Behaviorism in Practice

Upon initial reading of the two chapters in the course text book, I was a bit puzzled as to why those two chapters were assigned reading for the week of behaviorism. However, the light bulb went off in my head shortly thereafter when I realized that these two methods directly relate to behaviorism.

Effort is one of the most important concepts that a teacher can encourage in their students. However, it does not often cross my mind to have students analyze their effort. The entire purpose of homework is for students to practice or reinforce the concepts that they have learned in class. This concept allows students to realize if they understand what was taught in class. Both of these concepts directly relate to behaviorism, because the student is getting positive or negative reinforcement immediately following the practice. Students, at least those that are honest with themselves, will at once, understand how much effort they are giving. Same goes for the homework, if they seem to be understanding and able to complete the homework with ease, they will at once feel gratification or a lack of gratification.

Just the other day, I had a discussion with one of my athletes about how, in my opinion, it is much more important to have incredible work ethic, than to naturally be a genius. I told her, “trust me, it will pay off in life to know how to work hard for your goals rather than just be naturally be smart.” In order to encourage this work ethic, or effort, it would be a great idea to have students analyze their effort, several days before handing in a project, paper or lab. An entire rubric can be based on effort, and the students can grade themselves on effort. It may even be a good idea to have students pair up, while working on the lab, project, or paper, and have students grade each other, or grade themselves in pairs. This way the student is being held accountable by someone other than the teacher. Students can feel that they have control over their achievement. Having the effort rubric posted online (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, p. 157-159, 2007), can be positive reinforcement for the use of technology, and a paper saving mechanism. “When a student makes a connection between academic successes with factors outside of his or her control- things like heredity, gender, or race- it’s easy to develop a defeatist attitude. After all, why bother if you know that you just aren’t capable because of your genes” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, p. 157-159, 2007)?

My vice principal is always encouraging that practice and homework should be practice of what is learned in class. This is why it constantly boggles my mind to understand why some teachers know in September what their homework will be on December second!! The classroom is a continually changing environment; best practice allows a teacher to be flexible and self reflective. Especially when it comes to what the student’s are grasping and what they need more practice on. Computer games, as discussed by Ang, Avni, & Zaphiris directly relate to behaviorism “Behaviourism stresses a new behavioural pattern being repeated until it becomes automatic. …….. Learners are regarded as a biological machine, which could be shaped to respond to conditioning by controlling reinforcements and punishments” (Ang, Avni, & Zaphiris, p. 5, 2008).

One particular source that I liked from this week’s learning resources was from the Jefferson County Schools link. This website provided many different links to other websites; the one that I found useful was from iknowthat.com. This site provided many interactive tutorials, videos etc. There were even some quizzes that can provide reporting back to the teacher. Behaviorism is in play with these types of websites because of the immediate feedback with positive and negative reinforcement and behaviors.

Behaviorism is still alive and well in today’s classrooms (Laureate Education Inc., 2008). Although some educators may not be aware that they are using behaviorism, they truly are. Any actions or behaviors that elicit positive or negative reinforcement for that behavior, is displaying the behaviorist learning theory at its finest.

References
Ang, C., Avni, E., & Zaphiris, P. (2008). Linking Pedagogical Theory of Computer Games to their Usability. International Journal on E-Learning, 7(3), 533-558. Retrieved from ERIC database.

iknowthat.com (2009). iknowthat.com Retrieved November 13th, 2009, from http://www.iknowthat.com/com/L2?GradeLevel=-1:6&Subject=Science

Jefferson County Schools (2009). Educational Resources for K-8 Students, Retrieved November 13th, 2009, from http://classroom.jc-schools.net/basic/science.html

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008). “Behaviorist learning theory”. Baltimore: Author.

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

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology

Hello members of Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology course, I used this blog for another class and am going to continue using it for this class. I am excited to start using it again!! If anyone needs help setting theirs up, I am more than happy to help!!
Christine

Reflective Essay on Technology

The course “Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society” through Walden University has helped me to develop my own technology skills as a professional teacher in many ways. Some examples are by creating a blog through eblogger.com, setting up an RSS feed, and creating a blog posted podcast. I also learned more about how to use wikis both as a resource and how to collaboratively create a wiki and use widgets.

I have deepened my knowledge of the teaching and learning process by learning about the history, present state, and future of educational technology. Understanding where educational technology has come from, where it is now, and where the future is going allows a teacher to appreciate and relay that information throughout the teaching of technology. This course has also depicted how the use of technology in schools will affect the work place later, without this knowledge, teaching of technology in the classroom will not seem necessary. It also solidifies that educators want to make sure that students are prepared to enter the workforce, and be able to compete for careers. Through Marc Prensky’s articles the differences between digital immigrants and digital natives have been studied. The sooner an educator realizes that there is a difference between themselves and their students, the easier it will be to understand that this difference does not mean teaching the way we are used to, but instead it means an evolution in order to engage students. Students can be engaged by teaching them in a way that they are used to, through technology!

My perspective of how to change from teacher-centered to learner-centered classes has become more thorough. My undergrad courses, in science education, taught me to use student centered inquiry labs and activities. However, this course has given me more ways to allow the day-to-day class transform into a student centered environment. This can be accomplished by application of inquiry with computer and Internet based technology tools, such as audacity, wikispaces, eblogger, podcasting, vocabucasting, etc. Another aspect that will help a classroom be more student centered is to rely on the students for assistance in how they best like to learn. Eliciting the student’s help will allow them to feel a sense of ownership over their learning.

I can continue to expand my knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology by using suggestions in my Tech & Learning magazine subscription and email forwards, utilizing the educational resources that our group and other groups placed and rated on our wikis, and by making use of colleagues knowledge (both through Walden and within my own school).

According to Dr. David Thornburg’s DVD segment “Bringing the fun into Teaching with Technology,” the amount of work will go up for the teacher to incorporate skills for the 21st century learner. Despite this, I am excited to say that, I have set three long-term goals for transforming my classroom environment. The first goal is to begin using vocabucasting for each chapter/unit. Vocabucasting is a combination of the two words vocabulary and podcasting. Essentially, students will, in their own words, be defining vocabulary, recording their definition in a computer program called audacity, exporting their definition as an MP3, and placing these definitions on the classes’ website. Another long term goal is to have students create, conduct, and analyze a lab, on voice thread. Voice thread is a place for students to record their voices. Students can then listen to each others’ analysis of the lab report and collaboratively learn. Students could also use the classes’ wikispace http://sms7eastscienceheredity.wikispaces.com/as a place for discussion in their lab report data and conclusions not only to “‘read’ but also to navigate the World Wide Web, locate information, evaluate it critically, synthesize it and communicate it- all skills that are becoming vital to success in this century’s economy and workforce” (Miners & Pascopella, 2007). My third long term goal is to align science units with technology curriculum. As this curriculum “provides a set of examples for preparing students to be lifelong learners and contributing members of a global society” (Profiles for Technology (ICT) Literate Students, p. 1).

During the first week of this course we filled out a checklist indicating our teaching practices for supporting 21st century skills and developing technology skills for the school and workplace environments. This checklist has three columns often, sometimes, and rarely. When I initially filled out this checklist I was down the middle between often and sometimes. However, after this eight week course, four of my answers have changed over to the often column. I feel that I can now often design learning experiences in real world activities, enable students to take responsibilities for their own learning, design experiences by incorporating technology, and seek out other professionals to build a personal learning community.

I can truly say that my teaching practices are in a state of change and I cannot wait to continue to work hard toward this evolution of teaching for the 21st century!!

Resources

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008). Bringing the fun into teaching with technology. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008).Spotlight on technology: vocabucasting. Baltimore: Author.

Miners, Z., & Pascopella, A. (2007). The new literacies. District Administration, 43(10), 26–34.

Prensky, M. (2005). Listen to the natives. Educational Leadership, 63(4), 8–13.

Prensky, M. (2008, March). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.

Profiles for Technology (ICT) Literate Students [Booklet(excerpt from NETS for Students Booklet]. (2007). Ruston, LA: ISTE.

Resources for Technology Survey Podcast!!

Resources

Dretzin, R., & Maggio, J. (Producers), & Dretzin, R. (Writer). (2008, January 22). Growing up online. [Television broadcast]. Boston: PBS Frontline. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008).Today’s students. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008).Debate: digital natives vs. digital immigrants?. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008).Millennial learning styles. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008).Spotlight on technology: learning with podcasts. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008).Spotlight on technology: vocabucasting. Baltimore: Author.

McHale, T. (2005). Portrait of a digital native. Technology & Learning. Retrieved from http://www.techlearning.com/article/4572

November, A. (2007). Banning student 'containers'. Technology & Learning. Retrieved from http://www.techlearning.com/article/7468

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5).

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants, part II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(6).

Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Evaluation of the Partnership for the 21st Century Skills Website!!

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills website http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/ is very user friendly, in its arrangement. It is easy to subscribe to receive emails, simple to access and use drop down bars at the top, plenty of links to articles, links to videos, and contact information at the bottom. As this website is read, initiatives from West Virginia are immediately brought to mind. Although some of the links seem to not include much information, there are often sub links within that link.

It is surprising that only ten states in the United States of American have gotten on the bandwagon for the Partnership for 21st Century Skills! More companies than states are involved in the Partnership for 21st Century Skills! These companies that have home bases in certain states should interest their state departments of education in becoming part of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Partnerships for 21st Century Skills initiatives are in the news a great deal!

Everything on the site is valid, there are no strong opinions that go against an educator’s beliefs. This website would be benefitted with very specific ways to get your state involved.

Partnership for 21st Century Skills website shows that whether it is this organization or a different educational technology organization, most, if not all states will be involved in some sort of technology initiative in the next few years! As a district, this means convincing the state of Connecticut to join Partnership for 21st Century Skills and deciding who will be teaching technology curriculum. As a contemporary teacher, this means being more aware of the technology curriculum and which content areas are in charge of which technology content standards. As contemporary students, this means being much more literate, in today’s society. A question in one’s mind may be “Does the growing importance of expert thinking and complex communication mean that schools should stop teaching the three R’s and focus on teaching these (technology) skills?” (Levy & Murnane, 2006). According to Levy & Murnane, educators do not need to stop teaching the three R’s, instead we can embed them in the curriculum, as long as the district and teachers are very aware of this, the schools do not need to rebuild their entire district’s curriculum for integrating educational technology!!

Resources
Levy, F., & Murnane, R. (2006). Why the changing American economy calls for twenty first century learning: Answers to educators' questions. New Directions for Youth Development, 2006(110), 53–62.

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009). The Parnership for 21st Century Skills Web. Retrieved July 22, 2009, from http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php

Coming soon!!

My reaction to the Partnership for the 21st century skills website!!

It is their mission to"serve as a catalyst to position 21st century skills at the center of US K-12 education by building collaborative partnerships among education, business, community and government leaders." (Partnership for 21st century skills) http://www.21stcenturyskills.org

Blog Assignment

I would use a blog in my classroom for students to have an open discussion about a topic. For example, at the beginning of the year I might ask my students to post about how they are getting on, their first month in 7th grade. As the year progresses I will use it to ask students to discuss topics or answer questions based on science class content or research. A blog might be especially useful for controversial topics such as evolution or stem cell research. I will not use the blog as a showcase for work but rather a place for students to have collaborative discussions to enhance regular class discussions. I have found that students who are typically shy during class discussions, or are not as quick to the punch are likely to excel using a computer for class discussions. A blog also allows students to expand their thoughts based on other students thoughts!! It is a great tool for assessment, so that I am aware first of their content base gained from class or outside sources and then an analysis of the student's ability to comprehend the discussions and therefore draw conclusions from the class discussions.