Jonassen (2000) argued that students learn from thinking in meaningful ways. Thinking is engaged by activities, which can be fostered by computers or teachers.” He believes that technology can support meaning making by students and that this happens when students learn with rather than from technology. Jonassen draws the analogy to carpenters who cannot build houses without a proper set of tools, to students who cannot construct meaning without access to a set of “intellectual” tools to help them assemble and construct knowledge.
The purpose of using the efolio blog was to document my experiences and thoughts in ETEC 533, and it provided me with an occasion to reflect on and analyse topics presented in the course. All entries in this efolio stands out by itself but I hope to catch the essential message surrounding educational technology in the science and math classroom, from this course participation. My reflection is based on discussions from this course forum and the entries in the present efolio.
I believe that two main themes are discussed and standing out from my efolio here:
1- Educational technologies should be well planned and significant.
2- Pedagogical principles, like collaboration between peers, must be the basis for
educational technology design.
My endeavours in ETEC 533, this semester, did make me pause and reflect upon the use of technology in science and math. It, as well, made me review my beliefs with my colleagues in a way that I didn’t think before. ETEC 533 has been a challenging course and I think by being challenged, I progressed more in my reflections. For the purpose of this analysis, I used only initials for posts from fellow students.
Planification and significance
At the beginning of this course, in Module A, we completed an auto e-ography where the exteriorisation of past experiences with technology made some of us remember a forgotten memory of old style technologies. When we started our journey in education, as students, different technologies were present in our classrooms. It is important, as a group, to remember the memories of our past. Has it changed a lot, today, how we use technology in the classrooms ? I first looked at technology as a great tool to improve my teaching and the learning experience. But as the course was moving forward, I did rethink of misconceptions. Here, JW answered one of my post in Module A :
« It’s human nature, isn’t it, to try to make sense of the world with what tools we have at our disposal? Whether we are young or old, this is the case. Perhaps it is true that as we become older we also are less willing to entertain alternatives. Handing information appropriately is an excellent point. Learners need to be aware that there exists misinformation out in the world (and particularly on the internet) and they need the tools to be able to assess the validity of the information around them. But, as you mention, this has to occur at an appropriate time based on their readiness to do so. »
To respond to these misconceptions, teachers have to be prepared and equipped for the challenge. Going forward from the misconceptions, conceptual challenges took form. Heather demonstrated how deep ideas can be anchored. As Driver (1985) stated, many children come to science classes with ideas and interpretations concerning the phenomena that they are studying even when they have received no systematic instruction in these subjects whatsoever. Posner et al. (1982) suggested that there are analogous patterns of conceptual change in learning. Sometimes students use existing concepts to deal with new phenomena. They add, often, however, the students’ current concepts are inadequate to allow him to grasp some new phenomenon successfully, then the student must replace ·or reorganize his central concepts. Following this idea, Dr. Khan mentioned the need for the teacher to understand student misconceptions in an effort to open a dialogue between teacher and student. Teacher should use these as opportunities to build new knowledge from old information and create a desire for increased learning. Prepare authentic projects to involve the learner and give him control over the process. CL expressed a great idea on this :
« Their job is to capture meaningful, authentic learning and then create a post on our blog about what they captured. This opens a dialogue between my students that allows for knowledge building and clarification of concepts based on prior and new knowledge. As technology has developed so have the ways in which teachers can assess student prior knowledge and reflect on their own pedagogical practice. »
At one point, I interviewed a colleague, from my school, and she demonstrated a great interest in educational technologies, but more specifically in the Interactive whiteboard. She noted the need for a purpose and the planification behind the use of technology. And when it works well, :
« It motivates them, captivates them, and entertains them without even making it look like they are learning. »
Not knowing that they are learning is a sign of good planification and significance ; they are building new conceptual meanings. They are engaged in their learning. Looking at significance, I framed an issue around the promising trend that the game-based learning could be. Wondering if this could be the future or will it be left on the side like many other technologies. Meluso et al. (2012) are stating that games can positively impact students’ learning by providing an intrinsically motivating and engaging learning environment for students. Miller et al. (2011) also cited that the types of learning possible through serious games (games primarily focused on education rather than entertainment) cover a broad spectrum. Finally, by experimentation, I noticed the necessity to be prepared when experimenting game based learning, as the students will look around and find other ways to improve their experience, notwithstanding the teacher have to guide the learner in this self experimentation of a life.
Collaboration
At some point, I did put a link to a video of Will Richardson, where he talks about his daughter that learned piano by herself, with the help of a tutor : her computer. Students today learn through peers. They don’t wait for learning to come to them. Learning through peers , isn’t it a great experimentation of life. It is a venture in the confrontation and/or the coexistence of a thought, a concept, a belief… In this endeavour, teacher must guide the learner to make the right choice and understand it. On this matter, GG did make an important comment :
« It would be a good way to introduce students to a “multiple working hypotheses” approach to science, encouraging them to generate several possible explanations and then decide how to choose between them based on available evidence, or to design an experiment that would help them decide between options. »
Through the course, we explored different tools for students and WISE did resonate well to me, as it makes thinking visible, provides social support and promotes autonomy and lifelong learning (Gobert et al., 2002). Inquiry based learning makes science social. Wise, being a form of inquiry based project, offers a challenge. Linn et al. (2003) define inquiry as “…engaging students in the intentional process of diagnosing problems, critiquing experiments, distinguishing alternatives, planning investigations, revising views, researching conjectures, searching for information, constructing models, debating with peers, communicating to diverse audiences, and forming coherent arguments.” When students are debating, communicating and forming coherent arguments, they are learning and collaborating with their fellow students. Collaboration becomes embedded in the learning process and builds skills necessary for the future. Shyu (2000) stated that with the widespread application of multimedia technology, the idea of situated learning (learning in a community of practice) can be better achieved. This idea of group cognition triggered a sequence of reflections in another course and it is still actual. Technology brings forward multiple sources of inquiries and opportunities to solve them, reflect upon and embark in peer collaboration.
Collaboration is across the building and is evidenced in the four TELEs presented in module B. They resonated to me as they are based on constructivism and situated learning theories which support the inquiry based learning. As Edelson (2001) mentioned it, knowledge cannot be transmitted directly from one individual to another. Knowledge has to be constructed and it happens through sharing and reflecting with peers. The Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt (1992) were quite clear in their purpose and design of the Jasper TELE, and the importance of cooperative learning. One of our colleague in this course did a summary of these TELEs and one comment I noticed more specifically was:
“Too often I hear, “Why do we need to learn this?” and too often instructors struggle to define in realistic terms the benefits of learning math concepts. Jasper is based upon contemporary literature expounding ideals such as student-centred “constructivist learning” (ex. Scardamalia and Bereiter) as well as helping learners progress from a place of learning (ie. the “zone of proximal development”; Vygotsky) to more complex thinking processes. Through exploration of complex math problems grounded in realistic contexts that appeal to youth, educators can move away from transmitting learning and step into building knowledge.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, when I look at the beginning of this course, where I was standing and looking at misconceptions, I believe I journeyed through math and science in an interesting way. I am a elementary generalist. I am not specialized in these subjects. I found another perspective where technology can enrich my conceptions. While I was going through my readings, I could not avoid thinking about my students and wondering what they would do with these tools. It is with an absolute interest that I will use, in my classroom, what I learned here.
My personal teaching philosophy is placed around inquiry, collaboration and constructivism. I think knowledge will grow from old knowledge and transform the individual to become a better learner. Technology has a place in science and mathematics and it is getting bigger with the event of mobile technologies. These open the doors to learning on the way and collaboration on demand. Teachers will still need to plan and assess, but more opportunities are showing up. Learners can decide what they want to learn and do it at their pace and time. Collaboration can happen outside the walls and with anybody who has some experience and willing to share it.
« This theoretical perspective suggests that learning is affected and modified by the tools used for learning, and that reciprocally the learning tools are modified by the ways that they are used for learning. » (Kearney et al, 2012)
The last readings offered a perspective on this matter, where they talked about virtual worlds and how they could influence teaching. Planning and significance/authenticity will always be at the forefront in the teaching and learning experience, but learners will bring inventive ideas and constructive models of learning. At one point, will they build their learning experience themselves ? The virtual world are built to give access to examination of life in boundaries that normally, would not be accessible. According to Bielaczyc and Collins (1999): “The defining quality of a learning community is that there is a culture of learning in which everyone is involved in a collective effort of understanding. Collaboration is the main stream in this concept of sharing, thinking and situated cognition.
The readings and activities in this course made an impact on my beliefs, making me discover new tools and see the impact of technology in these subjects differently. In one post I made in this efolio, I noted :
« The collective participation where everyone is a piece of the final puzzle is a strong motivator for the learner. »
Motivation is the driver in this process and will have the learner accomplish great things in life, I believe.
Reference
Bielaczyc, K., & Collins, A. (1999). Learning communities in classrooms:
Advancing knowledge for a lifetime. Nassp Bulletin, 83(604), 4-10.
Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt (1992a). The Jasper experiment: An
exploration of issues in learning and instructional design. Educational Technology,
Research and Development, 40(1), 65-80. Retrieved from :
http://ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02296707
Driver, R., Guesne, E., & Tiberghien, A. (1985). Children’s ideas and the learning of science.
Children’s ideas in science
Edelson, D.C. (2001). Learning-for-use: A framework for the design of technology-
supported inquiry activities Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38(3), 355-385.
Gobert, J., Snyder, J., & Houghton, C. (2002, April). The influence of students’ understanding
of models on model-based reasoning. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), New Orleans, Louisiana.
Jonassen, D. H. (2000). Toward a design theory of problem solving.Educational technology
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Kearney, M., Schuck, S., Burden, K., & Aubusson, P. (2012). Viewing mobile learning from a
pedagogical perspective. Research in Learning Technology,20(1).
Linn, M., Clark, D., & Slotta, J. (2003). Wise design for knowledge integration. Science
Education, 87(4), 517-538.
Meluso, A., Zheng, M., Spires, H. A., & Lester, J. (2012). Enhancing 5th Graders’ Science Content Knowledge and Self-Efficacy Through Game-Based Learning. Computers & Education, 59(2), (497-504).
Miller, L. M., Chang, C. I., Wang, S., Beier, M. E., & Klisch, Y. (2011). Learning
and motivational impacts of a multimedia science game. Computers & Education, 57(1), (1425-1433).
Posner, G. J., Strike, K. A., Hewson, P. W. and Gertzog, W. A. (1982). Accommodation of a scientific conception: Toward a theory of conceptual change. Sci. Ed., 66: 211– 227. doi: 10.1002/sce.373066020. Retrieved from :
http://www.fisica.uniud.it/URDF/laurea/idifo1/materiali/g5/Posner%20et%20al.p
Shyu, H. Y. C. (2000). Using video‐based anchored instruction to enhance learning: Taiwan’s
experience. British Journal of Educational Technology, 31(1), 57-69.
http://ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-8535.00135