This week I studied several things that correlated with the principles of constructivist/ constructionist learning theories. Generating and testing hypotheses is a wonderful way for students to learn (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Students must be able to thoroughly explain their hypothesis and the findings they discovered through some varied tasks. It is very important that students have a clear idea of what they are to do so that they can use such things as systems analysis, problem solving, historical investigation, invention, experimental inquiry and decision making (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). All of these mediums allow students to discover things on their own with the teacher acting as facilitator. This supports constructivist/constructionist learning theories.
The spreadsheet section that I studied this week (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007) gave me the idea of programming excel to figure the slope intercept form. I made the excel sheet and emailed it as an attachment to my students. Then, I taught them how to figure slope using the formula. I allowed them to practice what I had taught them and then check their answers on the spread sheet. I told them to experiment with different numbers in different places and construct graphs to match.
There was a lot of excitement and testing of the spread sheet. They thought I had given them a secret. Collaboration is a major part of the constructivist/constructionist learning theories (“Standridge, Melissa,” 2007). There was discussion and activity all focused on what we were learning. This supports the constructivist/constructionist learning theories that state that people learn best when they can build something to share with others (Laureate Education, Inc., 2007). It also confirms the base of the constructivist theory stated in the website Innovative Learning (http://www.innovativelearning.com/educational_psychology/constructivism/ index.htm) that people make their own meaning by their experience.
I told the students that they could program excel to do many things. They were so excited to find excel as such a great tool. This supports the constructionist learning theory in the way that students were constructing their own numbers to put into the spread sheet. It will also be linked to future activities as I teach students to explore excel and see what they can program it to do for them. This free discovery and constructing graphs lines up with the constructivist/constructionist learning theories.
When we learned about different types of graphs a few weeks ago, we also used excel to program different graphs. We compared it to some of the graph makers on the internet. All the students agreed that they liked the excel graphs best. This got them interested in excel. I am following that up and linking it by showing them something else excel can do.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program seven. Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom
instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Standridge, Melissa. ( 2007), What is Behaviorism; Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology; Retrieved January 10, 2011 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/ epltt/index.php?title=Behaviorism
Missy,
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you are teaching slope for your class. In "Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works" it discusses the idea that technology such as spreadsheets should be used to expedite the process of interpreting the data so that students can spend their time gathering the data. I believe that your project will accomplish that goal.
-Katie
Missy,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you really are allowing your students to apply skills with your teaching approach that incorporates constructivist learning theory. As I was reading your post, it definitely proved to me to be a true application of knowledge when using excel with your students. Throught excel, you gave students "first hand experiences to allow students to get involved with building" knowledge. You really can extend knowledge when you build upon the already created graphs and compare data to show correlations. I think this was an excellent way to allow students to be involved in a project-based learning experience.
I also agree with you when you discussed the nature of students creating and testing hypotheses. I beleive this allows students to prove and support their findings with the teahcer acting as a facilitator. Through this type of learning it is more "active and engaging for students" (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). I believe one are that oculd make this understanding more clear could be that students create a powerpoint after the excel project. This could be a good means of final assessment where students insert graphs and explain new learned knowledge. What do you think? Great cohesive ideas!
Kourtney
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program seven. Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom
instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Missy,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you are really capitalizing on student enthusiasm and curiosity to create meaningful, constructionist lessons for them. Personally I love MSOffice products for students because they are intuitive and engaging. The skills students learn with one software are transferrable to other MS Applications. This ensures students spend less time learning how to use the software, and more time learning with the software.
Now that your students are excited about the magic of Excel, you could show them how they can turn written assignments into magic by incorporating mail merge features which require Excel to talk to Word. It’s very cool and I bet your students would love it. If you don’t know much about how to use Word’s mail merge feature, you can check out Microsoft’s help site.
Something they might get a kick out of and make their writing assignments more interesting is generating mailing labels. They could use these to send their writing assignments to multiple family members. Check out this link to find out how they can use addresses set up in Excel to create mailing labels from Word.
Katie,
ReplyDeleteGreat idea about using power point as a follow up. I may have them create a power point or voice thread as the assessment for coordinate graphing.
Deanna,
Thanks for the ideas. I am not familiar with how to use mail merge. I tried a few times for Christmas cards and finally gave up and made a table and typed in all my labels. I will look at the help site and see how that works. I never thought of using that in my class. Thanks for the idea.
Missy
Missy,
ReplyDeleteI found it to be very inspiring that you were able to convince your students that they had discovered a great lost tool that perhaps only they knew about. The fact that they were able to use the tool you gave them and then were inspired enough by it to begin dreaming up new ways to use it speaks to the validity of constructionism in learning and education. Thanks for the post.
Katie,
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Kourtney,
Great idea about using power point as a follow up. I may have them create a power point or voice thread as the assessment for coordinate graphing.
Deanna,
Thanks for the ideas. I am not familiar with how to use mail merge. I tried a few times for Christmas cards and finally gave up and made a table and typed in all my labels. I will look at the help site and see how that works. I never thought of using that in my class. Thanks for the idea.
William,
Thank you.
Missy