Reflection: Final Blog Posting for EDUC-6711I-4

During the past 8 weeks, I have had the opportunity to dive back into the basics of different learning theories. When I started this course, I thought I had a firm understanding of my own personal learning theory. In my classroom, I thought I was basing my instruction around Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory as well and a good bit of social learning and constructivism. After looking deeper into the different theories the majority of my instruction holds true to what I first believed but I also see a little bit of all of theories in my instruction. I see cognitive learning when I use the senses to teach a concept as well as graphic organizers. I use behaviorism when I use interactive games through the Smart Board and computer lab. All of the theories of some place in my classroom.

The biggest adjustment I think I will make in my classroom when it comes to integrating technology is giving the students more control over the technology. Making technology more student-based by having them use it to create artifacts of their learning is something that I want to start doing this year. Two tools I want to take advantage of this year is the VoiceThread and the Virtual Field Trips. The VoiceThread is my favorite. There are so many possibilities for using this with my second graders. I plan on using this tool as a learning tool by letting them work together to make artifacts of information they learned and respond to each other with what they learned (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008). I also like the idea of students using it to share stories they have written - complete with their voice telling the story and their pictures. I then would like my students to practice responding to literature with text to text, text to self, and text to world connections as response to their peers' stories. This is a great way to incorporate cooperative learning into the classroom (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). The virtual field trips are a great way to get my students engaged in our social studies' units. Our entire curriculum focuses on our state of Georgia - the past and the present. Using the virtual field trip as an instructional tool with the Smart Board will allow them to easily see what life was like when the settlers first came to Georgia (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008). The VFT will present a wide variety of images and facts so that my second graders can relate to the life of Georgia settler.

After this course, there are many goals I have for my classroom. The first is to rework many of my units so that I am incorporating learner-based technology. Some portion of the technology I use is instruction based - which is not bad, just in need of some work. Taking my PowerPoints and making them more interactive is one way of tweaking my lessons. Another is taking Dr. Orey's (2001) advice and eliminating text from my PowerPoints and trade them for images so that my students can relate what I am saying to what they see. And lastly, using the tools I learned in this course so that my students can develop their own learning while I work as the facilitator. My second goal is to extend my classroom community to the virtual world. By using tools such as the VoiceThread, Podcasts, and Blogs - my students can interact and learn from one another in new ways. This is a big goal because my students are still very young and need to take baby steps when learning how to use new tools. So, for this to work, I need to introduce one tool at a time and work with my students on not only how to use the tools but how to use them effectively.

So as I leave this course, I leave with a positive outlook on what my classroom will look like. I am excited to use what I have learned to see my changes enhance student learning as well as give each student a voice and a role in their own learning.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008b). Program thirteen. Technology: Instructional Tool

vs. Learning Tool [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology.Baltimore: Author.

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved

from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

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

instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.