Course Reflections

1. Please describe your overall experience in this course? Was the course effective in getting you to "learn about constructivism by doing and experiencing constructivist instructional methods?”

I found this course very interesting. At first, I was very unsure as to how it was all going to work. However, with time, it all came together and made sense. I think that the course was effective in learning about constructivism by doing and experiencing constructivism. We had to research and discover for ourselves what constructivism is and how it works. It was a different approach to an online class, and I thought it was beneficial to learn by doing.


2. Please evaluate the emphasis on collaboration in writing the WikiBook Chapters.

I personally have a hard time with group collaboration simply because everyone’s schedules are different, and everyone’s work ethic and work timing are different. It was hard when I was ready to write the chapter, but no one else in my group had contributed yet to the Sandbox. However, it does teach you to be flexible, and patient with others. Communication is key in collaborating with others, and I think that makes a difference in the final product.


3. Please comment on your experience of others (e.g. WikiBook editors, external experts, other Internet surfers) observing and / or critiquing your writing in the WikiBook.

I enjoyed looking at other’s work in the WikiBook. I was able to be informed without having to do the research for that specific chapter, which was nice. I also appreciated other people’s thoughts and ideas as the chapter author on how to make improvements. It is nice to have another eye to look at your work. As long as the critiques are constructive, it is an important tool to have.



4. Please compare the experience of doing research and authoring a textbook for a class (like this one) versus the traditional way of reading and studying an assigned textbook for a class.

I would much rather do the research and author as opposed to read and study. I have to do the research and write myself. There is no skimming and finding an easy way around reading the chapter. By authoring the textbook I am more knowledgeable about the content than I would be had I been assigned to read and study a textbook.




5. As a result of your experience in this class, are you more likely or less likely to assign collaborative wiki writing assignments in your teaching situation? Please explain the reasons you are more or less likely to do so.

I don’t know if I am more or less likely to assign these assignments. I think I would lean towards less likely, but only because of the age of students I teach. I think that it is a powerful learning experience, and is a great way to combine technology with that. My experience has been ok. However, with fourth graders, it would take a lot of work and preparation. They are just learning how to keyboard and make presentations. Fourth grade is the first time that they have to research and write a five paragraph essay. To add a collaborative wiki writing assignment would be very overwhelming for them, and truthfully, there is not enough time in the day.




6. Please comment about building quizzes and answer keys, and on grading your peers. Did you learn or gain anything valuable from these experiences? Please explain.

Building quizzes and answer keys was ok. I think it is important to have some way to show that you read the material in the chapter. However, I don’t think I necessarily gained a lot from it. As a person already in the classroom, I make up quizzes and rubrics for my students all of the time, so it was not that difficult of a task for me personally.



7. What are your suggestions for improving the design of this course?

My main suggestion for improving this course has to do with the blogs. It was very hard to keep up and find resources and write reflections. The blogs are a good idea, but I think that students should post information on it when they are doing their research for their chapter only. Whatever sites or articles they find will be more useful to them, as opposed to just randomly putting articles just to make sure you have enough.

Reflection Entry 18

Collaborative research is a constructivist problem solving model that says that students work together towards a common learning goal. There are five principles: focusing on learning outcomes, developing communication, posing the problem, generating multiple perspectives, and making informed decisions. These principles guide teachers and students as they focus on working together. It is important for the teacher to define the learning outcomes for the student, and also for the students to develop critical communication skills. These skills will help them problem solve, empathize and work better with one another. The students have to agree on the problem, and then use their research to come up with definitions, and evaluate the results of their research. It is a process that takes time, but the benefits for students is amazing. It helps them become critical thinkers as well as great communicators. The example came from an undergraduate study program, but it can be applied to any grade level.

http://www.uoregon.edu/%7Etep/resources/crmodel/model/index.html

Reflection Entry 17

I have a friend that is a web page designer, and I admire what he does. This website lists the top tools used for web authoring. The only programs that I had previously heard of were Dreamweaver and Flash. I didn't know that all of these other software programs exist. The job of a web designer amazes me. Even though there are templates and you don't necessarily need to know the HTML code, I still don't think that I could have the patience required for all of that. As I talk to my friend about his work, he talks about the difficulties he has along with making sure the site looks good in all web browsers as well. There are so many factors to consider that I never thought about.

http://www.c4lpt.co.uk/Directory/Tools/web.html

Resource Log

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~webteach/articles/tools.html
http://www.c4lpt.co.uk/Directory/Tools/web.html
http://www.uoregon.edu/~tep/resources/crmodel/index.html
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/W/Web_authoring.html
http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/www.html#essential
http://webhelp.ucs.ed.ac.uk/docs/goodpractice.html
http://web.ebscohost.com.library3.webster.edu/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=6&sid=15ae27e8-1ffb-4b08-983d-e710982e3902%40sessionmgr9&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLGNvb2tpZSx1cmwsdWlkJnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=ED466449#db=eric&AN=ED466449#db=eric&AN=ED466449
http://www.emeraldinsight.com.library3.webster.edu/Insight/ViewContentServlet?contentType=Article&Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/1650220101.html

These are websites are about web authoring tools and collaborative research that I am using for my section of the chapter.

Reflection Entry 16

I have found this experience thus far to be very interesting. For me, being a type a person, I always want to get things done and on time. It is hard for me to work on group projects and rely on other people. I would much rather do some things by myself. I actually am looking forward to playing all three roles for this last chapter. I don't need to wait on other people's research, and worry about making sure I have the chapter finished in time for the editor to write the quiz questions and answers. It is nice that we can research a related topic of our choice, and apply everything that we used earlier in the semester. I appreciate that I am able to work at my own pace as well, and am excited to research web authoring tools and collaborative research this upcoming week.

Resource Log

http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Socio-constructivism

https://www.msu.edu/~purcelll/constructivismlearningtheory.htm

http://www.answers.com/topic/constructivism-learning-theory#The_learner_as_a_unique_individual

http://www.rr1.net/users/dsmbrown/Constructivism.htm

Reflection Entry 15

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/assment/as7const.htm

This website describes assessment in a constructivist classroom using Brooks and Brooks. It explains the principles of a constructivist teacher. The principle that stood out to me the most was that "Constructivist teachers encourage students to engage in dialogue both with the teacher and with one another." This situation reminds me of how I run my class meetings. I notice the students talking to me instead of each other. This has improved significantly over the course of the year, and that has been a goal of mine for the students to engage in more conversation with each other.

Reflection Entry 14

http://www.ifets.info/journals/3_2/tam.html

Tam's article discusses the technological piece with the role of the learner. She mentions how computers were effective in developing higher order thinking skills. In addition, she notes that technology tools can aid in learning, and that they can help learners get relevant information and provide opportunities for the learner to look at a variety of viewpoints so they can construct their own knowledge. I found her article helpful because it discussed how the learner can use the technology instead of the instructor, which I appreciate because as a teacher, I want my students to use technology and whatever they can to help them understand.

Reflection Entry 13

http://www.k12academics.com/constructivism_theory.htm

This website discusses constructivism and focuses on the role of the learner. The learner is unique, and no learners are the same. The culture and background of the learners are also important to consider because they use their prior knowledge to build new knowledge. In addition, the responsibility for learning is on the learner, because they are actively involved in the process. The motivation for learning comes from the learner's confidence in his or her abilities and potential. I found this site interesting and helpful as I authored chapter five. As teachers we sometimes forget that it is not about us, but about the students. Examining the role of the learner was important for me to do, because that is where my focus should be.

Reflection Entry 12

A journal article, "A Constructivist Case Study Examining Leadership Development of Undergraduate Students in Campus Recreational Sports," was a study on several campus leaders and their leadership skills. Some key points that the college leaders noted where that when making decisions, it is a good idea to have support from their group members. In addition, they commented on how their public speaking and written communication skills improved. The leaders also gained an appreciation for diversity while working with others. Not only that, but they said that part of learning and being a good leader is when you can learn from your mistakes. I think that this ties in to constructivism because the students are discovering how to be a good leader and working through knowing what it takes to be a good leader using the constructivist process of active learning. They are truly learning by doing, and at the same time, are learning a lot about themselves.

Hall, S., Forrester, S. & Borsz, M. (2008). A constructivist case study examining leadership development of undergraduate students in campus recreational sports. Journal of College Student Development, 49(2).

Resource Log

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=AbJc4Kg6XQoC&oi=fnd&pg=PA141&dq=constructivism+and+role+of+learner&ots=Wzkwp4Sbnu&sig=huJy5p-efzRZZE-UABmYJ3_KGbg#PPA141,M1

http://www.k12academics.com/constructivism_theory.htm

http://www.bsu.edu/web/jmschall/edpsy3.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivist_teaching_methods

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/assment/as7const.htm

http://www.citejournal.org/articles/v7i2languagearts1.pdf

Resource Log

http://www.ifets.info/journals/3_2/tam.html

http://ejite.isu.edu/Volume2No1/nanjappa.htm

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=sgH97wbGEVAC&oi=fnd&pg=PA184&dq=constructivism+and+role+of+learner&ots=G1fRq0v0ZP&sig=X8nV4l5mqKyn9WrfxWMRNgJl_xE#PPA185,M1

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=81Ijn3Qe2N4C&oi=fnd&pg=PA25&dq=constructivism+and+role+of+learner&ots=talt-sRNGi&sig=Auh4ljhUaFjbMu5JzTwEoMcN9h4#PPA25,M1

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=7Uv8NHvKK44C&oi=fnd&pg=PA161&dq=constructivism+and+role+of+learner&ots=XNdF0zZenz&sig=BnB3PPgUJr5YDNQkz9VV3GBTd5Y#PPA161,M1

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=AbJc4Kg6XQoC&oi=fnd&pg=PA141&dq=constructivism+and+role+of+learner&ots=Wzkwp4Sbnu&sig=huJy5p-efzRZZE-UABmYJ3_KGbg#PPA141,M1

Reflection Entry 11

http://www.ndtwt.org/Blackboard/P2SST2/authenticlearning.htm

This website defines authentic learning and explains what the elements of authentic learning are. I focused on the last section about technology integration because I have received new technology, an ActivBoard, in my classroom. Part of what makes learning authentic is that technology can provide access to resources that previously weren't available. It makes me think about virtual field trips, tours, and interviews with specialists like authors, or scientists, etc. Our second grade took a field trip to the library where they were able to interact through a video chat with a famous author and ask questions and get feedback from her. It was a great experience for the students and they learned a great deal. If it can't be done in person, then the options with technology are expanded.

Reflection Entry 10

http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2003/authentic_learning/

This article defines authentic learning and explains the characteristics of it. As I read through the characteristics of authentic learning it made me think about the way that I do things in my own classroom. I analyzed how often and in what subjects I provide these settings for my students. It also made me start thinking about how I could incorporate my new ActivBoard into making learning more realistic and authentic. Going through my day, I realized that our math program creates authentic situations as they problem solve, and spelling allows them to construct their own generalization and how to use it in their daily spelling. In reading, I teach and they practice using real strategies to help them become better teachers. In science, it is easy to incorporate authentic experiences; however, I found difficulty in social studies, particularly history. I use textbooks and they do answer questions, but they also do activities. I feel that if there is an area to improve authentic learning, that would be it. Any suggestions, let me know!

Resource Log

http://rockman.com/articles/AuthenticLearning.htm
Real examples of authentic learning.

http://pandora.cii.wwu.edu/showcase2001/authentic_learning.htm
Definition of authentic learning.

http://www.ndtwt.org/Blackboard/P2SST2/authenticlearning.htm
Information about authentic learning.

http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2003/authentic_learning/
Definition of authentic learning and explains characteristics of authentic learning.

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI3009.pdf
Explains how technology can be incorporated into authentic learning.

Reflection Entry 9

Spilka, R. (2002, March 20). Approximately "Real World" Learning with the Hybrid Model. Teaching with Technology Today, 8(6). Retrieved February 11, 2009, from http://www.uwsa.edu/ttt/articles/ spilka.htm

This article is about a professor who had previously taught face-to-face classes, and discovered that his students relied on him to much. He switched to using the hybrid model to teach a writing class. The students were in class, but then also met and worked outside of class in a real world environment. He found out that his students surpassed his expectations and were able to learn much more as they guided their own learning. What I liked about this article was that it shows that no matter what the age of the learner, hands on authentic learning is beneficial to most learners.

Reflection Entry 8

http://elenimi.googlepages.com/DesignConstructivistHonebein.pdf

As I read through this article, I found most interesting the seven goals for constructivist learning. The goals include providing experience with the knowledge construction process, providing experience for multiple perspectives, embed learning in realistic and relevant contexts, encourage ownership and voice in the learning process, embed learning in social experience, encourage use of multiple modes of representation, and encourage self awareness of the knowledge construction process. Authentic learning is basically constructivism because students are actively learning in a real world context. I think the best teachers are able to achieve these goals, and I hope that I can continue to improve my own teaching to do so.

Resource Log

http://udel.edu/~jconway/authlrn.htm

http://www.people.iup.edu/nbjn/2%20The%20Link%20Between%20Technology%20and%20Authentic%20Learning.pdf.

http://www.funderstanding.com/content/authentic-assessment

This website defines authentic assessment.

http://digitalliteracy.mwg.org/constructivisim.html

This website discusses the authentic learning and constructivism. It also has a list of websites dealing with and defining constructivism.

Resource Log

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(learning_theory)

http://www.time.com/time/time100/scientist/profile/piaget.html

(Profile on Jean Piaget)

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-mont.htm

(Profile on Maria Montessori)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immanuel_Kant

(Profile on Immanuel Kant)

http://www.vonglasersfeld.com/

(Profile on Ernst Von Glasersfeld)

Reflection Entry 7

In the Project Construct book, there is a section on the Sociomoral Domain. One of the goals in the social development is to "cooperate and collaborate as a member of a learning community" (55). This is important as it relates to constructivism because if students feel safe and have a sense of respect for one another, they are more likely to take risks in the classroom and ask questions and will be better able to construct learning. As a teacher, I work very hard to build a classroom community so that this can happen. We do a lot of work at the beginning of the year, and this year, I created a program "Team Building Mondays" where each Monday we do a team building or cooperative activity involving the kids working together. I think it is a positive thing to do, and it was working well so far.