If they create it, they will learn!

I have to say, this weeks' readings were very interesting but at the same time I am not sure how I will incorporate some of the ideas in my 3rd grade class. The Contructivist theories say that students building and creating help them put what they learn into long term memory. I defenitly agree with this and feel that hands-on activities are best. Students love to be involoved with what they are learning.

In the reading this week it spoke about students creating and testing thier own hypohesis and creating spreadsheets to organize data. I am not sure my students would be able to this. They are very dependent on teachers and I think most would just give up. I am all for incorporating higher order thinking skills such as this, but I am not sure they are quite ready.

Relating Technology to Cognitive Theories

This week we were asked to read two chapters out of the book Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works and consider how the strategies in the book correlate with the principles of cognitive learning theories. The chapters had some great strategies that require students to really understand the information they are learning. I especially like the idea of having students use an organizer in class. It requires them to focus on a central question that relates to other information that is linked to smaller parts of the organizer.

Using an organizer helps students to code information in the brain in more than one way as it relates to cognitive theories. This helps students to link all the information they are learning in an organized way, which will help link it to long term memory. Students learn so much information throughout the year, storing most of it in short term only. I really like the strategies discussed and plan to incorporate them in my class.

Behaviorism in Practice

This weeks readings in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works contained great ideas and resources. I felt like the technology ideas that were shared go along with the behaviorist theory.

"Reinforcing Effort" was my favorite chapter because I love the idea of having the students complete a rubric that correlates with their work. I have been trying all year to get my students to see that they are in control of their grades, they earn them, I don't give them what I want. I think having them complete the rubric then create a chart, will allow them to see that the effort they put forth reflects in their grades. This will also give them a since of ownership over their work. I LOVE this idea!!

The "Homework and Practice" chapter had a lot of great resources that I feel I would use more in the classroom. I hate to require my students to use a computer for homework because so many don't have access. Some of the sites mentioned I already use in class and my students love them. Anything to do with technology really gets the students excited about learning