When I began this course and saw the text, Reading the Web, I thought to myself, "I know how to read the web. You just google what you want and go there." Wow, was I ever wrong! I didn't realize this involved more than just "going there." Often, I would get so overwhelmed with "going there" and viewing a sea of sites that I really didn't need, that I would give up. This course on new literacy development and online inquiry in the classroom has given me a whole new outlook (sorry for the cliche) on how to read web URL's, and how to distinguish between sites that are educationally sound, and those that aren't.

One particular area that really stood out for me, and actually it didn't occur until later in the course, is the fact that so many students are using the web for whatever they choose. Now, this in and of itself is not a big revelation. They have been doing this now for quite a while; but what is is the fact that if school districts do not get deeply involved in the new literacies education of our students, they (students) will continue to utilize the web without proper supervision and guidance. Often we take for granted that just because our child or our students are sitting in front of computers, they are safe because they're not on the road riding with a drunk driver. However, we have all learned that online predators are very savvy and just as dangerous. It would be very beneficial if our district offered a PLU class for teachers and parents on the benefits and risks of using the Internet.

Because of what I've gained from this course, in my future instruction of students using the Internet as a resource for their work, I will first teach them how to read the web effectively before they begin an online project. This will include step by step procedures with guided practice. As students are able to establish methods for achieving this, they will spend less time searching and will spend quality time reading, using, and publishing only what they need.

A professional goal I'm looking forward to in the near future is to enroll in an upcoming new literacies course. At this time one isn't offered, but I will take an additional course on this essential area as it becomes available. To maintain current knowledge in this field I will spend more time in our resources discovering new and different ways to teach my students new literacy skills. Throughout my learning adventure thus far, it has been very evident that all of our resources were prepared with forethought by educational professionals. Further, teachers are able to utilize them at any time for the betterment of their students.

My personal learning theory hasn't changed much in relation to how students learn. There are those who understand by hearing; those by seeing, and those my doing. I have discovered, however, through all the resources we've explored, that most students enjoy the "doing" part the most. One area that is changing for me is the rate at which students learn and how to keep up or slow down with their learning needs. I have a wide-range of needs-based students in my class, with students whose reading levels range between 1st and 6th grade. Because of this, I learned early on in the year that I could not "rush" teaching. I also discovered that I had to model assignments better while also incorporating more consistency. I believe this has enabled me to reflect about what I do each day, and come up with new ideas for differentiation.

I have been thoroughly impressed with our reading resource for this course, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, because it provides immediate implications I can use now with my students. Although this seems very elementary, locating new ways to use Microsoft Word has been very helpful for me. A state standard requirement is that students learn how to effectively summarize their written assignments. Using the Auto Summary feature as a starting acquisition lesson will engage students in understanding how they can do this well. I have already displayed this to them and received possitive comments. Plus, the Comments feature of Microsoft Word will offer my students opportunities to peer edit and self edit work without messy scribbling on paper. Another technological feature I wish to utilize soon is the note-taking feature in Inspiration. I will admit that in the past students have taken notes the boring way by writing them down as I spoke them, or they copied them from a PowerPoint I created. Understanding that time isn't always the discerning factor as to whether or not I teach something, will help me better serve my students' academic needs. I realize it will take time for students to learn how to do this; but when they've learned it, it's with them. There are many other technological features I will utilize from this resource because of its practicality.

Two long-term goals I would like to achieve with my students regarding technology integration are moving away from paper and pencil writing assignments to totally computer paper assignments, from the beginning of prewriting to the final published copy. Further, I have already begun using non-linguistic approaches to coorelate with selected reading selections. This is helping my students make connections between words and pictures. A strategy I'm already implementing with the writing assignments is having students copy and paste pictures to them. Even though this is a simple task students have already been doing, fully understanding its positive consequences makes me want to have them do this more. Also, my students rotate stations (centers) at least 3 days a week, and one station is geared toward technology where they can begin prewriting for their next writing activity. As mentioned earlier, we (I) must realize students learn by hearing, seeing, and most importantly, doing. This can only be accomplished as we give students the time to learn it.

Where to Go

Click on the "My Voice" tab to hear the voice thread.

Link to My Voice Thread

http://voicethread.com/#e660436

The resources we explored this week do coorelate with the social learning theory in several ways. First, student-created multimedia is naturally an environment for cooperative learning because it requires many roles and responsibilities. Careful attention to upfront preparation must be completed before creating a video can be accomplished. Second, webquests are designed to utilize learners' time to concentrate on using information, rather than looking for it. It also supports critical thinking at these learning acquisition levels: analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Additionally, Dr. Orey further explained how the word "social" in relation to learning simply means that students need another person, whether it be the teacher, a parent, a tutor, or another student to aid in their learning. They are called the "More Knowledgeable Other" factor. He extends this by adding that many of us have Inert Knowledge: it can be articulated, but not applied, and how social learning will help transfer and then apply learning. Dr. Orey continues to support this by stating that social learning must be contextual and cultural in nature. Students must try to understand each other's backgrounds and traditions before they can work together (Social Learning Theories, 2009).

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

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

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).

Using Technological Strategies for Summarizing and Note Taking

It's really no wonder why students don't like to take notes. If they're just being given to them verbally and they simply write them down, how boring is this?! To savvy them us a little bit, teachers may (like I've done) place them on an overhead projector and have them write them down as well. This is still pretty ho hum. I'm thankful that our resources this week have presented us with information on how to teach summarizing and note taking utilizing current technological advances, while creating meaningful learning opportunties too.

Software programs such as Inspiration and Spinscape offer students the ability to organize notes in a meaningful web map that will help them learn concepts better than ordinary boring note taking. Plus these features offer colorful graphics and links in which students can place pictures and other pertinent information on them as well. PowerPoints offer the ability for creative note taking, combining pictures and their related terms (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).