Blog Responses

I responded to the following blogs:

Module 1

• Martha
• Tracy

Module 2

• Michelle
• Tawana

Module 3

• Yolanda
• Rashida

Module 4

• Shirley
•  Dwanell

Module 5

• Vida
• Jennifer

Module 6

• Heather
• Tiffany

Module 6: Learning in a Digital World

Through my experiences in this course, I have obtained additional ideas and resources to support my opinion that the teacher is responsible for creating an engaging learning environment no matter the student population. My ultimate goal, as I have previously stated, is to provide my students with the opportunity to receive an education that is worth possessing. To do this, there is no one size fits all, no solution to a basic problem. Students must receive the resources to prepare for success in the 21^st century or in simpler terms, “the digital age.”

Differentiation of instruction is inevitable. Students deserve the opportunity to access course content in a manner that allows them to utilize their learning styles to meet learning goals. If I am to provide quality instruction to my students, I must differentiate ways of reaching these students to convey the importance of the topics presented in my units of study and what I know is critical to success in the “real-world.” Additionally, if I am to cater to students in the digital learning environment, I must instill the importance of independent learning. Although I, as the educator, play a vital role in the learning process, I am not the sole keeper of knowledge. Through the use of instructional technology, students are able to share their own knowledge and personal experiences with one another via the internet and a plethora of digital resources. Teachers must learn to adopt their practices to these needs in order to produce effective members of our society.

 Karl Kapp (2007) stated in his blog post, “What we need to is take the best from each philosophy and use it wisely to create solid educational experiences for our learners.” Kapp brings to light the most important aspect of instructing learners – the learner. Individual learners are just that - - individuals. No two students will ever possess the same exact characteristics (prior knowledge, learning styles, parental support, social skills, etc.). With this in mind, I realize the imperative nature of taking the initiative to cater to the individual needs of my students by offering a plethora of avenues for students to take in order to get to the ultimate destination – - mastery.

Module 5: New Technologies

In my personal endeavors, I am slightly addicted to staying connected utilizing social networking. I have brought my love for the ease of use and instant connection utilizing websites like Facebook into my own classroom practices. I have created a Facebook page, classroom website, class wiki, a variety of webquests using www.weebly.com, and established a “safe” online learning environment for my students using www.gaggle.net.  

After using Gaggle with my Advanced Reading class, I realized just how “neat” it would be if other teachers would begin to use this resource with their students. I sent out an email informing teachers about the resource while also offering my time to discuss any ideas, need for support, and/or opportunities for collaboration. When I met with teachers during planning time, I was met with great enthusiasm and what I assumed was the beginning of something great. However, as time progressed, there were only three teachers at my school who responded to let me know they would like access to the school account to gain access to their own personal teacher accounts.

After considering Keller’s ideas for motivating learners, I realize I gained the teacher’s attention and conveyed the relevance to their teaching strategies; however, I failed to build their confidence or generate satisfaction (Driscoll, 2005). So now, I am faced with the question: What can I do to motivate the teachers on my staff? Like most schools, our staff’s ability to use technology falls varies among individuals. We have the novice users who do as little as possible, while also we have a few technology gurus who are highly confident in their use of technology as instructional tool. As I noted, I gained the staff’s attention and conveyed the instructional implications of utilizing Gaggle resources; however, I did not consider offering any type of training or hands-on experience to develop confidence in utilizing the tool. Additionally, I could provide teachers with online resources to show how other teachers have utilized this excellent learning resource.

To address the lack of interest and implementation, I could create opportunities for teachers to utilize the platform to discuss and introduce important administrative rules, ideas, and future plans. For example, instead of using basic email and PLC meetings to discuss information, teachers could access Gaggle to discuss ideas. I am currently planning a dance for the upcoming school term. Gaggle could be used to share ideas, sign up for various duties relating to the dance, etc. This activity will build confidence by providing teachers with opportunities to use the platform in a non-threatening way. As the teachers utilize the resource, they will see the use of Gaggle is not only worthwhile but also engaging and relevant to today’s learners’ interests.

Reference:

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

Module 4: Connectivist Learning

My Own Connectivist Learning Network

As an undergraduate student, I was reluctant to interact with other educational professionals using digital tools. I went to school, did what was asked by my professors, and went home to complete my assignments – striving to be independent and creating my own ideas and resources. I did not realize the plethora of resources available from interacting with other professionals, both face to face and via digital resources. However, as I began my first year of teaching, I realized the importance of connecting with others, relying on the experience, knowledge, and resources available to me at the click of a mouse. I

Upon this realization, I began to utilize digital tools to facilitate my learning. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Blogger are a few digital tools that are utilized in facilitating learning regarding educational practices. Not only do social networking websites like Facebook assist me in making my own connections, it is a great way to convey to students how to "connect" with others to increase opportunities to learn. My digital learning network has become a significant means of discovering new teaching ideas to incorporate into my instructional practices. Twitter provides me with access to others knowledgeable in the area of educational technology – people and resources I may have otherwise never encountered. Discussion boards, educational blogs, and wikis are abundant and I am able to follow key interests for me.  Thanks to technology and digital learning, I have created a major network of connections to improve my abilities as an educator in the digital age.

Despite my constant activity on the internet, researching and completing tasks for my educational endeavors, I have not established any direct relationships with the other participants in my learning network. Utilizing tools like Skype, Google Docs, and search engines are great means of discovering answers to questions I may have. Becoming proficient in the use of these digital tools decreases my reluctance of using these resources in my own classroom instruction. Furthermore, demonstrating the possibilities of using technology to efficiently locate knowledge is key to engaging the digital learners I am now teaching. The contacts/educational professionals I have interacted with during my graduate  studies are also very resourceful. Learning new knowledge, instructional implications, and teaching strategies are available without leaving the comfort of my couch. Who could complain about this?

Module 3: The Need for Collaboration – Natural Instinct?

Do humans have a basic instinct to interact and work as a group? Well absolutely! Consider the last time you walked into a room filled with strangers. Did you go sit in the corner all alone or did you find someone to sit beside and make small talk? Naturally, adults (and even children) have the tendency to gravitate to one another. Howard Rheingold isn’t shy about sharing his opinion of the natural evolution of collective knowledge in our society. As technology continues to emerge and progress, the internet has become an open highway of information. Technology flows in two directions, just as traffic flows down a major highway in opposite directions. However, for technology to be utilized in an effective manner it is critical that teachers determine the passion that exists within each and every child in order to assist students with pursuing those passions. Knowledge should continuously change and develop as the learner participates in new activities (Driscoll, 2005). Incorporating technology into a collaborative learning environment is an excellent means of addressing the human instinct to interact with others.

Web 2.0 technologies and other advances in technology have now created multiple accesses to information with various outlets for transmission and revision. Web 2.0 users are able to access information, activate prior knowledge and experiences, and make personal connections to information based on prior learning. Social networking, wikis, blogs, and other collaborative spaces have become an open highway to flowing knowledge and information. Learners are able to post their own perspectives and ideas using these resources providing other learners with the ability to process and reconstruct the information according to their own experiences and perspectives. Recent studies have highlighted how the operation and implementation of social computing tools can be utilized to support the creation of an open and socially shared information space for collaboration among online learners. This can diminish the lack of collaboration in online learning environments in comparison to that of face-to-face instruction and learning. Although this can definitely improve the educational practices for many, it can also cause issues as learners begin to share ideas. As Michael Trucano notes in his blog, it is easier than ever for students to cheat and to get caught. Teachers must create and enforce expectations for students when collaborating via Web 2.0 resources.

References:

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Pooranachandran, C. C., & Balasubramanian, R. R. (2011). COLLABORATION IN WEB BASED LEARNING: A SOCIAL COMPUTING PERSPECTIVE. International Journal On Computer Science & Engineering, 3(2), 722-727.

Module 2: Considering Learning Theories

Roger Lewin has been quoted as saying, “Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.”

As an educator, it is my ultimate priority to provide my students with the opportunity to receive an education that is worth possessing. To do this, there is no one size fits all, no solution to a basic problem. For me to read about different learning theories and pinpoint one specific theory as being “the best” would go against my mission as an educator. If I am to provide quality instruction to my students, I must differentiate ways of reaching these students to convey the importance of the topics I am expected to cover. Karl Kapp (2007) stated in his blog post, “What we need to is take the best from each philosophy and use it wisely to create solid educational experiences for our learners.” Kapp brings to light the most important aspect of instructing learners – the learner. Individual learners are just that - - individuals. No two students will ever possess the same exact characteristics (prior knowledge, learning styles, parental support, social skills, etc.). With this in mind, we must take the initiative to cater to the individual needs of these students by offering a plethora of avenues for students to take in order to get to the ultimate destination – - mastery.

B.F. Skinner’s behaviorist view is one where the learner is actively engaged in the world around him and learns from experience (Driscoll, 2005). This belief/view definitely has its place in today’s educational setting - - I believe it is safe to say ALL teachers should strive to engage students. Teachers are constantly using needs assessments and task analyses in their instructional design - - isn’t this characteristic of the behaviorist view? Considering cognitivism brings to light that knowledge is invented and reinvented as the child develops and interacts with his/her environment (Driscoll, 2005). Yet another characteristic common in today’s classrooms - - a need for collaboration. Is it possible to place each theory into a box and say take the box to your room and teach in accordance with the beliefs of that particular theory without incorporating components/characteristics of other learning theories? I think not - - not, if we are truly striving to meet the needs of every student.

In his January 1, 2007 Bill Kerr states, “It seems to me that each _ism is offering something useful without any of them being complete or stand alone in their own right.”Again, I couldn’t agree more. Kerr again solidifies my belief that taking individual “ingredients” from various “recipes” and throwing them into one pot is the most effective means of creating the “perfect” meal. Teachers must cater to their students just as a cook/chef would cater to a paying customer. Our students may not provide us with any monetary support as that of a customer paying for a meal; however, in the future, it is these very students who will run our communities and country. Are we providing students with the essential skills to become productive members of society? Or are we narrow-minded and of the belief that one set of instructional activities and plans will work for each and every individual? If we are taking one specific learning theory and claiming it is the only means of educating our students, we are being completely ineffective and ultimately becoming a disservice to our students.

Educators have it tough. We are ultimately preparing students for a future most of us can’t imagine. The technology utilized just ten years ago is now obsolete. Technology is constantly changing the way we function, the way our students function. With this in mind, educational theories must continue to change. What worked hundreds of years ago won’t necessarily work today; however, one thing holds true. Students come to us to learn. Are we offering them that opportunity or are we doing the complete opposite by giving them answers to remember and not problems to solve?

Reference:

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Module 1: Metaphors of Educators

Today’s students have grown up engrossed in a digital world, which has ultimately lead to an expectation by students that their education is “participative, engaging, and active…”(Siemens, 2008, pg. 6). With this expectation from today’s students, it is critical that educators learn to adapt their ways of teaching as to meet the needs and habits of the “millennials” (pg. 6-7). With the need for adapting instruction plaguing today’s educators, Siemens identifies various roles the instructor should take in a digital classroom or workplace. Each of the roles presented offers characteristics that would definitely benefit the students participating in a digital classroom experience. Like with any description of a traditional classroom teacher, there is no “one size fits all” that describes the teacher of a digital classroom. As today’s educators are constantly encouraged to incorporate rigorous lessons geared to make students apply critical thinking skills to real-world problems, it is important for the teacher to facilitate student-centered instruction with the ability to intervene and redirect when the need arises.

Of the roles presented, Bonk’s (2007) metaphor of Educator as Concierge best describe the role I believe an instructor should take in the 21^st century learning environment. This particular aspect of the instructor’s role reflects that of a facilitator who takes on the role of lecturer/traditional teacher on an as-needed basis by directing students to resources that one may otherwise overlook or fail to recognize. Teachers and instructors who function as a concierge take students on a learning adventure where students are not only lead in the right direction but are able to venture out into the unknown with someone to reign them back onto the beaten path as needed. Untraditional methods of teaching can be provided using resources such as edu.gloster.com, even in the area of improving writing skills. This is most applicable to the role I play in the educational setting for middle grades students. There is a need for venturing out and discovering the unknown, but there is also an incredible need for redirection for all learners to ensure content is mastered.


Siemens’s own belief that the Educator serves as a Curator was another fascinating metaphorical description of the roles today’s instructors/teachers should fulfill. The greatest asset of the educator who chooses to function as a curator solely relies on the significance of making instruction learner-centered. This model focuses on individual student needs and creating a balance between the freedom to explore and develop knowledge while also allowing the teacher to provide structure for students who may need support and explicit instruction.


Brown’s Educator as a Master Artist is definitely a captivating thought. In this sense, the educator takes on the role of guiding students to learn from examining exemplary qualities produced in other students’ work. Educators who fall under this metaphorical umbrella would effectively use blogs in instructional practices. This particular model absolutely possesses merit by promoting creativity and allowing the learner to create his own meaning of the content. As a middle grades teacher, I find this particular model lacking the explicit instruction young children need to understand a task.


Clarence Fisher’s metaphor of Educator as a Network Administrator did not resonate with me as much as the other metaphors provided by Siemens. This particular model focuses on the teacher assisting students with making connections to form networks in an attempt to locate information. Although this particular metaphorical analysis definitely relates to the instantaneous access of information via the World Wide Web, I don’t feel that it is relevant to teaching younger children. Providing students with the knowledge to use the online resources is important; however, it should not be the sole focus of instruction as it limits the students’ ability to create personal meaning to information.


In conclusion, I think it is most important for educators to understand the path education is currently taking. Teachers should begin to exit the highway of teacher-centered instruction and begin to travel the student-centered route. Sure, detours will occur and the need for teacher-centered instruction will definitely come into play for certain situations but it should not be the primary road teachers take when instructing students. The need for instruction that engages the digitally-minded learners on today’s Digital Highway of Education must become the primary focus of instruction. Blending the various roles of the educator is encouraged as there is no perfect fit for every situation! Students must be afforded the opportunity to be in control of their learning – what better way to do this than to consider the roles described above.


Reference:


Siemens, G. (2008, January 27). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. Paper presented to ITFORUM. Retrieved from http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/Paper105/Siemens.pdf