Reflection

As I have ventured through this course, I have been exposed to many theories and practices. Dr. Orey's examination of Constructionism fascinated me the most. Sometimes we have a belief in something, but we have no true label for it. Dr. Orey put a label on what I believe should happen in the classroom with today's students. Students need artifacts, hands on practic, whether in the assigned class or through homework and practice. Students need a purpose for doing anything in the classroom (my personal belief) in order to move them towards being successful.

Collaboration is very common in many classroom environments. This supports the "Social Learning Theory" (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). This learning theory supports my personal goal of increasing student discourse at my school. Students need to interact with other students through collaboration so that they are able to think critically and discuss their findings. It is my belief that using technology to enhance the classroom environment for the students is very beneficial.

The tools which I have been exposed to int his class have made my belief that much stronger. I will advocate for the increased use of technology in the classroom. The goals which I have set for myself is to have teachers implement the use of any two of the following technology strategies in their lessons: spiderscribe.net, concept mapping, virtual field trips, google docs, and web quests. If I can accomplish this, I believe that I will definitely see an increase in student achievement for my school.

Resources:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Constructionist and Constructivist learning theories [Web cast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD.

Cognitive Theory + Technology

As we know, the Cognitive Theory is the study of the thought process. It tells us how people think, more particularly, students. This is important to the design of our classrooms because it allows us to choose and implement the most effective strategies for our students. I am a strong advocate for the "Cues, Questions and Advanced Organizers", because of the technology resources which are available, more specifically, concept mapping and virtual field trips. There is a true and proven connection between the Cognitive learning Theory and technology.

I used http://www.spiderscribe.net/ for a lesson with a group of students. I experienced a new level of learning with the students. They took ownership of their learning. They were excited and student dialogue increased tremendously. Fusing technology within the classroom lesson, underlying the beliefs of the Cognitive Theory will open up many doors for enhancing student learning.

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