Reflective Blogging Assignment #2

Dr. Jason Siko wrote:  “We are currently in a transition between the NCLB/standardized testing/high stakes/evaluation/fact-based content standards phase and the Common Core Standards, which try to emphasize more process-oriented skills. However, while this transition takes place, teachers are stuck in the middle: they're being encouraged to promote these skills yet schools (and teachers) are being evaluated on "the test." Further, as we've seen in this week's readings, inquiry-based learning is not a panacea for education, and some believe that good ol' fashioned direct instruction is better."

1. How can a teacher find balance during this transition from more traditional knowledge-based content standards and more process-oriented skills?
2. What are key factors that help improve the success of inquiry-based lessons?
3. What role can technology play in assisting those factors? Give specific examples.

We read two very interesting articles this week about inquiry-based learning.  The links to those articles are  ... The Case for Guided Methods of Instruction and Why Minimal Guidance During Instruction Does Not Work.  I think these are “must reads” for educators.  The second article in particular explains some of the psychology supporting the claims of the authors. 

1.    I think that if we as teachers are mindful of using process-oriented instruction in the traditional knowledge-based setting, we will begin to develop lessons that promote higher-order thinking while still catering to the rigorous standards of testing required by NCLB.  It is interesting that some experts view inquiry-based learning as a technique in which students are left to their own devices to learn how/why things work.  I view this as an extremist view.  I also view traditional knowledge-based instruction as an extremist approach in the other direction.  There is definitely room in the middle for a more balanced approach.  First of all, teachers must be aware that there is a difference between these two approaches and become educated about the pros and cons of each.  To begin the process of attaining balance, we can do several things to move from the extreme traditional methods of teaching to a more process-oriented classroom.  First, providing sound reasoning early in a lesson along with good examples for students to follow are both important.  Then, during and after students have had the chance to apply the lessons with hands-on applications, teacher guided instruction to correct misconceptions is also essential.  This can occur through group or class discussions, or even one-on-one.   I think making small changes like this will place students on the path to reasoning the “how’s and the why’s” (application) of each lesson, thereby allowing students to apply their new knowledge in various ways…the type of higher-order thinking we want our students to develop. 

2.  Some key factors to help improve success of inquiry-based lessons are instructional guidance and assistance /feedback throughout the learning experience.  If left alone while learning, students can become overwhelmed with information and their working-memory becomes overloaded.  As Kirschner’s article points out, it has been shown that pure process-based lessons do not have high success rates due to the cognitive architecture of the human mind.  It is important that we as teachers support the learning process of our students by providing good examples and feedback during a lesson, rather than just letting students explore on their own.

3.       Technology can help teachers by providing the means for detailed examples and reasoning.  For instance, an interactive SMARTboard lesson about triangles could provide students with a visual and auditory experience to see WHY the angles of a triangle add up to 180 degrees.  This, followed by an individual interactive computer lesson which applies the new found knowledge, would then help to solidify the lesson.  The computer model could also allow for development of problem solving skills by giving students questions in which higher-order thinking must be used.  This should all happen while the teacher circulates through the class or is available online to answer questions and provide support.  An assessment generated from these individual lessons would provide immediate feedback to the teacher allowing for follow-up as needed.  Thus, the use of technology as we try to merge traditional instruction with process-based lessons provides "access to information...and structure for inquiry-based lessons," as Dr. Siko pointed out in a class document.

Reflective Blog Assignment 1

My blog about technology and student achievement: 

·       According to the research article, Factors affecting technology integration in K-12 classrooms:  a path model, by Fethi A. Inan and Deborah L. Lowther, some of the factors that positively influence technology integration in the classroom are proper training and ongoing support, teachers’ computer proficiency, teachers’ beliefs about the impact of technology on student learning, teachers’ feelings of readiness to incorporate technology, and computer availability.

·       One way I can ensure that my students are learning in a current technological environment is to make sure I get trained and keep current on technologies for the classroom.  The middle school I subbed for has technology training about once a month.  They also offer support days once a week for teachers with questions or who want to learn to use a particular software or hardware item.  I often took advantage of the training sessions as well as the support days (during my planning period).  Staying educated about technology and using it is really the driving force behind all the factors ensuring positive technology results in the classroom.

·        I’m sure there are many ways to evaluate the success of a lesson involving technology.  The way I would evaluate it is to compare previous year’s assessments (which didn’t utilize the technology being introduced) to the current assessment of a lesson involving the new technology.  I might also use prelesson and post lesson assessments, as well as student feedback, as ways to evaluate the medium I am using to teach my lesson. 

·        I believe it is essential to communicate with colleagues, administrators, and school board members about successes and failures of incorporating technology.  One of the best teachers is mistakes/failures.  If we share not only our successes but also our failures with one another, it gives us better direction.  This information can be shared in many ways including meetings, but having a central place (discussion boards, Wiki's, blog pages, Google Docs, etc.) to post this kind of information within the school district would be very advantageous.  I don’t think our school district currently has such a “place.”