Learning Cooperatively: The Social Learning Theory

     The meaning of the social learning theory is based upon students learning cooperatively. It is our job as educators to make sure that our students are prepared for the future. Pitler, Hubbel, & Kuhn best stated that, “To be prepared for the fast-paced, virtual workplaces that they will inherit, today’s students need to be able to learn and produce cooperatively” (2007). To support students learning cooperatively, teachers should create assignments that reinforce positive reinforcement, face-to-face, promotive interaction, individual and group accountability, interdependent and small-group skills, and group processing.


     Dr. Michael Orey gave a great example of multimedia in a social learning approach using the jigsaw strategy (Laureate Education Inc., 2009). Students can work in small groups to create a PowerPoint presentation about a topic such as famous authors. Students will split into groups of five, each student studying a different author. The students would split up into different small groups based up on the authors they are studying, to work collaboratively to research the author using technology tools. The students would then collaborate by returning to their original groups to share their information and create a PowerPoint presentation about the authors. This strategy teaches students to problem solve together learn from what each group member has to contribute. They must trust each other’s research and work together to make decisions for the PowerPoint.

     With the amount of technology that is available to students today, they can collaborate using the internet, with other students in their school, expects of specific content knowledge, and people all over the world. A WebQuest is a great social learning tool that students can learn from on the internet. They are inquiry-oriented activities where students from different places can cooperate to create a project or solve a problem. Providing links to supplemental resources allows the students to learn from multiple sources and learn in many different ways.

     In order for students to learn based on the social learning theory, they must learn cooperatively. The students must understand that they can help each other learn and motivate each other. Keeping open communication and working together will create meaningful experiences to provide a deeper understanding for students.

References

Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program 8. Social learning theory [Motion Picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology Baltimore: Author.

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

Constructivism in Practice

This week, I read about generating and testing hypothesis in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. The constructivist/ constructionist learning theories help students to gain a deeper understanding of concepts through project-based, problem-based, and inquiry-based approaches. The instructional strategies discussed in this chapter can help students to clearly explain their hypotheses and conclusions. Integrating technology as part of these strategies will allow students to, “…spend more time interpreting the data rather than gathering the data” (Lever-Duffey & McDonald, 2008).


Students can use spreadsheet software to make informed predictions, collect and analyze data, and revise their original hypothesis. Programs such as Microsoft Excel and Google Spreadsheets allow students to use technology to create a hypothesis and organize their data in a meaningful way to them. Having access to computers will allow the students to make changes to their data without having to use paper or write and erase numerous times. This technology uses the constructivist/ constructionist learning theories by having students complete projects which can be revised to development an idea. “Using data collection tools enables students to see the bigger picture and recognize patterns,” (Lever-Duffey & McDonald, 2008). When students can use digital data collection tools, they can spend more time analyzing and synthesizing the data, rather than writing it out. Tools such as digital microscopes will allow students to see the bigger picture of what they are looking at, making it easier to evaluate their hypothesis. Web resources such as interactive computer games allow students to, “…use background knowledge, make decisions, and see the outcome of their hypothesis” (Lever-Duffey & McDonald, 2008). Simulation software provides students with a more engaging learning experience, which will increase their motivation to learn and help them to retain the information. Through projects, problem-solving, and inquiry, I plan to use these tools to help my students learn through the constructivist theory and actively construct their own knowledge.

References

Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Cognitive Tools in the Classroom

     In learning more about the cognitive learning theory, I realized the importance of using cognitive tools in lessons and activities to help students, “interact with information in order to acquire, synthesize, create, and share new knowledge” (Orey, 2001). This week I read about “Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers” and “Summarizing and Note Taking” in my course text, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski. There are many direct correlations between these instructional strategies and the theories behind cognitive learning. There are many forms of technology that teachers can use as cognitive tools in the classroom to support cognitive learning.


     Advance organizers, such as concept maps, are, “structures that teachers provide to students before a learning activity to help them classify and make sense of the content they’ll encounter, particularly new content that is not well organized in its original format” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Word processing applications, such as Microsoft Word, can be used by teachers to create advanced organizers such as tables and charts. Spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel is helpful for teachers to make rubrics. These support the cognitive learning theory because they students are being prepared for what is expected and acceptable. Organizing and brainstorming software programs, such as Kidspiration, help give cues and questions. It tells students what they will be learning about and states the essential question for the lesson. Cueing students will help them connect the new content that they are learning. Organizing information for students also helps them to see make connections with their prior knowledge.

     When students are seeking knowledge, they need to be able to retrieve and identify the most important information. Web resources such as Google Docs and Think Tank work as search engines and databases to help students find appropriate information that pertains to the topics that they are researching. Summarizing and note taking enhances, “students’ ability to synthesize information and distill it into a concise new form” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Microsoft Word is a word processing application that can be used by students to organize their knowledge. This cognitive tool will allow the students to make relationships among the new concepts that they have learned, by structuring and manipulating information. Multimedia tools like Microsoft Power Point support the cognitive learning theory by helping students present information. Power Point allows students to display their new knowledge in an organized and meaningful way.

     I look forward to introducing some of these new instructional strategies in my classroom. To meet the needs of my cognitive learners, these strategies will allow students to seek information, present information, organize their new knowledge, and integrate their new knowledge by communicating with other students. New forms of technology have allowed teachers to bring the outside world into the classroom. Hopefully I will be able to create more meaningful experiences through these new strategies, resulting in more effective learning.

References

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.

Behaviorism in Practice

When reading about technology that will improve my classroom instruction, I developed many ideas to incorporate new technology and reinforce skills by applying the behaviorist learning theory. “Technology makes it easier for students and teachers to track the effects of effort and facilitates more immediate feedback” (Pitler, Hubbel, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). The best way to incorporate these tools is to reinforce practice and provide effective homework and practice. By tracking the effort of students using spreadsheet software, instruction can be modified to provide appropriate instruction. Surveying students and graphing their efforts will show them the achievements they have made and the expectations they need to meet. There are also many forms of technology that can be used by students at home and school to practice new skills and concepts.


I can create a rubric using Rubistar or Rubric Machine to clearly show students what I expect. Spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel will show students the correlation between their effort and their grades. Since I teach at the elementary level, I can enforce positive reinforcement in the behaviorist theory by creating a chart where students can put up a sticker when they make acceptable grades. Data collection tools, such as graphs, will show my students the importance of their efforts. I would also like to teach my students how to graph their data, so that they can record their own grades and keep track of their progress. On my teacher webpage, I can display this data and have students write success stories that will be posted to the website to encourage other students to increase their efforts.

To encourage practice and completion of homework, technology can be used through spreadsheet software, multimedia, and web resources. When completing homework, I can have my students track their answers in a spreadsheet. If students do not have access to a computer at home, I can print a hard copy for them to take home. This will teach the students how to track their progress and help me to quickly grade their work and provide immediate feedback. “Practicing with multimedia allows students to shape their experience to their individual learning style and increase their level of understanding to mastery” (Pitler, Hubbel, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). I currently use educational technology programs such as Study Island and Compass Learning Odyssey to help students choose their learning objectives, stay engaged, and receive immediate feedback from the program. I can also have my students create multimedia games to display what they have learned and provide practice of skills. I have created Who Wants to be a Millionaire and Jeopardy games based on the concepts that I teach in class. Web resources such as online educational games are appealing to students and give feedback for teachers to monitor a student’s progress towards mastery. These tools meet the criteria of the behaviorist learning theory because the students are able to instantaneously see what step they are struggling with, to target specific skills to work on. When students have successfully completed a game or mastered a skill, I will set up the games to print out certificates to give students immediate positive reinforcement. Promoting positive behaviors such as these in the classroom will give students a sense of accomplishment and drive them to set higher goals for their effort and achievement.

References

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