Technology has opened so many doors to the world that classrooms never had before. Students are able to access more information at a faster pace than ever before. They can also eliminate the long process of gathering data which might contain errors as discussed in Using Technology in Classroom Instruction that works (Pitler, et al., 2007) so that they have more time for "generating and testing hypotheses" instead of looking for the information. I see technology as supporting the constructionist theory because they when they are able to do that they are "engaging in complex metal processes, applying content knowledge like facts and vocabulary, and enhancing thier overall understanding of the content" (Pitler,et al., 2007). Students can become more engaged in real life activities and will see more value to their learning as discussed by Dr. Orey (2001). Student learning can take more than one form, "Learning by Design" and "Project-Based Learning" (Orey, 2001).
I can see several aspects of this as having a postive constructionist impact on my students learning. I would like to know more about the online simulations, I just saw a presentation about Muzzy Lane's Making History: The calm and the Storm at the NCSS convention last week. I would like to try some of the simulation games in my class, the "Smog City" would be helpful as my students learn about the Asian Brown Cloud and it's impact on China's cities. At the same NCSS conference I learned about the site www.food-force.com which has students explore the mulitple issues of hunger and the challenges of developing a sustainable food supply. I believe by including these in my classroom my students will gain a deeper understanding and have a more realistic view of these world issues.
I think that having students create a project with a rubric is always a wise idea. That way students and parents clearly know the expectations of the project. I think that can also lead to greater understanding by the student because they know what is expected of them. The discussion of expectations and the teacher as a facilitator are key as well to creating a constructionist environment as discussed by Dr. Orey (2001). I think the more students are involved and engaged the more meaning their learning will have over time and the greater their retention of the content will be ultimately.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page
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It sounds like the NCSS conference you attended was jam packed with great teaching resources and information! To add to your lesson about world hunger, you could have your students have fun, learn, and earn the feeling of making a difference through use of the website freerice.com (www.freerice.com). Freerice.com is a non-profit site run by the United Nations to aid in feeding hungry people around the world. The site has educational games, and for each correct answer a student gives, 10 grains of rice are donated to feed the hungry. This is a powerful website to use in school!
ReplyDeleteAs you talked about using rubrics in the classroom, I'd like to make the point that ruberics have to be well thought out and planned in order for the ruberic to be an effective constructionist learning tool. Too often, I find that teachers offer lessons that include rubrics that are indirect and vague, which causes more confusion for students than it does direction. I do not fancy myself to be any good at creating rubrics, but would like to have the chance to become better at it. Maybe creating a rubric could be part of a class project!
I also think that rubrics are a wise idea. Who does like to know the expectations? I know we like to understand why we get marked down in our masters work. It gives the teacher and the student a base for understanding accepting the responsibility of the assignment. I agree that students that are engaged in the learning process will keep the information longer as it means something to them.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the accessibility of information is nothing short of phenomenal. Students can concentrate on what is truly important now instead of how to get it. I also agree with you that the simpler the process of finding becomes, the better ideas our students can generate.
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