Increasing the Productivity of Learning Through the Use of Technology

How do we learn, what are we learning, and which tools are replacing pen and paper?

This blog post focuses on reviewing the connection between learning theories, instruction and technology. While theory is all about “how” students learn, instruction looks at the ways students learn the content, and technology are the tools, which deliver learning, almost like a vehicle.  I will review how my personal learning theory has progressed through a closer understanding of how technology is transforming the productivity of learning in schools.

I have a theory……

When I look back at the description of my personal learning theory at the beginning of this course, I would say that my idea of how students learn best has not changed dramatically.  I still believe students learn well in a social environment where they can interact and construct meaning together.  My personal theory of learning is therefore still based on social constructionism, in which students share knowledge to create meaningful artifacts, which relate to the real world they live in (Laureate Education Inc., 2010).

However, I do have a better understanding of the differences between learning theories, which are focused on how students process knowledge, and instructional theories, which are focused on how to deliver knowledge in a structured way to promote memory of this knowledge.  Since we are trying to get away from a teacher-centered classroom of “lecturing” and move towards a more student-centered classroom, I now focus less on my teaching skills and focus more on the students learning skills.

This means looking at the tools that work best in delivering the content to promote active engagement of each student.

Tools since the beginning of time

In the past tools were created to promote survival. People formed societies because they realized it was easier to survive by sharing the workload. They looked for tools to help them build shelters and catch and collect food.  As time went on, the society either developed new tools to do things more productively, or they developed new tools as a result of changes in the environment that posed a threat to their survival.  I think this pattern continues to prevail as a society is driven to improve its rate of survival and productivity.

This is where technology tools have their rightful place in the classroom: to increase learning productivity.

Different tools in the toolbox: megabytes instead of paper, Web sites instead of books

I look at technology tools in the classroom as a vehicle. The precious cargo is the knowledge and skills that need to be delivered from point A to point B, or from one neuron in the brain to the next.  We need tools, whether these are writing utensils and books or computers and Web sites. So we can drive our students in an old car, or a Ferrari. I would think the Ferrari would be a faster journey with the navigation system to provide directions and probably a lot more exciting.  The goal is to get the students to their destination, where they can continue their journey. My point is, the content of the lesson is still the main focus of the lesson, and the tools drive productivity so that more learning can take place in an engaging way that keeps students interested.

Tools I like:

1. Online Concept Mapping to help organize information

One tool I find engages students well is concept mapping, such as SpiderScribe, which help students “catch” what is meaningful out of all the information we throw at them. Tomlinson discussed how the brain likes to make patterns and if the information is made meaningful to the person this will be stored into long-term memory, and if no meaning is found the brain diverts its activity to other sensory input (Tomlinson, 2012). Concept mapping tools help students, “separate important information from extraneous information” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2008, p.119).  A Web-based concept map can be more powerful than one drawn on paper because you can add photos and link videos and maps, which increases the variety of sensory input (audio, visual) that is necessary for long-term memory to take place (2010).  This cognitive tool encourages students to think about information instead of recalling or memorizing facts.

2. Voice Threads for online collaboration

My experience is that technology tools allow students to access more visually presented information through Web searches, which is supported through Paivio’s dual-coding hypothesis of learning.  This means the best tools for instruction present images with text to help our students store information (Laureate Education Inc., 2010).  One powerful tool I like is the Voice Thread, which gives the teacher and students the opportunity to interact with each other through media, images, text and audio recordings. This makes a voice thread an ideal tool for the diverse learner. 

Final thoughts and goals for the near future

One of my goals was to be able to implement technology into my instruction to enhance the productivity of my personal project class.  For the first year, I was able to teach in the computer lab, allowing my students to have access to online tools for their project work.  Since each student is involved in an individual project, they are now able to work independently in class, while giving me the time for individual feedback sessions. This course has exposed me to a variety of tools that have proven to be easy to use in the classroom. My second goal is to continue building a repertoire of technology tools so that I can deliver content knowledge in a medium these students will need for their future workplace.  To do this I plan to observe and assist the computer design teacher during lessons to learn more about the power of technology in classroom instruction.

If we want to maintain the interest of our students in the classroom, we have to make sure what and how we teach students relates to their world.  This makes learning authentic and meaningful.  And the best tools to enhance this connection are the modern tools of technology.

References

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E.R., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Denver, CO: McREL

Tomlinson, C.A. (2012, March 2). The Role of Assessment in Differentiation. SGIS Conference of Zug. Retrieved from http://www.caroltomlinson.com/Presentations/zug_Assessment_DI.pdf

Laureate Ed. Inc. (2010). Cognitive learning theory. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

Laureate Ed. Inc. (2010). Instructional Theory verses Learning Theory. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

Online-Voting – Swissmilk

Primarschule Jenins 6 Klasse Igis Landquart.

via Online-Voting – Swissmilk.

This learning experience is an example of social constructivism, and how this theory is linked to the instruction of a real-world health issue through the support of technology tools to promote its success.

The students of my daughter’s class worked together to create a billboard to advertise milk for “World Milk Day” on April 28th.  The message says, “Milk will take you everywhere”.

If you would like to support them please go to the link, scroll down the page until you see the picture and click on “abstimmen” to vote.

Thanks!

Are technology tools transforming social constructivism into connectivism? Call it what you like; this is cooperative learning in the 21st Century

This week’s focus:

This post will focus on discussing how social learning theories are practiced in the classroom, specifically how social constructivism and the newest theory of connectivism is reflected in cooperative learning strategies.  I will also offer my thoughts on how integrating technology tools into lessons not only promotes learning of content but it also teaches students social skills for productivity and fundamental skills needed to process and ever-increasing amount of knowledge delivered online.

Since we explored the use of VoiceThreads as a collaborative tool, you can take a look at my very first VoiceThread created for my Health class to prepare them for a cooperative learning project: https://voicethread.com/share/2866366/ on water preservation.  The first slide explains the project my students will complete and the rest of the slides show the product the students will create.

Social constructivism

This theory takes into account that we are social beings. Societies and communities are thriving, not only in the real world but they are becoming increasingly popular in the virtual online environment as well.  Even those who are considered anti-social are probably logged onto at least one online community.  Vgotsky’s social learning theory maintains that people learn through their interactions with others. Orey discusses this theory as social because students need support from a more “knowledgeable other”, which can be from peers, teachers and even computers in today’s classroom (Laureate Ed. Inc., 2010).  This is where connectivism enters the picture.

Social learning online: connectivism

Whether connectivism is a new learning theory or another variant of social constructivism, learners in the 21st Century are exposed to different parameters of information. Siemens offers a description of today’s pace of learning, which is happening increasingly online by forming and navigating networks of knowledge (Laureate Ed. Inc., 2010).  There is so much information to sift through these days, it is impossible to make sense of it all without collaborating and sharing the workload.  Vgotsky’s theory fits well here, as he believes students can come to a better understanding of a concept if taught all component parts together (Laureate Ed. Inc., 2010). Sourcing knowledge from different online communities certainly creates an extensive system of support for the student to build knowledge.

Life-long learning

Information is continually being updated and edited making what we learned half a year ago obsolete. Davis, Edmunds and Kelly-Bateman define this as the “half-life of knowledge” (Orey, 2001) and they cite Siemens, “the ability to recognize and adjust to pattern shifts, therefore, becomes a key learning task” (as cited in Orey, 2001).   A Learner today has to be prepared more than ever to be a life-long learner.

Benefits of cooperative learning: lots of talking, lots of work

Whether our teaching strategies are based on social constructivism or connectivism is less important than maximizing student learning in our classrooms. For me, cooperative learning results in more productivity in both my PE (more obvious) and health classes.  The more I use different technology tools, the more my classroom becomes a collaborative “working” environment.  Through podcasts, wikis, blogs and Web searches there is more interaction between peers and with the tools. I also have more time to focus attention on the individual needs of students.   Here are other benefits I have noticed:

• group learning is a safer and more positive environment than individual, competitive learning.
• more creativity, risk-taking and decision-making and more confidence.
• students have an opportunity to get feedback and validation from peers (Laureate Ed. Inc., 2010).
• students verbalize their understanding by teaching peers, which enhances knowledge (Orey, 2001).
• students improve their knowledge of  content, and improve social skills while working with others.

There is no doubt that technology tools can be used in education, not only to teach 21st Century skills but also to show students how to work together in a world where problems are increasingly global, requiring cooperative strategies to solve them. This means the information within the walls of our classroom needs to be supported through a network of “knowledgeable others”.   And technology tools create this support.  Pitler et. al present a variety of tools that can assist communication, collaboration and cooperation (2007, pp. 139-154). Although a first-time user of voice threads, I can see how this promotes collaborative learning, as well as supports the needs of audio and visual learners.

VoiceThread Overview: http://voicethread.com/about/features/ .

Tools for communication

School management systems, Blogs for discussions, Skype, and Facebook.

Tools for collaboration   

Shared calendars: Google docs, Shared bookmarking: delicious, Wikis for collaborative note taking, and VoiceThreads to build knowledge collaboratively through media.

Tools for cooperation

Multimedia: multiplayer computer games of simulation, WebQuests: NASA, and Web Site Creation: iWeb

References

Laureate Ed. Inc. (2010). Social learning theory. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

Laureate Ed. Inc. (2010). Connectivism as a learning theory. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

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

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E.R., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. (pp. 139-).  Denver, CO:  McREL    

 

Voicethread App in PE

Reblogged from Handheld learning in Physical Education:

• 

When evidencing students coursework for programs such as btec sport it can often be a very time consuming and paper heavy. The Voicethread app is a form of collaborative learning that allows pupils to create their own work in class instantly. It is another example in an area of ed tech called digital storytelling. The reason I like Voicethread however is that you can produce multimedia slide shows that hold images, documents, and videos and allows you to navigate slides and leave comments in 5 ways.

Read more… 259 more words

It is always interesting to hear how other PE teachers are integrating technology into their lessons.

Constructionism in the Classroom with Technology Tools

This post will discuss how the instructional strategy of generating and testing hypotheses reflects the process of project-based learning, and how this learning experience allows students to engage in the construction of meaningful products to demonstrate true understanding.

Practicing contructivism by allowing students to generate and test hypotheses

Dr. Orey explains that constructivism is the idea that one constructs his/her own meaning of what is experienced, but the theory that has more use in the classroom is constructionism, which defines that students learn best when they are involved in building an artifact that can be shared with others (Laureate Ed. Inc., 2010).  These theories are a natural progression of the cognitive theory of enhancing memory through experiential learning loaded with sensory input. This week we looked at the instructional strategy of generating and testing hypotheses (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007, p. 202), which entails students to make a proposal or an idea, which must then be tested against a set of specifications. In the process of testing his/her idea, the student is guided through a series of production steps, making this a multi-tasked project/problem based learning experience.

Project-based learning

Whether learning is problem-based or project-based (Orey, 2001), both represent two of “the six tasks that teachers can use to help students generate and test hypotheses” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007, p. 203).  In problem-based tasks the students have to propose a hypotheses to find a solution for a given problem. Through their construction, ideas are generated “even before they know or understand the concepts involved in the situation” (Orey, 2001). In project-based tasks the students create a solution to a need they identify (p. 203). Either way, both of these tasks involve the student generating a hypothesis, and testing this through the process of collecting data, applying different techniques and analyzing the outcome of the product and the process.

The roles of the teacher and learner become more “equilibrated”

• Both of these learning experiences involve a more student-centered (Orey, 2001) environment, with less lecturing and more learning.
• No longer does the teacher provide all the data, but the students are active field workers, collecting and reviewing the results first-hand.  Analyzing the quality of water in a student’s town to determine why fish are dying increases the urgency to find a solution. Because this affects their community and health, the students are invested in the success of this project.
• Another difference in today’s project-based classroom is that group projects support the individual learner when knowledge is shared, and this is constructionism (Laureate Ed. Inc., 2010).  The collaborative classroom is a safer environment for taking risks to make key decisions.
• The teacher becomes a coordinator of the production steps. The teacher is a facilitator letting the students engage in their own learning through the process of creating their artifact. Now the teacher has more time to organize the schedule of steps to ensure students meet deadlines.
• Since the student is learning through the entire process, formative assessment through continual feedback is significant. Relying on a summative assessment does not reflect the effort and engagement at each step of the project. The rubric of assessment must also reflect each stage of the process and the product development to represent true learning. A student might not finish their product, but that does not mean learning and understanding of the subject content did not take place.

Tools for students

The technology tools come in quite handy in the process of these learning experiences.   Project-based work involves a multitude of tasks, which are certainly more time-consuming than traditional tasks.  In the past, students collected data and calculations, but did not necessarily invest time analyzing this data. Projects today still might entail data collection, and this can be a powerful learning experience as students take water samples from a river to test for pollutants that affect the health of their community.  So if the students have to invest so much time with data collection, it is nice to save time using spreadsheet software and technology tools that allow “students to see the bigger picture and recognize patterns” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007, p. 210). These tools help students use the data to create charts, diagrams and other visual representations and this makes it easier for students to interpret what the data means.

Tools for teachers

The applications for the teacher lie in the ways in which digital tools can support formative assessment through continual feedback. The online management system at my school allows me to monitor all the information a student has collected towards their project work. I can also comment and give direct feedback to a specific file or photo, which can help direct the student to the next step.  In the case where a teacher wants to focus the lesson on data interpretation, spreadsheet software created before the lesson can help students focus on the subject content, rather than wasting time on how to make a spreadsheet.  From the spreadsheet students can correlate findings to make relevant conclusions that can be applied to real-world situations.

Hypothesis passes the test

All in all, there are so many technology tools, which have valid implications in the classroom to help students produce innovative artifacts that represent their understanding a particular topic.   Constructionism, in which students are actively involved in creating their own products step by step in a project-based experience is most definitely a successful way to promote  student-centered learning in our 21^st Century.

Thoughts on Constructionism

References

Laureate Ed. Inc. (2010). Constructionist and constructivist learning theories. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

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

 Pitler, H., Hubbell, E.R., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. (p. 203).  Denver, CO: McREL

 

 

 

How web tools can fit into existing teaching strategies to help students process information

Is it important to know how do we process information?

The cognitive learning theory is focused on understanding how students process information, and since learning in today’s classrooms is trying to move away from teacher-centered to a more student-centered learning environment, it makes sense to concentrate on how we can adapt teaching strategies to focus more on learning than teaching.  The other adaptation is ensuring the learning environment includes a variety of technology tools with which students enjoy constructing knowledge. If we can remember these “cues” our students will understand, recall and retain more knowledge, which can then be accessed for academic success in every subject.

Teaching the skills of the trade

To sum it up, teaching students how to store information is giving them the skills they need to participate in the trade of building knowledge. After all, would you go rock climbing without knowing how to secure the rope? So before giving students a test, they need to be exposed to test-taking skills. Likewise, instead of assuming students know how to take notes, let’s show them a variety of note-taking formats.

Focus on the gardening and not on the lawnmower

Because I am a new learner to a great deal of technology tools, it is easy for me to get wrapped up in the Web tool and forget about the content. Luckily my students are quicker learners than I, and seem to be able to focus on the “gardening” instead of the “lawnmower” as I do at times.

Cues, questions, and advance organizers teaching strategy with virtual field trips

This instructional strategy focuses on retrieving, using and organizing information” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 73). The first step in creating a learning experience is to identify learning goals or objectives, by asking a guiding question. These questions keep students (and teachers) focused on the task. If we “cue” students we are getting them ready for the activity in a way that connects prior knowledge to the new topic.  One way to get students cued for an activity is through “experiential learning” in which learners are involved in a first-hand experience. When one considers the amount of sensory input the learner is exposed to by “being there”, it is not surprising that memory is strengthened.  Field trips are wonderful for this reason, but since they are expensive, the alternative virtual field trip (VFT) is a worthy option.  Dr. Orey explains this web-based tool as creating a rich and engaging learning experience that from the cognitive point of view creates an episodic memory (Laureate Ed. Inc., 2010). This is the type of experience that contributes to the network of ideas that build on content knowledge. It also aligns with Paivios’s dual-coding hypothesis, which maintains people remember images better than text (Laureate Ed. Inc., 2010).  After viewing the VFT the students have a strong foundation of knowledge on which they can continue to construct artifacts that strengthen their memory of the content.

Summarizing and note-taking teaching strategy with concept mapping

So how can we help students “catch” what is meaningful out of all the information we throw at them?  Tomlinson discussed how the brain likes to make patterns and if the information is made meaningful to the person this will be stored into long-term memory, and if no meaning is found the brain diverts its activity to other sensory input (Tomlinson, 2012).  By using the teaching strategies of summarizing and note taking we help students, “separate important information from extraneous information” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2008, p.119).  These authors also mention the more practice the students get with these strategies, the better they get at finding meaningful patterns in the content.  Practice, haven’t I heard that before?  They also suggest using a variety of note taking formats (p. 125), which is likely to cover all the cognitive learning styles represented in the classroom.   Dr. Orey reports creating a web-based concept map is a mind tool that visualizes student’s ideas to help process information (Laureate Ed. Inc., 2010). The student has to actively construct a model of what is important and how their ideas connect to each other. Students can also see what is unclear to them on the map. One reason why a Web-based concept map can be more powerful than one drawn on paper is that you can add photos and link videos and maps, which increases the variety of sensory input (audio, visual) that is necessary for long-term memory to take place (2010).  This cognitive tool encourages students to think about information instead of recalling or memorizing facts.

Using a variety of digital tools with both of these instructional strategies is a powerful way to build memory and these tools are wonderful examples of how to help students process information and construct meaningful knowledge.

References

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E.R., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Denver, CO: McREL

Tomlinson, C.A. (2012, March 2). The Role of Assessment in Differentiation. SGIS Conference of Zug. Retrieved from http://www.caroltomlinson.com/Presentations/zug_Assessment_DI.pdf

Laureate Ed. Inc. (2010). Cognitive learning theory. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

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

Behaviorism reflected in old habits of effort and practice in a digital environment

After reviewing the instructional strategies reinforcing effort and homework and practice, (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007) it was obvious to see that the behaviorist theory is still thriving in today’s learning environment, particularly where technology is used to enhance learning.  So how has behaviorism adapted to teach the time-tested methods of effort and practice? Does technology enhance the behaviorist’s view of learning, and actually prove the permanent value of effort and practice for student achievement in years to come?

The evolution of behaviorism

It is no surprise that the theory of behaviorism ignites controversy when considered in its rudimentary form.  Smith credits Watson as the first behaviorist who concluded learning is shaped by the environment and not by the inner experiences because these could not be observed (Smith, 1999). Standridge also reports a rigid view of behaviorism as, “actions, rather than thought or emotions, which are the legitimate object of study” (Standridge, 2003). Obviously, researchers will question this theory, considering what brain research has uncovered since, and is it not possible that this learning theory has evolved to meet the needs of the diverse learners in today’s classroom? There really is no need to re-invent the wheel, but rather use new technologies to refine it’s use for faster, and smoother functioning.  Magliaro, Lockee and Burton promote a new face of behaviorism and define the direct instruction (DI) approach as having, “… evolved in response to new understandings of learners and learning” (Magliaro, S. G., Lockee, B. B., & Burton, J. K., 2005).  Additionally, they point out how all the essential components of the DI process is covered through the use of technology tools, which are designed to provide direct feedback, and offer customized practice for the diverse learners of the classroom (2005).

An “A” for effort!

Pitler, Hubbel, Kuhn, and Malenoski report that reinforcing effort helps students understand „the relationship between effort and achievement“ (2007, p.155).  Because Pitler et al. mention the need for students to keep track of their own efforts, creating a spreadsheet for students to measure progress allows for quick feedback on the relationship of effort to success level (p. 161). In the IB school system, social skills and personal engagement are an essential criterion for assessment (IBO, 2011, p. 23).  This criterion measures their efforts towards improving their present skill level. This is a more balanced learning environment, as it allows students of all skill levels to be rewarded for their efforts, and not just the highly skilled athletes, who may just rely on their talents.  Emphasizing effort puts the student in control of their learning curve because it is something they have the power to control.  It raises their sense of responsibility towards achieving their goals and can also develop independence through self-confidence.  As the student is active in creating their own spreadsheet to monitor effort, they are learning by doing, which is another element of the behaviorist learning theory (Hartley as cited in Smith, 1999).

Practice makes perfect, or as Dr. Wolfe says, “permanent” (Laureate Ed. Inc., 2010)

The drill and practice inherent to behaviorism is supported through brain research, as Wolfe reported learning is the act of making neural connections, which fade if not practiced in “Understanding the Brain” (Laureate Ed. Inc., 2010).  To strengthen the connection the teacher needs to stimulate as many parts of the brain as possible.

Since today’s classroom has already evolved through technology, it is not surprising that many tools can be used to address the diverse needs of the students.  An example of this is the popular online tutorial.  This allows the student to practice at their own pace, and still be monitored through immediate feedback on performance, without the embarrassment of comparing to peers.  Online tutorials provide more than the text of a manual, as they are often colorful, with pictures and sounds, therefore appealing to the multiple of intelligences of the class (Giles, Pitre, & Womack, 2003).   Technological tools also include Hartley’s key principle, “activity is important” (as cited in Smith, 1999), allowing students to be active towards applying their skills.  And this results in a powerful experience that promotes learning.  So I would say technology brings out the best of behaviorism to support learning. The instructional methods of reinforcing effort and practice and homework will likely be around for a long time, and technology infused instruction has just increased the fun factor to make the learning experience even stronger.

References

Giles, E., Pitre, S., & Womack, S. (2003). Multiple intelligences and learning styles. In Orey, M. (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). (2011, November). Physical education guide. (Rev. Ed.)(pp. 4-5). Retrieved from http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/documents/myp/mgrp7/physical_education/

Laureate Education Inc., (2010). Understanding the brain. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

Magliaro, S. G., Lockee, B. B., & Burton, J. K. (2005). Direct instruction revisited: A keymodel for instructional technology. ETR&D, 53(4), 41–54. Retrieved fromhttp://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

Smith, K. (1999). The behaviourist orientation to learning. In The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm

Standridge, M., (2002). Behaviorism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning,teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Feb29th.Net - The Worlds Biggest Blogging Project

Reblogged from Paget ICT:

The countdown is on… we are only one day away from the world’s biggest blogging project that will see blogging stripped down to just 2 clicks!

The site (29thFeb.Net)  has received well over 100,000 hits in just 14 days so far. Momentum and publicity are growing by the day. Please help spread the news of this project. It is aimed at anyone from established bloggers to people who have never been on a blog before.

Read more… 161 more words

Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work and Society, Course Reflections

Am I a better teacher because I use digital tools?

Using digital tools does not automatically qualify me as a better teacher. I still must know a great deal about the content I teach. In fact, due to the access of information outside the classroom, students have many more opportunities to gather knowledge on a particular topic, and although they may not be experts, this does require teachers to be “on their toes” and ready to answer a variety of questions during class discussions.   If the teacher is comfortable with this shift, the spotlight can be turned to the students, as they produce their own content from different sources of knowledge.

Digital tools are a valid solution to address student diversity

Teaching strategies have become more adapted to the diverse needs of students’ cultural, linguistic and social backgrounds, simply because teaching otherwise becomes a nightmare.  Teaching is so much more fun when you see your students engaged with interest, and that only happens if their individual needs are catered to. Integrating technology into instruction allows teachers to address student diversity through a variety of learning experiences created with these tools.

Digital tools help students with time-management

According to my students, our school’s new online management system is helping them keep better tract of deadlines and task requirements, as they can access this information 24/7.  Our school’s swap to new Mac computers and broadband internet has sped their ability to access online resources. This is my first year teaching in the computer lab, which has enhanced student engagement immensely. In previous years, I would research new health issues and inform the students of these topics to stimulate discussions and projects. I realize now how much more powerful the learning experience is when students are allowed to conduct their own research, not to mention all the other skills they learn through sorting and evaluating the information.  Now my students create collaborative written documents with peers, transform the information into a fun podcast, as well as practice or present projects in the gym.

Digital tools provide evidence for ongoing and reflective assessment

A few years ago, my coordinator reported our school would be monitored for its student assessment methods.  To show evidence of appropriate assessment I needed to film each student. At first, I did not know where to find the time to become a movie-maker in addition to teaching.  But after making the transition, I am constantly filming and photographing, and posting shots of action into our weekly online school newsletter.  You can usually find me on break surrounded by students who want to check their performance.  Just last week, a group of grade ten students presented their project lesson, and asked if they could film their presentation for evidence. This is an example of effective learning.

Apart from providing evidence for program evaluation, digital tools allow me to collect accurate evidence to assess the effort and performance of my students.  This makes the assessment method more reliable. After all, physical education is most often a performance of skills and not data collected on paper. As a swim coach, a time of 1:20:00 does not tell me much about the technique of the swimmer. A video, on the other hand, is a valuable tool for reflection on how to improve to the next level.

2. Can we still draw a line between the teaching and the learning process?

As a physical education teacher and as a sports coach, I make an effort to motivate students to reach their goals by drawing on the students’ talents and successes.  I let the student know I respect their background knowledge by trying to connect it to what we are working on in the lesson.  This increases the likelihood of success for the student, as well as creating an opportunity for me, the teacher, and the other students to learn something new from the student. And this is when the definition of collaboration takes form.  When teachers and students can learn from one another by culminating all their background skills and knowledge a very powerful network of information is created.

In past generations teachers did the teaching and students did the learning.  The definitions of teaching and learning were separate entities. Respect existed, but in a way that kept teachers and students from crossing the line.  I still believe a level of respect between teachers and students can naturally be created, through equal appreciation for each other’s expertise.

As teachers begin to integrate technology into their classrooms, it becomes very difficult to ignore the fact that many students are more skilled at using digital tools than their teachers. I surveyed students in grades seven to ten, and the majority reported to have more knowledge regarding technology than at least some of their teachers.  This tips the scales to a more balanced relationship between the teaching and learning process.  Teachers are no longer the single source of knowledge, nor are the subject textbooks the only resource for accessing information. These students now access most knowledge through networking on the web, and networking with their peers.

3. Spotlight on the students: Less lecturing more play!

The monologue or the lecture of the past has turned into a busy dialogue of collaboration, where students are the focus of the lesson. There is less theory to be memorized and more action, as students are busy operating digital tools to solve problems, complete group tasks, and reach project goals. Students are finally allowed to show their efforts in the classroom.

Nowadays, teachers must be willing to learn tricks of the trade from their students. What a wonderful opportunity this is for students to enhance their self-confidence.  This is another example of how a teacher is able to draw on the background knowledge (digital skills) of the student.  This is true collaboration: everyone contributing his/her skills and talents to achieve a common goal. The significance of this new style of teaching is that it reflects the working environment of today’s professional community. These days, people work on creative teams, combining their skills to solve global issues.

4. The next step

I plan to develop my knowledge of digital skills, which I can use to improve my teaching strategies and also to enhance student learning by continuing to try out as many new technologies as I can.  Because physical education lends itself well to the cooperative learning strategy, my classroom has always been a collaborative learning environment.  My goal for the next two years is to collaborate more closely with the technology specialists to tap into their knowledge.  To do this, I will first observe, and hopefully assist in technology design classes.  The next goal is to create a blog site for my physical education classes, allowing students to collaborate on project work.  At the moment, blog sites are not much used at my school, and I would like to be the first teacher to implement blogging as a valid collaborative digital tool.  My idea is to begin the first blog site with the topic of a world health day.

Until then, I am enjoying my learning experience. After all, learning by doing is so much more fun than reading boring, “how to” manuals.

 

Digital Profile of Students Living in Today’s World of Technology

Are we teaching students the skills they need to be successful in the business world? Is education really keeping up with technological advancements? Do students learn differently today because of their exposure to digital tools? And are ALL students digital students just because they are growing up in the Net-Age? Let’s check out the profile of a few 11-12 grade students.

Click below to listen to the podcast:

http://events.alexifelix.podomatic.com/embed/frame/posting/2012-01-28T04_28_49-08_00?json_url=http%3A%2F%2Fevents.alexifelix.podomatic.com%2Fentry%2Fembed_params%2F2012-01-28T04_28_49-08_00%3Fcolor%3D43bee7%26autoPlay%3Dfalse%26width%3D440%26height%3D85%26objembed%3D0