Reflecting on the GAME

This course and the integration of the “GAME plan” (Cennamo, Ertmer and Ross, 2009), has had a great impact on my professional thinking regarding setting and attaining goals. Some of this may be attributed directly to actions I have taken, such as seeking approval and permission to load necessary software onto student computers for use in facilitating and inspiring student learning and creativity (NETS-T, 2009) through the use of collaborative tools for reflection. This has led to some of the changes in instructional practice I will be implementing immediately. Specifically, we will be using the screencasting software, Jing!, to share and comment on ideas in our class. In my other goal, networking with colleagues, I have found success in the use of this blog. Since we are all posting on a weekly basis in this course, I have been more focused on its use as a tool rather than thinking of it simply as another application assignment.

The students in my classes also need to further develop their technology skills in as many ways as possible. Through the use of collaboration software and sharing through the screencasting and blogging activities, students can achieve more of the standards indicated by the NETS-S model (2009). Specifically, students will focus on the use of creativity, collaboration, and digital citizenship (NETS-S, 2009) through these activities. The unit plan I have been creating for this course also underscores these concepts and reinforces their usefulness in the classroom. All of these are ideas I can implement quickly and effectively by following the plan I have outlined and refined during this course.

Based on the NETS-T model, I will start using technology in my classes on a more regular basis. Instead of waiting for a major project, I will focus on the immediate uses for my classes and create more meaningful assignments, such as digital storytelling or sharing with other students through video or blog applications. This will also encourage my students to create and explore technology solutions in their learning.

Adjusting, monitoring and re-assessing are qualities which make good teachers great. As part of my own adjustment, I plan to start using this (or another) blog to communicate with students and staff in my district and the surrounding areas. In this way, I can also assist my students’ creativity by soliciting ideas from other teachers and students. This, hopefully, will heighten the students’ awareness of our subject matter and inspire them to place this information higher in their “quality world” (Glasser, 1998).

-Stephen St. Georges

References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom. New York: Harper and Row.

National Education Standards for Students (NETS-S) retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/NETS_for_Students.htm on December 21, 2009

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf on December 21, 2009.

Bringing the GAME to Students

My “GAME plan” (Cennamo, Ertmer and Ross, 2009), has had a great deal of success so far. Some of this success may be attributed directly to actions I have taken, such as seeking approval and permission to load necessary software onto student computers for use in facilitating and inspiring student learning and creativity (NETS-T, 2009) through the use of collaborative tools for reflection. Specifically, we are using the screencasting software, Jing!, to share and comment on ideas in our class. In my other goal, networking with colleagues, I have found success in the use of this blog. Since we are all posting on a weekly basis in this course, I have been more focused on its use as a tool rather than thinking of it simply as another application assignment.
The students in my classes also need to further develop their technology skills in as many ways as possible. Through the use of collaboration software and sharing through the screencasting and blogging activities, students can achieve more of the standards indicated by the NETS-S model (2009). Specifically, students will focus on the use of creativity, collaboration, and digital citizenship (NETS-S, 2009) through these activities. The unit plan I have been creating for this course also underscores these concepts and reinforces their usefulness in the classroom.
Based on the NETS-T model, I will start using technology in my classes on a more regular basis. Instead of waiting for a major project, I will focus on the immediate uses for my classes and create more meaningful assignments, such as digital storytelling or sharing with other students through video or blog applications. This will also encourage my students to create and explore technology solutions in their learning.
Adjusting and monitoring are two qualities which make good teachers great. As part of my own adjustment, I plan to start using this (or another) blog to communicate with students and staff in my district and the surrounding areas. In this way, I can also assist my students’ creativity by soliciting ideas from other teachers and students. This, hopefully, will heighten the students’ awareness of our subject matter and inspire them to place this information higher in their “quality world” (Glasser, 1998).

-Stephen St. Georges

References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom. New York: Harper and Row.

National Education Standards for Students (NETS-S) retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/NETS_for_Students.htm on December 16, 2009

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf on December 8, 2009.

Revising the GAME Plan

My “GAME plan” (Cennamo, Ertmer and Ross, 2009), has had a great deal of success so far. Some of this success may be attributed directly to actions I have taken, such as seeking approval and permission to load necessary software onto student computers for use in facilitating and inspiring student learning and creativity (NETS-T, 2009) through the use of collaborative tools for reflection. Specifically, we are using the screencasting software, Jing!, to share and comment on ideas in our class. In my other goal, networking with colleagues, I have found success in the use of this blog. Since we are all posting on a weekly basis in this course, I have been more focused on its use as a tool rather than thinking of it simply as another application assignment.

So far, I have learned that in effecting the changes needed to succeed, I will need to shift my role from teacher to facilitator. This will be applied to my instructional practice through more collaboration type projects, as suggested in this week’s resources (Davis, 2009). The main issue of problem I have with this is that students need to have more freedom to express creativity than I have chosen to afford them in the past. Davis (2009) also indicates that student involvement will increase through the separation of educational and social outlets, even going so far as to use the term “educational networking” (Davis, 2009) instead of “social” networking.

Based on the NETS-T model, I will start using technology in my classes on a more regular basis. Instead of waiting for a major project, I will focus on the immediate uses for my classes and create more meaningful assignments, such as digital storytelling or sharing with other students through video or blog applications. My approach to this will be to use my networking skills to seek help for the use of new technologies from others who are experiencing success.

Adjusting and monitoring are two qualities which make good teachers great. As part of my own adjustment, I plan to start using this (or another) blog to communicate with staff in my district and the surrounding areas. In this way, I can also assist my students’ creativity by soliciting ideas from other teachers and students. This, hopefully, will heighten the students’ awareness of our subject matter and inspire them to place this information higher in their “quality world” (Glasser, 1998).

-Stephen St. Georges

References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom. New York: Harper and Row.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program ten. Spotlight on technology: Social networking and online collaboration, part 1 [Motion picture]. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Davis, V.

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf on December 8, 2009.

Evaluating GAME Plan Progress

In the implementation of my “GAME plan” (Cennamo, Ertmer and Ross, 2009), I have had a great deal of success so far. Some of this success may be attributed directly to actions I have taken, such as seeking approval and permission to load necessary software onto student computers for use in facilitating and inspiring student learning and creativity (NETS-T, 2009) through the use of collaborative tools for reflection. Specifically, we are using the screencasting software, Jing!, to share and comment on ideas in our class. In my other goal, networking with colleagues, I have found success in the use of this blog. Since we are all posting on a weekly basis in this course, I have been more focused on its use as a tool rather than thinking of it simply as another application assignment.

So far, I have learned that in effecting the changes needed to succeed, I will need to shift my role from teacher to facilitator. I plan to accomplish this through more problem-based learning projects, as my classes are starting to do now. The main issue of problem I have with this is that students need to have more freedom to express creativity than I have chosen to afford them in the past. Ertmer (2009) suggests that we start these types of projects with less weight on them at first and gradually shift the focus to longer and more in-depth issues which are relevant to the students and to the class.

Adjusting and monitoring are two qualities which make good teachers great. As part of my own adjustment, I plan to start using this (or another) blog to communicate with staff in my district and the surrounding areas. In this way, I can also assist my students’ creativity by soliciting ideas from other teachers and students. This, hopefully, will heighten the students’ awareness of our subject matter and inspire them to place this information higher in their “quality world” (Glasser, 1998).

-Stephen St. Georges

References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom. New York: Harper and Row.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program eight. Spotlight on technology: Problem-based learning, part 1 [Motion picture]. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Ertmer, P.

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf on November 18, 2009.

Monitoring GAME Plan Progress

The idea of have a GAME plan, described by Cennamo, Ertmer and Ross (2009) involves the steps of setting goals and taking the appropriate action to implement and achieve those goals, including monitoring and adjusting or evaluating their success as needed. While all of these elements happen on a continual basis, resources are needed to start the process of any plan’s implementation. For my personal GAME plan, I have selected two areas of the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) on which to focus, the first of which is to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity (NETS-T, 2009) particularly through the use of collaborative tools for reflection. By using the VoiceThread and screencasting applications available to me to accomplish this goal, I am in need of technology resources such as computers with internet access, microphones and brief training on the software used. Most of this training can be found using online tutorials, so I will show those to my classes and help where needed. Ross (2009a) tells us that we should not be afraid to allow learners to have options and choice in the classroom, as the choices are built to reinforce primary instruction, not replace it. By using these technologies in addition to classroom discussion, I hope to bring those choices to my students. Choice is a direct way to affect accountability and increase empowerment and ownership in the classroom, as well as outside it (Glasser, 1998).
So far, there has not been any issue in accessing information or resources. All the sites I have used were open to my research and my students’ research. The only area with which I have had difficulty has been in downloading necessary software, such as Jing, for use in the classroom. While I have administrative rights over my computer, my students do not. This was resolved by asking our school’s network administrator to install the necessary components on the computers we use.

The other area I wish to improve my skills in is to "engage in professional growth and leadership" (NETS-T, 2009). By using a blog type of interaction with my colleagues, I can increase my own awareness and understanding of technology available to me and to my students and offer more variety in the project-based learning assignments and assessments to them (Ross, 2009b). Information and materials needed are also computers, internet access and permission to use the software in my school with my students. Most of these are already available to me, so it would not be too difficult to start implementing these strategies soon. The steps I have already taken to allowing my goals to be met in these areas are to create and use a blog regularly, show students screencasting software and have them start interacting with it, and I plan to start using VoiceThread on a regular basis next semester, although we have had some limited interaction with it already. By implementing the GAME plan designed, I hope to make more learning opportunities available to my students and to myself.
So far, I have learned that to truly use new technologies in the classroom, we must focus on one item at a time to allow ourselves and our students to master each area before moving on (Ross, 2009c). This way, we can more effectively use that which is helpful to improving student achievement. In this discovery and realization, I will modify my GAME plan to focus only on the use of one technology at a time so it will be used and not rushed through, as so many other educational initiatives are in today’s world.

-Stephen St. Georges

References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom. New York: Harper and Row.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009a). Program five. Meeting students' needs with technology, part 1 [Motion picture]. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Ross, J.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009b). Program six. Meeting students' needs with technology, part 2 [Motion picture]. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Ross, J.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009c). Program sseven. Assessing student learning with technology [Motion picture]. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Ross, J.

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf on November 24, 2009.

Carrying Out the GAME Plan

The GAME plan as described by Cennamo, Ertmer and Ross (2009) involves the steps of setting goals and taking the appropriate action to implement and achieve those goals, including monitoring and adjusting or evaluating their success as needed. While all of these elements happen on a continual basis, resources are needed to start the process of any plan’s implementation. For my personal GAME plan, I have selected two areas of the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) on which to focus, the first of which is to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity (NETS-T, 2009) particularly through the use of collaborative tools for reflection. By using the VoiceThread and screencasting applications available to me to accomplish this goal, I am in need of technology resources such as computers with internet access, microphones and brief training on the software used. Most of this training can be found using online tutorials, so I will show those to my classes and help where needed. Ross (2009a) tells us that we should not be afraid to allow learners to have options and choice in the classroom, as the choices are built to reinforce primary instruction, not replace it. By using these technologies in addition to classroom discussion, I hope to bring those choices to my students. Choice is a direct way to affect accountability and increase empowerment and ownership in the classroom, as well as outside it (Glasser, 1998).

The other area I wish to improve my skills in is to "engage in professional growth and leadership" (NETS-T, 2009). By using a blog type of interaction with my colleagues, I can increase my own awareness and understanding of technology available to me and to my students and offer more variety in the project-based learning assignments and assessments to them (Ross, 2009b). Information and materials needed are also computers, internet access and permission to use the software in my school with my students. Most of these are already available to me, so it would not be too difficult to start implementing these strategies soon. The steps I have already taken to allowing my goals to be met in these areas are to create and use a blog regularly, show students screencasting software and have them start interacting with it, and I plan to start using VoiceThread on a regular basis next semester, although we have had some limited interaction with it already. By implementing the GAME plan designed, I hope to make more learning opportunities available to my students and to myself.

-Stephen St. Georges

References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom. New York: Harper and Row.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009a). Program five. Meeting students' needs with technology, part 1 [Motion picture]. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Ross, J.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009b). Program six. Meeting students' needs with technology, part 2 [Motion picture]. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Ross, J.

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf on November 18, 2009.

Developing a Personal GAME Plan

When viewing the indicators for performance using the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T), I have chosen to focus on two for personal improvement as I complete my tenth year of teaching. The first of which is to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity (NETS-T, 2009) particularly through the use of collaborative tools for reflection. To accomplish this, I intend to use the VoiceThread application to comment on screencasts created by both myself and my students. In this way, we can also solicit conversation from others around the globe. At first, we will use the technology within the classroom so I can monitor student use and make suggestions as to how the programs work. Eventually, this type of activity will be carried on both inside and outside school time. The idea behind this use of technology is to provide more access to class discussion and perspective. In this way, "students [will be] challenged to think more deeply about the topic at hand" (Cennamo, Ross, Ertmer, 2009). To evaluate this progress, I will compare notes with other teachers in this program to see how their uses of this or similar technology are working. No matter I do, it's important to remember that there is always another person ready to network with the same area as well (Davis, 2009b).

A second area I would like to improve my skills in is to "engage in professional growth and leadership" (NETS-T, 2009). I would like to start this process by using networking software such as SchoolRack or Ning, Blogger, etc. to communicate with other teachers and generate ideas for useful technology integration in the classroom. One way I have already started this process is through the completion of this program. Ertmer (2009a) mentions that students need "confidence" when working with technology in the classroom, but teachers need it as well. While many new technologies have been presented to me to use throughout these courses, I will choose to use only a few of these in my teaching so I can present a high level of quality for my students and others to view. In this way, I can choose how to present material and still receive training in new teaching tools and grow in my leadership potential. This, hopefully, will lead to more students placing me and my instruction into their "quality world" (Glasser, 1998) which will, in turn, spur them to improve their knowledge base and create more meaningful projects for themselves and others.

References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom. New York: Harper and Row.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009a). Program three. Enriching content area learning experiences with technology, part 1 [Motion picture]. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Ertmer, P.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009b). Program four. Enriching content area learning experiences with technology, part 2 [Motion picture]. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Davis, V.

National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf on November 10, 2009.

Reflection: "It's not about the Technology"

Warlick (2009) describes our function as teachers as one of facilitating sharing of information and responding to other areas of learning. Some ways we can create interaction between students and teachers in the world using technology are through blogging, podcasting and social networking tools. In this course, one such technology which was both new and extremely exciting to me was the use of screencasting. Even though the idea is not new, it was certainly new to me, and I have begun using this technology on a near daily basis within my classes. In addition to the interactive capability it provides both for me and my students, this can lead to portfolio products and better sharing opportunities for students and teachers alike.

Monitoring and adjusting instruction and products are very important ways to increase ability and to continue exploring ways to create meaningful and tangible evidence of learning. Eagleton and Dobler (2007) illustrate this point by asking us as teachers to reflect on the QUEST method of learning, and to take stock of technology literacy skills in our classrooms and lives. One way I would like to continue development of literacy skills in this century of learning is to allow students to create and share screencasts through the VoiceThread application. In this way, students could create meaningful research projects which are both informative and fun. This would also help increase the breadth and depth of students’ knowledge in the areas studied. The knowledge I have gained from using these applications in my classroom have increased my awareness of students’ drive to be involved in the creation of tutorials, class notes and discussion as well as their wish to become more interactive learners.

In the end, this course has brought new technology to me and to my students in a meaningful way and I am excited to continue the development started here as I progress in my own career.

-Stephen St. Georges

References

Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the web: strategies for internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program thirteen. “It’s not about the technology” [Motion picture]. Supporting information literacy and online inquiry in the classroom. Baltimore: Warlick, D.

Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction and Technology: Reflection

Throughout this course, I have discovered new ways to motivate my students with technology and learned more about how my own teaching will help or hinder this integration. Orey (2008a) would most likely describe my teaching as being from a "social constructivist" method. I suppose that is the nature of being part of a performance ensemble - to create something collectively. Since I also subscribe heavily to Glasser's (1998) idea that we all choose our actions, I must choose to use technology in my classroom in a way that is both enriching and exciting.

It would be easy to say that while my personal theory about teaching is the same, the way I will choose to implement my strategies will change. The harder part is actually changing my teaching when I have done it this way for so long. As an immediate start to this change, I will use technology for more assessment related material. Specifically, I would like to use the VoiceThread application for projects in my non-performance classes and podcasting software for my performance ensembles. Orey (2008b) would describe the VoiceThread project as a connectivist type of activity. The way these will be used is to create a virtual museum, and using the VoiceThread tool, have students comment upon works of art set to music. Although the project itself will be time-consuming due to research, the use of the software will not take long to learn. For performance ensembles, we do record playing tests already, so the podcast will serve to make the recording more akin to a mobile digital portfolio. Pitler et al (2007) believe in this use of technology to track assessment, and charts can be made and published to demonstrate change in performance. In this way, parents and students can measure growth more accurately.

In the long term, I would like to make more consistent use of my Smart Board. Right now, it is a useful tool for my teaching, but I would like to make it more useful for my students' learning as well. I plan to investigate how other teachers are using the board to the students' advantage through internet research, collegial support and student inquiry. Also, I would like to set up individual digital portfolios for my performance ensemble students. I will seek the advice of my colleagues as to how they have set up similar assessment models so that I am not overwhelmed at the prospect of this project's creation. In this way, I hope to improve and increase the level of "quality work" (Glasser, 1998) in my classroom.

-Stephen St. Georges

References:

Glasser, W. (1998). Choice theory: A new psychology of personal freedom. New York: Harper and Row.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008a). Social learning theories [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology . Baltimore : Orey.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008b). Connectivism as a learning theory [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology . Baltimore : Siemens.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

VoiceThread about student technology use in the classroom

Just click on the title to this post to go to the voice thread about students' use of their cell phones and laptops in school. Our school will be discussing this issue soon, so your feedback is appreciated!

-Stephen

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

This week, we are asked to examine how social learning theories relate to certain cooperative learning strategies and social networking tools. Orey (2008a) discusses the "zone of proximal development" (Laureate Education, 2008) as what a student is capable of learning right now. How will these students learn this information in today's society? Mostly through collaboration with others (whether they learn right or wrong information, this is still the most likely method with which they will attain said information.)

Pitler et al. (2007) label many methods for collaborative learning in this week's resources, some of which I have used in the classroom, others I have not. One of the ideas I found intriguing was the idea of "keypals." This modern version of the penpal is instant, and could also use an application such as facebook to help students compile information and share ideas. This is an area I would like to explore as a teacher. In the past, I was actually afraid to use that technology, as there had been many stories about internet predators and misuse of social networking tools in schools.

However, instead of running away from the tools towards which students gravitate, we should be seeking to include them in our instruction. Siemens (2008b) describes connectivism as the integration of social networking technology into the learning environment. While still constructionist in theory, now social interaction can help boost idea generation. This can be achieved through use of wikis, podcasts, voicethreads and presentations. Hopefully, we can use the information gathered and compiled to increase achievement and knowledge.

-Stephen St. Georges

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008a). Social learning theories [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology . Baltimore : Orey.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008b). Connectivism as a learning theory [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology . Baltimore : Siemens.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Constructivism in Practice

In this week's learning resources, Orey (2008) observes that constructionism is attained when students build something, not necessarily out of brick and mortar, but a tangible learning source for themselves and others. Many project types were suggested in his segment, particularly powerpoint type presentations which make clear connection to information through text, images and sound. Pitler et al. (2007) describe the constructivist classroom as one where technology allows for more efficient differentiation in instruction and collaboration. Some of the ideas they mention this week are use of technology for the collection of data. This data can be used, as they demonstrate, for testing hypotheses. Sometimes this data can be helpful in determining what to study further and what needs to be changed to help further learning and achievement.

The ideas presented this week in the learning resources correlate to the principles outlined in the constructionist/constructivist theories through the use of technology. By using spreadsheet or presentation software, numerical data can be translated to visual images for interpretation by the receiver of information. As a result, more people can understand and assimilate data more effectively.

-Stephen St. Georges

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008). Constructionist and constructivist learning theories. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology [Educational video]. Baltimore: Orey, M.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Cognitivism in Practice

In this week's learning resources, Orey (2008) describes cognitive learning theories as "revolving around information" Pitler et al. (2007) give us several ideas as to how we can apply cognitive learning theory to practical skill within the classroom. Some of these include methods to increase depth and breadth of answers simply by waiting after questioning (Pitler et al., 2007). By doing so, we can encourage more students to answer questions and also encourage them to share experiences which are perhaps unique to them. Students can also share methods to recall information this way.
Orey (2008) describes the use of technology to increase awareness and connections to information through multiple inputs to the same information. Pitler et al. (2007) describe the use of concept mapping tools to take notes more effectively. By taking notes in this manner, the central focus or concept of learning is viewed as the most important and supporting details are linked to their respective points of discussion.
These resources correlate well with cognitive learning theory by demonstrating various ways to store and recall information effectively. By creating more methods for storage and allowing deeper meaning during recall, students will achieve higher results and also raise their own expectations of how to apply knowledge in and out of the classroom.

-Stephen St. Georges

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008). Cognitive learning theories. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology [Educational video]. Baltimore: Orey, M.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Behaviorism in Practice

The main principles of behaviorist theory are that actions indicate behavior and that behaviors can be learned and replaced, according to Orey (2001). The main ideas in the learning resources presented in this week's Walden University course in bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology are to support positive behaviors and redirect (or relearn) negative behaviors through the use of technology with students. By using some of the strategies outlined, we can implement "operant conditioning" in our students (Orey, 2008).

Pitler et al. (2007) define several methods to accomplish this task. The first of which is to help students understand the role of effort in their education. Effort is inextricably linked to behaviorism, as it is measurable and definable. The method described in the reading makes use of spreadsheet software to track effort in several different areas. Students use a self assessment rubric to fill out the chart accurately and then use the software to create a chart which graphs effort against success (in this case, scores). It is an interesting way to show students how to use the software effectively while demonstrating the importance of effort in the classroom. Truthfully, I'm not sure how I will modify this to be useful in the music classroom, but it certainly would be helpful for my students to have this type of data. The link to behaviorism is clear once the graph is displayed - put forth more effort, and your grade will increase proportionally.

The major disadvantage to a study such as the one described by Pitler et al. (2007) is that the data depends largely on the honesty of the individual in his or her self-assessment. I have many students who claim to practice their instruments daily, who also do not improve. Either their practice is ineffective, or they are not practicing as often as they claim. A phone call home usually reveals the latter to be the case. We need to remember to create a passion for learning (Orey, 2008) so that students will choose the behavior we want, which is to increase effort in the classroom and all areas of their lives.

-Stephen St. Georges

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Behaviorist learning theory [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore : Orey.

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Reflection - The Use of Technology in the Classroom

This course has helped me to develop my skills in technology vastly. Before this course, I had never created a blog, wiki, or podcast. Now I have done all three and had some great fun doing so. Music technology has come a long way, and now we can start sharing the creative process with a much larger (global) audience due to my increased understanding of the technological processes.
My knowledge of the teaching and learning process has grown through a perspective change. Thornburg (2008a) and Dede (2008b) heavily discuss the shift from teachers as generators of knowledge to teachers as mentors and facilitators of instruction instead. I am used to delivering instruction after researching topics of interest for my classes. Now, with the vast amount of technology available to my students, there should be more emphasis on student involvement regarding learning.
I have always believed that learning should be student-centered, although I have been guilty of following established curriculum at times in my career. It is truly amazing to think of the amount of available technology and information in today’s society. Richardson (2006) mentions the content is so available to the public that “many teachers and students have begun writing their own textbooks online…that future classes can build on as well.” (Richardson, 2006 p.131)
Houston (2008c) emphasizes the use of wikis as a learning tool. It is interesting to me to start thinking about wikis as a learning tool rather than a “cheat” as I have in the past. The use of wikis can and should actually encourage more research rather than less. One way to use the knowledge I have acquired in this course to increase student achievement is to encourage my students to create wikis for class use. This way, we can create study guides for exams, collaborate with students from other classes and schools, and use a valuable web 2.0 tool for increased learning.
The first goal I have for my classes is to use wiki and blog technology in the classroom. Wikis will be used to create mini texts to be used for study and review, while blog entries will be used for writing prompts and reflection. I also intend to use podcasting technology in the classroom to set up digital portfolios for my students, so that we can measure growth over a multi-year span of time (since many of my students in performance ensembles repeat the course). Some of the problems associated with the use of these technologies are lack of access, lack of support, and blocking of websites in schools. My plan is to gain administrative support for integration in my classroom, then show my students how to use the blogs and wikis during a class period with computers so they can work along and learn through experience. After this, I will seek admittance to the sites I will need for music blogging assignments. Although that may take some time, my experience has been that patience pays off in the long run. And since I do have the time to invest in using technology, I intend to use it for a long time so that I can have the fun which Davidson (2008d) mentions so emphatically.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc, (Executive Producer). (2008a). Thornburg, D. “The Changing Role of the Classroom Teacher: Part 1.” [Educational Video]. In Understanding the impact of technology on education, work, and society. Los Angeles: Solution Tree.

Laureate Education, Inc, (Executive Producer). (2008b). Dede, C. “The Changing Role of the Classroom Teacher: Part 2.” [Educational Video]. In Understanding the impact of technology on education, work, and society. Los Angeles: Solution Tree.

Laureate Education, Inc, (Executive Producer). (2008c). Houston, J. “Spotlight on Technology: Collaboration Through Wikis.” [Educational Video]. In Understanding the impact of technology on education, work, and society. Los Angeles: Solution Tree.

Laureate Education, Inc, (Executive Producer). (2008d). Davidson, H. and Thornburg, D. “Bringing the Fun into Teaching with Technology.” [Educational Video]. In Understanding the impact of technology on education, work, and society. Los Angeles: Solution Tree.

Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wiks, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Podcast Survey (click here to hear my Podcast)

Steps for creating and posting podcasts online – please comment if you found an easier way!

Step 1: Visit Audacity's website http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ and download Audacity.

Step 2: Using Audacity, record at least three student responses to your questionnaire regarding their technology use. I recommend saving each student's file separately so it is easier to find the sound clips you need later.

Step 3: Using Audacity, record your assessment of the data you collected. Cut and paste student responses into your recording to support your findings.

Step 4: Visit LAME’s website http://lame.buanzo.com.ar/ to download LAME MP3 encoder. You need this to export your saved Audacity file as an MP3.

Step 5: Export (save as) your file as MP3 format (you will need to “locate” the LAME.dll file for this – look under “programs” on your system hard drive)

Step 6: Post your MP3 to a site such as http://www.4shared.com/ You can create an account and upload the file immediately.

Step 7: Visit http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=80259&topic=12535 for instructions on how to embed your podcast URL to your blog (if you are using Blogger, which I highly recommend). NOTE: I did not use embedding - when I created my post, I used Blogger's option to make the title link to my podcast's web host.

Step 8: Test everything to make sure it works. Good luck!

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (click here to view their website)

While researching methods for integrating technology into the classroom, I was directed to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2004), an organization devoted to improving the use of technology in US K-12 school systems. My initial reaction to this website is that there is much to see. It has taken several days to sift through the information on the website and determine its usefulness to me as a teacher. One item which is helpful is that news items are not updated several times a day, so it is possible to keep up with the knowledge provided and it is an obvious sign that careful thought is put into what is displayed.
Miners and Pascopella (2007) discuss the testing mandates required by the No Child Left Behind Act as inclusive of technology by the end of eighth grade. However, since little or no federal funding supports the integration of technology in classrooms, it goes largely untested and unobserved (Miners and Pascopella, 2007 p.28). Fortunately, even though each state has its own unique standards, the Partnership is active in encouraging more growth through its initiatives.

One of the pieces of information on the site (http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/) that surprised me was the section for "State Initiatives" on the site(2004). This served as proof that this is much more than an individual or group of people spreading an idea. They are involved, helping to bring 21st century skills into classrooms around the US and willing to work with states to promote technology education. As Levy and Murnane (2006) suggest, this involvement is key to the success of the movement and will lead to the “complex communication” we need as 21st century learners (Levy and Murnane, 2006 p. 58). I was also surprised how few states were on the list, currently, and hope more will be added soon.
As I reviewed the information today, I found one aspect with the site (2004) which I disagreed with was the use of politics on the website. There is a certain amount of lobbying which this site is used to promote. I believe this issue is strong enough on its own merits and does not require political commentary. That being noted, I do also see the unfortunate need our society has imposed upon people to use the political arena to accomplish goals.
The implications for us as educators are varied - we will require training (which can be assisted with the "professional development" page on the site (2004)), we will be required at some point to publish these works for the benefit of our students and we will be held accountable for the implementation of 21st century skills in our classroom. Students will be required to use this technology productively to prepare them for the global economy in which they will be employed. Hopefully, the mission can be realized to help both teachers and students increase awareness and capability in using learning technologies.

References:
Levy, F., & Murnane, R. (2006). Why the changing American economy calls for twenty-first century learning: Answers to educators' questions. New Directions for Youth Development, 2006(110), 53–62.

Miners, Z., & Pascopella, A. (2007). The new literacies. District Administration, 43(10), 26–34.

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2004). Retrieved March 25, 2009 from http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/

Augmented Sixth Chords

AP Music Theory Discussion: How are Augmented Sixth chords used? When is their use appropriate, and why might you need to use different types to accomplish your compositional desires? Give examples of when an Italian (also called European), German or French chord would be employed.

How this blog is being used

Good morning to all!

This blog's purpose is to develop interaction outside of class with AP music theory students and teachers. It is meant to specifically discuss and develop ideas for the further application of theoretical techniques mastered in the classroom, and to provide a written forum for the expression of those ideas.

This week, my students have been asked to post comments related to a project we spent the past three classes creating. They are high school Advanced Placement students (Juniors and Seniors) who are now preparing to take the AP exam in May.

The blog is a great learning tool for this group - they are motivated and willing to participate in this pilot program. Also, it gives an outlet for discussion that we do not have time to hold in class.

What ways are others using this tool which could streamline the process for us?

(Theory Students - do not respond to this post for the project assignment - respond to "The Project" using the comments section)

The Project

Hello Theory people!

Our part writing project for the "Caribbean Mass Project" is now under way. How have you used your knowledge of theory and aural skills to create parts which work with this setting? Please comment here.

My main influence in composing this Mass was the desire to incorporate Afro-Cuban style music into the contemporary Catholic Mass. I am fortunate to work with a parish which encourages creativity and with a talented choir who enjoys a challenge. The use of syncopation reflects my percussion background heavily, and the tenor voice parts get all the great suspensions at the end of each piece (guess which part I sing?) while the alto parts (also usually sung by second sopranos) are laden with suspensions within the cadential six-four areas.

So, post your comments on what drove you to write the parts you wrote during this project. The goal is to publish this material, and you will receive part writing credit for your work!

Welcome aboard

Hello to all!

This is a place to discuss all things music theory related. In particular, we will focus on concepts used in traditional Advanced Placement in Music Theory courses, including AP Theory Exam questions. Please post frequently to generate discussions!