Since I'm doing this well after the fact, it's easier now to see how far I've come in constructing my own personal learning theory. However, I'm not sure I would say that I've constructed the theory so much as I have discovered into which theory my style fits.
I am strongly a proponent of the constructionist theory, both educational and social. I believe that we learn best -- and I know that I learn best -- when I am allowed to construct my learning based on what I already know, then adding more construction to my foundation as I gain new knowledge and insight. I have to be able to relate the knowledge I'm gaining to the knowledge I already have in some way -- my style of learning is to perceive relationships between past knowledge and current information, so that I can fit the current information into my existing framework of knowledge, or adjust the framework in order to accommodate the new information.
I would say that the greatest impact on my own personal learning theory has been the research I've done with regard to the synthesis paper. When I started this course (and the other one I'm in, EdTEch 561), I thought I knew what my thesis would be, what area interested me for research. As the course progressed, I changed my focus a bit, and started looking at constructionism in general, but I was still floundering when it came time to submit the learning theories assignment. The articles I found were interesting and informative, but not particularly useful in some respects, so I started to dig deeper into constructionism, trying to find some relevance for myself. I found it in the article by Catherine Veninga, "Fitting in: the embodied politics of race in Seattle’s desegregated schools". It struck a chord in me, mostly because I was one of the students whose experiences Veninga was researching. I wasn't one of the kids who was bused; rather, my parents had moved to the South End of Seattle when I was 6, and I had grown up in the ethnically diverse schools in that area. I was one of the "white kids" Veninga spoke about who were radically different from my North End counterparts -- and it was most interesting to read her theories as to why we were so different. Ethnically, we were white -- but culturally, we weren't. We had been raised in such a strong multicultural environment that culturally we were no longer "white".
Because of this paper, and because of the further research I did on multicultural education, my thesis direction has completely altered. I am now becoming increasingly interested in the progress (or lack thereof, actually) of multicultural education, and in researching solutions that will enable us to finally educate our students appropriately to not only accept or tolerate diversity, but to embrace it and value it.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Module 3 Summary and Reflection
I enjoyed Module 3, with its introduction to sociocultural theory, which I believe is an important way of viewing how we structure our classes. I particularly like the TARGET approach, which gives the instructor a framework on which to plan and evaluate lessons. I found that framework to be particularly helpful when it came to planning my own lesson; it provided me with clear-cut method for structuring my lesson and for evaluating that structure, in order to determine whether I would be able to meet the various needs of the students. I can see that perhaps in some instances -- as we covered in our discussion -- TARGET would not work in certain classrooms, but I think that most of us could find some general applicability for the sociocultural theory.
Looking back on it, and looking at what I am doing in the classes I am teaching now, I can evaluate my classes as follows:
T(ask): One of my classes by its very construction is mostly unidimensional and undifferentiated, because the class must progress at roughly the same rate together. However, I try to permit some flexibility even in this class with how they structure their assignments. My second class, however, is far more multidimensional and differentiated, as students are working on a variety of tasks all at different times, and in different ways. Some students are ahead, because they have taken portions of this course before; others are moving more slowly because they are still gaining familiarity with the software. And I have utilized T(ask) further in the planning, as I have planned further units to become increasingly differentiated, so that students can work at their own pace and on the project of their choice.
A(utonomy): Again, in the one class, the students have less autonomy, because it is a basic computer course. However, I have tried to provide them with some autonomy when it comes to making choices within their assignments -- style and color, for example, or which graphics to use. Because of their lack of experience -- and in some cases, lack of language skills -- it is simply not feasible to provide them with more choice. The second class, however, has a high level of autonomy, as they are exercising their own creativity in generating the assignments; as well, as the course continues, they will have increased autonomy as to choice of assignment.
R(ecognition): This is where I seem to fall down a bit in both classes, but the public nature of the computer screens in general means that the students frequently get peer feedback and teacher feedback on their work. All work is clearly visible, so the peers surrounding each student often critique, assist, and provide a variety of feedback, as do I as I circulate throughout the classroom.
G(roups): Group work is not as easy in a computer lab setting and in the courses that are currently structured, because the skills they are learning are quite individualized. However, I have planned future group activities in the one class, as the skill levels increase.
E(valuation): I evaluate the students' work, of course, but I also provide opportunities for them to evaluate their own work, requiring them to choose their five best examples to submit, or requiring them to justify in writing why they chose the examples they did. Each assignment of this nature requires the student to evaluate their own work and develop criteria mentally which they feel are important features of the assignment.
T(ime): We work both within the limits of a class period (56 minutes) and within the constraints of a semester system, which is broken into quarters. The students are for the most part cognizant of the time constraints, and aware that they have to turn their work in on time in order to get credit for it in the quarter. I provide them with some flexibility with regard to time, however, as the range of skill levels means that some students work ahead, and other students work more slowly.
Looking back on it, and looking at what I am doing in the classes I am teaching now, I can evaluate my classes as follows:
T(ask): One of my classes by its very construction is mostly unidimensional and undifferentiated, because the class must progress at roughly the same rate together. However, I try to permit some flexibility even in this class with how they structure their assignments. My second class, however, is far more multidimensional and differentiated, as students are working on a variety of tasks all at different times, and in different ways. Some students are ahead, because they have taken portions of this course before; others are moving more slowly because they are still gaining familiarity with the software. And I have utilized T(ask) further in the planning, as I have planned further units to become increasingly differentiated, so that students can work at their own pace and on the project of their choice.
A(utonomy): Again, in the one class, the students have less autonomy, because it is a basic computer course. However, I have tried to provide them with some autonomy when it comes to making choices within their assignments -- style and color, for example, or which graphics to use. Because of their lack of experience -- and in some cases, lack of language skills -- it is simply not feasible to provide them with more choice. The second class, however, has a high level of autonomy, as they are exercising their own creativity in generating the assignments; as well, as the course continues, they will have increased autonomy as to choice of assignment.
R(ecognition): This is where I seem to fall down a bit in both classes, but the public nature of the computer screens in general means that the students frequently get peer feedback and teacher feedback on their work. All work is clearly visible, so the peers surrounding each student often critique, assist, and provide a variety of feedback, as do I as I circulate throughout the classroom.
G(roups): Group work is not as easy in a computer lab setting and in the courses that are currently structured, because the skills they are learning are quite individualized. However, I have planned future group activities in the one class, as the skill levels increase.
E(valuation): I evaluate the students' work, of course, but I also provide opportunities for them to evaluate their own work, requiring them to choose their five best examples to submit, or requiring them to justify in writing why they chose the examples they did. Each assignment of this nature requires the student to evaluate their own work and develop criteria mentally which they feel are important features of the assignment.
T(ime): We work both within the limits of a class period (56 minutes) and within the constraints of a semester system, which is broken into quarters. The students are for the most part cognizant of the time constraints, and aware that they have to turn their work in on time in order to get credit for it in the quarter. I provide them with some flexibility with regard to time, however, as the range of skill levels means that some students work ahead, and other students work more slowly.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Module 1 Summary and Reflection
* Where are you now, in terms of your own teaching practice and the inclusion of educational technology in that process?
It's hard to say right now where I am with regard to my own teaching practice, especially as it relates to the inclusion of education technology in that process, as I do not currently have a contract nor am I currently teaching. I know that when I have been teaching in the past, I have made extensive efforts to include technology in the process, both for the advantages it offers me and for the advantages it offers to my students.
* What kind of change do you hope to see as a result of this class?
I would hope to gain a better understanding of the foundations which underpin my own theories of how I learn and how my students learn, so that I can better address the educational needs of my students. My approach to teaching is constantly evolving as I experience new ways to teach, and as I observe the work of others around me.
* How might your knowledge and experiences influence the actions of those around you?
My knowledge and experiences influence the actions of those around me by demonstrating to them new ways of approaching a subject. I have already seen this in my teaching, where I have been approached by my colleagues to help them understand and set up wikis of their own with their classes, which was something I did with my English classes last year. I am always looking for opportunities to share knowledge with my colleagues, either formally or informally, and have been involved in numerous discussions about how I use technology to enhance learning for my students.
It's hard to say right now where I am with regard to my own teaching practice, especially as it relates to the inclusion of education technology in that process, as I do not currently have a contract nor am I currently teaching. I know that when I have been teaching in the past, I have made extensive efforts to include technology in the process, both for the advantages it offers me and for the advantages it offers to my students.
* What kind of change do you hope to see as a result of this class?
I would hope to gain a better understanding of the foundations which underpin my own theories of how I learn and how my students learn, so that I can better address the educational needs of my students. My approach to teaching is constantly evolving as I experience new ways to teach, and as I observe the work of others around me.
* How might your knowledge and experiences influence the actions of those around you?
My knowledge and experiences influence the actions of those around me by demonstrating to them new ways of approaching a subject. I have already seen this in my teaching, where I have been approached by my colleagues to help them understand and set up wikis of their own with their classes, which was something I did with my English classes last year. I am always looking for opportunities to share knowledge with my colleagues, either formally or informally, and have been involved in numerous discussions about how I use technology to enhance learning for my students.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Module 2 Summary and Reflection
First off, I have NO idea why this suddenly decided to start working. I'm confused, but that seems to be par for the course these days!
I found the writing activity to be more challenging than I expected, primarily because of the requirement to keep it to one page. I found it interesting that my peer review partner and I had quite a different understanding of what the assignment was asking of us as writers. She read the assignment to be directed toward connecting the learning theory she was writing about to her own teaching practice, whereas I read the assignment to be directed toward providing information about the particular learning theory. I enjoyed the readings and find that I am aligned with the constructionist learning theory on several points, and can certainly see its applicability particular subject areas. As a parent of sons, I can also see the value of the constructionist theory when it comes to teaching boys, who often benefit from hands-on instruction that puts their bodies to use as well as their minds.
I find the discussions interesting, more so because of the different approaches my classmates have to the questions. In reading through the posts, I gain information that will serve to improve my own teaching practice -- for example, the use of the sandwich analogy to teach the concept of layers. I suppose it's because I work with older students who more readily understand the concept layering, so I've never had to explain how it works, but I was struck by the simplicity of the explanation -- and yet it can be expanded on to become much more complex.
I don't think I'm at the point yet where I can elucidate a personal learning theory. I know how I learn, and I know how I teach . . . and I know that I pull from a variety of theories in order to construct my lessons. My approach to instruction has been evolving over the years as well, and I adapt it to fit the subject area in which I find myself teaching, which is not always the same. Teaching English can be somewhat inflexible; I am somewhat constructionist in my approach to learning, but it is difficult at times to find ways in which to incorporate aspects of "constructing" knowledge into a curriculum which is often rigid, and bound by the constraints of availability of materials in a way which prevents students from having a wide variety of choices. However, when I teach art, I am almost exclusively constructionist; I provide a basic framework for an assignment, teach a particular technique or skill, then send the students off to incorporate that skill into the assignment in a way which reflects not only what they've learned, but also their personal style and skill level. I would argue that teaching art has improved my teaching in English, because it has made my approach more flexible and open-ended.
I found the writing activity to be more challenging than I expected, primarily because of the requirement to keep it to one page. I found it interesting that my peer review partner and I had quite a different understanding of what the assignment was asking of us as writers. She read the assignment to be directed toward connecting the learning theory she was writing about to her own teaching practice, whereas I read the assignment to be directed toward providing information about the particular learning theory. I enjoyed the readings and find that I am aligned with the constructionist learning theory on several points, and can certainly see its applicability particular subject areas. As a parent of sons, I can also see the value of the constructionist theory when it comes to teaching boys, who often benefit from hands-on instruction that puts their bodies to use as well as their minds.
I find the discussions interesting, more so because of the different approaches my classmates have to the questions. In reading through the posts, I gain information that will serve to improve my own teaching practice -- for example, the use of the sandwich analogy to teach the concept of layers. I suppose it's because I work with older students who more readily understand the concept layering, so I've never had to explain how it works, but I was struck by the simplicity of the explanation -- and yet it can be expanded on to become much more complex.
I don't think I'm at the point yet where I can elucidate a personal learning theory. I know how I learn, and I know how I teach . . . and I know that I pull from a variety of theories in order to construct my lessons. My approach to instruction has been evolving over the years as well, and I adapt it to fit the subject area in which I find myself teaching, which is not always the same. Teaching English can be somewhat inflexible; I am somewhat constructionist in my approach to learning, but it is difficult at times to find ways in which to incorporate aspects of "constructing" knowledge into a curriculum which is often rigid, and bound by the constraints of availability of materials in a way which prevents students from having a wide variety of choices. However, when I teach art, I am almost exclusively constructionist; I provide a basic framework for an assignment, teach a particular technique or skill, then send the students off to incorporate that skill into the assignment in a way which reflects not only what they've learned, but also their personal style and skill level. I would argue that teaching art has improved my teaching in English, because it has made my approach more flexible and open-ended.
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