According to Dr. Orey, “A classroom based on constructionism has many elements that promote a learner-oriented learning environment. In this learning environment, the instructor acts as a facilitator and guides the learners along their paths of learning. Learners are assigned tasks in which they must implement particular instructional goals. They investigate, create, and solve problems” (Orey, 2001). Students are encouraged to make predictions, tackle real life problems, seek solutions and present their findings.
Technology allows the educator to create projects that allow students to apply content knowledge with real life applications. Three technology resources used in generating and testing hypotheses are spreadsheet software, data collection tools, and Web resources (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007). These resources allow the students to make apply concepts and data with experiences that are beyond their classroom and beyond.
Web resources and gaming software “allow students to use background knowledge, make decisions, and see the outcome of their hypotheses” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007). The virtual world allows the students to visit or interact with situations, people and/or places that they may never be able to experience any other way. One resource that I plan to use is Plimoth Plantation's You Are the Historian This resource allows the students to attend the First Thanksgiving (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007). Students travel in time and interactively respond to separate myth from truth.
The second web resource is Primary Access provides students with resources to create their own historical movies (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007). We would be able to bring social studies alive.
The third resource Darwin Pond could be used in my classroom to emphasize the influence of the environment on habitats and animals. Students are able to manipulate the environment and make predictions of how these factors will affect the animal or habitat (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007).
References:
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/. Section: Constructionism, Learning by Design, and Project-Based Learning.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Pgs 202, 203 ,212,,215.
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4 comments:
I like the website suggestions that allow the studetns to explore content and determine their own findings from the information discovered. This teaches them analytical skills that can be supported and reinforced by the software of website provider. But not only that, it can allow students to have an open discussion and dialog on topics that they have independently studied.
This week we used Scholastic News coverage of Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3754273
This interactive web site createe excitement and concern for the habitats of the animals. We created posted and wrote letters to President Obama.
Dolores said ...
Your class is so active in the way you approach teaching. I love the way they are so involved in life and their world. It is important to teach young learners that they are a vital part of the world and can have an impact on how things go. Your students are learning how to get information and use it in a productive way.
What great web resources you mentioned in your blog! I will definitely utilize the Darwin site in my science classroom. Students need to have that hands on experience to build the prior knowledge that is necessary. Taking that to the next level would be having students create something with this knowledge, constructionism.
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