Reflection - Wk. 8 - EDUC 6715- New & Emerging Technologies

Wow, we made it to the last week of the last course of our Masters program!!!  I have learned so much over the course of my classes at Walden Online University.  I have enjoyed the discussions on the discussion boards with peers and learned a lot from completing the various application assignments and assigned readings.  I am now in touch with the latest educational technology trends being used to support learning in the classroom and have developed many lesson plans and unit plans based on current research and new technologies.  In addition, I have read about and developed my own personal opinions on current research that includes philosophical ideas relating to technology and education, trends in educational technology, and many forms of educational technology such as MUVEs, digital gaming, and online learning.

Through my learning in this class, I am now able to inform my colleagues and administrators to new and emerging educational technologies available to support learning.  In my lesson plan, I discovered a new online site that helps reinforce content through a short animated video, game-like activity, and a creative art project that incorporates an art concept.  Many of the online educational sites I discovered were free to teachers for use in the classroom to reinforce and teach content.  These sites incorporate the many learning styles, such as interpersonal, kinesthetic, visual, and auditory learning.  Students can use new technologies to store projects (cloud computing), collaborate on projects (wikis, blogs, discussion boards, etc...), and reinforce content learning (MUVE, digital games).  Using new technologies should be used to support and reinforce the learning that is taking place in the classroom, by the teacher.  As Gillard & Bailey (2007) state, "Remind educators that it is a tool to help them improve teaching, not a change in course content" (p.90).

Using new technologies engages, motivates, and challenges students to learn new content.  The Horizon Report states, "Technology is impacting our lives, and the lives of our students, in new and expanding ways.  Technology is now recognized as a primary way to stay in touch and take control over one's own learning.  Multisensory, ubiquitous, and interdisciplinary, technology is integrated into nearly everything we do.  It gives students a public voice and a means to reach beyond the classroom for interaction and exploration" (p. 6).  Students are using new technologies outside of the school, why not incorporate some of these new technology uses into the classroom?

Teachers need to keep up-to-date with new and emerging technologies through online classes, professional development opportunities, online research, and connections with fellow colleagues.  I will continue to keep my eyes and ears open to opportunities to learn more about technology use in the classroom.  I will also help support teachers in my school building who are new to using technology and need ideas and assistance. 

Digital tools are constantly changing and transforming into newer technologies.  Being able to understand and discover which new technologies work well in the classroom is important when making decisions on which technologies to purchase and use in the classroom.  This class has helped me understand and discover new technologies which I will practice using myself over the summer and incorporate into the classroom next school year.

Application 4 - Spotlight on Emerging Technology: Online Learning in K-12 Schools

http://voicethread.com/share/1183828/
View this Voicethread presentation by clicking on the above link.
Hope you enjoy it!
Becky DePuy

EDUC 6714 - Wk. 8 - Reflection Blog Post

Throughout this course I have learned about the Universal Design for Learning, Differentiated Instruction, and how to use technology in the classroom to support and adapt instruction to meet student's needs.  The goal of Universal Design for Learning, as Dr. Rose (2009) states, is "to provide every student with the maximum opportunity to learn" (UDL - dvd).  It is about changing the environment and instructional methods to support and help every child succeed.  It is all about offering students choices and options.  Every student learns content in a different way.  We need to be aware of that as teachers and present information in multiple ways.  I learned that with Differentiated Instruction, from Dr. Tomlinson (2009), that "Teachers can differentiate content, process, product, affect, and learning environment according to students' readiness, interests, and learning profile" (Intro. to DI- dvd). 

I will use the resources that my peers in the Differentiation Station social network (Group 3) provided to help me implement the principles of UDL and DI.  My peers provided many DI links to many good internet resources such as Google Videos, IKNOWTHAT.com, knowitall.org, many learning profile sites, brainpop.com, and http://tech4di.wikispaces.com/.  I will use the survey sites provided in the Differentiation Station to get a better feel of who my students are, their interests, favorites, and learning styles.  I feel that to truly provide the best instruction to your students, you need to find out the most you can about them and how they learn. 

As far as immediate adjustments I will make to my instructional practice regarding the use of technology integration, I will allow my students to have more options in their research and reflection projects using technology (such as podcast, blogging, VoiceThread, and PowerPoint) and continue using the Jumpstart Artist program which differentiates content learning for students and uses levels of readiness in many of the program's games.  Computer simulations and virtual learning is one area that I want to look at better over the summer to see where I can integrate this next school year.  I want to look at Virtual Art museums and how I can use these resources to differentiate instruction in my classroom.  It is best to give students multiple options for taking in information and making sense of ideas. 

Overall, this class has provided me with much information on helping me use technology to differentiate instruction and make my classroom a better learning environment.  I have gained many online resources from my peers that I will use to support student learning and engage students.  I have enjoyed the online chat with my Walden peers that took place during this course and also enjoyed the discussion boards each week, where we could support, challenge, motivate, encourage, and give suggestions to our Walden peers.    I feel more confident in my knowledge of DI and UDL and providing a better learning environment for my students.  This course has opened my eyes to the importance of looking at the various learning styles and multiple intelligences and using many different resources to help support my students' learning of content.

Final Reflection

As this course, Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas, comes to a close, I am reflecting upon what I've gained from this course that I can apply to my content and that I can apply in the future.  One of the main strategies that I am going to take with me is developing a GAME plan, where I am always setting goals, performing actions towards those goals, monitoring and evaluating my plan as it progresses.  I really like this concept and will use it myself and with my students now and in the future.  This course really promoted the idea of self-directed learning for students and described ways that technology can be used to accomplish a more self-directed approach.  Using problem-based learning, social networking, and digital storytelling are a few ways that I learned to integrate technology into my content while promoting self-directed learning among students.

At the beginning of this course, we were to look at the NETS-T standards for teachers and chose at least two standards that we were not as proficient or confident at utilizing in the classroom.  I chose design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments and engage in professional growth and leadership.  As the weeks went on, I tried to incorporate the problem-based learning into my classroom and explored various digital-age learning experiences, such as social networking programs, digital storytelling, and online portfolio systems.  I feel that the GAME plan that I developed and followed throughout this course really made a difference in my engagement, motivation, and learning.  Having the goals and each week working towards them really challenged me.

As I discovered the NETS-S standards for students towards the end of this course, I am going to include these standards in my lessons to students.  I will try my best to integrate these standards into my current content lessons and integrate technology when I see fit.  I would like to use discussion boards and blogs more in my classroom as a form of educational social networking around specific content standards.  I like the point in this course where Dr. Peggy Ertmer describes integrating technology effectively requires "knowledge, confidence, beliefs, and a supportive culture" (Enhancing Content - Part 1 dvd).  This point is so true, for teachers to integrate technology effectively they must be competent in those areas.  Belief is a main part because many older teachers just don't believe that technology can enhance and support learning.

In conclusion,  I am going to continue developing and following a GAME plan and engaging in professional development and ongoing research into different technology resources that I can use in my classroom.  This summer, when I have more free time, I am going to research and explore more social networking sites, podcast sites, and ways to integrate technology into my Art lessons.  I fully believe that self-directed learning and authentic learning experiences help students learn content best and that integrating technology not only builds their knowledge and skills that they will need for the future, but enhances their learning of content.

This is an example of my high school Art 1 student's computer art using Microsoft Paint program.

This is an example of what can be done on Artsonia.com  

Upload student artwork to Artsonia.com and tee-shirts and other merchandise can be purchased with student artwork on it.  Artsonia.com gives 15% of profits to the school.

Using the GAME Plan Process with Students

By using a "GAME" plan, teachers are promoting self-directed learning through the process of planning, monitoring, and evaluating actions.  The "GAME" plans involves setting goals, performing actions, monitoring progress towards the goals, and evaluating whether or not the goals were accomplished.  I think that this is a good and very organized way of meeting objectives and content standards. 

I did not know until today that there were both technology standards for teachers and students.  After investigating the ISTE website, I was made aware of what the standards are for both teachers and students.  Although, I was kind of disappointed to see that the only standards posted for students were from the year 2007.  The student standards were similar to the teacher standards, such as developing digital citizenship, inspiring creativity and innovation, and communication/collaboration.

I think that I will introduce these technology standards to my high school Art 1 class.  I will have a discussion with them about how these standards can be integrated into our curriculum and get their input.  It would be good for them, at that point, to use the "GAME" plan process and develop some personal goals.  Then, throughout the remainder of the school year, it would be good to come back a few times and look at the technology standards again and monitor and evaluate actions taken towards the personal goals.

As far as my younger elementary art students go, I feel that I will take my knowledge of the student technology standards and try to integrate them into the curriculum as best as possible.  The short amount of time spent with students each week in art class would make it impossible to cover the Visual Art content and spend considerable time discussing the technology standards with them, especially at such a young age.  So, it is really my job to have a "GAME" plan for integrating the technology standards with them into content lessons.

I have learned a lot throughout this class and will continue to develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments and engage in professional development in the future.  The necessary component throughout this and to make successful connections is to take the time and effort to do so, because without time and effort new engaging lessons will not take place.  It takes time and effort to design lessons, integrate new technology resources, and learn new learning strategies.

Revising GAME Plan

The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS-T) and Performance Indicators for teachers are goals in which I hope to integrate into my classroom.  Of the five standards, I chose standard 2 (Design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments) and standard 5 (Engage in professional growth and leadership) as standards that I did not feel as confident or proficient as I would like to be.  During the past few weeks of this class, I've been working on improving my confidence and proficiency of these standards.

What have I learned so far that I can apply to my instructional practice?
I have learned that it is very important for me to design lessons that present students with self-directed, collaborative, authentic experiences where they are using digital tools and resources to learn content.  I have also learned that it is important to give students more choices to pursue their individual strengths and for them to set goals, manage their own learning, and assess their own progress towards the goals.

What goals are you still working toward?
I am still working on designing and developing more digital-age learning experiences and assessments.  As I am learning about new technology and resources available online, I am going to try to review these tools, practice using these tools, and try using them with my students. 

Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?
I believe that all teachers should set their own personal goals for instruction that they are working towards on a continual basis.  In addition to my goals of designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments and continuing to engage in professional growth and leadership, I am setting a new goal for myself of standard 3 (Model Digital-Age Work and Learning).  I want to "demonstrate fluency in technology systems and transfer current knowledge to new technologies and situations" and "model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning" (NETS-T Standards).  I want to be an example to my students and colleagues.  I want to use, model, and help others understand and use digital tools and resources for learning content.

If you are not ready to set new learning goals, how will you extend what you have learned so far?
I am ready to set a new learning goal, as stated in the above question.

What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning?
Recently I have discovered all of the free digital tools and resources that Google provides online.  I am going to set another goal of researching and learning about these tools and resources to see what may be integrated into my classroom to use with students.  So, my learning approach is to be flexible and to always be on the lookout for new digital tools and resources to add to my knowledge and to use in the classroom.

Evaluating Your GAME Plan Progress

My learning this week has been on problem-based learning.  Although I understand what problem-based learning is and what it encompasses, I am having trouble thinking of ways to integrate this learning strategy into my elementary art and high school Art 1 curriculum.  Problem-based learning involves students researching and analyzing various solutions to a real-world problem.  Here are a few of my thoughts regarding the implementation of PBL in my art classroom:
1. Culture and how it affects the arts
2. Is everything that people create considered art? What essentially is considered "art"?
3.  How does art that is put on public display affect the viewers?
4. Should religious art be put on display in public government buildings?

How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?
My actions were successful in helping me meet my goals.  By researching visual art learning experiences for my students that were more self-directed, I have discovered more ways to design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessment.  By talking with colleagues, emailing other art teachers, and attending professional development opportunities presented, I am meeting my goal of engaging in professional growth and leadership.

What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?
I have learned to involve my students in more self-directed, collaborative learning activities, where they have a choice for how they would like to present their information to the class.  Also, using technology to support student learning enhances their learning and is necessary in the 21st century in which we live.  So, I try my best to research ways I can use technology resources in the classroom to support content learning.

What do you still have to learn? What new questions have arisen?

I have to practice using the technologies that I have available to me in the classroom, so that I feel comfortable using and teaching with them.  I still have to learn to be patient and to take it one step at a time when using new technologies in the classroom.  Also, being flexible is important.  There really isn't any new questions that have arisen, other than how do I use problem-based learning with the content that I teach?

How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?
There is not much adjusting to my GAME plan that needs to be done.  I will continue researching and analyzing ways to design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments and engaging in professional growth and leadership.

I want to share a few statements that I read in our text, Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use.  The statements include, "Creativity is the process of sensing problems or gaps in information, forming ideas or hypotheses, testing and modifying these hypotheses, and communicating the results" and "The use of technology in visual-arts classrooms inspires students to evaluate gaps in information, form ideas, and communicate the results" (p.337).  This sounds very scientific to me.   But, in thinking about the statements, I realize the truth of these two statements.  In the process of being creative, students must look at information and evaluate it, think about it, form their own ideas and thoughts, and display their thoughts and ideas through a presentation or their own artwork.  What do you think about the meaning of these statements?

Monitoring Your GAME Plan Progress

I learned how technology can be integrated into assessment this week.  Dr. Ross (2009) stated that the "steps in determining effective assessment include: 1. Identifying learning objectives, 2. Determining teaching methods, and 3. Choosing supporting technology"(Assessing Student Learning with Technology - dvd).  Using technology to assess students not only expedites the grading process, but it allows teachers to assess students in an organized way that truly evaluates their content learning.  Students can even become more involved in assessing themselves, monitoring, and evaluating their progress towards learning goals.

Are you finding the information and resources you need?
One of my goals is designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments.  I feel that I am finding the information and resources I need to achieve this goal.  Through online research, I am finding neat lesson plans and online resources, such as Artsonia.com and some cool content videos, to develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments.
Another goal is engaging in professional growth and leadership.  I feel that through this class and my other classes at Walden and through the professional development opportunities I am taking part in throughout this school year in my district, I am engaging in professional growth and leadership.

Do you need to modify your action plan?
No, I feel that I am working on achieving my goals and moving forward.

What have you learned so far?
I have learned the importance of using technology to support content area learning and to use technology, not just for its own sake, but to really enhance content.  I have also learned the importance of setting goals, taking actions towards achieving those goals, monitoring, and evaluating progress.  I believe that it is important to provide students opportunities for more self-directed project-based activities, where they are given choices, and are working hard to meet the objectives of the project.

What new questions have arisen?
How can I give my students more opportunities to use the computer lab, when many of the computers in the lab are not working? I want to provide my students, as a class, with more opportunities to research online and use internet resources on their own in the lab.

Carrying Out Your GAME Plan

As a reflection of my learning, I am becoming aware of how important technology is in differentiating and individualizing instruction for students.  Technology meets the needs of the different learning styles, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.  All children learn in different ways and should be provided with many choices and options in their content learning.  Providing these different choices and options to complete an assignment is not always easy for a teacher, but it makes learning more active and makes students more successful and motivated in their learning.  Dr. Ross stated that giving students more choices in projects "shows off their strengths" and that "primary instruction meets most students' needs, but some need more options" (Meeting Students' Needs with Technology, Part 1). 

Description of the resources and info. I need to carry out my action plan:  I need to continue to investigate and spend time online researching interactive technology resources that I can bring into my classroom.  I need to connect with my district technology director and those colleagues who can help me learn to use the technology resources that are available to me.  I also need to practice using these new technologies, such as podcasts, VoiceThread, interactive Webquests and online field trips, video conferencing, so that I am familar with all of their features and so I feel comfortable using them and teaching them with students. 

What steps have I been able to take so far:  I have practiced and spent time using the online technology resource of Artsonia.com to display my students' artwork online for parents and students' families to view and purchase items with their child's artwork on it.  I have successfully learned how to use the digital camera to transfer visual images of student artwork to the computer and display these images on Artsonia, which is a large children's art gallery.  I have also tried to integrate more collaborative projects in my classroom that offer the students more choices in the completion of the project.  Students may chose powerpoint or VoiceThread, or even a podcast, when creating an art history project.  I'm trying to incorporate the different learning styles into every lesson that I teach, with visuals and graphics, auditory experiences, and more tactile learning.  As far as professional development goes, I'm always on board when our district offers technology-related inservices, where I can learn more and more about technology resources.  I even want to try to attend the National Art Education Conference this summer.

Developing Your Personal GAME Plan

Integrating technology into content area lessons requires a GAME plan.  GAME plan stands for goals, actions, monitor, and evaluate.  It helps you determine how you learn best and initiates self-directed active learning.  Integrating technology into content isn't just about using a specific technology resource, it's learning how and when to use a specific resource to engage and motivate students, where the content and technology tools are working together to make the learning more successful. Dr. P. Ertmer stated that to integrate technology effectively requires "knowledge, confidence, beliefs, and supportive culture" (Enhancing Content, Part 1-dvd).

Two indicators that I do not feel as confident or proficient as I would like to be include designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments and engaging in professional growth and leadership.  What actions I would take to achieve these goals:  I will try to research and design more lessons that offer my students self-directed learning opportunities, where they can have choices and monitor their own progress and learning.  I will try to research more active learning opportunities in my content area (Visual Art) online and try to connect with other art teachers globally to get ideas for enriching my lessons with technology resources.  V. Davis shared that teachers need to "network globally, connect, and share ideas and technology integration allows students to learn in a variety of ways - auditory, visually, and kinesthetic" (Enhancing Content, Part 2).  I will also try to look to my fellow colleagues more to see what technology resources they are successfully integrating into their curriculum.

I will monitor my progress by monthly reflection on my successes or failures with technology resources in the classroom.  I will recognize what is working well with students and allowing them to become self-directed learners and also recognize what improvements or changes need to occur.  I will evaluate my learning by students' opinions and reactions to the lessons.  I will also evaluate my learning by seeing that my goals were accomplished.  I will extend my learning by professional development opportunities and networking globally with other teachers online.

Wk. 8 Reflective Essay

Describe the most striking revelation you had about the teaching of new literacy skills to your students as a result of this course.

The most striking revelation that I had would be that students need these new literacy skills to be successful, in school, the workplace, and in everyday life. Students need to think critically about a subject, develop good questioning skills, then be able to search for the answers on the Internet. They need to evaluate and be critical of the information that they discover on the web and be able to synthesize that information and communicate that information to others in a meaningful way. As Dr. Warlick stated, "We are preparing students for an unpredictable future, where students need to become self-learners, who resourcefully use resources and use situations and experiences to accomplish goals" (Skills for the Future-dvd).

Describe how the knowledge and experience gained in this course will influence your teaching practices going forward.

I will do more inquiry-based projects with my students in the future. I will focus more on questioning skills, thinking critically about a subject, and searching for the answers. I will teach my students the importance of evaluating what they read on the web, how to navigate a site, and how to determine which information is valid and credible. I want my students to become good self-learners, who can learn about a subject they enjoy, and communicate what they learn in a meaningful way to others. S. Armstrong states, "It is important to tie in projects to real world work and apply what they learn to areas of life, having an authentic experience" (Inquiry-Based Projects-dvd).

I would like to give my students more choices for the final product and how they present what they learn to the class. For the final product, students could use blogs, podcasts, VoiceThread, powerpoint, digital storytelling, and posters. I would like to give my students more opportunities to use voice, music, images, and text together to communicate content. Also, I like the idea of connecting with other classrooms and schools in different areas to make learning fun and more meaningful. Also, bringing art museums and exhibits into the classroom through podcasts and other interactive online experiences would make learning fun.

Identify at least one professional development goal you would like to pursue that builds upon your learning in this course and develops your own information literacy or technology skills. Describe the steps you will take to accomplish this goal.

I often check the Tri-County Educational Service Center, which services our school district, for professional development opportunities connecting to art and technology. I am going to continue to check for more professional development opportunities and take advantage of as many courses that they offer as I can fit into my schedule. They often have short courses on Powerpoint, Virtual Field Trips, Digital Storytelling, among others. I would like to find a class that focuses on VoiceThread and Digital Photography use in the classroom.

Final Reflection: It is very important to embed technology into your everyday teaching to students. D. Warlick discusses technology in the classroom as successful when there are "connections and conversations, a type of connected connectivism, where students are connecting and communicating with the teacher and other students about the content" (It's Not About the Technology-dvd). Technology makes learning fun and exciting! Before this class I was unaware of the new literacy skills of questioning, searching, evaluating, synthesizing, and communicating. I practice these skills in my classroom on occasion, but was unaware of just how important they are to teach. I will definitely try my best to incorporate these skills more into my teaching. Students will need these skills for their future.

Reflection - Week 8

I have learned a lot from this course. I have learned about different learning theories and how each can be used with technology and various teaching strategies to improve student learning. Successful student learning involves the integration of technology in the classroom, mainly for student use, that makes content learning fun, interactive, engaging, and motivational. 21st century learners need to be engaged and emmersed in an environment where they can interact with their peers and become more self-responsible for their own learning. They need to be learning about, practicing with, learning with, and interacting with various forms of technology for learning. They need to be taught the basics and the tools involved with various forms of technology and be able to confidently use technology in the learning process.

As far as my personal theory of learning is concerned, I still believe in the Constructivist theory of learning, where activities build upon my students' past experiences and knowledge and construct his or her personal knowledge. I always refer back to previous experiences with a topic or material. I question students about a topic or material, past experiences, and knowledge whenever we begin a new project. Then, I build upon their knowledge of the subject. But, I've come to realize over the course of this class that it is also important to incorporate the Social Constructionist and Constructionist theory into my lessons. Cooperative learning has many student benefits, such as encouragement, discussing and validating answers, bouncing ideas off each other, student empowerment, individual accountability, increased motivation, and aiding each other during the project. Group work gives the students a "sense of ownership" when the product is constructed and "each group member's mark is on the final outcome" (B. Kim, Social Constructivism). In the Constructionist theory, Dr. Orey states that "each individual actively constructs his/her own meaning" and "people learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others" (Constructionist & Constructivist Learning Theories dvd). It is all about hands-on learning activities and projects, where students often collaborate and work together, assemble data, and assemble visual artifacts.

Immediate adjustments: I would like to integrate more groupwork (social learning) activities into my lessons, use VoiceThread and Virtual Field Trips, and give more opportunities to my students to be actively engaged in their own learning, research, and development of an artifact that utilizes technology and creative thinking skills. Using these strategies/tools will motivate student learning and engagement and make learning fun and exciting for students!

Two long-term goal changes: One of my long-term goals is to look at each lesson that I teach in terms of how to integrate technology, social learning, and more student interaction. For each lesson that I teach, I will reflect on my objectives and goals, reflect on what I've learned in this course, as far as technology, teaching strategies, and theories, and use this knowledge to enhance my lessons. Another of my long-term goals is to remember to connect student learning to past experiences/skills, use many visuals and recognize the importance of Gardner's multiple intelligences, and practice new skills. As Dr. Wolfe (2009) says, “Practice makes permanent” and “The brain seeks meaningful patterns and is sculpted through experience” (Brain Research & Learning).

In conclusion, I will use the resources that are available online and the technology resources that are provided for me within my classroom and the computer lab to engage and motivate my students in their learning of various concepts. I will provide many opportunities for cooperative learning (groupwork) and using new technology resources, such as VoiceThread, Virtual Field Trips, digital camera/digital enhancement software, and online resources for learning. I recognize the importance of incorporating each of the learning theories into my classroom and the benefits of these theories for me (the teacher) and my students. Students learn best when they are interested, engaged, and interacting with the content. “Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand” (Confucius, circa 450 BC, Experiential Learning).

Link to Voicethread

https://voicethread.com/#u429562.b572908.i3060446

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

First of all, I want to explain a few definitions that I've learned about social learning. Dr. Orey states that connectivism is where "knowledge resides in the patterns of how different concepts are networked" (Connectivism as a Learning Theory) and C. Davis, E. Edmunds, & V. Kelly-Bateman describe connectivism as "driven by the understanding that decisions are based on rapidly altering foundations" (Connectivism Online Book). Cooperative learning is defined as "students working together to attain group goals that cannot be obtained by working alone or competitively" (G. Palmer, R. Peters, & R. Streetman, Cooperative Learning Online Book). And finally, Dr. Orey states that social learning is "students actively engaged in constructing artifacts and conversing with others" (Social Learning Theories). All of these terms are related in that students are working together towards a common goal or objective.

There are many, many technology resources that can be used in group work. Some of these include powerpoint, wikis, blogs, instant messaging, video, and webquests. H. Pitler, E. Hubbell, M. Kuhn, & K. Malenoski separate these technology resources into 3 categories. The first is multimedia, which includes creating a video (movie) and other strategies which combine sounds and visuals. They discuss how pre-planning is an important component of successful group work and how rubrics can be utilized for group and individual evaluation. Also, cooperative teaching can be utilized as an end product. The second category is web resources, which includes "Ask an Expert" websites, keypals (email pen pals from far away), webquests, website creation, collaborative organizing (shared calendars, shared bookmarking, and course management), and web-enabled multiplayer simulation games. The third category is communication software, which includes blogs, wikis, instant messaging, and other Web 2.0 resources (Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works).

Social learning theories are all about students learning to work together to learn and organize new knowledge to form understanding. Students need to have multiple opportunities in the classroom to practice group work. Dr. Orey states that "teaching others (peers) helps cognition and understanding" (Social Learning Theories). The group work usually involves teacher prepartion, breaking the students into small groups, researching and organizing content, and teaching the class about what they discovered. This is an emmersive process, where students are creating an artifact and displaying it for the whole class to see and learn about. Teachers must be prepared to organize and follow-up with the groups to make sure everyone is doing their part and not wasting time. Deadlines need to be set-up and each member of the group needs to be responsible for getting their work done on time.

In conclusion, there are many benefits of social learning, such as encouragement, discussing and validating answers, bouncing ideas off each other, student empowerment, individual accountability, increased motivation, and aiding each other during the project. Students need to be able to work with others because they will be doing that for their lifetime. They need to be able to work collaboratively to solve problems and work towards a common goal. Social learning is student-centered and the teacher aides, extends the learning, and provides feedback, but is not necessarily in charge of the learning. We teach students of various interests and backgrounds, with social learning we need to take advantage of this in how we group students and their roles within the group. Group work gives the students a "sense of ownership" when the product is constructed and "each group member's mark is on the final outcome" (B. Kim, Social Constructivism). Social learning creates real-life, meaningful learning experiences that children will remember.

Constructivism in Practice

I really enjoyed learning about constructivism and its uses in the classroom. I use project-based learning for the majority of my lessons in Art. So, I am very familiar with this concept and its success for subject matter retention. Seymour Papert, renowned expert on children and computing, asserts that "engaging students by starting with the concrete and solving hands-on, real-world problems is a great motivator" (D. Curtis, Edutopia: Project Learning). In this theory, the teacher serves as a facilitator, collaborator, and guide and students are free to explore curriculum, construct their own knowledge, and learning even becomes more cross-curricular. Dr. Orey states that "each individual actively constructs his/her own meaning" and "people learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others" (Constructionist & Constructivist Learning Theories dvd). It is all about hands-on learning activities and projects, where students often collaborate and work together, assemble data, and assemble visual artifacts.

My thoughts on how the instructional strategies described in the resources explored this week correlate with the principles of constructivist constructionist learning theories:
All of the instructional strategies explored this week dealt with project-based, problem-based, and inquiry-based learning. Students are involved in constructing an artifact to share with peers. Some of the instructional strategies included student-created powerpoint presentations, student-created websites, blogs, and wikis, using software programs that "build" a learning artifact, Webquests, and other projects that utilize technology in the construction of a final product. An example of an instructional strategy that correlates with the constructionist theory is students working together ingroups of 2-3 constructing a poster or powerpoint on a particular artist, using online images, online research, and word processing.

Generating and Testing Hypothesis - reflection:
"When students generate and test hypotheses, they are engaging in complex mental processes, applying content knowledge like facts and vocabulary, and enhancing their overall understanding of the content" (H.Pitler, E.Hubbell, M.Kuhn, & K.Malenoski, p.202). This instructional strategy works with real-world problems and uses a variety of structured tasks that guide students to an answer. Technology can be used in this strategy through the use of spreadsheets, data collection tools, interactive applets and simulations, and other Web resources. Using technology, students "showed overwhelming enthusiasm while learning the material" (H.Pitler, E.Hubbell, M.Kuhn, & K.Malenoski, p.214) I do not use this particular instructional strategy much in Art, but it is good for other content areas and allows students to successfully engage in content learning.

In conclusion, this theory's basic assumption is that students learn best when the learning is student-centered, exploratory in nature, has multiple options and learning tasks, collaborative, and is real-world focused. Problem-based inquiry "provide students with strategies and experiences that empower them to become critical consumers of info. and tackle authentic problems through group problem-solving. Teachers should take the responsibility for facilitating learning so that analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and extension of info. by students assumes its proper role" (E. Glazer, Problem Based Instruction). When this takes place, instruction becomes "more creative, personalized, hands-on, meaningful, and effective for all participants" (S.Han & K. Bhattacharya, Constructionism, Learning by Design, and Project Based Learning).

Cognitivism in Practice

The Cognitive learning theory is an information processing model that deals with memory (long and short term) and how we obtain and store information. Dr. Orey talks about the components of this theory such as how "people can only process 7 +/- pieces of info. at a time, how long-term memory is stored in networks of connected info., info. is stored as images and text, in which informational images are very powerful in learning, and experiences including the multiple senses and connected to prior knowledge are so important for learning to take place." Using cognitive technology tools in the classroom has a powerful impact, where students learn "with" as opposed to "from" computers. Cognitive technology tools have various roles, from information seeking, to information presentation, to knowledge organization, to knowledge integration (B. Robertson, L. Elliot, & D. Washington, Cognitive Tools). When students work with computer technology, the computer enhances their thinking and learning, causes them to think about info. instead of reproducing and/or recalling info., facilitates the attainment of learning goals and objectives, and what I think is the most important, motivates and engages learners through realistic, contextual, varied, and higher-thinking learning processes (B. Robertson, L. Elliot, & D. Washington, Cognitive Tools).

Reflection on Cues, Questions, & Advance Organizers:
This instructional strategy is primarily a pre-learning strategy. It helps the teacher gauge what the students already know about a concept, helps students connect to prior knowledge, and previews the learning that is to come. It may include powerpoints, educational videos, and preliminary research on a topic to motivate and engage students. Advance organizers are important technology tools to use because they connect to prior learning, help students brainstorm, often include "essential questions" which use critical and higher-order thinking to produce deeper learning, organize info., and can be used during learning to add new concepts and vocabulary as it is being introduced (H.Pitler, E. Hubbell, M. Kuhn, and K. Malenoski). In my art classes, I often use graphic organizers, similar to concept maps/advance organizers on the dry erase board to connect vocabulary and content. In the near future, I plan on incorporating more technological graphic organizers that include multimedia for pre-learning activities to engage and motivate students.

Reflection on Summarizing and Note Taking:
I never use summarizing or note taking with my elementary art classes. But, this instructional strategy works well for middle and secondary students. It focuses on "enhancing students' ability to synthesize info. and distill it into a concise new form" (H. Pitler, E. Hubbell, M. Kuhn, & K. Malenoski). It discusses different word processing applications which involves rule-based summarizing, the AutoSummarize tool, and outline/note-taking formats. It also discusses the powerful communication software of wikis and blogs.

Reflection on Concept Maps & Virtual Field Trips:
Dr. Orey explains concept maps as "replicating the network model of memory." They are graphical tools that organize and link ideas to each other. From what I have learned, I can use these maps to connect any new concepts to prior knowledge and use informational images and online multimedia links to elaborate on new concepts. A concept map is "at once simple, but also elegantly complex with profound meanings. Learners are actively engaged in the meaning building process, an essential requirement for meaningful learning to occur" (J. Novak, A. Canas, Concept Maps article).

Virtual field trips are awesome! They provide an opportunity to go where students will probably never get to visit and see physical sites and artifacts that engage learners in critical thinking. I can use virtual field trips to various art museums around the world and involve students in critical thinking through viewing many different works of art. The can compare and contrast artoworks, view and analyze the architecture of various buildings around the world, and be engaged in creating their own trips.

How these technology resources relate to the Cognitive learning theory:
All of these resources deal with connecting new concepts to prior knowledge and processing new information. We want our students to engage in concrete experiences and "emersive" learning experiences as much as possible. These technology resources do that and also build off prior knowledge, engage and motivate learners through technology use, involve the brain and memory, and involve higher order thinking.

Behaviorism in Practice

What is Behaviorism -
M. Standridge states "Behaviorism is primarily concerned with observable and measurable aspects of human behavior. In defining behavior, behaviorist learning theories emphasize changes in behavior that result from stimulus-response associations made by the learner" (Behaviorism Online Book). For example, when the paddle comes out, the kids know to be on their best behavior or they will get spanked.

Reflection on "Reinforcing Effort" and "Homework and Practice" instructional strategies-

With reinforcing effort, the goal is to make the students "understand the relationship between effort and achievement by addressing their attitudes and beliefs about learning" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski). I think that reinforcing effort is very important because it helps the students to understand that if they work hard and give their best, they will be successful. Using rubrics that emphasize effort, using spreadsheets and tools that track grades and correlate effort to achievement, and showing the students data, helps students realize that effort does count and is important in the learning process. "Many attribute their success or failure to external factors" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski). We need to use these visual ways of demonstrating to students that effort and achievement are very much connected.

"Homework and practice give students a chance to review and apply what they have learned" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski). I agree with the book, that homework should have a specific and clear purpose and outcome, be varied, and increase the student's understanding of a skill or concept. There are many technology resources that can be incorporated into homework and practice such as using word processing applications, spreadsheets, and multimedia, such as online educational games and interactive simulations.

Behaviorism deals with observable behaviors and stimulus-response applications. Using free web resources, including drill and practice, tutorials on various concepts and subject areas, remediation software, educational games, and interactive simulations and labs, behaviorism is currently in practice and being used my educators and students. Also, teachers use behaviorism in the classroom for behavior management, with the use of reinforcement and punishment. Teachers use behavior management strategies such as moving a clip when misbehavior occurs, time on the wall at recess, detention, and behavior contracts, that incorporate this behaviorism approach.

In conclusion, I use behaviorism in my classroom for behavior management ("time on the wall"), using the Jumpstart Artist educational concept learning software, which incorporates a game-like presentation and rewards for accomplishing various levels and learning concepts, and rubrics for art projects which reinforce effort. Occasionally, I give homework in art to practice and reinforce a concept.

Week 8 - Reflection

• In what ways has this course helped you to develop your own technology skills as a professional teacher? I have learned how to create a wiki, blog, and podcast to use for educational purposes. I learned many of the technical skills related to the creation of the above, such as editing skills, how to add images and text, and how to format. I've also learned a few things from the course discussions, such as Sparknotes (a great online technological resource for students), Fugleflicks (a great podcast resource site for art educators), and have explored many different blogs that I will continue to use for professional development resources and general knowledge resource.
• In what ways have you deepened your knowledge of the teaching and learning process? I have learned about the importance of incorporating the 21st century skills into daily content lessons. I have learned what the 21st century skills are and how to utilize them in the classroom in various ways. The teacher now-a-days needs to become more of a facilitator and source of support and knowledge for students. He/she needs to utilize 21st century skills and technology in the teaching of content. Many opportunities need to be presented to students, so that students become more self-directed and in charge of their own learning. We need to encourage, challenge, and provide opportunities for our students to become more engaged in the learning process by offering them fun, educational activities that involve technology and learning content skills.
• In what ways have you changed your perspective from being teacher-centered to learner-centered? I feel that in most of my lessons I provide learner-centered activities and projects. My perspective has not really changed that much. I never lecture my students and often offer many collaborative, self-directed art projects. I have always looked to my students for inspiration, new ideas, and their input for designing and implementing various content lessons. Usually I'm only their for direction, support, as a guide, and director. I totally believe that learning should be learner-centered. If we don't look at our students as sources of new information and use their interests and expertise in technology in the classroom, we lose their interest and when we lose their interest, our hard work and their learning is not successful.
• In what ways can you continue to expand your knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology with the aim of increasing student achievement? I will continue to take professional development classes in technology. This summer the Tri-County Educational Service Center, which services our school district, is offering 10+ free classes for teachers on a variety of educational topics, including many in different classroom technology skills and programs. I am also helping our district technology director with taking apart the old computers and she is teaching me the external and internal parts of a computer. She has many years of technology experience and she is teaching me a lot about technology, technology problem solving skills, and how to use many technology resources in my classroom. She is a good friend of mine! I am constantly reading and looking for ways to integrate new technologies and online resources into my content lessons. Every time I teach a lesson, I try to add new technology resources to it to increase student achievement and motivation.
• Set two long-term goals (within two years) for transforming your classroom environment by which you may have to overcome institutional or systemic obstacles in order to achieve them. How do you plan to accomplish these goals? One of my goals for next school year is to teach content to each grade level that I teach using Jumpstart Artist computer software. This year our PTO (parent-teacher organization) purchased this program for all of our computer lab computers. I have a plan to sequentially teach content using this fun educational software starting in grade 1 and progressing each year through grade 4. One obstacle that I've faced this year is scheduling the lab. I'm going to overcome this obstacle by teaching in the lab one grade level at a time. For example, only 1st grade in September, 2nd grade in November, 3rd in March, and 4th in May. By scheduling the lab only one grade level at a time, it may reduce the problems that I've faced trying to schedule grades 1-3 in one month. Another goal is to utilize blogs, wikis, and podcasts in my lessons next year when the opportunity arises. I'm going to look at each content lesson and try my best to integrate these technology resources into the lessons. I'm definitely going to teach my high school Art 1 class how to develop a collaborative wiki to research and provide information on various artists to share with the class.

Additional reflection/comments: I really enjoyed the discussion aspect of this class. I enjoyed reading, reflecting, and commenting each week on various topics. Reading other people's posts and sharing, discussing, and adding to the discussion was great and gave me a lot of knowledge and new information from my peers in this class.

I feel that my technology and knowledge has grown from my first week of this class till now. I've learned many new things and how to integrate them into my classroom and the importance of integrating them into my classroom.

I really enjoyed this class and learned a lot! Thanks, Becky DePuy

Application 5 Podcast

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