Reflection on Learning

As I reviewed the learning theory assignment that I completed in week one of this course, I realized that I would make some modifications.  I still feel that learning occurs through meaningful experiences.  However, in this course, I have learned that there are multitudes of technology resources available to use in conjunction with the nine clusters of effective teaching strategies as mentioned by Dr. Debra Pickering (Laureate Education Inc., 2011b).  In addition, I have learned about experiences that involve technology that the students use for their own learning as opposed to the teacher dominating the technology.  One adaptation I would make to my learning theory would be that I do not need to create learning experiences for my students.  They can create their own learning experiences.  My students ask several questions each day.  I have decided that much of their learning could stem from their natural questioning.  Learning, in the real world, does extend from our natural questioning.  Thus, I should use technology to allow my students to learn and showcase their learning about things that interest them currently.  I often assume my students are interested in topics, so I create week-long units about them.  I have realized that I need to let them tell me about their interests.

One major adjustment I am making to my instructional practice is turning instructional technology into learning technology.  Instead of playing videos for the whole class and standing at the front of the room to talk about the video, I can allow students to do their own research.  One specific way I will do this is by posting a picture of chickens and eggs next to a QR code of a hatching chick.  The picture is a nonlinguistic representation of the content that the students will explore.  Pitler, Hubbell, and Kuhn (2012) explain the importance of using pictures as nonlinguistic representations to assist in the students’ understanding (p. 105).  The students can look at images such as the chicken and eggs to determine which video they would like to watch.  Then, they will write what happened in the video to summarize their research.  This is more engaging for the students because they would get to choose their topic.  Also, the students would be conducting and summarizing their research without the help of the teacher.

In my classroom, we do several concept maps to sort and organize ideas.  I will begin using digital concept mapping instead of using chart paper to save paper and allow my students to manipulate the concept map instead of me doing the writing.  They can use pictures.  I would like to use virtual field trips in the classroom.  Dr. Michael Orey describes how virtual field trips create experiences for students: “we can create this episodic memory, we can create a rich experience, and this rich experience could be the foundational experience in this network of ideas that a child can have when they’re learning the content (Laureate Education Inc., 2011a).  There are a few virtual field trips that are age appropriate for my students.  I would like for my students to create these field trips.  Another tool that I will begin using is VoiceThread.  I will be using it to have students comment on each other’s writing.  I will post pictures of their writing on the VoiceThread and have them read their writing into the VoiceThread.  Then, I will have the students post comments on VoiceThreads.  I really found it fairly easy to navigate the VoiceThread app on my iPhone.  Thus, I plan to use iPods and iPads for the students to create VoiceThreads and post comments.

One long-term goal I have to improve my instructional practice is to create an environment where the students can easily access technology to use for their own learning.  Dr. Michael Orey explains that “learning tools are…about what the child can do with the technology” (Laureate Education Inc., 2011c).  My plan to achieve this goal is to make the iPads or iPods available for the students to use to learn and to showcase learning.  I have already begun this process by making the technology readily available by encouraging the students to take pictures of the work they are proud of which will be showcased as a slideshow on our classroom blog.  Also, I am allowing the students to learn how to create digital presentations using a video camera.  The next step I am taking is to provide QR links to virtual fieldtrips or instructional videos for the students to use to learn.  Then, I will allow students to create their own virtual field trips of places we go or documentaries of things we do at school.  Another goal I have is to create a global learning environment by finding classrooms in different parts of the world to communicate.  In prekindergarten, students need to appreciate other cultures.  Interacting with people in different parts of the world would give my students the awareness of places different than our community.  In order to achieve both of these goals, I have discussed the goals with my colleagues at school.  Hopefully, we can change the way we teach to a more student-led, technology rich environment.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program six: Spotlight on technology: Virtual field trips [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program eleven: Instructional strategies, Part one [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011c). Program thirteen: Technology: Instructional tool vs. learning tool [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that

works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.