Course Reflection

In reference to my original GAME plan that I created for this course, I believe that I have done a good job carrying out a variety of actions in order to achieve my technological goals in my classroom. My first goal was to learn how to utilize my SmartBoard. Not only have I learned how to use it, I have been comfortable using it almost every day. I have used it to show a film, give students notes, and present a PowerPoint. Next week, my students will use it for the first time when they become the teachers for a day and teach the rest of the class about their assigned myth. I plan to use my SmartBoard much more and for different purposes throughout the year. In the future, I plan to have my students use it for demonstrative purposes and to use it as a template for review games. I am happy knowing that I am comfortable using all of the technology that I have available to me in my classroom.

The second aspect of my GAME plan concerned the addition of more nonfiction texts in my curriculum. Thus far in the school year, I have provided all of my students with nonfiction articles that connect to the literature we have been reading together. First, during my American literature class's reading of Gordon Korman's Jake, Reinvented and viewing of The Great Gatsby, my students read several newspaper and online articles about the pursuit of the American dream. My freshman class that started the year with Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak read a newspaper article about surviving 9th grade. My other freshman class that read Sharon M. Draper's Forged by Fire read many authentic examples of newspaper articles in preparation for their creation of a newspaper based on the events that take place in the book. I have been very successful in this particular goal so far, and I plan to continue on this path. Similarly, I have designed several authentic learning tasks for this course, and I am excited to implement when we begin those units. I am confident that my students will enjoy my lessons and have excellent learning experiences.

While the GAME plan process can be a very helpful experience for teachers, it can also be used by students. I have already started using it with my 9th Grade Academy students. My academy students were enrolled in this transitional program to help them achieve success during their first year of high school. In order for them to become successful, I thought that it would be a good idea to have them write down their academic, extracurricular, social, and physical goals for the school year. They also wrote down a plan of action for each of these goals. Throughout the school year, the other academy teachers and I will meet with our students to discuss their progress and whether any changes need to be made in their plans. I am eager to see how the GAME plan idea works for my students by the end of the school year. By June, I hope that my students will have accomplished most, if not all, of their goals.

In addition to the GAME plan, I have learned about a few new ways of incorporating technology into my classes. First, I have learned about digital storytelling and plan to use it very soon during my vocabulary lessons. Also, while my students are using PowerPoint for their very first presentation, they will use a different type of digital storytelling technology, such as Photo Story or Prezi, for their next presentation. Next, this class gave me more experience with the utilization of social networking and online collaboration in the classroom. One of my classes has already create their own blogs, and I will be doing the same with my other classes in the near future. Furthermore, I would like to use a wiki in my classroom for the first time this year. I just haven't figured out within which unit I would like to use a wiki yet. Third, I learned more about problem-based learning. I am pleased with the PBL project that I created for this course, and I am excited to implement it during my To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men unit later this year.

Overall, I believe that, with the knowledge gained in this course, I have the ability to strengthen my instructional practices and improve my units and daily lessons. I am eager to begin using everything I have learned this year!

Monitoring My GAME Plan Progress

I am pleased to say that I have made good progress in my GAME Plan since last week. In reference to the SMARTboard in my classroom, I now understand how to reorient the screen, scroll through documents, write on it, highlight words, erase information, view films, and utilize the notepad feature. I am also happy to say that I did not learn any of this from an online tutorial or a colleague...I learned everything from my students, just as one of my classmates suggested! It started during my first freshman class of the day. I was using the SMARTboard to provide them with notes regarding grammar and spelling, and I began asking questions about how to use it properly. They showed me the basics and, I must say, they took great joy in actually teaching their teacher for once! During each of my subsequent freshman classes that day, I asked them to show me more and more until I felt confident. While I may use a tutorial or ask a colleague for help with additional features in the near future, I realized that I just needed to jump right in and being using it on my own in order to understand its basic functions. The next thing I would like to learn is how to create templates, such as a JEOPARDY template for a review game.

This year, I am off to a good start regarding the inclusion of nonfiction and real-world scenarios in the classroom. My sophomores have been learning about American culture, the American Dream, and life in the 1920s in order to prepare them for The Great Gastsby unit. They read a recently published online article about the redefining of the American Dream, an article about how "American Idol" and other televised  competitions for fame have ruined the American Dream, and various webpages about interesting aspects of the Jazz Age. My academic level freshmen are reading Speak, so we have been tackling such issues as teenage depression, rape, and harassment. Students worked on a group activity for which they had to come up with solutions for a specific high school harassment scenario. In my lower level freshman classes, my students have been working on writing a series of newspaper articles that correspond with the realistic events in the text. So far, they have written an obituary and advice letter. Soon, they will be working on a major news article, police blotter, sports article, and editorial. As each article is assigned, we read an actual newspaper example together, so there has been plenty of incorporation of nonfiction pieces. Locating the resources I need has been easy; I just hope to continue the path I am on when it comes to integrating nonfiction into the curriculum. My goal is to introduce at least 2-3 nonfiction pieces into each unit. I would also like to modify my action plan by bringing more poetry into my lessons, as well.

Carrying Out My GAME Plan

 Last week, I established two goals that would help me to cover more of the the National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T)  in my classroom. First, I chose to learn how to use the SmartBoard that is now in my classroom. Resources that I will need to begin using my SmartBoard include viewing online tutorials, perusing the SmartBoard website that was recommended to me by a classmate, and seeking the expertise of a particular colleague. Once I am comfortable using this technology tool, I can search for additional information regarding specific ways to incorporate the SmartBoard into my lessons. To be completely honest, I have not been able to carry out my action plan just yet. Because the school year just started, I am very busy creating lesson plans and working on my Student Growth Objectives (SGOs). Aside from watching a few tutorials I found on YouTube, I have not had enough time to begin experimenting with my SmartBoard. Within the next few days, I hope to stay after school to spend some hands-on time with my SmartBoard and begin acclimating myself to its presence.

My second goal is in reference to the addition of nonfiction literature, the exploration of real-world issues, and the solving of authentic problems using technology. In order to achieve this goal, I must spend a good amount of time brainstorming while lesson planning in addition to researching relevant nonfiction articles to share with my students. I will also search the Internet for various ideas regarding authentic learning activities. Resources that I will need include the Internet and colleagues' suggestions for texts to share with my classes.
In my freshman class, I have begun to take steps to accomplish my goal. Since my students are currently reading a fictional book that involves the serious subject of child abuse, I had them research statistics concerning child abuse in our local area. On Friday, when we begin the corresponding newspaper project, students will write a variety of newspaper articles pertaining to the events found in the book. In preparation, together we will read a major news article, obituary, sports article, and more. Although we will be reading nonfiction pieces and exploring real-world issues, I have yet to create an authentic problem for this unit. Suggestions are appreciated!

My GAME Plan

During my examination of the National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T), I realized that I have many strengths regarding the use of technology in my profession. For example, I design learning activities that incorporate digital resources, communicate with my students and their parents through my blog and PowerSchool, model lifelong learning through my quest for my master’s degree, engage in professional development opportunities, and “use information resources to support research and learning” in my classroom (International Society for Technology in Education , 2012). While I would consider myself to be proficient in this area, I know that I have more to learn and could be integrating technology in other ways.

It is important to me to have the ability to use all of the technology that is available to me in my school. This year, I finally received a SmartBoard in my classroom. Aside from a computer, television, DVD player, and a computer projector, I do not have any other technology in my classroom. My students are quite familiar with the SmartBoard because they grew up using them in their elementary school classrooms. However, I have never used one before and would like to learn about everything it has to offer. Therefore, my first goal is to learn how to use the SmartBoard so that I can incorporate it into my lessons; doing so would exhibit “fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations” (ISTE, 2012). The actions I will take to achieve this goal include consulting my colleagues for help and suggestions in addition to locating a tutorial on the Internet. These actions should show me both how to use the SmartBoard and how to incorporate it into my existing lessons. I will monitor my progress through the use of a timeline. First, I will give myself several weeks to learn how to use the SmartBoard. Ordinarily, I do not think it would take this long, but because the school year has just started, I am quite busy preparing lessons and planning for a course that I have not taught in four years. Then, I will begin including it in my plans by designing a lesson that incorporates the SmartBoard at least once a week. My students can also help me monitor my progress by giving me feedback about our utilization of this technology tool. Once I feel comfortable using it, it will be time to evaluate my learning and decide how it could be advanced. For example, I might choose to research more ways that the SmartBoard could be utilized in class. If anyone has any suggestions for me, please let me know!

Next, a second weakness I have is in relation to the addition of nonfiction texts in the curriculum. Often, my students and I are so focused on the text at hand that I forget how I should be providing students with nonfiction articles and encouraging them to research related events taking place in the world today. This year, I am willing to work harder to “engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources” (ISTE, 2012). I know that it is essential to create authentic learning activities that are relevant and interesting for students; therefore, my goal is to help my students tackle current topics with my help. In order to accomplish this, I will introduce more nonfiction into the curriculum and ensure that I have included at least one authentic learning activity in each unit. I will help my students to discover important and relevant real-word issues through the utilization of technology, such as Internet research and blogs. I will monitor my progress by taking notes and reflecting upon my notes and lesson plans as I design or review my plans each week. Again, I could seek advice from my colleagues about authentic learning activities with which they have provided their students. It is difficult to determine how I will evaluate and extend my learning at this time. If the exploration of real-world issues during one unit does not go as planned, I will reflect on my lessons and decided how to approach the topic in the future.

References

Nets for teachers. (2012). Retrieved September 11, 2013, from International

     Society for Technology in Education website: https://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-

     teachers

Final Reflection on EDUC 6711

After rereading my personal theory of learning that I developed during Week 1, I don’t believe that I would make any modifications to my philosophies. I still strongly believe that students have a need to be entertained and learn better from instructors whom they respect and trust. Also, I still agree with my ideas about the powerful impacts of environmental factors, psychological factors, and personal filters. Furthermore, I still believe that Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences in addition to learning styles play a large role in the way students learn. However, while my theory of learning remains the same, it doesn’t mean that I didn’t learn anything from this class. As I mention in my Week 1 assignment, I did not have great knowledge of the existing learning theories. Now that I have studied multiple learning theories, such as constructivism, behaviorism, cognitive learning theories, and social learning theories, I have a much better understanding of the various ways students gain and retain information. If anything, my personal theory of learning has been augmented to include more possibilities for the way students learn. Moreover, my own knowledge of educational technologies has grown because I now have more technology tools to add to my repertoire. Happily, these technology tools were easy to learn about, and I am excited to begin using them in my own classroom when I return to school next year.

Reflecting on my instructional practices regarding the usage of technology, I now realize that I definitely have the opportunity to incorporate more technology into my lessons. While I am often concerned about not having enough time, I see now that many technology tools are easy to use and could really enhance our reading of the texts found in the curriculum. For example, I would like to begin using more webquests and virtual field trips because I think it is important for students to discover information on their own, rather than through a lecture or other teacher-centered lesson. Also, I am very interested in the addition of virtual field trips because they give students the chance to “witness” history and explore places that they would not actually be able to visit. Secondly, I really enjoyed learning about VoiceThreads because they are very relevant to a language arts class, and I can think of many ways that I can use VoiceThreads in my curriculum. The NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards mandate that language arts students gain speaking and listening skills. Therefore, creating and participating in VoiceThreads fulfills important criteria. Integrating more education technology such as the examples discussed above will have a significant and positive impact on my teaching abilities.

Two long-term goals that I now have regarding my instructional practices and the use of technology are described below:

1.) First, I would like to incorporate the use of weekly blogs as a different type of forum for student participation. While I have used blogs in the past, it was only an occasional occurrence, and I did not take full advantage of the benefits offered by student blogs. I would like my students to utilize their blogs more often to respond to prompts that I give them, interact with each other and offer their classmates feedback and constructive criticism, and share their work with a wider audience. Next year, I will have my students create their blogs during the first week of school so that we can begin using them right away. I believe that the blogs will give a voice to those students who are reluctant to participate in a classroom setting, and it is always my goal to encourage plenty of participation from my students. 

2.) Second, I would like my students to experience having “keypals,” or students from another school with whom they would interact through emails or other technology. While this may seem like a simple goal, my idea is somewhat intricate. I would like to collaborate with a teacher in a distant location to design a unit based on the reading of the same text and frequent communication between our students based on their reactions to the text. For example, our students can ask each other questions about the book through their emails and work together on an Internet project that they could build through the use of blogs, wikis, and other online settings.
While orchestrating this type of task would certainly take much time and effort on my part, I believe that the effects on my students’ learning would be tremendous and unforgettable.

Overall, I am quite pleased with the knowledge I have gained in this course. The learning theories, instructional strategies, and educational technologies I have encountered will absolutely make me a more effective teacher in the future.

Social Learning Theories and an Analysis of Instructional Strategies in the Language Arts Classroom

According to social learning theory, people construct meaning primarily through their interactions with others and with the environment. In reference to education, Dr. Orey adds that students are actively engaged in constructing artifacts and conversing with others (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). Therefore, a significant aspect of social learning theory is cooperative learning. In cooperative learning, students work together to "attain group goals that cannot be obtained by working alone or competitively" (as cited in Palmer, Peters, & Streetman, 2003). There is no doubt that incorporating plenty of cooperative learning in the classroom is a valuable practice. Through this instructional strategy, students are given the opportunity to practice and develop essential 21st-century skills that will benefit them in the workplace one day. When given the chance to collaborate, students can improve skills such as “leadership, decision-making, trust building, communication and conflict-management” (Palmer, et al., 2003). In order to take advantage of the benefits offered by cooperative learning, teachers must create meaningful, challenging activities that require students to collaborate positively and share their strengths in their attainment of a common goal.

One cooperative learning activity that places responsibility for learning on the shoulders of students involves the students becoming teachers of each other. Dr. Orey discusses this possibility when he states that teaching others helps the learner gain a deeper understanding of the content (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). In a previous discussion, I described a project I assigned my students that required them to work in groups in order to teach a world myth to the rest of the class. I found that my students became experts in their own myths; researching their stories and developing a lesson plan for their teaching period truly did help them to gain excellent understandings of the myths. Dr. Orey also suggests using a Jigsaw strategy. Another activity that I often use is a Socratic Seminar. In this type of class discussion, the teacher does not participate at all. Students are responsible for generating the text-related topics for discussion and must maintain a balanced, respectful conversation for the duration of the class period. When utilized correctly, I find that Socratic Seminars can really augment student comprehension of the novels we study together.

Furthermore, there are numerous technology tools that support social learning theory and cooperative learning strategies. In Chapter 7 of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, the authors explore a few different options for cooperative learning techniques, including student-created multimedia; web resources, such as “Keypals,” WebQuests, web site creation, collaborative organizing, and web-enabled multiplayer simulation games; and communication software. One particular possibility, giving students the opportunity to become keypals with students from distant locations, is an interesting idea that could result in memorable learning experiences. According to the authors, “Communication with students in other cities, states, and countries broadens the perspective of students and challenges them to learn about other cultures, languages, and issues throughout the world” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Maleoski, 2007, p. 145). I could definitely imagine using this idea in my language arts classroom. For example, while learning about the consequences of drunk driving and the effects of alternative and creative sentencing as opposed to traditional jail sentencing during our reading of Whirligig by Paul Fleischman, students could email their keypals in other states or countries to inquire about their government’s laws concerning this topic. Another activity, web site creation, “can be a very enriching collaborative experience for students” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 147). Building a web site not only promotes teamwork, but it enables students to share their work with the outside world because the web site can be accessible to the public. This is very similar to the use of blogs, such as through Blogger or Edublogs. While I have used blogs for the purpose of peer to peer commentary, I have yet to use them in a way that would allow students to connect with a broader audience.

In addition, other examples of social learning-based technology include social networking sites, such as Facebook or MySpace; Second Life, a multi-user virtual environment, and Google Docs, an online collaboration tool. I would use a site such as Facebook in my curriculum because I could assign students a project that involves creating a fake profile for a character from a book we are reading. I would also use Google Docs for many different reasons. One idea that comes to mind is a proofreading activity that would allow students to proofread each other’s work and make suggestions for revision.

In conclusion, I believe that social learning theory plays a pivotal role in education today because students can learn an abundance of information from each other and from their environments. Teachers can enhance cooperative learning opportunities by incorporating technology-based activities and projects that demonstrate 21st-century skills.

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

Palmer, G., Peters, R., & Streetman, R. (2003). Cooperative learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved  2/5/13, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

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

instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum

Development.



*CHECK OUT MY VOICETHREAD HERE:  http://voicethread.com/share/4097800/

Constructivist/Constructionist Learning Theories and an Analysis of Instructional Strategies in the Language Arts Classroom

The most important quality of the constructivist and constructionist learning theories is the role the student plays within his or her own learning. According to this theory, learning is not teacher-centered; instead, more responsibility is placed on the student as the individual constructs his/her own meaning and is engaged in the process of building his/her own artifact. One instructional strategy that requires students to construct their own meaning is explored in Chapter 4 of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Chapter 4, or “Generating and Testing Hypotheses,” demonstrates how students are “engaging in complex mental processes, applying content knowledge like facts and vocabulary, and enhancing their overall understanding of the content” when they “generate and test hypotheses” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 202). Many of the tasks discussed seem better suited for a mathematics or science class, but some, such as the decision making task, would absolutely work in a language arts class. For this task, students can “define criteria and apply weight to the various criteria to decide which choice makes the most sense” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 203). My students and I often discuss the decisions made by the characters in the books we read together; therefore, this is a relevant activity that would be made even more meaningful due to the fact that students would be evaluating their own hypotheses. A second learning task that I would use is that of the historical investigation. While I do not teach a history class, my students and I often delve into the subject depending on what text we are studying. To instruct students to “construct hypotheses about historical events for which there is no agreed-upon resolution” seems like a valuable lesson in which students would take great interest (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 203). Furthermore, the use of spreadsheet software, data collection tools, and web resources are also described in this chapter. One website, called Making History, is included in the section about web resources; this website allows students to play a strategy game about World War II. Curious to see if this same site offers a game about World War I, which I cover when reading All Quiet on the Western Front, I visited the site and found that it does indeed include a game about the Great War. The game supports the constructivist theory because it involves students taking on the roles of country leaders and making important political decisions. Therefore, students are taking on a more significant role in their learning and are very engaged in the learning process. I do not yet know how long it takes to play the game, nor do I want to turn my English class into a history class, so while I may not assign my students the game as a graded assignment, I would definitely suggest it to students or use it as an extra credit assignment.

To continue, Dr. Orey states that constructionism revolves around the idea that people learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). When students create artifacts, the theory of constructionism is supported because the classroom becomes a student-centered learning environment and there is an “emphasis on artifact creation as part of the learning outcome based on authentic and real life experiences with multiple perspectives” (Han & Bhattacharya, 2001). I believe that project-based learning can be a very valuable experience with students. Projects allow for student collaboration, teach time management skills, inspire creativity, and require students to take on more responsibility in their learning. Another reason why I support this type of learning is because students so often complete work that will only be viewed and assessed by their teacher. Assigning a project that will be shared with the class upon completion gives students more incentive to put plenty of effort into their work and do the best they can do. Moreover, assigning a project which students can share on the Internet is even better because it really broadens the audience and encourages students to take pride in their work. There are countless projects and meaningful artifacts that can be created with the assistance of technology. A website titled Project Based Learning is a great website designed to help teachers design important projects for high school students. It is devoted to teaching 21st century skills and includes a library of projects that have been developed by other educators.

Finally, another instructional strategy that encompasses constructivist and constructionist learning theories is problem-based instruction. This strategy attempts to “challenge students to address real-world problems and resolve realistic dilemmas” (Glazer, 2001). One technology tool that supports this type of learning is the Webquest, which is “a web-based, inquiry-oriented activity through which students examine evidence about a particular topic and then respond to an issue or make a decision from a particular point of view” (Glazer, 2001). I enjoy tackling WebQuests with my students because they can learn so many different aspects of a single topic to be explored. For example, when my students read Oedipus the King, I assign a WebQuest that directs them to websites that teach them about a variety of related topics, including the Oedipus Complex, consanguinity, hubris, and catharsis. WebQuest.org, developed by Bernie Dodge, permits teachers to create, share, and find WebQuests to use with their students. Because I just learned about this resource, I am eager to use it in the future and, hopefully, discover a multitude of WebQuests that I can use in my own classroom.

References

Glazer, E. (2001). Problem Based Instruction. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved  1/29/13, from http://projects.coe.ugaedu/epltt/

Han, S., and Bhattacharya, K. (2001). Constructionism, Learning by Design, and Project Based Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 1/29/13, 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=5 700267& CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&course nav=0&bhcp=1

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

instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum

Development.