Constructing Bright Minds

There is so much that goes into building a house.  On the surface, we look at the esthetics of the house.  The color, the size, and the architecture are just some of the features we can see from the exterior.  However, there are so many other aspects of building a house that must be considered.  There is the floor plan, the foundation, the electrical, the plumbing, and the appliances.  Then there are the fine details that go into the interior design.  When all of these aspects come together, our house is completed.  Anyone who has gone through the process of building a house says that it is a learning experience that gives him or her a greater appreciation for the process.  Dr. Orey states that kids need hands on experiences building things (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  This is what constructionism is.

Local Stream

            One type of learning that falls under the constructionism umbrella is project based learning, PBL.  Just as the name indicates, learning is project based.  Andrew Miller (2012) describes PBL as comprehensive inquiry rather than massive teacher delivered content. The project is about learning as you build and explore, and is not the fun culmination project at the end of a unit. Projects are selected based on authentic real-life issues.  An example of  PBL could be a stream revitalization project.  The issue may be that the stream is polluted and native amphibians and fish are becoming less populated.  The teacher and students may develop a rubric together to help assure the success of the PBL.  According to Orey (2001), when planning a constructionist project, one must be sure to create a very clear, well thought out rubric.  I found the Buck Institute for Education, BIE, web site to have an outstanding resource, which provides a series of PBL rubrics. One rubric that I found especially helpful was a rubric for teachers to evaluate rubrics. Once a rubric is established, students could develop a plan for their PBL project.  The students’ established real-world problem, the stream is polluted and native amphibians and fish are becoming less populated, should lead students to and form a hypothesis. From there students would have to determine the cause of the poor water quality.  Students could test the water using probes connected to an iPad or iPhone to measure water quality in various

Water Quality Probe

sections of the stream.  According to Pitle, Hubbell, and Kuhn (2012), “…digital probes facilitate analysis, synthesis, and problem solving.” They also save time and are more accurate than hand testing.  With the results, students could create a spreadsheet to manipulate data and compare results.  Pitle et al. (2012) stated that teachers can set up spreadsheets ahead of time to expedite the process of using a spreadsheet, therefore spending more time on the data and less on the spreadsheet.  I believe, however, part of constructionism is to build the project and figure out ways to address real-world problems.  Part of the building process should be to create a custom spreadsheet that meets the group’s goals.  Students should document the PBL project with photos. A PBL activity should take weeks or even months to complete.  It should encompass multiple disciplines.  The technology and mathematic piece of creating and using a spreadsheet should be part of the learning experience.  After taking water samples and readings, students may also take a survey to determine amphibians by taking inventory.  Here is where students may pair up with the Department of Natural Resources, DNR. Together with the DNR, the students could stun a section of the stream to count the fish population.  With the data collected, students should create a spreadsheet to record their findings. Once students have determined the quality of the water and have taken inventory of the species, the group could develop a plan of action to clean up the water.  Part of the problem may be the litter in the stream.  Part of the plan may be to extract all of the litter from the stream. Erosion may also be contributing to the water quality issues.  The group could research on the Internet possible ways to address stream bank erosion. After the PBL groups takes action, they would take a new set of readings to determine if the work they have completed has made a difference in the streams water quality and the species that live in and around the stream.  The DNR may team up with the group to stock native fish.  Students could take the data and photos they collected and create a PowerPoint presentation for their class, the village board or a public presentation at the library.

In the end, students have built an experience from the ground up, just as a family would build a house. Constructionism is learning by doing.  Orey says that the building blocks of constructionism are assimilation, accommodation, equilibration, and schema (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  The example PBL project addresses each one of the building blocks. Experts were called in when needed. A plan was developed.  Technology was used to assess, record, collect data, and to present.  The stream lesson is inquiry-based and multi-sensory.  Multiple disciplines were hard at work to develop a solution.  Not only was science prevalent, but reading, mathematics, technology, and history if the students research the stream’s past. In the end, just like the owner of the house, students will take pride in the hard work they have done to accomplish their PBL project.

Resources

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [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

Miller, A. (2012, August 06). Getting Started with Project-Based Learning (Hint: Don't Go Crazy). Retrieved May 27, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/project-based-learning-getting-started-basics-andrew-miller

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Technology from a Cognitivist Perspective

            Back in the seventies, when I was a little boy, I remember seeing a man in an infomercial on television who could remember anything.  Someone would give him a very long list of items and he would memorize it instantly after one reading.  He could list the presidents and their vice-presidents.  He even remembered their birthdates.  I was amazed!  For a small fee he would send you the secrets to memory.  I so wanted to get his materials, but my mom would not allow it.  She must have believed in my memory.  One secret that this gentleman did divulge was word association.  Today, we can use technology to enhance learning and facilitate the cognitive learning theory.

            Dr. Orey stated that information is processed in three stages. First one receives the information, then the information is stored in short-term memory, and finally it becomes long-term memory (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011a).   It takes a little work, however, to make it to long-term memory.  According to Orey, a human is only capable of processing seven bits of information at a time (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011a). One exception is children with autism.  In a fascinating article by Lauren Schenkman (2009). she states that people with autism can memorize upwards to 100 pieces of information because scientists believe that autistic people are able to create stronger connections than those with a normal brain.  Schenkman describes long-term memory as a library full of books and short-term memory as a chalkboard that we take quick notes on, erase and then write something else.  I really enjoy this analogy because it makes so much sense to me.

            According to Dr. Orey, there are four types of long-term memory:  declarative, procedural, episodic, and dual coding hypothesis.  In order to store information in long-term memory, one can use elaboration.  Elaboration is the primary means of storing information into long-term memory (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011a). Elaboration is the process of connecting information and making associations.  Technology can support elaboration.  Brainstorming software such as Kidspiration and Inspiration are two pieces of software that allow students to make webs.  If students are learning about The Great Wall of China, they could use brainstorming software to begin a web with a bubble containing the Great Wall of China.  From their, students could add connections around the initial bubble.  Pitler,  Hubbell, and Kuhn (2012) also suggest using brainstorming software to cue students.  A concept map could have an essential question surrounded by what the teacher is going to teach that day or for the unit. 

            Because cognitivists believe that learning is a mental process, and the only way to observe it is through outcomes.  Technology can help with this.  Rubrics give students expectations for their learning.  Critical thinking and knowledge acquisition are key components of the cognitive approach.  Sites like Rubistar give teachers the tools to create rubrics that get students ready for learning. I have also found it beneficial to allow students to help me create rubrics for their culminating projects.  I believe this supports both procedural and episodic long-term memory development.

In terms of episodic memory, I believe field trips are a way to develop episodic long-term memory.  Often field trips are not feasible due to location, money, or accessibility.  This is where technology comes into play.  Orey believes that virtual field trips are a great way to give your students episodic experiences to build upon (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011b).   If I am doing a unit on the Seven Wonders of the World, I could present a virtual field trip, which visits all seven of the sites.  Virtual field trips also support the cognitivist dual coding theory because it provides students with a visual to accompany the text.  According to Obey, Paivio found that images were far better than text and when images were used, the brain did not just store the image, but also stored the text to go along with it.  According to Pitler et al. (2012), Marzano found that illustrations can lead to a 39 point increase in student learning (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011a).  

            Summarizing and note taking can lead to acquiring information and storing it in long-term memory.  Technology can assist in this process.  Pitler et al. (2012) claim that summarizing must be done in classrooms.  One recent activity I just completed with my class was a movie trailer for a book they completed in their book clubs.  Pitler et al. (2012) recommends multimedia to present summaries.  My students were given a packet prior to filming.  In the packet was a planning page, storyboard pages, a table, and a rubric.  One of the concerns with multimedia presentations can be that presentation becomes the focus over content.  With a clear rubric, students should be able to accomplish both.  Note taking is also an area that  Pitler et al. (2012) feels is a necessity in our classrooms.  Combination notes make a lot of sense to me.  It is also something that can be easily done in PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, or Kidspiration.  It consists of an inverted T.  On the left side of the inverted T students take notes.  On the right side students illustrate their notes.  On the bottom of the page students summarize their notes in a few sentences.  Attaching a graphic to the notes stimulates dual coding.  Summarizing addresses declarative memory.  Together the notes integrate multiple senses which Orey states is important in order to get information from short to long-term memory.

            So, it turns out that guy on television all those years ago was on to something.  He used word association and elaboration to remember strings of information.  Teachers must know the process of moving information from short-term to long-term memory. The cognitivists have a lot to offer in the way of learning. We must understand how the brain stores information so that we can plan lessons and integrate technology to best meet our students needs.

           

Resources

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program five: Cognitive learning theory [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). (2011). 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

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Schenkman, L. (2009, December 6). In the Brain, Seven Is A Magic Number. Retrieved May 21, 2014, from http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/brain-memory-magic-number/story?id=9189664

Behavorism Has a Place in Our Classrooms

         Imagine a classroom full of bright-eyed students sitting quietly, facing forward, listening to every word you have to say.  Everyone in the classroom is focused on you, digesting each tidbit of information that you present.  When you give the class their homework, they take out their notebooks and write down the assignment and take notes on the directions.  Then silently they take out their books and begin working.  Only in our dreams!  We have a few students like this, but we also have many who are not.  This is where behaviorism comes into play. Behaviorism is based on stimulus and response, which results in rewards and punishment.

Two well-known behaviorists were John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner.  They believed that behavior, or learning, was the result of stimulus causing reactions Standridge, M. (2010).  Further, they believed that by using rewards and punishment, one could shape behavior and learning.  According to Pitler, Hubbell, and Kuhn (2012), effort is a very important factor in achievement.  In order for students to understand that effort impacts learning, we must use the strategy of reinforcing effort.  I find that lack of effort by my students is the single biggest issue I face in my classroom. I have very intelligent students that perform below their ability.  Yet, I have other students that are high achievers even though they are lower functioning students.  I believe it is all about effort. Pitler, et al. (2012) believe that students can be learn how effort impacts learning.  A good example of teaching effort is in athletics.  I coach shot put and discus.  Often I see my athletes going through the motions.  I use technology to teach the impact of effort on the outcome of their throws.  The technology I use is a camera and a video app.  I video tape students with my iPad or iPhone and replay the video, pointing out the effort of my athletes when they throw.  After showing the replay, I ask my athletes to now go into the ring and throw with more effort.  We then compare the distances of both throws.  Nine out of ten times the second throw is quite a bit longer.  In the classroom, I use responders.  I find that students put forth more effort because they are motivated by the technology and instant feedback. Often I will incorporate a PowerPoint Jeopardy game with the responders and offer extra credit for the winning team.  This is extremely motivating and effort increases.  This is consistent with the behavorist’s belief that learning must be active and positive rewards motivate students (Smith, K. 1999).a

I believe in the power of rewards and consequences.  In basketball I keep track of loose ball recoveries.  I started doing this because I found that my players were not very aggressive and lacked effort.  So I started tallying loose ball recoveries and charting them by player in Excel.  After each game I would show my team the chart.  Soon the players were showing up at my door in the morning asking to see the chart.  I noticed that within three games the totals for loose ball recoveries doubled.  After six games they doubled again.  Each game we set goals. By the end of the season loose ball recoveries correlated with wins.  The team improved their win total by four games over the previous season.  The team attributed it to the loose ball chart.

In my classroom, I have an activity called Tour de Read.  I love cycling so I wanted to incorporate my love for reading and cycling into an activity.  I created a montage of outdoor scenery photos from the Internet and hanged them around my room.  I placed mile markers every ten feet.  Every student went to the Internet and printed a picture of a bike they wanted to ride.  Some chose mountain bike, others chose road bike, and some even chose unicycles.  Each night students read and log their reading times.  On Friday we tally the minutes and move our bikes.  I give a yellow paper jersey for overall leader, green jersey for most minutes read for the week, and a pink polka dotted jersey for most minutes read in a day.  Then those students get their pictures take on a podium in one of my biking jerseys while I played Queen’s Bicycle song.  The picture then are put on the wall in the hall and on my webpage.  The winners also receive a small prize and certificate.  This is highly motivating to most of the children.  It rewards reading outside of the classroom. 

One of the behaviorist’s theories is that for rewards and punishments to be successful, they must be delivered in a timely fashion  (Smith, K. 1999).  Online interactive games and simulations accomplish this feat by providing instant feedback.  Coolmath-Games has a plethora of interactive math games that reinforce skills.  There is repetition and instant feedback. Another good site for interactive games is Interactive Sites for Education.  It covers all areas of the curriculum. Both Coolmath and Interactive Sites for Education can be done at home or on an interactive whiteboard at school. 

Homework for a purpose is a solid practice and is supported by behaviorist.  According to Smith (1999),  behaviorists believe that in order to learn, one must have frequent practice.  Classroom time is limited and there is often very little time to practice the skills that were learned in class.  Therefore, homework is a valuable tool.  One initiative in my school is the flipped classroom.  Teachers record lectures, instruction, or demonstrations and post them to the Internet.  Students go home and watch the video for homework.  They come back to the classroom the next day with time to practice what they learned and ask questions if needed.  The Flipped Learning Network (2014) defines it as “school work at home and homework at school.”  Another use of technology that supports learning through homework, which is highly motivating is BrainPop.  It uses short video segments, which Dr. Orey states is an important aspect of behaviorism.  After each clip, there is a short quiz, which provides instant feedback.  The topics are varied and motivating

Unfortunately, children in our classes and activities are not always motivated, or give us their best effort, or even behave appropriately.  Behaviorism gives us tools to manage behavior and learning. The environment we provide for our students impacts their learning.  Sometimes we must use rewards and punishment to ensure that our students are putting forth their best efforts and are behaving in an appropriate manner.  Today I had a track meet.  The bus was late.  When it finally arrived, the boys were pushing and shoving to get on the bus.  I shouted up to the boys and asked them to stop. There was no change in behavior.  Then I told them that if anyone pushed or shoved again, they would stay back and not participate in the meet.  The undesired behavior ceased immediately.  The threat of consequence, not participating in the meet, motivated students to stop the inappropriate behavior.  I don’t believe rewards and consequences works for all students, but I do believe that it works for most.

Resources

Flipped Learning Network / Homepage. (2014, May 12). Retrieved May 14, 2014, from http://flippedlearning.org/FLN

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program four: Behaviorist learning theory [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.

Smith, K. (1999). The behaviourist orientation to learning. In The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://infed.org/mobi/the-behaviourist-orientation-to-learning/

Standridge, M. (2010). Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. Behaviorism. Retrieved from http://www.etzacorp.co.za/akademia/Biblioteek/Emerging%20Perspectives%20on%20Learning,%20Teaching,%20and%20Technology.pdf