Charles M. Garcia Walden University Blog 

Upon reflection of week one in this course, I have reaffirmed the notion that students perform best when they are an active participant in their learning.   I was, and still am, a firm believer in technology being a vehicle that provides students with and the opportunity to engage in their learning.   After exploring a variety of theories throughout the course, it is safe to assume that students can enhance this learning with the aid of technology tools.  Technology provides students the opportunity to construct the meaning of any content area.  I would like to think that I am fairly knowledgeable about technology that is being implemented into the classrooms.  However, I have been introduced to many new and exciting tools that I am eager to start implementing into the classroom.  The one area that I may have underestimated in my initial theory of learning is the power of social learning.

There were many theories discussed over the past seven weeks.  Each of these theories plays a valuable role in the field of education.  It is of great value to have a clear understanding of the theories before one can implement technology to be truly effective.  “To use technology effectively, the teacher must have a clear understanding of learning and the teaching strategies that will result in the intended knowledge transfer. The teaching strategies you select will then determine the appropriate types of technological tools necessary to carry them out” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008).  There is also great importance that should be placed on making the student experiences as real-world as possible.  Today these experiences can be created much easier than previous generations.  One immediate change that I will be implementing as a result of this is to utilize virtual field trips and augmented reality to create more relevance and establish a real-world experience for students.

Two specific theories that have been discussed in great detail throughout this course are constructionism and constructivist theories.  Constructivist learning theory is the process of having students produce mental models in order to gain an understanding of the world.  Constructionism, on the other hand, is the process of students being engaged in a more student-centered environment.  In constructionism, students are active participants in things such as project-based learning or problem-based instruction (Laureate Education, n.d.).  Each of these theories emphasizes the need for a student-centered classroom.  Students help direct their learning, which is focused on an anchor, problem, or question (Orey, 2001).  The social learning theory has also shed light on the value students not only constructing artifacts but to engage with peers socially which have been proven to have many added benefits to student learning.  Cooperative learning provides students with the opportunity to reflect on their learning then gain a deeper understanding of the material by talking and listening to other students (Pitler, Hubbekk, Kuhn,2012).  Due to the value of cooperative learning, I would like to make the immediate adjustment of using more online collaboration tools.  Tools such as Voicethreads and mindmaps are a great start to having students work collaboratively.

Moving forward in the field of education, I am confident that I have obtained valuable skills and tools that will help me grow professionally.  While I have gradually made the transition from being teacher-centered and moved toward a more student-centered classroom setting; I plan to make more adjustments in my planning to achieve an even more student-centered classroom.   To aid in this quest for a more student-centered classroom I will begin using many of the tools that have been utilized through the course.   I am eager to implement mindmaps so that students can organize, compare and contrast, and to collaborate.  Voicethread is another great tool that can be utilized very effectively to gauge student understanding of content.  I am planning on using this tool to summarize and prepare for final exams.  I envision each student taking responsibility for one or two concepts and presenting to their peers.  Students will then engage in a meaningful dialogue with other to reinforce their learning.   I would also like to utilize blogs and wikis to aid in student’s summarization and note taking.  We have learned through the instructional strategy of summarizing and note-taking we can see a gain of up to thirty-four percent in learner outcome.

Many of the tools that have been discussed are relevant for today’s learners and have great value in the classroom.  Looking forward I intend to continue using these tools in the most effective manner.  I will continue to be a life-long learner and stay informed on new and developing technologies that will aid in student learning.  Perhaps the most critical aspect of goals moving forward is to use technology “effectively” in the classroom.  As I have already mentioned, teachers must have a clear understanding of strategies to assist in the selection of the appropriate technology tools.

 

Reference

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J.B. (2008). Teaching and learning with technology (3rd ed., pp. 2-35). Boston, MA: Pearson Education

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

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Main_Page

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