Constructivist/Constructionist Practices

There are a few essential words and phrases that come to my mind after reading and viewing this week’s lessons. When considering “Constructivism in Practice”, problem-solving, teacher facilitated, learner initiated, thinking about thinking and more than anything, how students learn seem to be the expressions I consider. Letting students construct their own questions, knowledge and understanding through experience, and then reflecting on the experiences they have had to assess what has been learned is cognitive learning and thinking at its best. Using the constructivist theory with learner initiated inquiry and exploration creates meaningful learning. “Learners don't get ideas; they create ideas. Moreover, constructionism suggests that new ideas are most likely to be created when learners are actively engaged in building some type of external artifact that they can reflect upon and share with others” (Orey, 2001). Use of technologies such as Web/Internet searches, Powerpoint, spreadsheet software, and data collection tools can “actively engage” students with instructional strategies that link to constructivism. One first-rate example from the textbook is using a “teacher-created interactive spreadsheet to enter data so patterns can be seen and technology is used to maximize instruction” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 207).

Dr Orey acknowledges, “Constructionism supports the constructivist viewpoint--that the learner is an active builder of knowledge” (2001). However, also stressed is how external items such as social interaction and different types of communication can have an influence on what knowledge is learned, shared or considered. Students engaging in the application of content should be guided by teachers using a variety of the “six tasks to help students generate and test hypotheses: (1) system analysis, (2) problem solving, (3) historical investigations, (4) invention, (5) experimental inquiry, and (6) decision making” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 76).

Teachers that are considered to be “constructivist” help students to create knowledge rather than just replicate and repeat information or facts. In constructivism, students are continuously being guided by the teacher whose function is more a facilitator that mediates and prompts students from passive learners to active participants in their own learning process.

Jean Piaget, who initially is responsible for the constructivist theory, called for teachers to understand the “building blocks” for learning (Laureate Education, Inc. 2009). To reach an understanding involving experiences, children must discover relationships and ideas that are built by a step by step involvement of building blocks Piaget identified as assimilation, accommodation, equilibration and schema (Laureate Education, Inc. 2009). It is by this process that children accept ideas and become involved in activities of interest in the classroom.

References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program seven. Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.


Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

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

Instructional Strategies/Cognitive Learning Theory

Dr. Michael Orey indicates that “forgetting is loss of connections to information” (Laureate Education, Inc. 2009). Consequently, with this in mind it is understood that learning is a complex process when the right circumstances and elements for learning are not connected. So what can teachers in today’s classrooms do to eliminate challenges and train students to use cognitive skills for recalling what they have learned or stored in long term memory?

Cognitive learning theory focuses on creating ways to help students gain knowledge, store information, recall data, and use what they have learned to demonstrate enhanced higher-order thinking skills. Combining learning strategies with educational technology can help to engage students in learning and activities that will “help teachers help their students hone skills and knowledge that will serve them the rest of their lives” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).

Students are required to retain a great deal of information from each of their classes daily and since our school is on the 4 x 4 schedule, this increases what they must retain to equal double the amount for a full years worth of information in a 90 day period of time. Learning at this pace, students must have strategies that will help them to effectively retain the information. Also, in view of the fact that most all students learn in different ways, summarizing and note taking can provide tools for identifying and understanding what is to be learned and what is most important. It is also critical that students must be guided through the note taking and summarizing process to ensure understanding of material to be recalled when needed. This can be challenging for students given that “short term memory can only process seven (plus or minus two) pieces of information at one time” and “especially if they can not find a pre-existing hook or link to connect the information to” as Dr. Orey validates in “Cognitive Learning Theories” (Laureate Education, Inc. 2009).

Summarizing and note taking are important activities throughout a students learning process. Summarizing involves evaluating information, identifying the important bits of information, and connecting the information in a personal and meaningful way. Note-taking is the process of organizing and writing pieces of information that can be used later. “Technology can scaffold, or provide support, while students are learning the summarizing process. It can also provide collaborative summarizing experiences that facilitate reciprocal teaching, a very structured format for helping students to teach each other” (Pitler et al., 2007, p.120).

This week, in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works (Pitler et al., 2007), it is recommended that students learn and use a variety of note taking formats to pull important information and facts from reading and instructional materials in order to be successful. Many of the technology tools discussed in the text such as word processing applications, organizing and brainstorming software, multimedia, web resources and communications softwares can be helpful to advocate higher-level thinking to classifying information in an organized system for recall when needed. They can also modify, substitute, delete, and select pieces of information and prioritize information in categories with the use of these technologies.

Cues, questions and advance organizers are a way of activating prior knowledge. They allow students to get an idea of what they already know about a subject and make a connection to what they are going to be learning. Focusing specifically on what students need to know and using “technologies that support cues, questions and advance organizers assist teachers in quickly capturing student responses and organizing the responses into useful information.” ” (Pitler et al., 2007. p.75). One thing to remember about using cues, questions and organizers is that they do not have to be used at the end of the learning, but at the beginning, so students can become focused on what they are about to be learning. Technology use of word processing applications to create “Expository, Narrative, and Graphic” advance organizers can help students “focus on essential concepts and themes what will prepare them to learn” (Pitler et al., 2007. p. 76.)

References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program five. Cognitive Learning Theories [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

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

" BEHAVIORISM IN PRACTICE"

Over the past two decades there have been ample discussions about how students learn. This has been done by a means of studies and events associated with knowledge and education, establishing some fundamental issues about learning. The new concept in today’s classroom is using educational technology-based learning tools. This genre gives consideration to the social craze of the digital revolution and the millennial generation’s use of technology daily and never having been without it in their lifetime. So with this in mind education must merge with a blend of educational philosophies to meet the needs of today’s students.

Looking at behaviorism, we know it is based on an observable approach that concentrates on evaluating and modifying behavior. Focusing on behavioral patterns and repeating them until the behavior becomes automatic was studied by B. F. Skinner who developed the concept of operant conditioning. “His model was based on the premise that satisfying responses are conditioned, while unsatisfying ones are not” (Orey, 2001. p.2). Education is a process of constant reinforcement and attempts to impart knowledge through informative experience. The combination of the behaviorist theory and the use of educational instructional technology in the classroom are parallel since they both provide a way “for students and teachers to track the effects of effort and facilitates more immediate feedback” in classroom practices (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007. p. 156).

I believe all learning has behavioral outcomes, and through technology students can obtain information through an assortment of resources and participate in the use of numerous computer programs that provide enrichment of desired learning outcomes. "Technology facilitates homework and practice by providing a wealth of resources for learning outside of the classroom, making it easy for students to work on collaborative homework assignments and providing "drill and practice" resources that help students refine their skills" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007. p. 189). Through the use of technology, students can also exhibit a behavior by resolving a question or choosing an outcome with direct feedback that is measurable. So as we continue to explore the best concepts for learning we can not completely disregard Behaviorism as a choice.

It is very important for today’s students to have an understanding of effort and achievement in relation to behaviorism. Technology used in the classroom such as spreadsheet programs and other data collection tools can reinforce behaviorism. By using these technology items, students can become familiar with the reward that their effort leads to achievement and success. “Not all students realize the importance of believing in effort but they can learn to operate from a belief that effort pays off even if they do not initially have this belief” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 155). When used in the right perspective, connecting technology, classroom instruction and Behaviorism can be a very useful way to implement how and what students can learn in today’s classroom.

References:

Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved:May 11, 2009, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

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