Week+1+Reflection

Teaching with Technology is the one course that I have been patiently waiting to take. During the first week, we were introduced to three different learning theories; two of which I can easily adopt and support, and one that I find totally bizarre. My favorite of the three theories is the constructivist model where students are actively involved in meaningful and engaging learning experiences. This theory states that learners begin with prior knowledge about content and gains new information from various activities and experiences. In a constructivist classroom, the teacher is a facilitator or "guide on the side" instead of the traditional method, where the teacher is a "sage on the stage". We know that in traditional classrooms, teachers are filling students with information and rely on rote memory, where students complete worksheets and pass tests. According to Christopher Dede, students do not develop deep understandings or long-term strategies with the traditional style of teaching (Dede, 1999). The second learning theory is called connectivism, which shares a more complex construction of knowledge within each individual. This theory is considered to be a continual process where students are making connections as they find sources of information through interactions and databases. The bizarre theory mentioned earlier, is called the Cyborg theory where we read of a futuristic model that implants devices to connect machines and humans. Personally, I will steer away from this one since it is more like science fiction to me, instead of a method to teach students. 

﻿﻿  During this week, the word "reflection" has been shown as utmost importance in learning, just like in our Curriculum Management course. We are experiencing this in our own course, as well as in society, and educators must adopt this in their classrooms. It is all about having students interact, collaborate, communicate, and learn about learning while solving problems. Students are more engaged and seem to develop deeper understanding of the knowledge while interacting with others and formulating their ideas and concepts through reflection. I know through my experience in this degree, I have learned to be more open-minded and see other points of view. I find myself reading others' discussions and develop another way of thinking on the content.

Last, I am excited about our textbook for this course, "Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works". It’s been my desire to learn more about Robert J. Marzano's nine categories of instructional strategies. My exposure to the research-based strategies is minimal from what I have read on blogs, wikis, and the Internet. So far we have read the introduction to the book, but the foreword by Marzano is worth the read. He reminds us of our ultimate goal of education, "...help students hone skills and knowledge that will serve them for the rest of their lives" (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski, 2007).

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). //Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works.// Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Sprague, D. & Ded, C. (1999). If I teach this way, am I doing my job: Constructivism in the classroom. //Leading and Learning, 27(1). // Retrieved February 26, 2011 from the International Society f or Technology in Education.