This week's chapter brought me back to a discussion we had in our last class. John discussed an issue with managing students entering his classroom that lack math skills that the other children possess. He questioned whether he should slow down, to allow learners to catch up, or keep going and hope they eventually catch on. Both options can have serious implications, and this obviously frustrated him (for good reason). We talked about potential reasons why there was such a variance in skills and the different strategies the children used to learn the content. We did not talk about how to identify how each child learns best.
As I began reading about how children learn, it seemed that a lot of research has been done to identify learning capabilities in children, but how does a teacher interpret this information to apply it in the classroom? An example in the book discussed an example where teachers performed questioning routines in a classroom (Bransford, J., 2000, p.110-111). The middle-class pupils and working-class African American children had drastically different performance and behavioral results. Once the social differences between the two classes were identified, teachers were able to manipulate their questioning routines to suit the learner. In my past work experience, I have taken a plethora of tests to identify my current skills, behaviors, and capabilities. Such tests include models like DISC to model behaviors and tendencies. The results gave my employer insight into properly managing me and assigning my role in a team more effectively. With all of the testing that they require children to do, why aren't there any tests to identify how children use their current skills and abilities to learn? There are tests to see how much a child knows or doesn't know about a particular topic, but what about identifying methods to allow them to learn effectively?
I searched for a while on the Internet, and did not find an answer to my question. It seems to be up to the teacher to identify each learner's needs as they move through topics and deal with them as they go. That is quite an undertaking to expect in a matter of 9 months, not to mention the time lost for children to learn the necessary content. Perhaps teachers would benefit by having each child complete such a test prior to entrance into their classroom. Much like my past jobs, it may give the teacher some insight into how the child will thrive most effectively in the classroom. Once the teacher has this information, they can use it to manage their students. It is up to the teacher to approach each lesson in a dynamic way and change the learning experience depending on how the children will learn best individually and as a class. If the teacher knows how to reach their students effectively, it is possible to teach the content to students in an effective way. This sounds like quite an undertaking, but knowing is half the battle isn't it?
Bransford, J. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Post blog entry #3 in reaction to the "Learning and Transfer"
As a child, I was often told "practice makes perfect" when I was learning about something new. Repetition helped me to remember how to remember basic things like adding, spelling and talking. With the assistance of my teachers, family and life experiences, I was able to take the base of information I learned through repetition and build upon it to achieve more meaningful learning. I never had a need to think about my learning experience beyond that point until now.
Chapter 3 of How People Learn (Bransford, J., 2000, p.51-78) discusses this process of learning and how we have the ability transfer knowledge. My take away from this reading is that learners need to have time and motivation in order to gain and apply knowledge. As I read through the chapter, I had a particularly tough time with wrapping my brain around the information on the pages. There were very complex and difficult ideas about learning, knowledge application and how knowledge is or is not easily transferred across applications and experiences. All of this information seemed quite complex, and though I understood the explicit meaning, I was unable to directly apply it to my own experiences. After some time and motivation (completing this blog) the reading became a part of my experience.
I remembered a passage from Harold Wenglinsky's book, Using Technology Wisely (2005). He described a situation where Socrates taught a slave about square roots. Socrates quickly realizes that he cannot easily explain this complex computation to a slave that has little to no education or background in mathematics. Instead, he begins to draw geometric shapes in the dirt with a stick and asks questions to gauge his student's understanding. Socrates engages the boy in the learning process by allowing him to draw the shapes himself and express his own thoughts until he eventually reaches a point of frustration, where the slave does not believe he is capable of learning such a difficult concept. Socrates continued to coach the boy because he knew that the motivation to solve the problem was present, and it was only a matter of time before the information from the drawings would transfer to an understanding of square roots. Eventually, Socrates did accomplish his task of teaching the slave square roots.
Much like Socrates used the geometric shapes in the dirt, I used this example and transferred what I learned from this story to this week's chapter. I think it is also important to note that both of these scenarios did not require any computer related technology, but both required tools for assistance in order to really understand what was being taught. In the case of Socrates, a stick was used to assist in the learning process. For me, it was a book that I had read in the past and my pre-existing knowledge that I used to make this chapter more meaningful.
Bransford, J. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Wenglinsky, H. (2005). Using technology wisely: The keys to success in schools. The TEC series. New York: Teachers College Press.
Chapter 3 of How People Learn (Bransford, J., 2000, p.51-78) discusses this process of learning and how we have the ability transfer knowledge. My take away from this reading is that learners need to have time and motivation in order to gain and apply knowledge. As I read through the chapter, I had a particularly tough time with wrapping my brain around the information on the pages. There were very complex and difficult ideas about learning, knowledge application and how knowledge is or is not easily transferred across applications and experiences. All of this information seemed quite complex, and though I understood the explicit meaning, I was unable to directly apply it to my own experiences. After some time and motivation (completing this blog) the reading became a part of my experience.
I remembered a passage from Harold Wenglinsky's book, Using Technology Wisely (2005). He described a situation where Socrates taught a slave about square roots. Socrates quickly realizes that he cannot easily explain this complex computation to a slave that has little to no education or background in mathematics. Instead, he begins to draw geometric shapes in the dirt with a stick and asks questions to gauge his student's understanding. Socrates engages the boy in the learning process by allowing him to draw the shapes himself and express his own thoughts until he eventually reaches a point of frustration, where the slave does not believe he is capable of learning such a difficult concept. Socrates continued to coach the boy because he knew that the motivation to solve the problem was present, and it was only a matter of time before the information from the drawings would transfer to an understanding of square roots. Eventually, Socrates did accomplish his task of teaching the slave square roots.
Much like Socrates used the geometric shapes in the dirt, I used this example and transferred what I learned from this story to this week's chapter. I think it is also important to note that both of these scenarios did not require any computer related technology, but both required tools for assistance in order to really understand what was being taught. In the case of Socrates, a stick was used to assist in the learning process. For me, it was a book that I had read in the past and my pre-existing knowledge that I used to make this chapter more meaningful.
Bransford, J. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Wenglinsky, H. (2005). Using technology wisely: The keys to success in schools. The TEC series. New York: Teachers College Press.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Post blog entry #2 in reaction to "How Experts Differ From Novices"
At Lehigh, we are constantly testing and researching new technologies to implement. Faculty, staff, and students rely on us as the "experts" to provide them with the tools and information they need to teach, work and learn. It is very easy to find yourself providing consultation that, as the expert, you feel should be adequate or essential, rather than what the end user actually needs. It is important in these instances to re-evaluate your goals as the expert, and provide the users with the information, tool or technology they need in a way that allows them to think critically about what they want to do to accomplish their own goals.
"How Experts Differ From Novices" was a very thought provoking chapter for me. When identifying the best methods for teaching, it is important to also identify the learner. Is there a room full of novices, experts or a combination of both? There are drastically different teaching methods applied to any of these scenarios as shown in the example of teaching Hamlet (Bransford, J., 2000, p.46). The way in which content is taught is dependent on the amount of knowledge the learner brings with them into the classroom. The two ways in which Hamlet was being taught were completely different from each other. Each method reached out to a different type of learner, the first method, a didactic approach of deep analysis, would have been better suited perhaps for a college level Shakespeare class, rather than a group of ninth graders that may not be interested in becoming an expert in Hamlet. Conversely, the second method, a constructivist approach, worked well to engage the learners and foster thinking. By having the students envision their thoughts and feelings about the themes, the bigger picture was given to the students. This allowed the next learning tasks to build on this idea like a scaffold. Students could work up to the complicated concepts and language differences, leaving the opportunity for analyzing and critical thinking as the learning process progressed.
The chapter also expressed importance of students learning to teach themselves. Before students take on this task, shouldn't the students to learn how to learn first? Teachers can assist in this process by using technology as a tool to provoke students to think critically. "Tasks that require intentional, active, constructive, cooperative, and authentic learning processes will result in more meaningful learning." (Jonassen, Howland, Marra and Crismond, 2008, p.3) It is important to differentiate the responsibilities of the teacher and the tools or technologies used in the classroom. Teachers should be using technology to assist in the learning process, and not use the tool as the teacher. Once the ground work has been laid for meaningful learning, then the ability to teach oneself can begin to be developed.
Bransford, J. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Jonassen, D., Howland, J., Marra, R. M., Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful Learning With Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
"How Experts Differ From Novices" was a very thought provoking chapter for me. When identifying the best methods for teaching, it is important to also identify the learner. Is there a room full of novices, experts or a combination of both? There are drastically different teaching methods applied to any of these scenarios as shown in the example of teaching Hamlet (Bransford, J., 2000, p.46). The way in which content is taught is dependent on the amount of knowledge the learner brings with them into the classroom. The two ways in which Hamlet was being taught were completely different from each other. Each method reached out to a different type of learner, the first method, a didactic approach of deep analysis, would have been better suited perhaps for a college level Shakespeare class, rather than a group of ninth graders that may not be interested in becoming an expert in Hamlet. Conversely, the second method, a constructivist approach, worked well to engage the learners and foster thinking. By having the students envision their thoughts and feelings about the themes, the bigger picture was given to the students. This allowed the next learning tasks to build on this idea like a scaffold. Students could work up to the complicated concepts and language differences, leaving the opportunity for analyzing and critical thinking as the learning process progressed.
The chapter also expressed importance of students learning to teach themselves. Before students take on this task, shouldn't the students to learn how to learn first? Teachers can assist in this process by using technology as a tool to provoke students to think critically. "Tasks that require intentional, active, constructive, cooperative, and authentic learning processes will result in more meaningful learning." (Jonassen, Howland, Marra and Crismond, 2008, p.3) It is important to differentiate the responsibilities of the teacher and the tools or technologies used in the classroom. Teachers should be using technology to assist in the learning process, and not use the tool as the teacher. Once the ground work has been laid for meaningful learning, then the ability to teach oneself can begin to be developed.
Bransford, J. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Jonassen, D., Howland, J., Marra, R. M., Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful Learning With Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Post blog entry #1 in reaction to McLuhan's Wake and the Horizon Report
As you read the Horizon Report, think about your answers to the following questions that McLuhan would pose:
1. What does it (the medium or technology) extend? In the case of a car it would be the foot, in the case a phone it would be the voice.
2. What does it make obsolete? Again, one might answer that the car makes walking obsolete, and the phone makes smoke signals and carrier pigeons unnecessary.
3. What is retrieved? The sense of adventure or quest is retrieved with the car, and the sense of community returns with the spread of telephone service. One might consider the rise of the cross-country vacation that accompanied the spread of automobile ownership.
4. What does the technology revert into if it is over-extended? An over-extended automobile culture longs for the pedestrian lifestyle, and the over-extension of phone culture engenders a need for solitude.
The Horizon Report: 2009 K-12 discusses mobile devices as a technology that may be adopted in the next few years by elementary and secondary teachers and learners. This technology allows the user to extend many areas of the body; voice, sight, sound, and even the brain. Mobile devices allow you to communicate with individuals over great distance using its' voice and text capabilities. As these devices have evolved, they also begin to extend our brains by providing additional skills such as greater navigation with capabilities like GPS, and instant access to many answers via the web. Teachers can leverage these capabilities in various ways, whether it is example based explanations of how satellites orbit around the earth, or having students perform research on the web in a classroom without computers.
With these new or enhanced capabilities, other resources and technologies become obsolete. Letters and cards sent through the postal service, also known as snail mail, have been impacted by the ability to quickly send a message via a computer or mobile device. Map reading has been replaced by a voice coming from your mobile device, telling you when to turn. Even computers are being replaced due to the low price point and portability of such devices. On a social level, face to face communication is being replaced with text messages and emails. Failure to learn such basic life skills have the ability to impact a learner in other ways. An example of this would be if a student wants to become a surveyor or structural engineer, map reading is a crucial piece of knowledge that is required to fulfill the job.
The usage of mobile devices offers the user the feeling of instant access to information, people, and places. As more and more third party applications and capabilities become available, mobile devices are becoming a one stop shop to meet the needs of the user. Students and teachers can access online communities and express themselves, as well as meet like minded people all over the world. Such technology has brought back early communications like having a pen pal, except with a virtual twist. On devices like the iPhone, the action of typing is given a sound as if you were typing on an old typewriter and digital clocks are displayed as if they are analog.
If the use of mobile devices becomes over-extended, physical interaction may become more desirable in place of the virtual interaction experienced when using such devices. The desire for high quality video and audio may return, instead of the small compact screens being viewed on mobile devices. People may begin to long for a more spontaneous life that isn't managed up to the minute at the click of a button. For teachers and learners, the technology may be used to recreate a standard classroom and book based learning scenario. Appreciation for physical v.s virtual may become a more prominent piece of teaching, such as visiting a museum or performing a real experiment in a lab.
1. What does it (the medium or technology) extend? In the case of a car it would be the foot, in the case a phone it would be the voice.
2. What does it make obsolete? Again, one might answer that the car makes walking obsolete, and the phone makes smoke signals and carrier pigeons unnecessary.
3. What is retrieved? The sense of adventure or quest is retrieved with the car, and the sense of community returns with the spread of telephone service. One might consider the rise of the cross-country vacation that accompanied the spread of automobile ownership.
4. What does the technology revert into if it is over-extended? An over-extended automobile culture longs for the pedestrian lifestyle, and the over-extension of phone culture engenders a need for solitude.
For your blog post, pick one of the instructional technologies discussed in the report and answer McLuhan's tetrad questions from a teaching and learning perspective.
________The Horizon Report: 2009 K-12 discusses mobile devices as a technology that may be adopted in the next few years by elementary and secondary teachers and learners. This technology allows the user to extend many areas of the body; voice, sight, sound, and even the brain. Mobile devices allow you to communicate with individuals over great distance using its' voice and text capabilities. As these devices have evolved, they also begin to extend our brains by providing additional skills such as greater navigation with capabilities like GPS, and instant access to many answers via the web. Teachers can leverage these capabilities in various ways, whether it is example based explanations of how satellites orbit around the earth, or having students perform research on the web in a classroom without computers.
With these new or enhanced capabilities, other resources and technologies become obsolete. Letters and cards sent through the postal service, also known as snail mail, have been impacted by the ability to quickly send a message via a computer or mobile device. Map reading has been replaced by a voice coming from your mobile device, telling you when to turn. Even computers are being replaced due to the low price point and portability of such devices. On a social level, face to face communication is being replaced with text messages and emails. Failure to learn such basic life skills have the ability to impact a learner in other ways. An example of this would be if a student wants to become a surveyor or structural engineer, map reading is a crucial piece of knowledge that is required to fulfill the job.
The usage of mobile devices offers the user the feeling of instant access to information, people, and places. As more and more third party applications and capabilities become available, mobile devices are becoming a one stop shop to meet the needs of the user. Students and teachers can access online communities and express themselves, as well as meet like minded people all over the world. Such technology has brought back early communications like having a pen pal, except with a virtual twist. On devices like the iPhone, the action of typing is given a sound as if you were typing on an old typewriter and digital clocks are displayed as if they are analog.
If the use of mobile devices becomes over-extended, physical interaction may become more desirable in place of the virtual interaction experienced when using such devices. The desire for high quality video and audio may return, instead of the small compact screens being viewed on mobile devices. People may begin to long for a more spontaneous life that isn't managed up to the minute at the click of a button. For teachers and learners, the technology may be used to recreate a standard classroom and book based learning scenario. Appreciation for physical v.s virtual may become a more prominent piece of teaching, such as visiting a museum or performing a real experiment in a lab.
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