Douglas Kennell

             Cooperative learning speaks of an environment where students are working in groups and are interdependent on each other to learn. Motivation is created by the fact that each member of the group has an obligation to the other members to learn and contribute to the group.  This pyramid of collaboration gives more meaning to each student because they have a significant role in the success of the project’s completion. 

             Technology also plays a significant role in cooperative learning.  The many forms of software, websites, and other multimedia sources available allow students to interact with each other to complete group assignments, foster collaboration and provide structure for group tasks so that members of the group can communicate even if they are not working in close proximity (Pitler, Hubbell & Kuhn, 2012).  As a matter of fact, some sources that play a large role in cooperative learning are the current social media forums such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, VoiceThread, blogs, wikis, etc. that support connectivism, a form of social learning theory. These sources allow learners to communicate on group projects and they can keep in touch with one another, while at the same time gain a better understanding of their projects on their individual time.  For example, using a blog like the one we are using for this assignment allows us to participate in social learning theory and communicate our thoughts to each other so that we may gain a better understanding of the material we are presented with through the course. 

         To me, social learning and cooperative learning are not much different except for the fact that cooperative learning is fostered through the many forms of social media we are inundated with to communicate, and therefore, both theories are parallel in the function they perform where education is concerned.

References

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., & Kuhn, M. (2012).  Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA, ASCD.

This is an example of a concept map that I filled out with a group of three low functioning students during our unit and virtual field trip to the Atlanta Zoo on birds. We just finished our mammals and it was much easier for students to make observations and connections when they were able to watch the birds in the exhibit and the informative text was short blurbs, which made it easier for them to stay attentive. I will be using these trips a lot more in the future!

 

The constructionism learning theory is the foundation for any engineering curriculum.  Creating artifacts as suggested by Orey (Laureate Education, 2011) from the principles of engineering presented helps the accommodation of the students develop higher order understanding.  The application of the theory within the context of creating a working example to test and confirm principles is very powerful.  The CAD software used in my engineering classes is loaded with self-discovery.   The drawings displayed early in their learning of the software displays very limited creativity.  With experience and practice, their drawings reflect their individual creativeness and confidence.  The students begin to experiment with different techniques because they understand how versatile the software truly is.  The understanding they develop about the many various ways to complete the drawings starts with a trial and error approach and matures into an application of theory based on how the software is designed.  The assimilation and accommodations they develop moves them toward the equilibration with the software that intimidated them earlier in the term.

Generating and testing hypothesis is truly what engineering is about.  Developing solutions to real world engineering problems where there are many viable solutions is the perfect example.  According to Pitner, Hubbell and Kuhn (2012) a variety of structures should be used to form hypothesis and engineering solutions are only limited to the creativity of the engineer providing the solutions.  Each solution presented must be explained based on the engineering principles applied (Pitner et al, 2012).

Project based learning within this engineering curriculum is a perfect fit.  Using the example above, students can develop a hypothesis, propose a solution and then create a scale model or prototype to actually test the solution.  Some of the projects that are created in my class are, design and create a compressed air powered dragster to test weight to speed ratios, playground configurations that accommodate all children including those physically challenged, constructing a structure that distributes loads properly based on low weight to strength ratios.  Constructionism and engineering go hand in hand and are used extensively in my class room.

 

  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.

At this point we are quite confident that public The Old Reader will be available in the future, now with a proper team running it.

More details later this week.
Sorry about Monday. Again.

Cognitive learning theories discuss the process of gathering information, developing memory and having the ability to recall these memories for a certain outcome.  One simple way to express this is to think of how a computer works; input, process, output (http://www.learning-theories.com).  The brain is the CPU and understanding the way stimuli affects the output or recall is the basis of Cognitive Learning theory.

The brain can effectively process 7 pieces of information at one time in short term memory and the process of moving these short term memories to long term memories can be determined by several components, for example elaboration and duel coding (Laureate Education, 2011).  The retrieval of these memories is based on how well the brain recalls the location of storage.  These connections or triggers can be strengthened using many instructional strategies such as advance organizers, using explicit cues, using higher order questions, and expository advance organizers (Pitner, Hubbell, Kuhn, 2012).

The correlation between these strategies and Cognitive theory is substantial.  An advance organizer helps the student to focus on the desired learning outcomes and brings into the lesson what is most important.  These organizers must be arranged around a specific framework in order to be most effective (Pitner, Hubbell, Kuhn, 2012).  Cues are hints about what content will be presented.  These cues must be specific and direct.  Asking questions about previous learned information and tying these questions to the new material can help deepen their understanding as well.  The use of rubrics to start the unit is a perfect example of an expository advance organizer.  The rubric will state in clear and specific terms what the learning outcomes are to be and the requirements of the students.  Using rubrics at the beginning of lessons and units can help motivate students because the expectations are clear and present.

Summarizing and note taking as described by Pitner, Hubbell, and Kuhn is a big part of being able to synthesize information.  One technique I use  instructing my students on on note taking is to show them how to split their screens when doing research.  Using this strategy they can do research and one side and have a word processing program on other side.  This technique make not taking from multiple site much more efficient.  I also give my students teacher notes to begin their research.

Technology can play a major role in effectively presenting these instructional strategies.  Using brainstorming software and Instructional interactives are several ways to incorporate technology effectively in the class room.  Brainstorming software helps to develop concept maps that are visual and collaborative for the students.  This duel coding type of exercise can help develop those triggers discussed earlier for effective memory retrieval.  Instructional interactives such as a virtual fieldtrips can take students to places they may have never been or will ever be able to go.  The ability to see and tour a location virtually through technology can create those episodic memory triggers without ever leaving the class room.

Cognitive learning theory discusses how the brain receives, processes and stores memory.  The instructional strategies we use determine how well the brain will be able to retrieve these memories.  Technology can enhance these instructional strategies exponentially and help direct the brain to strengthen those connections for better retrieval and thus increase the learning outcomes for students.  The understanding and implementation of these strategies will lead the students to success and better learning outcomes.

Resources

“Learning Theories.” 2003. 5 Nov. 2013 <http://www.learning-theories.com&gt;

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.

The basic idea behind the cognitive learning theory is that learning is an inner mental activity (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). In other words, learners go through a process of hearing the information, translating it in their brains, storing what the brain feels is the important, getting rid of the "fluff", and finally, applying the information that was kept (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). That's great to know, but the real question is how do we use this in our classroom?

Two instructional strategies that correlate with the cognitive theory include:

• Cues, questions, and advanced organizers
• Summarizing and note taking

References:

"Reward the good and ignore the bad" have been keystone mantras of many successful educators. Conditioning and Behaviorism has reached back hundreds of years. The concept of classical conditioning was developed by a Russian physiologist, Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936). Pavlov learned that behavior could be tied to a stimulus; especially one that was positive in behavior. Interestingly, that was not his original goal of the study. At first, he was studying the role of salvation in digestion. He soon learned that there was a correlation that could be created between a stimuli and behavior. This theory spills over into the classroom. A very informational PowerPoint on Behaviorism in the Classroom details what it looks like in the classroom.

There are ways to encourage positive behavior by positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement and punishment via means of presenting a negative consequence or removing a positive reinforcer.


Tennant, M. (1988, 1997) Psychology and Adult Learning, London: Routledge.

Behaviorist learning theory is a learning model that would be present to some extent, in my opinion, in most classrooms today.  Most teachers use some form of reinforcement and punishment to manage their classrooms and obtain the desired results through their instructional strategies. I would even go as far as to say that I use classical and operant conditioning in my classroom as suggested by Ivan Pavlov and B. F. Skinner.  When my students demonstrate positive behavior, I reward them with candy, movie time, give them “computer time”, or allow them to listen to their iPods, etc.  However, when they display negative behaviors, I tend to try and ignore those behaviors to diminish their reoccurrence, or, if necessary, I punish a negative behavior if it should break a classroom or school rule.  A few benefits of behaviorist learning theory are that

• It is a good way of modifying classroom behavior;
• It is a great way to make students understand how they should behave in a classroom setting;
• It allows students to understand that good behaviors get rewarded and bad behaviors are punished; and
• It teaches younger students that behavior has positive and negative outcomes—rewards motivate students to work harder, while punishment makes a student feel uncomfortable and inadequate

In this post, I will address a few strategies mentioned by Howard Pitler, Elizabeth Hubbell, and Matt Kuhn (2012) in the book, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, as they discuss the strategies of reinforcing effort and providing recognition, as well as assigning homework and providing practice.  When reinforcing student effort, it is necessary they know what is expected of them. When they are in my classroom, they are rewarded for their effort because that is the most important factor in their achievement (Pitler, et. al, 2012).  I do not grade them on whether or not a problem is solved correctly, but I base it on the effort and thinking they put into their work.

Another instructional strategy that I use in my classroom that relates to the behaviorist theory is assigning homework and providing practice.  I teach a resource math class where all students receive learning support for a disability in math, reading, writing, or all three.  Most nights during the week my students are required to complete a few problems that they practiced in class as repetition to gain mastery. Even though the work ethic is not there as much as I would like, and I hear them complain about having homework, I have explained to them why it is important and they understand and see the logic behind my decisions to have them practice their work on their own. The practice problems to be done at home support academic learning, which is important when it comes to assigning homework and practice time outside of the classroom as stated by Pitler, et. al. (2012).  The dilemma, according to Dr. Orey (2011) with assigning problems to them for homework is that the passion I am trying to create for learning becomes lost through the drill and practice routine.

I feel that providing homework and giving students additional practice in math relates to the behaviorist theory because students are rewarded for doing the problems.  Students who do not do the work lose out in two ways: they do not get credit for the assignment and they lose an opportunity to learn, hence being the punishment for not doing it.  This method of learning, by practicing in school and at home is much like programmed instruction because students are given strategies at school and perform additional problems to take home to apply the learned concepts (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  When students return to school, I can provide feedback and assess their learning.  The problem I have with assigning homework is two-fold. The first problem is that our school policy states that homework only counts for a small portion of their overall grade, and secondly, students are not intrinsically motivated to do the work outside of class. Math is the one subject where students need to practice the work at home so they can gain confidence independently, and 50 minutes per day in class is not enough for them to master the concepts I have to teach. I would be open to any suggestions you may have to instill motivation in my students to complete their homework. Any thoughts?

Resources:

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

Technology and Behaviorism

The initial reaction to the learning theory of behaviorism by many is that it has lost its usefulness in the class room.  The feeling is that it had its place in the evolution of learning theory and yet modern thinking and advancements have made it outdated.  Some even feel that with the advancement of technology in the classroom that behaviorism has no place in the class room.  The criticism comes from the negative results if used from a punishment aspect exclusively.  Operant conditioning states that behavior will change with both positive and negative response.  Applying the proper reward and positive feedback can increase the effectiveness of this theory (http://www.learning-theories.com/operant-conditioning).

The reality is that behaviorism and technology work well together in the modern class room.  The use of electronic documents such as Google Docs where the student and teacher can give and receive immediate feedback is an excellent way to reinforce quality work and effort is an example of behaviorism at its best in the class room.  Electronic tutorials reinforce positive learning behaviors as well.  Today’s students have grown up in fast paced multitasking society and they respond to this form of immediate feedback, some may even say they require it to stay motivated.  Instant gratification students require in their personal lives as conditioned by the technology they have been immersed in their entire lives leads to the use of that technology in the class room in order to advance their learning.

Integrating technology in the class room effectively is to understand that behaviorism is essential to this process.  Technology in the class room is the modern form of behaviorism being applied.  The correlation is clear and the results of the learning that will take place are data driven and measurable.

The next question to consider is does homework have a place in the modern class room?  According to an article by Smith (1999), there are 4 key principles to learning:

• Activity, learner is active and not passive
• Repetition, frequent and varied
• Reinforcement, positive rewards
• Clear objectives

These principles are based in the behaviorist theory and give credence to the effectiveness of using homework if applied properly.  The way homework is used can be different based on the curriculum taught for example math vs social studies however the use of homework is necessary practice for students to promote learning.  This practice needs to be overt and varied in that more than one particular skill being practiced together (Pitner, Hubbell, Kuhn, 2012).  Using homework in the curriculum I teach can be a challenge.  The middle school pre-engineering curriculum is heavily weighted in using a computer aided design (CAD) software that is expensive and not something the students are require to purchase in order to take my class.  The company does offer a student version that can used for thirty days free on a trial basis.  My class is a semester in length so the timing of having the students access this free trial version has to be planned properly to maximize the usefulness for my students.  The use of this home version is best utilized when the curriculum takes the students into major drawing projects that take multiple weeks to complete the project.  Using the home version to practice certain techniques solidify the understanding of how the software works and the proper steps needed to complete complex portions of the overall drawing assignment.  This practice is absolutely needed  since the 50 minutes in class does not provide to proper amount of time to acquire the understanding, techniques, and competency to successfully learn the curriculum.  The answer to my question above, is homework  a part of the modern class room, I say absolutely yes. 

Technology and behaviorism within the class room is a perfect fit.  The move in my class to go paperless as described above with the use of Google Docs in stead of traditional media is being done for two distinct reasons.  The first is for economic efficiency but it also provides a way for instant reinforcement.  The timing of the positive feedback helps to motivate the students and keep them engaged in the learning process.  The use of software at home to help solidify what was covered in class gives the students the confidence they need to complete detailed drawings required of them within the curriculum.  Technology being integrated in the class room is the direction that education is moving today.  The applied use of behaviorism through technology is an effective way to provide students with a positive leaning experience in the environment they are most comfortable in.

Resources

“Learning Theories.” 2003. 5 Nov. 2013 <http://www.learning-theories.com&gt;

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

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

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills or P21  is a national organization that has built a coalition between educators, business leaders and policy makers to advance the agenda of what skills students need in order to be productive citizens moving forward.  I was excited when I first started reading the information at the site.  The deeper I went into the site, the more I felt that this was simply a political position paper.  The ideas are not really new as much as they felt like a rewording of previous ideas with some new “buzz” words to create a new feeling.  In my opinion, it is a Macro view of what is needed without  a lot of Micro or specific ideas of how to implement.  The educational establishment and policy makers have always had these type of over site views with little in the way of implementation strategies to help them come to be in the classroom.  The push back from teachers has been that these ideas are great and yet without implementation strategies, they become “flavor of the month” policies.

The ideas and vision presented by P21 is one that needs to be refined so it can be implemented.  One such example is the section describing the framework of 21st century skills.  The fifth section states the certain life skills were needed such as leadership, ethics and social responsibility without any specifics as to context.  This caught my attention because these skills would be relevant in any time period and yet if positioned properly under the proper context of today’s classroom it would be more powerful.  I would like to see a position that was a little less “feel good” and more substantial stance taken on how to move toward implementation.

The ideas presented by P21 is relevant and needed for students moving forward and the grassroots buy in from the classroom teachers would great if we felt the position was more specific and attainable.  Every organization needs a clear vision and goals; however for goals to be relevant they need to be specific, measurable and attainable.

 

This week I spent some time exploring the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. This is a great site for educators to learn about various ways they can infuse the 21st century skills into their classroom. I really enjoyed looking through the "tools and resources" page for educators. Not only did they give an overview and description of the skills, but they provide resources to help implement the skills into the classroom. The creators of this site took a lot of things into consideration, including statewide initiatives, assessment practices, and even the different types of classrooms in which we teach. I feel like this site is very easy to navigate through and the tools are extremely user-friendly, making this a site that I would recommend any teacher add to their bookmarks list.

One of the things that I appreciate the most about this site is the video spotlight that is on the homepage. This is a place where educators can submit their own videos of 21st century skills being implemented in their classroom. I am a visual learner, so videos are a great tool for me to refer to in order to better understand the concept and practices of infusing these skills into my own classroom.

It was really nice to see which states are working on initiatives for 21st century education, especially since Iowa is one of them! This tells me that these states have come to believe in the effectiveness and importance of these skills in education, and that I can most likely expect to see more professional development regarding this in the future.

What does all of this mean, and who does this really affect? That's easy! This is all for the students. These kids are our future leaders, and we need to make sure they are well equipped to handle the challenges they will face. They will all, at some point, be put into situations where they need to work creatively with others and will need to communicate effectively with the group members, among others. They will be asked to solve problems and make judgment calls based on the known and unknown factors. They will continue to be asked to utilize technology to improve the efficiency of a company. And even if they are not managers or supervisors, they will be looked to as a leader at some point and will need to guide others through a problem-solving process. We need to keep all of this in mind as we plan our lessons, and make sure to keep finding ways to infuse the 21st century skills into those lessons. The students don't need to know that it's happening, it should really just be a natural part of the process.

I encourage you to check out the website and see how the resources can help you in your teaching endeavors. I, personally, am looking forward to trying out some of the things they recommend and seeing how easy it truly can become!

I like to think of a Wiki as "I Learn, You Learn, We Learn!"

This week we learned that a Wiki is a collaborative website that has collective work from many authors.  A Wiki allows anyone in the group to edit, delete or modify content that has been placed on the page, and a person can make changes to another group members work.  

A Wiki is different from a blog because a blog is usually an individual author who does not allow visitors to change the information posted, and visitors can only add comments.

Here is a couple things I found that I hope you find informational!


Here is a video on how  to embed videos into a Wiki Space! 

So for this weeks assignment, I kind of talked briefly about my thought about blogs and focused on Edmodo, but we were to focus on discussing using a blog in our classroom.  Being an Elementary teacher- teaching all students in 3rd-5th grade, I feel a blog could be useful if used as a reflection tool or maybe a place for students to display their work, for example, their stories they type in MS Word so other students can read what they created and share their thoughts and give some tips.

However, I mentioned in my previous post that what I am hesitant about is not being able to keep an eye on outside posts especially with this age group, and they are still learning about internet safety.  Do any of you have any tips/suggestions on using a blog site for my age group?  My students also do not have an email address.  With Edomo they can create a username and password.  I guess that is why I really like Edmodo because I can lock the groups I create and I can monitor posts between the students. I think blogs would be great for older students and would probably work out if I only had one class to monitor, but seeing I have 15 classes (each with about 36 students from 3rd-5th), I feel like I would not be able to monitor as closely as I would like. What are your thoughts?  I do think blogging would be beneficial for us teachers at my school.  I think it would be a great way to share thoughts or discuss what we learned from our professional development meetings.

I think Edmodo is a pretty awesome site. It is a free educational/professional social network that brings teachers/students/parents together.  It is a great resource to help students reach their full potential.  I can join different communities that spark my interest or join communities that tie into my curriculum, and I  can share and collobrate information with other teachers all over the world.

EDMODO lets me set up groups for my students and lock the groups for their safety.  I love that I can do this, which is a big difference compared to blogging.  Edmodo also provides the opportunity for students to contribute in collaborative discussions.  The discussion can include images, videos, and link.  A feature I would like Edmodo to add is the ability to reply to a specific comment like you can in blogs. It can be a bit time consuming having to write a reply to someone who wrote something 10 comments back. There is also an assignment and grade book section. I really don't have use for this yet because I do not give grades in my class but I love how it could be used as a class management system. My students last year really loved the file sharing, which is very easy with Edmodo.  I can also create polls and quizzes to check for understanding on the material that I taught.  There is also a Library/Backpack.  For teachers, it’s called Library and for students it is called the Backpack.  Either way, it offers an easy to use file uploading and storing system, which is handy when you do work at home or school and want to continue it at the other location.   There is also a motivation award system through badges.  Badges won't be everyone’s cup of tea.  Kids love earning the badges that are animated! You can create your own, but it’s a lot easier to just grab badges already created by other Edmodo teachers.  I’ve collected over a 100 of them from my connections.  It is a great way to encourage or acknowledge student efforts you can simply select their name in your class list, select a badge and award it to the students!!

Click Here to Try Edmodo!!!

Blogging in the a classroom.  Is this a great idea?  I do believe it is; however my level of comfort with the process is quite low at this point.  My abilities with this process is very elementary at best.  Blogging for me is not a natural process and yet I see the benefits for my students.  My engineering classes could really benefit discussing the CAD drawing projects and posting helpful tips to others in the class.  I will explore the nuts and bolts of making this happen in my class and let my students be the teacher helping me become competent and efficient.  Lets step out on edge and see what happens. 

We just wanted to say a quick hello and thank everybody for continuing to use The Old Reader.  We’ve been hard at work making improvements and planning for the future.  Thanks to everybody who has reached out to us, we’re working to get back in touch with each of you but please be patient with us during this busy time.  We have some changes in store as we work to push this application into a long term sustainable position.  We’ll be in touch soon.

Thanks for using The Old Reader!