Principals for Learning

Gee identified ten principals that were considered fundamental for learning (Jonassen, 2008, p. 54).  The three I would like to discuss are the Active, Critical Learning Principle, the Committed Learning Principle and the Discovery Principle.  I feel all three of these principals are important to the education process.

The Active, Critical Learning Principle states that every aspect of the learning environment should encourage active learning and not just sitting and passively taking in information.  This principal promotes learning through discovery and active experimentation.  The Committed Learning Principle states that learners participate in an extended engagement, where there is lots of effort and practice, as an extension of their real-world identities in relation to a virtual identity to which they feel some commitment and a virtual world that they find compelling.  All this to say, it is important that the student identify with what they are learning in order to completely accept what they have been exposed to.  The the Discovery Principle states obvious telling is kept to a well-thought-out minimum, allowing ample opportunities for the learner to experiment and make discoveries.  This principal seems much like that of the Active, Critical Learning Principle and this is why I believe it works well together and even supports each other in the learning process.

If I were to create a simulation for a Social Studies class, I would support the contemporary world simulation.  Students would be given the choice to study a society via the computer, choosing from Europe, Russia, North America, Middle America, South America, Southwest Asia-North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, or the Pacific Realm and the types of technology that was used during that era.  The variables that students would be able to manipulate would be the location in which they choose to research, historical and contemporary event in the society they chose and the manner in which they present their information.  Students will learn to compare institutions common to all societies such as government, education, and religious institutions. Students explain how the level of technology affects the development of the selected societies and identify different points of view about selected events.

In conclusion, I believe if learning is engaging and fun, students will be more likely to take an active part in their education.  I also, feel the more senses an educator can involve in the learning process, the more beneficial she will be in reaching her entire audience.

Jonassen, D, Howland, J, Marra, R, & Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful learning with technology. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Merrill/ Prentice Hall.

Assessment Tools

I really like the idea of rubrics for assessment purposes, regardless of whether technology is involved or not.  Rubrics offer a great opportunity for teachers to monitor a student’s progress and find their weaknesses both formative and summative assessment purposes.  I believe as a teacher in order to have a clear idea of what you are expecting from a student you need the assessment tool.  This takes out the guess work for the teacher and the student and often the parent that may be assisting the student.

I believe that clicker assessment tools would be most useful as a review tool in the classroom.  This resource would allow teachers to get an idea of how well the classroom as a whole understands the material as they could use their clicker to answer questions simultaneously.

Inspiration/Kidspiration software allows the students to want to be more interactive in the assignment which allows the educator to disseminate the student’s knowledge level. I believe any method that gains and keeps the student’s attention is a positive resource.

Jonassen, D, Howland, J, Marra, R, & Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful learning with technology. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Merrill/ Prentice Hall

Digital Storytelling

Our text explains Digital Storytelling by Kate Kemker as technology not being the focus of the lesson’s activity, but rather the tool used to create the story.  Digital storytelling allows the student to utilize their critical thinking skills through, first, researching, writing and organizing information about the structure of their story.  Second, critical thinking skills are applied via collaboration with other students in organizing the various roles that will be played in the video for the story.  Finally, digital storytelling allows for critical thinking by students when they edit their video in the final stage of postproduction.  Kate Kemker suggests that a rubric should be used to help the students access their progress.  I believe digital storytelling could work in my classroom, but only with matured students (possibly grades 7^th grade and up).  Undeniably, the opportunities digital storytelling offers students to practice their creative skills which would require critical thinking skills would be a benefit to the student.

The textbook suggests a visualization tool referred to as Geometric Supposer to help students visualize mathematical concepts in geometry.  Through the process of constructing and manipulating geometric objects student’s can explore and the relationships within and between the objects.  This could be a good tool for testing the knowledge and even expanding upon the student’s knowledge of geometry.  This visualization tool offers the promotion of analytical reasoning on the student’s part.

Everyone learns differently, so when posed the question “Is it possible to learn from watching TV instruction in and of itself?” I believe it would depend upon the learner, but it all likely hood, there would need to be some form of hands on or verbal assessment of processed skills.  As the text offers, a mental process is also involved with performance of any skill.  There is a need to perform certain process such as making decisions, questioning and ultimately resolving the task at hand.  This feedback, even if only a think aloud step is incorporated into the TV learning process seems to me to be a necessary one.

Jonassen, D, Howland, J, Marra, R, & Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful learning with technology. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Merrill/ Prentice Hall

PODCASTING

I learned that podcasting is an audio recording that is saved as an MP3 file and made available on the Internet through RSS. (Crismond, Howland, Jonassen Marra pg. 160).  I really have had no experience with podcasting until this chapter.  I have heard my teenage daughters talking about podcasting and how they use it for music with their I Pods.  I believe it could be used in the classroom as an additional source for students to revisit classroom lectures for a review or absences.  This chapter has given me somewhat of an idea about podcasting, but I believe I would definitely need more information to utilize it myself.

Podcasting is similar to other Web 2.0 applications in that it reaches out to a large and varied audience and allows its creator to express their creative and artistic views without repercussions of others opposing views.  Podcasting is different to other Web 2.0 applications in that it does not require the user to remain online to utilize it.  The user can load the information to another device and retrieve it when they wish.

I do own an iPod and use it most every day to listen to music.  I know how to perform all the basics of loading the music and listening to the music.  Well, I also know how to create my own song lists.  One benefit I have enjoyed about my iPod is that through the use of blue tooth audio in my truck, I can listen to the music from my iPod through my truck speakers.  If I am going on a road trip, I can make a playlist and not have to worry about commercials.  I have heard of my daughter’s teachers using their iPods in the classroom and see no problem with it.  I believe it would be a resource that might be enlisted in a sort of privilege system withing the classroom.

Wikis, Blogs, Social Bookmarking and Learning Communities

Wikis and blogs have been a new concept to me until entering this class.  Both wikis and blogs appear to be very similar in that they both allow a person to edit and change content via the use of the internet.  Wikis also allows you to choose the content in which you edit and change.  I believe I would allow my students to utilize wikis and blogs as a sort of learning tool with social skills while at the same time they are brainstorming.  If I do use wikis or blogs within the classroom, I will definitely demand strict rules for the exchange of information and monitor the use for the classroom.  I do feel for older student’s wikis and blogs could prove to teach social networking skills.

Social bookmarking could easily serve as an educational tool and I can see myself utilizing it to build a reference of easily accessible material for students to generate report information.  I might also use social bookmarking to help my students learn about copyright laws and fair use.  I do not believe I would find a strong use for voice thread, but could possibly incorporate it into a lesson as a supplement just to make sure my students are aware of the uses of voice threading.

I have no previous experience with tapped in other than what I have read in the text, but I do feel it has some positive possibilities in the classroom.  Learning can be enhanced by the sharing of information by students with other students or teachers and other teachers.  Tapped in reminds me of our physical community but on the web, whereas people learn from the ideas and examples of those they are surrounded by (hence the community) and learn from and gain strength from those whom of which they share their ideas and experiences.

Meaningful Learning With Technology--Jonassen, D., Howland J., Marra, R.M. & Crismond, D. (2008). Pearson, Merrill/Prentice Hall, 3rd edition.

http://www.mlearning.wikispaces.com/advantages

Technology Based Assessments

The text describes assessment as “the process of gathering and analyzing data to determine if intended learning outcomes have been achieved (Jonassen, 2008, p. 220).”  Assessment activities should focus on the primary goal of better understanding your students' learning and to improve your teaching.  Teaching should be intended to improve the students’ knowledge not their grades.  If the knowledge is gained upon daily then the grades will follow suit. Assessment activities, such as technology based assessments are described to support complex learning outcomes because it allows the teacher the ability to assess outcomes in a multiple of ways as opposed to a single means of assessment.

An e-portfolio is a variety of electronic resources combined and managed by a user to demonstrate a multitude of skills.  E-portfolios allow the user to compile information over an open ended amount of time and the flexibility to give and receive feedback from their peers and instructors.  Feedback is a great tool for learning and improving one’s current skill set.  E-portfolios allow for interaction among individuals or groups regardless of logistics (of course within the resources of an internet signal).  Computer based tests (CBT) is a way of administering tests in which the responses are electronically recorded, assessed, or both.  There are many websites available to teachers to monitor their student’s progress which can be turned into knowledge that creates more constructive teaching methods. Computer based tests can impact the validity and reliability of its outcome if the assessments are poorly constructed.  CBT’s, when well structured in response and response choices as illustrated by the text can produce complex learning outcomes (Jonassen, 2008, p. 236). 

Every week I learn more and more about technology and the amazing resources that are available to educators.  The e portfolio is a great tool for any subject and I am excited about the possibilities it will offer me as an educator and the students I introduce it to.  Blogging, on the other hand, seems to be more of a challenge for me.  I do, however, appreciate the opportunity it offers students to place their thoughts, opinions and ideas in their own words.  It seems to be a very non-threatening way to assess the student’s sills.

Jonassen, D. (2008). Meaningful learning with technology (pp. 218, 220). Upper Saddle, NJ: Pearson