After reading through the assigned reading for Unit 4 on Cases on Objects, I would have to say that the modules have some similarities and some differences. A similarity between Case-Based learning and Cognitive Flexibility Theory is that they are both case based. I also feel that they also merge a majority of the same ideas. Both involve real-life scenarios, available resources and stories. These modules also involve the use of background knowledge. The level of background knowledge on a topic can influence the work that someone completes on these assignments. At the end of these modules, students should be better at critical thinking skills such as making a decision. One of the biggest differences between the two modules, in my opinion, is that Case-based learning seems to be more structured. In Cognitive-Flexibility students use more of their own opinions, and previous cases to form ideas and thoughts around a certain topic. There is flexibility in their work. I also feel that learning objects could be adapted to fit almost any of the modules we worked with this year because information can be presented in specific lengths that would be appropriate depending on the group of learners.
After learning about these modules, my first and main thought is, "WOW!" I feel that these modules and ideas would be better applied to middle school students. As an elementary teacher, I can't imagine the time it would take to set up something like the plantation letters that we worked through. Time is a teachers worse enemy so I feel they would be more beneficial if I were only planning for a certain subject area such as Social Studies and not having to plan all subjects. I also feel that students who are in middle school/early high school are starting to really understand how to make decisions, form opinions, and investigate answers on their own. These modules might be a little hard and overwhelming for younger and more immature students.
I'm not sure if I would use these modules with my group of students this year. I have a lot of behavior problems and students who don't have critical thinking skills. Although these modules would be beneficial, I think they would work best for the Enrichment students in 5th grade. The population I work with lack a lot of basic computer skills so I feel like this module would be too much for them. The only way I could really modify these modules would be to limit the amount of information I included within each module and giving the students a tutorial on HOW they were going to complete the assignment.
One of the biggest tools I think that could be used for these modules would be LiveBinder. Teachers can include certain pages for students to visit and they look like binder tabs. I could also see students using a NING like we did, GoogleDocs, Document Viewers, and blogs. Available resources are important for these modules so it would be beneficial to have access to information and document share software.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Unit 3 - Context Based Instruction and Multimedia
After completing the readings for these modules, I feel there are a lot of similarities and some differences as well. These modules seem to all have in common that they break down the information into steps. The STAR module in particular has a specific breakdown for students to follow. I also feel that these modules allow students to discover things on their own by using given resources. Another common feature of these modules is the fact that they use real-life examples that all call upon a student activating their background knowledge. Personally, I feel that the Goal-Based Scenarios and STAR Legacy modules are most closely related while the MOST environments module is the most different. However, all of these modules are context based and depend on the use of multi-media features. The biggest difference in these modules for me was the fact that MOST environments are specifically designed for at-risk students. All of the modules we have studied thus far can be adapted to reach any level of students, but MOST environments are developed directly for at-risk students. All of these modules can help create motivation because students are doing something that is “outside the box” Students can complete these modules and still take away the objectives that are set forth by the state but they are always taking away skills needed to be successful in the 21 Century.
Overall, I feel like these modules are more realistic for me to create and use in my classroom. Students are still given goals or task that they need to reach and they are doing a lot of the learning and discovering on their own. The teacher is more of a facilitator in these modules which helps create a more meaningful learning experience for the students. At the same time, I don’t feel these modules are overwhelming like some of the past ones we have looked at. Being a teacher in elementary school, I know how quickly my students can become overloaded with information. These modules really help break everything down so there isn’t too much for them to tackle at once. Even though these modules are more realistic for me to create, they still require a decent amount of time, which is a teacher’s worst enemy. Maybe creating lessons here and there would work, but it is not something I could do all the time. Of course another possible issue is the fact that not all schools are equipped with enough technology for all or even most of the students to use these modules. I know personally, at my school, booking the computer lab isn’t always the easiest task and the laptop carts always seem to be missing or something isn’t working with them. These modules would be great to use if your school had a 1:1 laptop initiative. However, for now, I can use these modules during my extension and enrichment time. Some students can work on our classroom computers, while I teach small groups to other students.
I feel that these modules are more manageable to use in an elementary classroom in comparisons to our last set of modules. I feel that these modules still allow students to discover answers on their own and they are still applying real-life knowledge to real-world problems. I also feel that these modules aren’t as in depth for students so elementary students wouldn’t be as overwhelmed with them. In particular, I think that the STAR module and the Anchored Instruction would be two modules I would likely use in my class. I think they would be easiest to integrate with math and science first since there are so many available resources for students. I also like that these modules incorporate multi-media but “scripts” can also be made available to students who aren’t auditory learners.
I feel a big component of these modules is the use of video in one way or another. Possible good tools to use could include, Voicethread, YouTube, and Voki. You could also use GoogleDocs to share ideas, or Camtasia. Depending on the assignment, bookflix is another tool that teachers could opt to use for one of these modules.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Unit 2 Blog - GROUP-BASED COLLABORATIVE INSTRUCTION & MULTIMEDIA
After completing the readings for this unit, I think there are some obvious similarities between the models that are used. All four of the models in this unit incorporate a collaborative component. Students learn how to communicate and work with one another in some way, shape, or form. In the cooperative learning, PBL, and Guided Design Process models students are working in groups and define roles for each other. The division of work and holding each other accountable is a task that I feel all students need to be successful in the 21st Century. Although these models are similar, they also have a few differences as well. In Guided Design Practice, students work in groups to teach themselves and the teacher then guides students through open-ended style questions. In the PBL model students are required to solve the open-ended problems on their own but they are able to come up with more than one correct answer. The role of the teacher in the PBL model is to be more of a facilitator and ask probing questions that will force students to think deeper on a topic. The Cooperative Learning, students work together by assigning each other specific jobs to do. Students are also held accountable for the work of others. By doing this, the students aren’t just accountable for themselves but they must be concerned about their peers as well. By using this model, students learn how to accept differences of opinions and ideas and become more responsible. To me, the one outcast of the group from our readings is on Situated Cognition and Cognitive Apprenticeships. This model I think can be incorporated in all of the other previously mentioned models because it applies to real-life application. Students understand how math problems can be used in the real-world which is another skill important for the 21st Century, and one that is incorporated into these other modules.
My initial reaction to these modules was “Hmm, why don’t we do this more?” These models I think are used partially in many classrooms today but are missing pieces here or there. I feel a lot of teachers might combine different ideas from different models. As I continued reading week-by-week and looking over the available resources, I realized that even though these are great, they would also be hard to do for EVERY subject all day long in an elementary classroom. Ideal world, right? I wish I could incorporate all of these but the process of developing all of these ideas would be extremely time consuming. Even though the work would be time consuming, I think it would be better to start somewhere instead of nowhere. Maybe if I started small and worked my way up, I wouldn’t take so long at creating these ideas. These models are important because they teach students important skills that will help them be successful in the 21st Century. I am a teacher; I am supposed to prepare my students not hinder them. Using these models would be helpful in school because I think they would help build a classroom community. Students would learn how to work, and respect, one another and just talk even if they have varying opinions. Speaking from experience, this is something my students need a great deal of work on. Maybe including more and more of this work in my class would lessen the arguments and ugly word choices some of my students use with one another.
After making one of these models and seeing how it goes for this class, I think I would try this with my classes. My students currently do Webquests and research information on their own but sometimes they also work in groups on projects where they have specific roles as well. My students also already work on partner talk during reading so I feel like I have a little bit of a base foundation that I could work with to try one of these models with. Overall, I am not sure if I favor one model over another but I would probably integrate a few of them together. At the fifth grade level, some of my kids may get overwhelmed with the possibility of having more than one right answer choice, so I would probably have to give them a set question/answer model.
Creating a model on the Internet has become extremely easy due to all the readily available tools. Personally, I feel Blogs, Google docs, Moodles, Weebly and Skype are probably some of the most useful tools for collaboration on the web. Students could also use Voicethread, Prezzi, or a Screencast of some sort. Overall, there are endless possibilities that can be used for these models on the web.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Unit 1 Blog - PSI and A-T
While reading the articles for both of these module designs I found myself sometimes thinking my class had a lot of these components and other times, I didn’t think my classes had either. The biggest common foundation for both of these modules is the fact that they are both “distance” education to an extent. Students are held more accountable for their own learning in both of these modules. However, these modules have some very different ideas as well. While I was reading, I found I was able to understand the PSI module better since a majority of my classes have followed this format. A Personalized System of Instruction allows students to master topics one at a time since they are broken down into grouped chunks. Most courses set up on Moodle follow this set up. Every week my work is broken down into a certain topic or objective, and I am expected to complete and master that week before I can move onto the next. On the other hand, the A-T Method is something I am not familiar with. The biggest difference I find from this method is the fact that there are manipulatives that students need to get in order to complete the assignment. I also find it interesting that the instructor or TA are available in a “learning center” to provide support.
During reading, I realized that both of these modules have advantages and disadvantages. The biggest advantage of both of these modules is the fact that students can work when it is more convenient for them. One of the other biggest advantages to the A-T method is the fact that students who are more advanced don’t have to sit and re-learn material they already know and students who struggle can have more focused instruction. However, there are disadvantages for this method as well. One of the biggest disadvantages I see, from a teaching perspective, is the amount of time it would take to set everything up for this module. Likewise, PSI has it advantages and disadvantages as well. One of the biggest flaws I noticed for PSI is the fact that it requires very basic level thinking. I suppose teachers could alter their PSI’s to contain higher-order thinking especially for enrichment activities but it isn’t something that is necessarily built in. One of the advantages of PSI, in my opinion, is the way there is immediate feedback and students can track their grades and progress.
After comparing the two models of instruction, I feel I would be more inclined to try and create a PSI for my class. I think PSI would be more appropriate for a 5th grade class, especially mine since they are lower level. I also feel I’d be more likely to create a PSI because it is something I could build using Moodle, which is the platform for Union County Public Schools. I think if I created a PSI for my class, I’d be able to add enrichment activities as well as enrichment activities so I could reach all of my students. I also think PSI would be easier to modify over the years so I can change it around depending on feedback and the current students in my class.
There are a lot of web-based tools that I feel could be either included in a module or altered to make it fit. Personally, I feel that screen-sharing software or Skype are two of the biggest that could be used, especially with the AT Method. I also think that quiz generators could be used in the PSI module to help track grades for the instructor. I also think PDF files and Google docs are a good way to share articles, readings, or findings when using the PSI module. The following are links to available web-tools that would work for these modules.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Question to answer in my posts...
1. What are key similarities or striking differences between the theories/models in a given unit? Do the theories/models in a unit share any common foundations or principles?
2. What are your initial reactions to these learning theories/models? What are barriers to their use? What benefits might be expected for those who overcome the barriers?
3. Would you attempt to use any of these theories/models with the students you are currently teaching or hope to teach in the future? Why or why not? Could elements of the theories/models be modified so that they would work with your current/future students?
4. Since we're taking learning theories/models that were not necessarily created with the Web in mind and turning them into Web modules, what Web-based tools or resources could be leveraged to carry out this learning theories/models online?
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