will begin by asking them to generate hypotheses about various geographical components of the culture; political, economic, religious, and social structures. Using their hypotheses and collection data, students will use internet resources in order to explore and find information on their topic. Students will then use online collaboration tools to share their information and findings with others. Using wikis, students can organize their information and include various pictures and links in order to prove whether their prediction was valid or invalid. The ability for students to create and test their own hypotheses allows them to engage in constructivist and constructionist learning theories. Students are actively constructing their own knowledge within the activity as well as creating a product to show their learning to others. This activity also incorporates “mechanisms” for learning within the constructivist/constructionist model (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Within the activity, students are leaving what Dr. Orey calls “a state of equilibration” because they may discover that their research does not support their initial hypothesis (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Students may also have to accommodate any previous understandings or ideas in order to make sense of new information they may encounter.

Because generating hypotheses allow students to learn and adapt their understanding in many different ways, students develop a better understanding of grade level standards. When students are able to take a hands-on approach to their learning, their engagement within the classroom increases. Constructivist and constructionist learning theories support the implementation of student generated hypotheses because it allows students to build their own knowledge and understanding within the classroom environment.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program number 5: Cognitive learning theories [DVD]. Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore, MD: Author. (2005). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

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

Cognitivism in Practice

Theories of how the brain learns have always been incredibly interesting to me because understanding how students learn greatly influences their success in the classroom environment. Summarizing and note-taking are two skills that are present at almost every grade level and two areas that seem to be incredibly hard for students to fully grasp. One way to use technology based on cognitive learning theories in order to help students develop these skills would be with the use of brainstorming and concept mapping software. Software such as Spider Scribe and Inspiration are amazing tools in order to help students organize information. Dr. Orey stated that it is important to use these tools in the classroom because they organize and link information together, similarly to how the brain links information; this helps to store ideas into one’s long-term memory (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Recently I used a concept map in the classroom as a whole group and loved how easy it was for students to organize their thoughts and also how visual it made information for the English language learners I was teaching at the time. Spider scribe is a concept mapping software that allows students to imbed word documents, pictures, maps, and even videos in order to organize information or research. This is also a dynamic way for students to present information to others in the classroom or through the internet.

Another instructional strategy that correlates with the principles of cognitive learning theory is advanced organizers. One technological tool that can be used to create advanced organizers is a word processing application. Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) state that these programs are very versatile and can be easily used to create organizers for a variety of topics. The use of organizers help students to focus on essential concepts. Word processing software can also be used to help students create products from their learning in the classroom, such as making a travel brochure before taking a field trip (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). This tool allows students to display their learning using what Dr. Orey (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009) calls “dual coding of information.” Applying text with images help students understand content more easily and also helps to store information in their long-term memory. Finally, taking part in an experience helps to store information in long-term memory because these hands-on experiences in the classroom become an episodic event (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). This technological tool greatly influences retention in the classroom environment within a variety of subject areas.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program number 5: Cognitive learning theories [DVD]. Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore, MD: Author. (2005). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

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

Behavorism in Practice

The instructional strategies Reinforcing Effort and Homework and Practice correlate with the principals of the behaviorist learning theory in a variety of ways. One technological tool that can be used to reinforce effort in the classroom is the use of a spreadsheet. Teachers can educate students on how to create a spreadsheet and how to use one to measure effort throughout specific subject areas in class. It is important for students to understand the importance of effort in school, but this is an area many students don’t quite understand because it has never been personally observed. Smith (1999) states that in the behaviorist theory, positive reinforcers are the strongest motivators for students. Some positive motivators are rewards, recognition, and personal successes. Helping students visualize and understand the role effort plays in their individual success will reinforce their effort in school.  Many students have not internalized their capabilities as students. Teachers need to help students understand how they can succeed and be successful in school, and students need to see the effects of their effort to their success in school. Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) state the following regarding student motivation: “Research shows that the level of belief in self-efficacy plays a strong role in motivation for learning and achievement” (p. 155). The use of a spreadsheet helps students build their belief in themselves, and gives reinforcement for their effort in school.

The instructional strategy Homework and Practice also correlates with the ideas of the behaviorist learning theory. In the behaviorist learning theory, Smith (1999) states that repetition as well as activities that allow the student to become an active learner are important for reinforcing student learning. Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) rephrase the work of Marzano, stating that “Students need about 24 practice sessions with a skill in order to achieve 80% accuracy” (p. 188). For this reason, repetition is incredibly important in reinforcing learning. Homework assignments and practice, during and outside of class, need to provide a variety of opportunities for students to show their learning in a multitude of ways. One technological tool that allows students to reinforce their learning is through the use of online educational games. Online games generate immediate feedback, allow students to monitor their own progress, and provide incentives (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K., 2007). Immediate feedback is important for students to assess their learning and reinforce their understanding. An online educational game is just one way to provide practice and repetition for students both at home, and in the classroom.

References:

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

Smith, K. (1999). The behaviorist orientation to learning. In The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm