Our resources this week are based on constructionist learning. They applaud hands-on, critical thinking activities that academically help kids succeed in the classroom. Because so many of these projects are not technologically-based, teachers may and will find themselves asking their students for help in these particular areas. From a previous course here at Walden, our students in today's world are digital natives, and are accustomed to learning and socializing on a computer; whereas the educator may not be. The educator's reply where she mentioned how her students’ self-esteem was boosted when they helped her, but not her own, as they instructed her on how to learn a new technique on the computer (Constructionist vs. Constructivist, 2009).

How do the strategies presented in our resources reflect the constructivist/constructionist approach to learning? Project-based learning is essential for students’ application, self-motivation, and overall long term memory retention (http://www.edutopia.org/project-learning). Dr. Orey explains how equilibration is so important for students. This explains how the mind accomodates for new learning, such as the parent explaining to the child that a cat is not a dog when the cat comes along in the park. The mind must learn what this is and put itself back in balance to its learning schema-information already previously obtained from other sources (Constructionist vs. Constructivist Learning Theories, 2009). The web resources offered differing approaches to hands-on project based learning. From the site pbl-online.org projects are designed to engage students throughout the process, from beginning to end. I also especially liked how it gave teachers clear directions for how to explicitely teach how to do a project step by step, and then guide as a facilitator throughout. The Appletree Learning site was based on doing online hands-on projects like charting the flight of the Monarch Butterfly. It also solidifies the importance of cultural awareness through having to complete activities online, and with students of different backgrounds. From edutopia.org students solve real world problems and then present these solutions to experts in those fields. For the NASA solar system simulator site, students can watch various science videos, join in webinars, enter contests, and complete science and math based projects. The last site I viewed was Astroadventure, and I automatically went to the teacher/parent site because I think as teachers we want to know how the site can help us. I wasn't too pleased with this particular part of it because all the documents were PDF files and seemed tedious to read. I was very pleased, however, when I navigated to the part explaining how students could create their own planets. I finally heard strange computer voices and the graphics began to move. It does need updating.




Angie Cash

Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories. (2009). Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. (Laureate Education, Inc. CD-ROM, 2009 release).