This week our text gave us suggestions for generating and testing hypotheses using technology in the classroom. During this week we also have been learning and discussing the theory and practice of constructivism and constructionism and how technology can be used to carry them out.
Dr. Orey from our DVD describes constructionism as a theory of learning that states people learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others. Our text described six tasks that teachers can use to help students generate and test hypothesis and a couple really stuck out with some key phrases that related to the constructivist/constructionist approach that Dr. Orey talked about where students are building their own learning experience. The tasks that really stood out were problem solving, invention, and experimental inquiry. To me these tasks could easily be used for any activities where a teacher was having students construct and discover in a project based environment.
Our test suggested using spreadsheet software when students are developing tests and hypothesis. In this scenario I think technology plays a valuable role of helping students organize their data and predictions to use them for further testing.
Another suggestion for technology tools from our text was data collection tools such as digital microscopes and USB connectible data probes. With these advances in technology students have tools that are more accurate and easy to use than in the past. In a constructivist classroom students need tools to experiment, test, and create with.
In conclusion, this week has provided some great ideas for technology use in my own classroom. I always knew that there are many technology tools available that can help students create things to help them construct their own learning. What I got from this week is that there are also technology tools that can help students to organize data when they are testing ideas and also tools that can help students collect that data to use in their projects or constructions.
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Constructivism or constructionism on Century 21 by Juan Delgado
ReplyDeleteI would like to post this information in your blog as a compliment of your thoughts
What is constructivism? A theory of knowledge stating that each individual actively constructs his/her own meaning.
What is constructionism? A theory of learning that states people learn best when they build an external artifact or something that can share with others.
The process of constructionism has four specific mechanism of learning as follow:
Assimilation: Assimilation occurs when external reality is made to fit when one’s current beliefs and understanding. (Scheme)
Accommodation: Accommodation occurs when one’s current believes and understanding (scheme) is altered to fit the external reality.
Equilibration: Is the process of achieving a balance between differences in external reality and one’s current beliefs and understanding. (Scheme).
Scheme: A Scheme is a representation of an n outline of a system or object.
All this mechanism are connected and balance during the learning process.
When a teacher plans a constructionist activity, students are engaged in learning and with the process of “building” using tools and technology.
Assimilation, accommodation, equilibration and scheme are definitely, mechanisms that we all apply when are trying to acquire new knowledge.
Constructionist activities should be include on teachers weekly activities in order to develop students skills about using technology and braking with the daily routine of using pencil and paper.
My thoughts about Constructionism:
I believe in constructionism and proof of that is my students have a mandatory assignment, every marking period; when they need to use technology. Foe example, I have my students construct a project-based or a problem-based, original and creative on a determine topic; the common ones are the projects that consist of creating a power point presentation or simply writing an essay. The time allows for each project can vary from 90 minutes to a week; and student gets involve with the mechanism of learning as: Assimilation, accommodation, equilibrium and scheme. The most productive are the project where students have not a strong scheme. For example, last week, one activity consisted of do research about common alloys; students have idea about stainless steels and brass these students were more confident searching because they have an idea about this alloys, but the reaction was different when students were ask to do research about pewter and amalgam because they have no scheme about them. During this activity students are engage creating something. At times is a real challenge for students to work with Power Point.
My thoughts about Constructivism:
Students are not too familiar with doing invention or analyzing experimental inquiry. This week students are finishing with a project based on problem based, they did choose a topic and need to apply the steps of Scientific Method and write an essay about it. A group student were interested in finding out about peer opinion regarding the use of “uniform” instead of regular “outfit” and the effect on learning. During this activity students are engage constructing they own meaning or knowledge about the situation... At times is a real challenge for students to do data analysis to show experimental results.
Juan Delgado.
I was also surprised at just how many resources there were for students to collect, analyze and evaluate data based on research. The science teachers in my elementary school often struggle with having students track data for their science fair project at the end of the year. Using an Excel spreadsheet would allow the students to easily enter information into the computer and use simple formulas to analyze their findings. I think that the students would enjoy this task and it would most likely lead to more students doing their own work. It would also give them a purpose for their project and allow them to easily create graphs, data charts and other means of explanation.
ReplyDeleteWith so many options out there for students to use and implement within their education and lives it is hard to give them the amount of instruction and time with certain technology. It would be a great idea if other teachers stepped forward and implemented technology within their curriculum to help familiarize students with technology and the benefits it can bring. I am currently trying to get teachers on board to implement more technology into their curriculum to diversify their classroom and help students in the future. We'll see how it goes.
ReplyDeleteHi Jason, it is amazing what technology can do for us. Even using something as basic as an Excel spreadsheet to enter data and plot it on a graph is a huge time saver. Students can make calculations extremely quickly and create graphs as well to help them with their projects. Students then don't have to worry about taking too much time to draw the actual graphs, the software does it for them. This means that the students can focus more on the actual assignment and not have to worry about some of the other time consuming parts.
ReplyDeleteHello All,
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the great insight. One similarity I noticed from all the responses was that everyone agrees that, when used properly, technology in the classroom can offer so many benefits to our students. Regardless of if you feel strongly about implementing the constructivist theory or a combination of theories it seems as though everyone agrees that implementing the technology and tools we have been talking about in this class and other Walden courses have a real place in our classrooms and the education system as a whole.
Jason