Final Reflection EDUC 6711

As a student who struggled to listen, take notes, and then try to make meaning of what I heard, I have always believed in the power of student engagement for deep learning. The constructivist learning theory clearly aligns with this belief as the engagement and interaction that students engage in results in meaningful experiences and learning (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011a; Laureate Education, Inc., 2011b; Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). This affirmed and strengthened my commitment to highly engaging, interactive teaching. The use of interactive technology tools such as virtual field trips and WebQuests allow students to access information through experience and, through that experience, make new meaning from the content.

            WebQuests allow students to investigate, explore, and engage in thinking through inquiry-based practice that leads to the creation of an artifact (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007). Though guided through a structured format, teacher-provided resources, and clear expectations of a rubric, students have freedom to engage with resources at their own pace and develop an understanding that is personally meaningful. I used a WebQuest in my classroom any years ago and even helped another teacher develop one; however, I look forward to exploring this technology tool further in order to reintroduce it into my teaching practice. I will begin this process by researching existing WebQuests that are available on educational resource websites and those referenced by Pitler et al. (2007). If I am able to locate one that connects to my content, I will explore all aspects of it with my co-teacher in order to determine if there is any need for modifications, pre-teaching, or special equipment. My goal is to use at least one WebQuest in my teaching before the end of the first semester.

            I would also like to use virtual field trips in my regular instructional practice. Virtual field trips can provide students with background knowledge, experience, and visual support for Dual Coding (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011c; Laureate Education, Inc., 2011d). This tool, much like the WebQuest, allows students to engage with content first hand using a variety of resources. Since many of my students struggle with reading and do not gain the most benefit from reading activities, virtual field trips can provide them with an alternative source of information that can lead to deep learning. The possibilities for deep learning are increased through the personal experience that students gain from the activity and interaction with the content. I have already seen students who were very affected by the experience of a virtual field trip that I know that it will have an impact on achievement in my classroom. My goal is to ensure that I am using at least one virtual field trip experience in each unit that I teach. I will research the resources available on the Internet and network with other English and History teachers in order to build a toolbox of resources that allow students to have this firsthand experience.

            The use of technology has not been a focus for my instructional planning or goals in the past; I now have a repertoire of technology tools that I have used and implemented in order to ensure my comfort with and understanding of their use. With this repertoire, I intend to increase my use of technology in meaningful way in my daily instruction. Additionally, I expect to promote the use of technology in my school and district-wide department through teacher-to-teacher trainings, workshops, and presentations. I will start with my co-teachers and the other teachers in my content and department by sharing the lessons and materials that we develop for our own classrooms.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011c). Program five: Cognitive learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program one: Understanding the brain [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011d). Program six: Spotlight on technology: Virtual field trips [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program three: Instructional theory vs. learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical foundations (Laureate Education, Inc.,

custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom

instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

Cooperative Learning

Cooperative Learning can be enhanced by the use of technology tools in order to collaborate with other people outside of the school community, create multimedia artifacts, and use social networking to connect and share ideas.

Collaboration Tools
The use of online tools such as wikis, blogs, and voicethreads allow students to collaborate to complete task, give feedback to peers, and receive feedback (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). This interaction can increase student learning by providing new contexts and schema for processing and storing the information. These elements make it a prime example of social constructionism as students are actively engaged in creating an artifact while participating in conversation about the process and product (Laureate Education, Inc, 2011). Classroom websites and Edmodo are other online tools that can provide this same experience.

Multimedia
There are many websites and software applications that allow students to create multimedia presentations about what they are learning. Some excellent examples include Voice Thread, Photo Story, Power Point, and Animoto. These tools allow students to incorporate visual, audio, and interactive elements to incraese the impact on the audience. When students work cooperatively to create a multimedia artifact, they are again engaging in the creation and conversation about the learning process. By working cooperatively, not competitively, students also develop teamwork and delegation skills that are essential to the 21st century workplace (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2009).

Social Networking
The use of social networking has often been avoided by schools, although they offer an opportunity for communicating and connecting with students on their own turf. Through the use of safe, secure, and protected social networking websites, such as Edmodo, students can benefot from the same level of interaction they have on Facebook while working with content materials. This does not come without its own set of problems. Even one of the best classes I have worked with had a rogue student who posted inappropriate comments using a fake student. As teachers, we must also use all of the tools available to use to prevent the opportunity for this type of occurance. I learning my lesson and quickly secured the site so no other members could be added. This interaction has allowed students to gain new perspectives and enhance their understanding of content materials and multiple ways to solve a problem.

  Sources:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program eight: Social learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009). P21 Framework Definitions. Retrieved 9/24/2012 from http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf

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

Voice Thread

Here is the link to my voice thread: https://voicethread.com/share/3485796/