Constructivism in Practice

The constructionist learning theory is based upon the principle of creating things. Students must create things and be active in their learning in order to learn from it and retain the information (Laureate Education Inc., 2010).  The instructional strategy of generating and testing hypothesises is when students are “engaging in complex mental processes, applying content knowledge like facts and vocabulary, and enhancing their overall understanding of the context” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007).   This instructional strategy is related to the constructionist learning theory because the students create their own hypothesis and are involved in experimenting and gathering data in order to come to a conclusion.  The use of technology can also largely assist in helping students to create and be engaged in their learning and therefore, meet the constructionist learning theory.  Technology allows students to create projects on PowerPoint, create mind maps, slideshows and videos that could display their learning through creation.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Michael Orey.

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

Cognitivism in Practice

Cognitivism in Practice

The instructional strategies that I explored this week are: summarizing and note taking and also cues, questions and advance organizers.  Both of these instructional strategies correlate with the principles of cognitive learning theory. 

The summarizing and note taking strategy “focuses on enhancing students’ ability to synthesize information and distill it into concise new forms” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski,2007).  This strategy is important when teaching for understanding.  According to Dr. Orey the memory can only take in seven plus or minus two pieces of information at a time (Laureate Education Inc., 2010).  This strategy would help students to find the important information and remember it.  “Using Technology with Classroom Instruction” ((Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski,2007) suggests different ways to use the note taking strategy.  One way suggested is to use templates with connections and networks from a main point or an essential question.  This strategy helps for students to create networks therefore, leading to elaboration which leads to long-term memory gain (Laureate Education Inc., 2010).

Cues, questions and advance organizers is an instructional strategy that “focuses on enhancing students ability to retrieve, use, and organize information about a topic” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007).  This strategy has a focus on activating background knowledge and creating essential questions so the students know what they are learning and also providing them with learning goals in order to better prepare them for the information they will be learning (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007).  This strategy relates to the cognitive learning theory well because activating background knowledge could be considered a network for the students which help students remember the information taught (Laureate Education Inc., 2010). Some ways to use cues, questions and advance organizers is to use pictures and text about information that you are learning.  By doing this you are teaching for understanding. Students will use dual-coding by seeing the pictures and the text and understand and remember the information provided (Laureate Education Inc., 2010).

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Michael Orey.

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

Behaviorism in Practice

The behaviourist learning theory is based around operant conditioning.  Operant conditioning has two elements: punishment of undesirable behaviours and reinforcement of desirable ones (Laureate Education Inc., 2010).  Several different instructional strategies correlate with the behaviourist learning theory.

The instructional strategy of reinforcing effort “enhances students’ understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement by addressing students’ attitudes and beliefs about learning” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007).  This instructional strategy directly correlates with the behaviourism learning theory.  Reinforcing students’ efforts is a way of reinforcing desirable behaviors.  We want our students to have positive attitudes and plenty of effort therefore, reinforcing that effort  is addressing the desirable behaviour. 

The instructional strategy of homework and practice “gives students a chance to review and apply what they have learned”(Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007).  Homework and practice is a recommended instructional strategy under certain guidelines and recommendations.  It is suggested that if a student is completing homework that “it is commented on” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007).  By providing feedback on student homework the teacher is following the behaviorism learning theory. The specific comments would be reinforcing the positive behavior or work that the children are doing and also the negative or undesirable behaviour or work that the student is providing.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Michael Orey.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.