Personal Theory of Learning

I believe that all students can learn.  However, each student is an individual, with individual needs. Each student also has a mix of prior knowledge and learning styles, so I feel that to be effective, teachers need to first take the time to learn about their students.  In order to address the needs of multiple learning styles and intelligences, various research based strategies should be applied.  

There is a mixture of theories and research that I am influenced by, and those beliefs are reflected into my classroom practice The Constructivist Perspective, and Multiple intelligences are the theories that have had the most influence on my beliefs of how learning occurs. The two theories support the other.  I believe that people learn most by acting, doing, experimenting, or creating, and that new learning must have something to connect to, such as prior knowledge.   This belief is reflected into my classroom practice through the use of student discussions of experiences and new learning.  Intentional use of reference to academic vocabulary is ever present, because with new learning, comes new words that can be connected somehow to what students already know.

I believe most of all, if a teacher is able to motivate a student, it will result in willingness to learn. Connecting learning to students’ lives is a way to spark the fire.

I very much agree with how Dr. Patricia Wolfe has defined learning, “The more you activate a connection, the more you increase the potential of that connection to fire again.” She has related learning to memory by stating, “Learning is the act of making connections and strengthening them. Memory is the ability to activate on the connections that you made earlier.”  Instructional practices that I have implemented include the use of journals and graphic organizers for note taking, student discourse to aid in student driven lessons and sharing of schema, and illustrations and images to help with non-verbal representation. These are all research based strategies that are proven to enhance student learning. However, these strategies are not enough for me, because I have been aware for a long time that technology needs to be integrated into learning. The problem for me was that I didn't know what to do, or how to do it. That is what has motivated me to seek higher learning.

Since taking Course 6711I-2 of Walden University, I have gained an even deeper understanding of the powerful effect that educational technologies and high yield strategies can have on student learning. I have not only learned why, but I have learned how! Adjustments and new technology tools that I have made to my instructional practice include the use of virtual fieldtrips, power points (teacher and student created), online concept mapping, Voice Threads, and interactive learning websites. I feel that they are essential to add to my repertoire of strategies because they are a great motivating factor. Technology is an avenue to take to bring more real world issues and scenarios into the classroom.   At no time in history has this ever happened. We need to learn to use the tools that motivate our students; even if that means that we have to learn how to use these tools first. They also address multiple intelligences, English language and diverse learners.  They increase engagement, because they are interactive, provide feedback, and are fun.

Two long-term goals that I would like to make in my instructional practice regarding technology integration are; to assist and encourage other teachers to learn about and integrating technology into their classrooms, and to be a part of technology based professional development that needs to happen within my district. My strategy to make this happen? I pretty good at motivating people to do what they do not believe that they can do. I will start by building a fire and interest.  I will present my idea to the administration within my district and make myself available.
            Thank you for visiting my blog!

Cathryn

Resource:

Laureate Education, Inc. (2010). Understanding the Brain. Dr. Patricia Wolfe. Baltimore, MD.

My thoughts on how “Cooperative Learning” correlates with the principles of social learning theories.

My belief is that Social Learning basically is Cooperative Learning. They may each have a different label, but it all boils down to an interaction from learner to learner, or learner to ‘knowledgeable other’ as referred to in Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development. Dr. Orey has explained in Social Learning Theories, that the Zone of proximal development includes a more knowledgeable other which could be a parent, teacher, peers, or even a computer.
When discussing Collaboration Dr. Orey also explained, “It’s the conversation that students are engaged in that really help them understand something.” With social learning theories, in many cases, students are actively engaged in constructing some type of artifact while engaged in rich conversation about the topic (Laureate Educations, Inc. 2010).
As educators, we need to change with the times and be current with what motivates our students to learn. Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski make a great point when discussing rapid advances, “Now students can collaborate through the Web with other students in their school, subject experts, and multiuser game players. They can even collaborate across the globe”(144).
I believe that using technology for student created arifacts and collaboration is a great motivator and a great way to increase social etiquette to prepare our students for global success. The way that technology is moving, many of our students will be working from home and never really have the opportunity to work in collaborative groups. It's strange to think about.
Some example of technology tools that I have found to be worthwhile exploring to use for collaboration are web resources like blogs, wikis, and voicethreads.  I have embedded my first voicethread on this blog, please feel free to visit it.

Thank you,
Cathryn


Resources:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program eight. Social learning   theories [Webcast].
Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology.        Baltimore, MD: Author

Pitler, H., R., E. H., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). "Chapter 7: Cooperative        Learning." Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria,    VA: ASCD, 2007. 119 - 138. Print.