Charles M. Garcia Walden University Blog 

Today, in the age of digital learners, there is a stronger need for a more visual approach to presenting material. The digital generation has been exposed to several different forms of information including television, videos, computer games, and multi-sensory experiences (book sources). While there is data to support the need for this rich media content there is still some reluctance among many in the field to support this need. The primary source of information, for many students, is still text and images. Although these two sources of information are still beneficial, they lack some of the benefits that other types of media have to offer. In order to reap the benefits of each of the media sources, it is would be wise to take a close look at Media Fluency. One might assume that Media Fluency is related to the how well one can operate technology tools.
There is much more to Media Fluency, it requires choosing the appropriate and effective medium that is best suited for the particular message that is intended (source). There are two components associated with Media Fluency which include listening and leverage. The listening component in tales the ability to decode the real message with a range of media. The leverage component revolves around matching the medium to the message. In some cases, it may be beneficial to use a podcast to relay information while other time a video may be more suitable.
Along with Media Fluency, Collaboration Fluency can aid the growth of student learning. There are 5 E’s associated with Collaboration Fluency which are Establish, Envision, Engineer, Execute, and Examine. Establishing key components such as groups, roles, norms, and leadership, to name a few, are essential to beginning the collaboration fluency process. The envision stage requires one to define the problem, specify information that is needed, and developing a plan of action. The most critical element that one must consider in the engineering stage is having a plan that can be evaluated as work progresses. The execute stage is putting the plan into action. The final stage, examine, involves the team or group to reevaluate the process for its effectiveness.

One strategy that I have used in the past to address media fluency and collaboration fluency is the use of social media. Students have, in the past, used various social media platforms to various polygons that were being discussed. Students were to create profiles of at least three polygons which were to include photos and profile information regarding their polygons. Once the profiles were complete, students were encouraged to communicate with other profiles that had been created in the classroom. I have found the use of social media platforms and other platforms that resemble social media, such as Edmodo, to be very engaging and popular with high school students. It has been shown that up to ninety-one percent of the parent have noticed a gain in learning when education media is used in the classroom (Devaney, 2014).

The production of music or a short movie trailer have also been used to encourage media and collaboration fluency. Students would either create a short movie trailer or compose a song to the topic of discussion, such as trig ratios. The creation of either of the media required students to address the 5 E’s associated with the collaboration process. Students began by establishing roles and responsibilities along with defining the scope of the project. Students would then envision the outcome of the project. Once they have envisioned the solution they begin to engineer a workable plan. Students will then execute their plan and create a product that utilizes their various strengths. Finally, the students can examine the process to determine if the goal was achieved.
Crockett, L., Jukes, I., & Churches, A. (2011). Literacy is not enough: 21st-century fluencies for the digital age. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Devaney, L. (2014). How does educational media impact children? Retrieved from http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/01/27/educational-media-use-864/?

Cooperative learning is the process in which students interact with one another to increase their learning (Pitler, Hubbekk, Kuhn,2012).  There are several benefits to implementing cooperative learning within the classroom.  First, 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). There is documentation to support that through peer interactions students build a sense of trust amongst their peers.  With this acquired trust, students will then be able to actively participate in their learning environment with less stress. Another benefit of the implantation of cooperative learning would be for students to work toward a common goal.  In the search for this common goal, students find commonalities amongst themselves, which may lead to an atmosphere that brings a sense of community to the classroom. Through collaboration, students have an opportunity to work to their strengths and weaknesses.  There are students that are very vocal and would prefer an oral presentation while there may be individuals that are shy but strong in writing. When these two diverse personalities are grouped together each has a vital attribute to contribute.

While there are several benefits to implementing cooperative learning there are some challenges that must be considered in its implementation.  I have personally used cooperative learning, sometimes with success and other times without.  There are three key points that must be considered in the implementation of cooperative learning.  First teachers should consider the use of both positive interdependence (sink or swim) and individual accountability (each of us has to contribute to achieving a goal).  Second, the group size should be kept to a minimum.  Finally, cooperative learning should be used consistently and systematically (Pitler, Hubbekk, Kuhn,2012).

With the new and always changing demands of the workplace, it is imperative that students have skills that will empower them to be successful.  One of the most important skills that must be acquired by students is the ability to work collaboratively.  In many cases, this collaboration requires the production of some type of artifact.  Cooperative learning provides students with a great foundation for the real world.  Much of this interaction with peers can be done by face-to-face or in a virtual setting.  Technology plays an important role in facilitating collaboration (2012).  There are several tools that are available that provides students the opportunity to interact with one another, without having to be in the same location.   One possibility, for communication, is the creation of a web page or website.  There are currently several sites that provide users the ability to create a free website with little to no technical experience.   An alternative to creating a website could be the use of social media.  While most would use caution in using personal social media to interact with other peers in an educational setting, there are new educational alternatives.  One popular social media alternative specifically for students and teachers is Edmodo.  Edmodo provides students and teachers with the same feel of facebook or twitter but in a safer environment.  Globester is yet another example of how students can interact with peers in an online format.  Blogging and Wiki spaces would also provide students the ability to interact in a unique way.  As you can see there are a plethora of tools at the disposal of teachers and students.   It is simply a matter of finding what works best for a specific application.

Voicethread is an online tool that provides teachers and students the opportunity to work collaboratively.  This tool allows users to create a presentation with the added benefit of layering audio over the presentation.  Students may interact with the presentation in a variety of way including adding text, audio,  or drawings.  It has been described much like removing pencil and paper and allowing students to add their voice to their work (Laureate Education, n.d.a). I am familiar with a variety of presentation tool; however, Voicethread was a completely new experience for me. I recently had the opportunity to create a Voicethread and had my students interact with the presentation (view presentation).

The following is a brief synopsis of the project and how I implemented the Voicethread into the lesson.

Students in my robotics course are in the process of learning coding and the implementation of the Arduino, which is a microprocessor.  At this point, students have general knowledge of coding and how the Arduino is used in the creation of robots and other electronic devices.  At this point, we are in the process of entering the “Zone of Proximal Development” (Laureate Education, n.d.b).  Students have acquired some skills but are now going to implement these skills in a real-world scenario.   The objective of this project is to apply the engineering design process in the creation of a robot that can autonomously solve a Rubik’s Cube.   There are definite parallels that run between the engineering design process and the social constructivist learning theory.   The process requires students to thoroughly investigate the problem and then determine the best possible solution to address this dilemma.   The student will then work cooperatively to carefully plan a possible design.  The construction of their design will then take place by creating a model or prototype.  Students will evaluate their design and determine possible improvements to their product.  Once the evaluation process is complete students will then create a finished product.   I will be using Voicethreads to elicit possible designs for their Rubik’s Cube solver.   Each student will contribute by describing their design while providing a general blueprint of this design.  The success of the project is dependent on how well the team works as a unit.  The implementation of this Voicethread is only one example of how technology is being used in a cooperative setting.  There are a variety of resources to develop a personal learning network in order for students to develop a deeper understanding (Orey, 2001)

 

 

References

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

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. (2008).Theoretical foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.a). Spotlight on technology: VoiceThread [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.b). Social learning theories [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

 

Image References

Header photo
http://www.intrepidlearning.com/blog/moving-online-learning-true-collaborations

Photo
http://wiki.agroknow.gr/politics/index.php/Grundtvig_Workshop_on_Collaborative_Learning_and_Active_Citizenship

Behaviorism is primarily focused on the measurable aspects of behavior (Orey, 2001).   In behaviorist learning theory there is a correlation between a behavior and stimulus.  Many times the behavior that is observed by students is a cause of certain stimuli.  While there has been some adaptation of behaviorist learning theory over the course of a few years, one thing remains consistent and that is the need to adapt teaching methods to reflect today’s learners.  It is less acceptable to have students that are passive learners.  Today’s classroom should be offering their learners a more active environment in which students are encouraged to engage in critical thinking and problem solving.  “Activity is important. Learning is better when the learner is active rather than passive” (Smith, 1999, para. 4).  There are many technology resources that can aid in this quest for a more active atmosphere that will also produce critical thinkers in the process.

Most individuals loved to be acknowledged for their effort, this acknowledgment can be as simple as verbal praise or something more concrete (2012).   With the aid of technology, teachers have the ability to easily recognize student’s efforts.  However, it is important to remember that recognition should be based on a clear standard of performance.  Data collection is a great way to provide students with recognition.  One method that I have personally used in the classroom is the aid of student response system.  Students are prompted at the beginning of the class that there will be a short assessment following the lesson.  Based on the overall performance of the class they could win a “Free Homework Pass.”  Upon completing the assessment via student responses system, results are instantly provided to the class.  If students have a collective proficiency level of, let’s say, ninety percent they will each receive a free homework pass.  This method encourages students to work collectively to meet a common goal.  Another method that has shown promise is the use of badges.  The use of a social media like resource called Edmodo allows teachers to award badge to students based on their own criteria.  If a teacher chooses to award a badge for all assignments being complete, they have that option.  Students love the game appeal of a badge and often compete with peers for these badges.  There are also sites that allow you to create your own badges.

With many students being unsuccessful in their courses, especial math courses, the need for reinforcement and a positive experience is more important than ever.  Pitler, Hubbell, and Kuhn (2012) state that, “the instructional strategy of reinforcing effort enhances students’ understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement by addressing their attitudes and beliefs about learning” (p. 57).  In Behaviorist Learning Theory, programmed instruction is one form of operant conditioning.  There are several examples of technology resources that utilize programmed instruction.  One specific example that I use often is a website called IXL.  IXL currently offers content in Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies, with various grade levels.  Students begin an assignment and are given immediate feedback once the question is completed.  If the question is answered correctly they are awarded points and given positive feedback, if the answer is incorrect points are deducted.  The difficulty level of each question is dependent on their progress; questions begin easy and gradually become more difficult.  If a student misses a question, not only are points deducted but the difficulty level is also reduced.  This reduction helps reinforce their prior knowledge before moving on to more challenging problems.  To further aid in this reinforcement, detailed instructions are provided to students on the proper procedure to complete this missed problem.  The program uses an algorithm to award and deduct points based on difficulty level, meaning questions are weighted differently.  In most scenarios, when students miss a question there is no chance of receiving a one-hundred, this is not the case with IXL.  Students can still be awarded a one-hundred on the assignment once the lesson as been mastered.  As you can see there are many benefits to programmed instruction and how it aids in student performance.  While websites such as the one discussed are great resources, it is important to remember that it does not replace other instructional strategies that are provided by teachers.  “When students work with computer technology, instead of being controlled by it, they enhance the capability of the computer, and the computer enhances their thinking and learning” (Orey, 2001, sec 4).

A site called Virtual Nerd is often used to supplement the IXL assignments.  At Virtual Nerd, students are provided a wide range of math videos to assist students.  Virtual Nerd is organized so that students can quickly progress through each step of the process without having to watch the entire video.  Along with the quick access to each step, students can also find quick links to other videos related to the topic.  An example of this might include students working on trig ratio.  As students are working on trig ratios there may come a point in which students may need Pythagorean Theorem; Virtual Nerd provides a convenient link to a video on Pythagorean Theorem.  This is a great site to use with the flipped model.

 

References

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

Smith, M. K. (1999a). The behaviourist orientation to learning. In The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://infed.org/mobi/the-behaviourist-orientation-to-learning/

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

 

 

I consider myself fairly new to blogging, however now that I am teaching a web design course for the very first time, I find myself delving into uncharted territory. I find myself wearing many hats this year, I am teaching Geometry, Robotics, Web Design, and an Audio-Visual course. Along with these courses, I am also serving as the High School Web Master. One of the requirements for my Web Design students is for them to create and utilize their own blog. I chose to set the example for my students and create my very first blog. While my blog is still in the early stages of development, I have found many benefits for both my students and me.

I choose to create and use a blog for several reasons. One of the first ideas I had was to utilize the blog to share students work and showcase their products. Students are creating some great products and I felt it would be nice to share those products with their parents and the community. After posting these products, I thought why not utilize this platform to have students reflect about their project or product. I now have students posting comments regarding projects and reflecting on what they may do differently in the future. The posting by students has also had the added benefit of reinforcing writing skills. My district requires teachers, of all content areas, to have students write critically. The blog postings will provide my students the opportunity to write critically.

At this point, my blog has been used more to showcase students work, and a platform for students to reflect on their work, however, I do intend to share thoughts and ideas for my colleagues and others that are interested. It is my belief that everyone has something to offer. I have had the opportunity to learn and implement some great ideas from others that have shared through their blogs. My hope is that one day I will have the opportunity to return the favor.

While I have found many benefits from creating my own blog, students have also found some benefits of their own.   While some students were a little hesitant about creating a blog, others were very excited. Many students expressed to me that they had always wanted to start a blog, but were not sure how to. After a few days of designing and writing, many students were off and running. In an effort to encourage students to take ownership of their blog, I provided them the opportunity to use the blog for both personal and professional use. I made it very clear that I would share their work with others including administrators. This has helped in keeping many of the post appropriate. I have learned so much about my students through their blogs; it is amazing what some of these students are interested in. The blogs have really given the students the opportunity to share their interests and still have some educational value. Students have also had the opportunity to share their own projects, by posting their work and reflections on their blog. As students are in the early stages of blogging, it is imperative that students are coached into posting and responding using appropriate etiquette (Laureate Education n.d)). In the age of texting and hashtags, it is important that we create rubrics for students to demonstrate what type of writing is appropriate for blogging. It must be stressed that student work is visible to the masses, and we must put effort into producing quality work.

At this point, my focus for blogging has been concentrated on my web design students and a little with my Robotic student. As I find myself becoming more comfortable with the platform, I am eager to start implementing blogging with my Geometry students as well as my Audio Visual students.   It is important as teachers that we make connections in our practice first in an effort to understand the pedagogical implications in the class (Richardson, 2010). I see great potential in blogging with my Geometry students. I envision that blogs could be used to serve as both support and an extension of student’s math proficiency. Jayme Linton of Lenoir-Ryne University suggests that there are eight Standards of Mathematical Practice that can be enhanced and strengthened through blogging.

(1) Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them

(2) Reason abstractly and quantitatively

(3) Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others

(4) Model with Mathematics

(5) Use appropriate tools strategically

(6) Attend to precision

(7) Look for and make use of structure

(8) Look for and express regularly in repeated reasoning

Through the act of blogging there are three obvious benefits: (1) making their learning visible, (2) provide feedback between teachers and students, and (3) it also allows for students to keep a record of their learning. Many teachers already have students creating journals, so having students creating blogs is not much of a stretch (Linton).

Blogs have earned a unique spot in education. There are many benefits for teachers and students in creating blogs.  While I have much to learn about blogs and their implementation, I believe there is a definite role they play in education. It is our job as teachers to find a way to seamlessly implement them into our curriculum.

I have posted student blog samples as well as my blog under the student work tab.

 

References:

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

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.). Spotlight on technology: Blogging in the classroom [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Linton, J (2013, February 5). Using Student Blogs to Develop Proficiency with Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice. Retrieved from http://www.fractuslearning.com/2013/02/05/student-blogs-common-core-math/

 

Image References:

http://konacompany.com/3-benefits-of-blogging/

http://www.fractuslearning.com/2013/02/05/student-blogs-common-core-math/

Welcome to my Walden Blog.  I am looking forward to learning and sharing.

The Digital Learners: