Social Learning in Practice

Cooperative learning and social networking are two instructional strategies that align with the social learning theory.  Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn (2012) focus on cooperative learning and the idea that learning can be maximized through purposeful and well-designed social interaction with others.  As an educator, I could not agree more with this theory.

When cooperative learning is implemented effectively, students develop a sense of positive interdependence (Pitler, et al., 2012).  This means that success from one supports success for others and students increase their active engagement.  It is important for teachers to use cooperative learning consistently and systematically throughout the year so that students establish kinship and a sense of obligation to one another.  This creates positive attitudes and increased achievement for the classroom.  

Technology such as social networking can be used to enhance cooperative learning.  For example, students can create a webpage using social networking sites such as Facebook, Google, SchoolFusion, blogs, and/or wikis (Pitler, et al., 2012).  Students can be creative, communicate, collaborate, and think critically while infusing an importance piece of technology.  Check out the article, “8 Social Media Strategies” by Adam Renfro at http://gettingsmart.com/2011/12/developing-a-social-media-strategy-for-your-classroom/ to learn more.

I recently attended a conference on the new Common Core Modules.  At this conference, a teacher from another district was discussing her experiences in incorporating an iPad into her classroom.  The students in her mathematics classroom have the ability to work through problems together, send audio recordings to one another to provide feedback, take instant assessments with automatic feedback, and so much more.  The iPad app she was raving about was called Socrative.  For more information visit https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/student-clicker-socrative/id477618130?mt=8.

If technology is playing such a vital role in education, why are many districts not provided with the technological tools (i.e. iPads) that they need in order to prepare students for college and future careers?  I realize that budget constraints are heavily impacting districts nowadays, but shouldn’t technology take priority?        

References

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

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



Here is my Voice Thread URL:  https://voicethread.com/share/4767751/

Constructivism in Practice

In a constructivist classroom, the teacher is the facilitator.  When I think about this, I always compare a facilitator to a coach.  A coach is someone who instructs, motivates, supports, provides, and guides athletes throughout a season.  A coach does not play. A teacher in support of constructivism does not do the thinking, the students do.  Students in a constructivist classroom are active learners.  They are collaborating, communicating, thinking critically, and reflecting on their experiences.  Project-based learning allows this to happen.

Why do we need to create independent thinkers? Watch this short video and it will open your eyes as to why America must do at better job at preparing students for the future.

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmwwrGV_aiE

Project-based learning allows students to discover their own learning.  Glazer (2001) discussed three important models of problem-based inquiry; problem-based learning, anchored instruction, and web quests. In problem-based learning, teachers create settings that allow for prediction, testing, concluding, and reflecting.  In my classroom, I have a forty minute block of time with my students every other day that is set aside for “problem solving.”  The students are put into groups and a problem is displayed on the SmartBoard.  The students have access to manipulatives and computers and have to figure out a way to solve the problem.  The best part about this type of activity is that most of the time more than one way of doing a problem is created.  This allows different learners to share the process they went through to derive at an answer.

When I first started implementing the problem solving tasks, I realized that I needed to be very clear on what the objective was for the task.  Students needed to be able to ask questions to clarify any confusion prior to starting the task.  Also, I made sure I mocked an example from start to finish on how to problem solve in a group.  This gave students the chance to experience what the process looks like.  I demonstrated the importance of talk, questioning, modeling, visualizing, and utilizing the resources available within the classroom.  It was truly a successful part of my year and something that I will continue.  Students gained confidence and took pride in their own learning.

Generating and testing hypotheses are instructional strategies that all teachers in all content areas can develop.  Students need to be engaged in a variety of structured tasks for generating and testing hypotheses. Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn (2012) discuss the mistaken belief that hypotheses can only be related to science; however, it can be applied to all content areas.  Teachers must build off prior knowledge or tap into student interests to create learning environments that allow students to explain their predictions and verify their conclusions.  Technology plays a vital role in allow these types of higher level thinking to take place in the classroom.  Teachers can use programs such as Kidspiration and Inspiration for a plethora of templates to organize student thinking, teacher-created spreadsheets to collect, organize, and analyze data, and Keynote on an iPad to create comparison charts. 

Webinar on Common Core Standards and PBL:

http://www.ascd.org/professional-development/webinars/andrew-miller-webinar.aspx

References

Glazer, E. (2001). Problem Based Instruction. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved <insert date>, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist 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

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

Cognitivism in Practice

The cognitive learning theory, also known as the information processing theory, focuses on ways in which information is connected and stored in the brain (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).  When someone obtains new information, it reaches short term memory in the brain.  With rehearsal and connections made, the information will then be converted to long term memory.  When I think about this theory, I always revert back to my test-taking abilities and the times when I would be unable to make the connection to what a question was asking until right after the test was over!  Had I known the importance of making connections and using informational images I would have had been better prepared for all of my exams throughout my schooling years.    

                                                                                         

When thinking about this complex process, one must understand how information is stored in the brain.   The Dual Coding Hypothesis refers to information being stored as images and text (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).  This means that informational images must be used in order for students to acquire the information long term. Also, elaboration or building connections to store in information is also vital.  For example, Orey discussed the connection students can make when they visually see General Lee and Lee Jeans on the same slide (Laureate Education Inc., 2011). This personal connection will stick with students forever.                

Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn (2012) discuss cues, questions, and advanced organizers and how they correlate with the cognitive learning theory.  By incorporating images and text and allowing students to make connections to the material that is being taught, students are processing information that is long term.  Teachers will use these strategies to help students retrieve, use, and organize information and to figure out the background information individual students have on any given topic.  By knowing this, teachers can then differentiate instruction for students who have no background, some background, or a lot of valuable outside information.                 

 Summarizing and note taking allows students to breakdown information into a concise form (Pitler, et al., 2012).  These are two skills that will last a lifetime for students.  As a student, I found this to be my weakness when I first entered college.  I felt as though my ability to synthesis information was lacking and this was an area in which I needed specific strategies to enhance my abilities.  Technology plays a key role in offering creative ways to help students get rid of the material that is not important and decipher what is the most significant.  Technologies such as Tracked Changes and Combination Notes in Microsoft Word provide options and templates to allow students to organize information (Pitler, et al., 2012).      

                              

Concept mapping allows students to make connections and see the relationships that exist between different words, ideas, questions, images, etc…  The best thing about this strategy is that it can be utilized in all grade levels and all subject areas for students to make deep connections and to be creative.  This fits directly with the cognitive learning theory as students will develop long term memory simply because they are connecting to what is being taught.                

Virtual Field Trips create learning environments as close to a real-world experiences as possible!  Students are submersed in a rich and practical environment that makes them feel a part of the process.  By experiencing this, students will build connections and place themselves within the technology that is being used.  These types of experiences stick with students and allow them to obtain information that will have a lasting effect.  

Useful Links

1.      Take a virtual field trip to The Great Wall of China: http://www.thechinaguide.com/index.php?action=activity/greatWallOfChina!

2.      Great article on the importance of teaching students how and why to take notes: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/advice-for-students-taking-notes-that-work.html

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). 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

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

Behaviorism in Practice

The behaviorist learning theory is displayed in all classrooms, in many different forms.  The most powerful form of behaviorism is reinforcement because a positive behavior, such as learning, was exhibited that and preferred to be repeated (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).  Smith (1999) describes reinforcement as “the cardinal motivator” in which rewards and successes are favored to punishments or failures.  Two instructional strategies that I am going to focus on that exhibit behaviorism are providing recognition for effort and homework and practice.  Both strategies focus on infusing technology to obtain a desired outcome.

Providing recognition for effort and hard work are instructional strategies that go hand- in- hand.  As a mathematics teacher, I consistently face the challenge of answer the statement, “I’m not good at math.”  When answering this statement to a student, I have never thought that maybe this student has never been taught the importance of effort and what it means to disburse effort effectively. Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn (2012) recommend teaching students about the correlation between effort and achievement so that they can track their personal effort and achievement throughout the year.  This was eye-opening for me as a math teacher, because I believe this is the single most challenging aspect of teaching learners with low self-efficacy in their abilities.  

Technology plays a vital role in students tracking their effort.  Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn (2012) display an example of a rubric that could be used by the students to assess themselves individually on the amount of effort they have put in prior to taking a weekly assessment.  This data, combined with the students’ scores can be a powerful tool for students to see that hard work can increase scores.  As a mathematics teacher, I can see many learning moments in terms of allowing students to use Microsoft Excel to turn their rubrics into a graph.  Not only would this method work for students, but it would be a great visual for parents to see at home.  This combined effort with school and home could create a learning environment in which students begin to learn what effort and hard work will bring to them personally.

When students work hard, it should be recognized.  Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn (2012) provide technological examples of rubrics and badges that can be used to recognize students meeting or surpassing a set goal.  This reminded me of the importance of goal-setting in a classroom.  I think that it is so important that students visually picture where they want to go or what they want to achieve in a classroom before diving into something.  Goal setting, combined with effort and recognition, will create a learning environment full of positive and motivated learners. 

Homework and practice offers students the opportunity to revisit and apply what they have learned outside of the classroom.  Technology now allows practice to take place in unlimited settings.  Students practice through blog postings, Microsoft Office Applications, instructional media such as Khan Academy, Castle Learning Programs, and many other forms of advanced technologies that teachers can respond to instantaneously.  When I think about homework and practice, I think about a “flipped classroom.”  My sister-in-law, a high school Spanish teacher, is in the process of creating a flipped classroom for her advanced Spanish class.  The students, every Monday, will watch a lesson outside of school.  The rest of the week during class, the students will be doing activities related to the video.  As an educator, I see this instructional strategy as being highly effective.  Students will be active participants and the teacher will be able to provide guidance rather than lecture during class!  My current school district implements a “No Homework Policy” because our administration feels that the low socioeconomic status of most of our students causes a lack of parental involvement for students.  I am hopeful that we can find a balance and create home to school strategies that will allow teachers to expand the knowledge of students outside of class.

Useful Links

4 Pillars of a Flipped Classroom: http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/06/18/report-the-4-pillars-of-the-flipped-classroom.aspx

Teaching Effective Effort: https://sites.google.com/site/selfconfidenceinyourclassroom/teaching-effective-effort

 

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program four: Behaviorist 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

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

Smith, K. (1999). The behaviorist orientation to learning. In The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm