This week we focused on the constructionist and constructivist theories of learning. The constructivist theory states that all people use their own experiences and backgrounds to assimilate new information into their individual schemas. The constructionist theory states that students learn best with first hand experience and when they build an artifact that can be shared with others.
I do believe students learn best when creating projects. In all of the curriculum areas, my students create projects and utilize tools of technology. However,I am amazed by the potential that technology offers. Even within the common applications such as word processing and excel, I have not explored the many ways students can use these tools.
The resources this week also differentiated between LBD (Learning by Design) and PBL (Project Based Learning). The difference seems to be that LBD focuses on the building of an artifact for a pre-selected audience and PBL is working on real-world problems but not necessarily creating a project. I would love to incorporate more PBL style projects into my curriculum, as well as more inquiry based learning. These types of projects really put the teacher in the role of a facilitator and coach as kids take charge of their learning.
The quote that really struck me in the resources this week was Papert's quote that "learners don't get ideas, they create ideas (Online book)." Is that true? I get many ideas from other sources but the ones I own and feel passionate about are the ones I create. I believe this can be true of our students' learning process as well. The knowledge they create is what sticks with them the most and that in which they take the most pride.
Christina,
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with your thought about how student created ideas and knowledge sticks with them. That pride in the knowledge they create last a long time. I think that it is important that students try to create their own knowledge instead of being given it. With this weeks resources we realize the importance of the students being constructive and relating the material to real life situation. Do you find it very rewarding when the students take charge of their learning in the classroom? It is something that seems amazing every time that it occurs and the students normally have no idea that it is even going on.
Christina,
ReplyDeleteGreat quote ... "learners don't get ideas, they create ideas". We have learned that students retain knowledge that is connected (linked) to prior knowledge and experiences. PBL style projects can help as students create those links. When students are creating projects in your classroom, are the projects some what guided or pure inquiries? It seems to me that projects would need to be at least a little guided to ensure that required state standards are being acquired by the students.
Anna Redding
Anna,
ReplyDeleteIn my third grade classroom, the projects are more guided than inquiry based. I would like to move toward more choice and inquiry but do not yet feel comfortable with giving up that much control at so early a grade level. I think middle and high school students would be more successful with PBL projects.
Christina
Jonas,
ReplyDeleteI do find it rewarding when students take charge of their own learning. At the third grade level, this is evidenced by students getting excited by a project and then repeating it on their own. In my classroom, we created PowerPoint presentations on waterway communities, then I had some students create PowerPoints at home on topics that interested them. We also read a funny story about slugs with some silly recipes. As a quick, cooperative activity, we had students create their own silly recipes with slugs. For the rest of the year, students would submit recipes and branch out to other critters we studied or read about. In math, we did a lot of activities collecting and graphing data. Several students began creating surveys to collect information and graph it in a variety of formats. I think by using technology, students don't even realize the learning skills they are practicing.
Christina
Christina,
ReplyDeleteWiki's would be a great way to incorporate the PBL of inquiry-, problem-, and project-based methodologies during LBD. I always find troubleshooting wikis when I am looking for support on how to do something on the web. Why not incorporate this for LBD projects? Students can set up a wiki where the look through key words to find questions related to their inquires to solve problems. In addition, students who figure out how to do something that other students are struggling with can post on a HOW TO page for their peers to reference. This encourages cooperation and collaboration among students and is a fun way to help students familiarize themselves with this sort of resource online!
Shanna Falgoust
Christina,
ReplyDeleteOne of the ways I know that a project has been meaningful is when I see my students repeating it on heir own, like you mentioned. It is so exciting when students have the desire to repeat strategies and practice the steps of a project again "just for fun." This happened to my students after introducing them to Comic Life and having them create a cartoon based on one of our literature stories. They soon wanted to create a Comic Life strip for anything and everything. To ensure they were still practicing some thinking skills and not just churning out silly dribble, I required that each comic strip have a beginning, middle, end, and a problem/solution conflict in the story. This gave students the chance to practice using the story elements in a fun, engaging way.