A Reflection of Technology and Instructional Practices

• Reflect on the “Personal Theory of Learning” you developed in Week 1. Summarize any modifications to your personal theory of learning you have made as a result of your learning in this course.

Eight weeks ago, I stated my personal learning theory was finding ways to make real world connections in my classroom. For my music students, that consisted of teaching music that could be found outside my classroom and the history behind the music we learned. What I have since discovered is I need to take my goal of real world connections one step further. What has been lacking in my teaching has been the application. Too often I would stop short of giving my students the opportunity to do something with the information I presented beyond singing or playing the notes on the page. What I have learned from this course on integrating technology and instructional strategies is to get the information I want my students to learn into their hands and have them create something with that information. I plan to rely more on the constructionist theory of creating an artifact. Dr. Orey said, “…students are engaged in learning…” when they are creating an artifact. (Laureate, 2008) By giving my students opportunities to create an artifact, either alone or in groups, I hope to complete the real world connections I have worked towards in the past.

• Describe any immediate adjustments you will make to your instructional practice regarding technology integration as a result of your learning in this course. Identify two technology tools you would like to use with your students and how the tools will support or enhance your students’ learning.

In the past, I always felt that integrating technology into my music classes required expensive music software. Add to the expense was the time it would take to actually teach the software and not having adequate access to computers to get the programs taught. It felt like a no-win situation. This class has allowed me to see that expensive software and long periods of time are not necessary to integrate technology into my classroom First, the authors of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works provide a wealth of ideas and resources that allow me to use technology in my lessons with little to no expense or instructional time. (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K, 2007) I have found their book to be valuable and accessible to any content area and I plan to use many of their suggestions.

One technology tool I plan to take advantage of is VoiceThread. (www.voicethread.com) Many of my classes next year will be cut short from full year to only nine weeks long. As a result, performance opportunities will be greatly reduced. By using VoiceThread, I can record and post classroom performances and have fellow classmates offer positive and constructive advice.

A second technology tool I plan to use is the online graphic organizer program wespiration. (www.mywebspiration.com) Graphic organizers are nothing new in education, but I have failed to use them in the past. Having a way to organize information not only saves time, but aides’ students in moving information from their short term to long term memory. Online access allows students to work collectively at school or from home which further supports 21st century learning skills.

• List two long-term goal changes you would like to make to your instructional practice regarding technology integration and outline a strategy for achieving them.

Two long-term goals for me would include using technology regularly in my classroom and getting technology into the hands of my students. Even though these two goals can be reached separately, by combining them, I can reach them more effectively. For example, I plan to use my Promethean board and projector regularly for whole class presentations and discussions. To avoid the pitfall of lecturing from a Power Point presentation, I will have my students run the presentation, merely guide their discussions and allow them the opportunity to edit, adjust or add to the notes. Finally, at the end of the lesson, students can then use the technology at hand to once again, create a final project demonstrating their knowledge.

In the past, I felt technology was not that difficult, but too hard to use in the classroom or too time consuming to teach. Technology does not have to be hard, just accessible. That is the simple belief behind the book by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhm and Malenoski, “a focus on technology is not “about” the technology itself, but about changing teacher practice, motivating our students, and creating learning experiences that will be applicable to their world and future workplaces.” (Pitler, et al, 2007)



Laureate Education Inc. (2008). “Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories.” Baltimore, MD: Laureate Education Inc.

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

So exactly where is our stage?

One music teachers dilema over where her students can perform...

Follow this link to my VoiceThread presentation and feel free to offer any suggestions you might have.

I'd be happy to hear your ideas.

http://voicethread.com/share/527528/



Referrences:
All clip art downloaded from Microsoft Online

To Network or not to Network?

According to Wong and Wong, “Cooperative learning is not so much learning to cooperate as it is cooperating to learn.” (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K, 2007) That is the basis for the many of the technology tools suggested in our text this week with regards to social learning.

Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works highlights many instructional strategies that can be used in the classroom. These strategies can all be used in a social learning scenario. Even though I have only begun to use technology in a cooperative learning environment, I can see their educational value.

Dr. Orey said that one of the aspects of social learning is “Students actively engage in constructing artifacts and conversing with others.” (Laureate, 2008) When students work together to create a web site to display their research, as suggested in our text, they are doing exactly what Dr. Orey stated. First, students have to work together to research their subject and then present their research findings creatively on the internet. The prior knowledge of all the team members combined with the new research culminates in a creative presentation that is as unique as the members themselves. Sure, this same type of lesson can be done on an individual basis, but the cooperative efforts brings unique perspectives and creativity.

Moodle was also mentioned in our text as another resource that can be used in social learning. My school district introduced Moodle this year on the high school level as a way for students and teachers to download instructions and post assignments. As for social learning, “Students share ideas, communicate as a group and learn collectively.” (Pitler, H., et al, 2007) and that is something Moodle offers. However, on a downside, many students expressed frustration over using Moodle with downed networks, slow access or no home access and locked up or lost assignments. I guess the 21st century “The dog ate my homework” excuse is now “But the network was down.”

But even with this downside, Moodle, Global Schoolhouse and the like are great resources that provide students within a classroom or around the world the chance to collaborate in a social learning environment.



Laureate Education Inc. (2008). “Social Learning Theories.” Baltimore, MD: Laureate Education Inc.

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