Things to consider

To continue with my GAME Plan, I mentioned last week my available resources which mostly depended on having the language department computer lab and with internet access. After some evaluation, I failed to consider the possible situations where the lab is not working or at my disposal. It is a common occurrence at the university to be without internet or even electricity, it really happens. This is where I need a contingency plan in case of these events. One possible solution is rescheduling the activity, yet this would push back or impede future activities along the way. Another possibility would involve a secondary location and to be ready within a few hours of said circumstances. I asked around and discovered that there is another department computer lab which just needs the permission of the coordinator to use. If all else fails, then I could opt to have them video record and upload to the group blog or wiki in order to be evaluated. I imagine more questions and concerns will arise when implementing and considering my colleagues when sharing the computer lab. For the moment I am glad I have these valuable resources to use with my students and will push my colleagues to follow suit.

My GAME plan last week involved using the Language department’s computer laboratory which is my greatest resource in carrying out my plan. It is dependent on software and hardware working effectively, besides having internet access. I have taught English as a Foreign Language at this university campus for over three years and this is the first year it has been allocated internet access. There is an ongoing bandwidth battle between the departments and schools (medicine, culinary, and the high school) on the campus. Having a computer lab is great, but it does not stand alone without internet or new hardware to maintain it.

The first groups of students are from Medicine to test out my GAME plan, however I would like to vary the real-world situations to play out in sequence with the grammar and material covered in their language book of the other groups. This would require additional information related to the content of the book before developing any goals with students to accomplish using the computer lab.

Recently, the language lab is has been given a boost of support from the administration, in great part, due to a student entrance exam that has become digital and requires the lab computers to take it. This push came to an abrupt realization of the failings of the computer lab and the need to be reconfigured to use with their exam software. Still, like a wave of fresh air, the computer lab slowly but surely is being reconditioned to support the required exam, giving teachers another valuable resource to engage students once more.

My developing GAME plan

My goals are to use more real-world issues and to solve problems using digital tools. In addition, I can continue to grow professionally encourages my colleagues with the integration of technology in and out of the classroom. These indicators of NETS-T I can say I have some familiarity with and confidence to expand on to develop into a constant part of my curriculum.

In order to reach these goals, I will first begin with a small group of EFL students utilizing the language department’s computer lab. The medicine group is a great group to begin with using real-world situation of doctor to patient where students can mind map possible solutions to health problems. Students can work in pairs, each presented with a particular symptom or illness to map using downloaded software or online applications.

Being that students will be in a centralized computer laboratory I will be able to monitor and guide students. Furthermore, a benefit of being in the computer lab is having internet access where students can use online databases to reference the health issue they are mapping.

Another added benefit to the computer laboratory is it has a video projector that will allow students to present their mind map to the class. In this instance, I may be able to evaluate both the end products and their use of oral language skills to explain a final remedy or conclusion to original health problem.

Final Reflection

Technology has been fascinated me since early childhood and later in school learning basic commands on Apple computers. That fascination over the years grew and has never been lost. Even after becoming a teacher and gaining some teaching experience and developed my own theory on how students learn best. Now after taking this wonderful course on how to incorporate in my students learning caught my attention and respect having learned in detail not just technology, but the learning theory and instructional strategies that assist teachers capture their student’s interest in technology, which is second nature to them.

Over the course, my personal theory of learning was challenged and then reinforced again by the technology tools I have used in the past and continue to use. For example, VoiceThread and PowerPoint have been part of my lessons in teaching a second language, yet with the added instructional strategies, it reinforces my path in the right direction. Another aspect of my personal theory on learning is students learn best from each other, and this course has set down the foundation I clearly understand why they feed of each other and how to becombined with instructional strategies to better their comprehension of the subject matter.

The integration of technology, after taking this course, will grow taking more consideration of the tools at my disposal and applying with a different learning theory to making learning for my students varied and interesting. Of the various technology tools available, I would like to continue using Wikis to take advantage of the social culture my students live in order to push themselves when creating something together. For instance, every quarter students need to do three partial projects, which are usually done individually, with Wikis students collaboratively can complete the project which I can monitor and check the individual effort of every student. Moreover, Screenr is a great web resource to create screencasts. Something relatively new and simple because each screencast is limited to five minutes emphasizing to students to be concise and organized with what they need to say and present. Pursuant to this course my ideas and tools have come into play in which to incorporate technology with known methods of instructional strategies and learning theories.

My two long-term goal changes to technology integration would be refining each time I use it, being sure to mix and blend various instructional strategies with technology without having the students lose interest in a particular technology tool or web resource. As well as, taking them time to reflect on how it impacted my students. The other would be not to lose sight of the value traditional teaching techniques play in learning, that technology is not always the solution to any subject I teach and should use it to enhance their learning experience, not overburden straight to computer activities. For these reasons, I will be doing an end of the quarter discussion survey of what worked best for with my main focus of the subject they are learning.

Lastly, this course has opened my eyes to the possibilities technology offers my students in enhancing their learning, yet with direction and purpose. The reason for becoming a teacher has again been emphasized and motivated by reflecting of my personal theory of learning and recognizing that technology is a driving force for our students. Therefore, the integration of technology can be done with ease keeping in mind the whole package of resources from instructional strategies to learning theory to push my students into the 21^st century.

Fail: Resources

http://voicethread.com/share/1895899/

Social Learning Theory Experience

Cooperative learning, the concept I hold close to my heart because I find true value in students helping each other instead of relying on the teacher for all the answers. Through respectful communication, students begin to develop a higher sense of self reliance in which they take charge of their own education if they are the ones seeking the answers. In correlation, the social learning theory, has demonstrated that “meaningful learning occurs when individuals are engaged in social activities” (Orey, 2001). Let us define social activity in context in the arena of education, more specifically the classroom environment. Since there is no arguing that cooperative learning clearly correlates to the social learning theory, then let’s look at the instructional tools which utilize cooperative learning embedded with technology.

I am no one to brag, but I have been using cooperative learning, which I adapted for the classroom from my years as a Physical Education teacher. These included cooperative and initiative challenges as well as team building and trust activities, all required working in groups and respectful communication was the key to success. As a result of those years of observing the social dynamics and interaction between the students, I began to use cooperative learning for more than just P. E. With my transition to strictly ESL students, at first, I had no use for it unless at the start of the semester as ice breakers. With time and practice I began to incorporate my activities into instructional tools for learning English. For example, one cooperative challenge using a long piece of webbing where students in groups are to create different geometric shapes I call out. Students are asked to work together only in English to solve any issues in making their shapes. The result is laughter and communication as they practice their English vocabulary skills as a group. These types of activities still continue, yet what also developed was the incorporation of technology tools like PowerPoint, Webquest, Blogs, and VoiceThread. I have been using these cooperative learning instructional tools over the past few using with an evolution of use to each one. Moreover, with such a powerful influence social network sites like Facebook and Twitter has had over the public, I am now considering them as a platforms to further push the use of cooperative learning in my content area.

Lastly, my experience allowing "students [to] actively engage in constructing artifacts and conversing with others" either through group activity or using web resources to improve their English skills has been a strong instruction strategy to engage students in a social context (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008). You have to admit we are social creatures and play off each other, influencing one’s decisions and opinions. In recognizing the potential for its use in education should no longer be ignored or blocked. Technology has given us the ability to extend our reach to communicate with others beyond the classroom walls. Let us take advantage of it.

New tools to construct with!

This week’s resources we explored spreadsheet software, data collection tools, web resources and the theories of learning related to them. Students using such tools help them in organizing information generated by hypotheses, giving a better visual which could be tested in a time efficient manner. In addition to the instructional strategies we discover the learning theories that support the use of technology in the classroom to modify and improve instruction.

Common to most science and math classes for data collection and analysis, yet spreadsheets can go beyond a simple stationary classroom activity. For example, when linked to the internet online collaboration can flourish creating and testing from any place you are connected. By opening the door to online collaboration teams of students are not bound by just their classmates, when students can reference college student’s and professor’s work. Students can accomplish this by turning a plain spreadsheet interactive using “Google Spreadsheets and wikiCalc” for others to contribute.

When using instructional strategies to promote learning, we must consider the learning theory of constructionist and constructivist to support them. To clarify, constructivism is the way each individual actively constructs his/her meaning to objects unfamiliar to them. Similarly, constructionism is defined by how people learn best when they build and be able to share with others. These theories differ in that constructionism promotes learning through exploration, creation of artifacts, and sharing (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008). For instance, students “using data collection tools enables students to see the bigger picture and recognize patterns” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007).

Finally, my favorite, the powerful web resources that have the ability to transport any classroom confined student anywhere in the world, but let’s focus our teaching strategies towards problem-solving activities. Besides collecting data and testing hypotheses, web resources allow for interactivity with other students when researching or creating simulations such as flash based games. “Simulation software also can provide incredibly engaging learning environments, resulting in increased motivation and retention in learning” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007). Another use for web resources, that can apply to many content-areas are webquests that offer students exploration, and possible creation of a final artifact to be completed as students interchange information and ideas.

In summary, after reading about instructional strategies that use technology in the classroom to improve their learning, I am once again surprised by the tools, that anyone who owns a computer possesses. In fact, understanding the learning theories of constructivism and constructionism sheds new light on the use of these simple tools to give students an opportunity to create was even more interesting. With some modification I could also take advantage of this learning theory and instructional tools to broaden my student’s understanding, no matter the subject area I teach.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program seven. Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author.

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